Sakimaru Knives
A sakimaru is a long, single-purpose slicing knife with a distinctive swordtip: the spine sweeps down to meet the edge in a graceful curve rather than a squared-off heel-to-tip line.
That shape lets you draw the whole edge through fish and protein in one clean pull, which is exactly what raw slicing wants. This collection is a focused one. We stock a single sakimaru, the 8.5 inch Sakimaru Knife from the Hezhen Retro Series (PM8S), and this page is here to help you decide whether that swordtip profile is the right slicer for your kitchen.
Choosing Sakimaru Knives
The Retro Series sakimaru is built around a 10Cr15CoMoV stainless cutting core between two layers of SuS410 stainless (a 3-layer San-Mai blade, stonewashed black), at 60±2 HRC, finished with a red wood and black buffalo horn handle. It is made in our Yangjiang workshop, so you get a Japanese-style slicing profile and premium metallurgy without paying for a name it does not have. At 8.5 inches it is long enough to slice sashimi, salmon, cured meats and roast protein in a single stroke, but short enough to stay manageable on a home bench.
What is a sakimaru knife used for?
A sakimaru is a slicer, built for long, single-stroke cuts through soft protein rather than chopping or rock-cutting on a board. The swordtip geometry keeps the edge in contact with the food for the full length of the pull, so you get clean, un-torn slices of raw fish for sashimi, thin sheets off a side of salmon, or even slices from a rested roast. It is not a general prep knife: you would not use it to break down vegetables or work through bone. Think of it as the specialist you reach for when presentation and a clean cut matter.
Sakimaru vs a standard slicing knife: what is the difference?
The difference is the tip and the intended cut. A standard slicing or carving knife usually has a rounded or pointed tip and a long, relatively straight edge for general slicing of cooked meat. A sakimaru carries the same long edge but finishes in a swept swordtip, a profile borrowed from traditional Japanese-style fish knives, which suits drawing cuts through delicate raw protein where you do not want to press or saw. If you mostly slice cooked roasts and hams, a straight slicer is the more versatile pick. If raw fish and clean sashimi are the point, the sakimaru swordtip is the one you want.
Is the steel on the Retro Series sakimaru good enough for raw fish?
Yes. The 10Cr15CoMoV stainless core takes a keen, low-friction edge and holds it at 60±2 HRC, which is what a clean slice through raw fish depends on, since a dull edge crushes and tears delicate flesh instead of parting it. The stainless cladding adds corrosion resistance and lets the blade shed moisture, useful for a knife that spends its time on wet protein. Hone it before service and touch it up on a whetstone occasionally and it will keep giving you glass-clean slices.
How do I look after a sakimaru?
Hand wash and dry it straight after use, never the dishwasher, and keep it off hard surfaces like bone, frozen food or ceramic boards that a thin slicing edge is not built for. Store it on a magnetic holder or in a guard so the long edge is protected, and bring it back on a whetstone when the pull starts to feel like it needs pressure. Treated as the specialist it is, this blade lasts decades.
Common questions
Is this a Japanese knife? No, and we will not pretend otherwise. It is a Japanese-style sakimaru, made in our own Yangjiang workshop in China with a 10Cr15CoMoV core. You get the traditional swordtip slicing profile and the metallurgy, without a made-in-Japan claim we do not have.
What handle does it have? Red wood with a black buffalo horn bolster. Like any natural wood handle, it lasts longest when you wipe it dry after washing rather than leaving it wet, which matters on a knife that lives around wet fish.
Can I use it for general kitchen prep? You can slice cooked meat and soft ingredients with it, but it is not a do-everything knife. For daily board work you would be better served by a gyuto or a general slicer, and keep the sakimaru for the slicing jobs where its swordtip earns its place.
What is the warranty? Every Xinzuo and Hezhen knife carries a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, you are covered by Australian Consumer Law, and Australian shipping is free over $100.
Want more slicing options, or a knife that does more than one job? Browse the full slicing knives range for straight-edge carvers, step across to a gyuto if you want one long blade that handles everyday prep and slicing both, or look at fillet knives if breaking down whole fish is your real job. To see the rest of the range this sakimaru belongs to, explore the Hezhen Retro Series, or browse our wider Damascus kitchen knives collection.
