Experience Compact Japanese Preparation with a Vintage Noshu Masamune Santoku
This pre-owned Santoku is listed as Noshu Masamune and pairs a 160mm carbon steel blade with a wood handle. Recorded as fully forged and made in Japan, it offers a compact all-purpose format for everyday kitchen preparation.
The Specs
Recorded brand: Noshu Masamune
Recorded inscription: 刀都 正宗 (Tōto Masamune)
Knife type: Santoku
Blade length: 160mm
Overall length: 290mm
Recorded blade thickness: 1.4mm
Steel: High carbon steel; exact alloy not recorded
Recorded construction: Fully forged
Recorded hardness: 58 HRC
Handle: Wood
Origin: Made in Japan
Condition: Used / pre-owned
The Masamune Name and Seki Heritage
The original inscription notes read 刀都 正宗 as Tōto Masamune. They translate 刀都 as sword city or capital of swords, associating it with Seki City in Gifu Prefecture, and identify 正宗 as the Masamune name. The notes connect this marking with Noshu Masamune (濃州正宗) and Satake Cutlery (佐竹産業 / Satake Sangyo), but the inscription alone does not independently confirm the manufacturer of this individual blade.
The recorded brand-history notes describe the Noshu Masamune line as produced by Satake Cutlery, established in Seki in 1947, combining the region's cutlery heritage with modern manufacturing for practical kitchen knives. The Masamune name evokes the historical swordsmith Gorō Nyūdō Masamune; it is not a claim that he made this knife or that the blade dates to his era.
The Santoku, commonly translated as three virtues, is an all-purpose format for meat, fish and vegetables. Its flat-to-gently-curved edge suits push cuts and light rocking, while the wide blade offers knuckle clearance. At 160mm, this example provides a manageable option for tighter cutting boards. Carbon steel can take a keen edge and develops natural patina with use, rewarding careful drying and maintenance.
Care & Maintenance
Hand wash only, never in the dishwasher
Dry immediately after washing to help prevent rust
Do not soak the wood handle
Natural patina develops with use; remove active rust rather than treating it as patina
Sharpen on a whetstone, preserving the existing edge geometry
Store on a magnetic strip or in a knife block to protect the edge
Age restriction: The purchase of knives is restricted to persons aged 18 years and over in accordance with applicable Australian state and territory laws, including the Queensland Weapons Act 1990 and South Australian Summary Offences Act 1953. By purchasing a knife through this store, you confirm you are aged 18 or over.
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