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Tojiro  |  SKU: TO-DP-ST170

Tojiro DP3 Santoku 170mm F-503

$106.98 $115.00

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Detailed Specifications
Line Tojiro DP
Profile Santoku
Bevel Type Double Bevel
Weight 192 g        6.77 oz
Edge Length 165 mm   .6.5 inch
Heel Height 45 mm     .1.77 inch
Width @ Spine 1.8 mm     0.07 inch
Width @ Mid 1.8 mm     0.07 inch
Width @ 1cm from Tip 0.9 mm     0.04 inch
Steel VG10 | Stainless
Blade Construction Sanmai - Stainless Clad
Hardness (HRC) 59 - 61
Surface Finish Migaki
Handle Western Pakka Wood with Bolster
Region Tsubame
Best for
  • First-timers
  • Students
    • Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
    • World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.


    Tojiro DP is what I consider as the white Toyota equivalent in the Japanese knife market, it is affordble, massively produced by reputable manufacture with a long track record of being reliable for what you pay.

    The core steel is the Takefu VG10, a middle to high teir stainless stainless steel that is widely adopted by many makers. However, Tojiro managed to get these knives to a very low price, to a price point where you can only find steel like AUS-8. The lowered price isn't achieved by compromising on performance, as the scale of the manufacturing can still ensure the quality of the heat treating and grinding, therefore, you are still getting a blade with sharpness and edge retention on par with some other VG-10 kinves that are quite more expensive.

    The trade-offs are the fit and finish of these knives, they are fine at first glance, but a closer inspection will reveals some small issues. The spine sometimes have scratches, same for joint beteween blade and bolsters, glue can beseen on the edge of handle scales and the choil is not rounded and you can peel potato with it... You can usually find one or two tiny unfinished details like these on a Tojiro DP, but usually they aretn't something that can't be fixed by a set of sandpaper in 20mins.

    At the end of the day, the Tojiro DP will stay sharp and serve you well on chopping board, its low price and relative easy of sharpening can make it a good knife to learn sharpening on, the stainless Migaki finish can hadle some beating and scratches, these features combine into a very good entry level user knife with outstanding affordablity. Just like your first generic white Toyota, it may not have Alcntara interior, twin-turbo V8 and 4WD, but it is reliable, and able to hadle 99% of the task with a very low price.

    Pros Cons
  • Budget friendly
  • Easy to look after
  • Ideal for the household
  • Fit and finish can be improved

  • Care Instruction
    1. Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
    2. Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
    3. Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
    4. Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
    5. It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
    6. It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.

    Tojiro

    Tojiro, a globally recognized Japanese kitchen knife brand, is celebrated for its remarkable quality and value. Rooted in the Niigata Prefecture, an area famous for steel production, Tojiro combines traditional craftsmanship with advanced technology to produce kitchen knives that excel in both form and function. Their blades, typically featuring high-carbon stainless steel, are known for their exceptional sharpness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Each knife undergoes meticulous finishing, ensuring ergonomic handles for comfortable grip and a well-balanced feel. Tojiro offers a diverse range of knives, from versatile gyuto and santoku styles to specialized nakiri blades, catering to both professional chefs and home cooks alike. This commitment to high quality and affordability has earned Tojiro a strong reputation worldwide, making their knives the go-to choice for reliable, efficient, and beautifully crafted kitchen tools.

    • Profile: Santoku

      The Santoku knife, embodying the meaning "three uses," is a cornerstone in Japanese kitchens, adept at slicing, dicing, and mincing. Esteemed for its versatility, it features a blade length typically between 15cm and 20cm (6 to 8 inches), catering to a wide array of culinary tasks. Distinguished by its less pointy tip compared to the Gyuto, the Santoku boasts a unique profile that contributes to its functionality and popularity. Its design is tailored to provide ease and efficiency in preparation, also because of its less aggressive prrofile, making it a preferred choice for home cooks.

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    • Steel: VG10

      Takefu VG10, is a high-end stainless steel celebrated for its exceptional edge retention and sharpness. It is a popular choice among Japanese kitchen knife makers and widely used in various types of knives, including kitchen knives, folders, and fixed blades.

      VG10 achieves a hardness of around 60-61 HRC, with some makers pushing it to 62 HRC, ensuring good edge holding and stain resistance. The steel's composition includes 15% chromium (Cr) for corrosion resistance, 1% molybdenum (Mo), and 1.5% cobalt (Co) for matrix strengthening, leading to high hardness and durability. The addition of vanadium (V) refines its microstructure and, along with Cr and Mo, produces hard carbides that enhance wear resistance. VG10 is easy to sharpen, has good machinability, and supports secondary hardening with high-temperature tempering, making it suitable for blades that may undergo surface coating treatments up to about 450℃. Its well-rounded attributes make VG10 steel highly versatile, performing excellently in a range of applications from kitchen and general-purpose knives to machine blades.

      Manufacturer:

      • Takefu Special Steel, Japan

      Nature: Stainless

      Hardness: 59- 61

      << Slide for more >>

    • Construction: Sanmai - Stainless Clad

      Sanmai(Three-Piece) is a common construction for double bevel knives where two pieces of softer cladding steel are forgewelded to each side of a harder core steel. The harder but more brittle core steel will form the hard cutting edge after heat treating, and the softer cladding will support the core to increase the overall strength of the blade.

      The soft cladding enables the thinning process to be a lot easier than a honyaki or monosteel construction. And in the case where the cladding steel are stainless in nature, it can offer protection for the carbon or semi-stainless cores against rusting and discoluoring.

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    • Finish: Migaki

      "Migaki" means "polished" or "shined" in Japanese, The term "Migaki finish" in the context of Japanese kitchen knives indeed does not exclusively refer to a mirror polish but encompasses a broader range of polished finishes that can vary from semi-gloss to a more refined, subtle sheen, rather than a highly reflective surface. The primary goal of a Migaki finish is to enhance the knife's functionality and aesthetic appeal, focusing on a smooth finish that improves resistance to corrosion and minimizes drag during cutting, rather than achieving a purely mirror-like appearance.

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    • Handle Specs

      Profile: Western with bolster

      Material:

      • Pakka Wood

      Western Pakka Wood handle is the common choice for entery level knives, in some cases, they will be made with bolster that is welded to the blade. The Pakka wood created by laminate wood with resin, creating a dense material that can have layers of different color. Compared with natural timber, this engineered wood is harder and absorb less water, in addition, the low cost of production makes it ideal of grip of entry level knife.

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    Tojiro

    Tojiro DP3 Santoku 170mm F-503

    $106.98 $115.00

    TOJIRO’s flagship model. VG10 as core steel, clad by 13-chrome stainless steel, it has achieved both professional sharpness and easy maintenance. Reinforced laminated handle is very durable and tough, not easily deformed and strong against deterioration over time. Metal bolster is very hygienic and prevents stain and dirt from being accumulated between blade and handle. (Good Design and Long-Life Design award winner in 1996)

    Measurements 


    mm
    Weight 192 g
    Tip to Heel Length 165 mm
    Blade Height at Heel 45 mm
    Width of Spine Above Heel 1.8 mm
    Width of Spine at Middle of Blade 1.8 mm
    Width of Spine at about 1 cm from tip 0.9 mm

    Steel type: DP core with stainless damascus clad
    Hardness (HRC): 60
    Handle Design: Western handle full tang

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