Vintage Japanese Yoshimune Saku Santoku Knife 160mm High Carbon Steel 1686

Experience Everyday Japanese Preparation with a Vintage Yoshimune Santoku

This pre-owned Yoshimune Saku Santoku pairs a 160mm high carbon steel blade with a wood handle. Its recorded double bevel offers a compact all-purpose format for meat, fish and vegetable preparation.

The Specs

• Recorded maker / brand: Yoshimune
• Recorded inscription: 義宗作 (Yoshimune Saku)
• Knife type: Santoku
• Steel: High carbon steel; exact alloy not recorded
• Recorded hardness: 58 HRC
• Blade length: 160mm
• Overall length: 290mm
• Recorded blade thickness: 1.4mm; measurement position not confirmed
• Bevel: Double bevel
• Recorded construction: Fully forged
• Handle: Wood
• Recorded knife weight: Approximately 120g
• Origin: Japan
• Condition: Vintage, pre-owned

The Yoshimune Signature

The original inscription notes read 義宗作 as Yoshimune Saku, meaning made by Yoshimune. They describe a hand-engraved cursive style, identified as Gyōsho / Sōsho. The suffix 作 means made by, but does not by itself establish a forging method.

The earlier notes associate the Yoshimune name with Tosa or Sakai cutlery traditions. That regional attribution and a specific lineage are not established for this individual knife, so neither is presented as confirmed provenance. No production date is assigned.

The Santoku, commonly translated as three virtues, is an all-purpose Japanese format for meat, fish and vegetables. Carbon steel can take a keen edge and rewards careful drying and whetstone maintenance. The original specifications record 1.4mm blade thickness, while the narrative calls it behind the edge. The measurement position remains unconfirmed, so no particular edge thickness is asserted.

Care & Maintenance

• Hand wash only, never in the dishwasher
• Dry immediately after washing to help prevent rust
• Do not soak the wood handle
• Apply a light coat of food-safe camellia oil after drying, particularly before storage
• Hone carefully as needed, preserving the existing double-bevel geometry
• Sharpen on a whetstone when needed
• Store on a magnetic rack or in a knife block to protect the edge