SANTOKU
SANTOKU
Jump to
Updated August 2026 · 8 min read · UK Japanese knife specialists
The short version
Haruta is our 67-layer VG10 Damascus range with oval wooden handles and a wooden scabbard included with every knife. Singles run from £64.99 to £89.99, sets from £129.99 to £499.99. It suits a home cook who wants a properly hard Japanese-steel edge and the Damascus look without going into the hundreds for one blade. It is not the range to pick if you want something you can be careless with.
We sell the Haruta range, so treat this as what it is — the maker's own description of its own knives. What we can do honestly is tell you exactly what the steel is, what's in the range, what it costs, and where we'd point you elsewhere. Every spec below is taken from the live product pages.
Is the Haruta range any good?
It sits in the middle of our catalogue, and that's the point of it. The blades are 67-layer VG10 Damascus — a genuinely capable Japanese knife steel, not a decorative pattern printed onto soft stainless — and the fit and finish are a step up from an entry-level set without the price of a hand-forged single knife.
What you notice first is the edge. A well-heat-treated VG10 blade holds an edge markedly longer than the softer European stainless most UK kitchens are used to, and it will take a finer angle without folding over. If you've only ever used a supermarket knife, the difference on the first tomato is not subtle.
What you notice second is the scabbard. Every Haruta knife ships with a fitted wooden saya, which is unusual at this price and genuinely useful — it means the range works even if you haven't sorted out proper knife storage yet.
What the steel actually is
Haruta blades are VG10 Damascus, built as 67 layers with a VG10 core. That matters, so let's be precise about what it means:
- VG10 is a stainless steel, not a carbon steel. It contains chromium, so it resists rust far better than a traditional carbon blade. It is not rust-proof — nothing is — but you will not get the fast patina of a true carbon knife.
- The 67 layers are cladding. The cutting edge is the VG10 core; the softer layers folded around it produce the feather pattern and add some toughness. The pattern is structural, not printed.
- It is a Japanese steel, not a Japanese-made knife. We say "Japanese-steel knives" deliberately. The steel specification and the blade geometry follow Japanese practice; we don't claim the knives are forged in Japan.
If you want the full background on the steel and how it compares, we've written it up in the ins and outs of VG10 steel and Damascus steel vs stainless steel.
The handles are shaped wood in an oval profile rather than the flat Western scale, with the scabbard supplied to match.
The full Haruta line-up and prices
The range is sold as individual knives as well as sets, so you can build up rather than buy everything at once. These are the current live prices.
| Knife | Price | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| 8" Gyuto Chef Knife — start here | £89.99 | The all-rounder. Curved belly for rocking, pointed tip for detail |
| 7" Santoku | £89.99 | Shorter, flatter all-rounder — better for push-cutting than rocking |
| 8" Kiritsuke Chef Knife | £89.99 | Flat profile and angled tip; a confident cook's chef knife |
| 7" Nakiri | £89.99 | Straight-edged vegetable knife — full contact with the board |
| 7.7" Nakiri Cleaver | £89.99 | Taller, heavier nakiri for high-volume vegetable prep |
| 10" Bread Knife | £89.99 | Serrated. Sourdough crust, tomatoes, layered cakes |
| 6" Boning Knife | £79.99 | Narrow curved blade for jointing meat and skinning fillets |
| 5" Utility Knife | £69.99 | The in-between knife — sandwiches, shallots, small jobs |
| 4" Paring Knife | £64.99 | In-hand work: peeling, hulling, trimming |
| 13" Diamond Sharpening Steel | £54.99 | Weekly maintenance between whetstone sessions |
Note that the range now includes a serrated bread knife — an earlier version of this page said one was still to come.
Where we'd start
★★★★★ 4.88 (113 reviews)
Pros
✓ Does 80% of everything you'll ever cut
✓ Curved belly suits a rocking cut, unlike a santoku
✓ Wooden scabbard included
Cons
✕ 8" feels long on a small board
✕ Not for bones or frozen food
★★★★★ 4.88 (113 reviews)
Pros
✓ Knife plus the rod that keeps it sharp
✓ Presentation box — no wrapping needed
✓ £14.99 less than buying the two separately
Cons
✕ A rod maintains an edge; you'll still want a whetstone eventually
✕ Only one knife in the box
★★★★★ 4.88 (113 reviews)
Pros
✓ Covers a home kitchen without duplication
✓ Every knife has its own scabbard
✓ £150 less than the 10-piece
Cons
✕ A big outlay in one go
✕ Most people genuinely only use two or three knives
The three sets compared
| Set | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Box Set — chef knife + diamond steel | £129.99 | A gift, or a first proper knife with the kit to keep it sharp |
| 5-Piece Set — best value | £349.99 | Kitting out a home kitchen in one purchase |
| 10-Piece Set | £499.99 | Cooks who genuinely use specialist blades, or a wedding gift |
Who the Haruta range isn't for
Three honest caveats, because a hard Japanese-steel knife is not the right buy for everyone:
- If you chop through bones or frozen food. Don't. VG10 is run hard, and hard steel chips rather than bends. The product pages say this explicitly, and we mean it — more in do Japanese knives chip easily.
- If the knife will go in the dishwasher. Heat, harsh detergent and blades knocking against crockery will wreck the edge and the wooden handle. If nobody in your house will hand-wash, buy something cheaper you don't mind ruining.
- If you want to spend under £60. Haruta singles start at £64.99. Our Japanese knives under £100 guide covers the alternatives.
If you're weighing Haruta against our other ranges, the best Japanese knife sets puts them side by side.
Looking after them
Nothing complicated, but three habits matter:
- Hand wash and dry immediately. VG10 is stainless, not stain-proof — leaving it wet, or leaving acidic food residue on the blade, will eventually mark it. The dishwasher is the fastest way to ruin one; see can you put chef knives in the dishwasher.
- Use the rod weekly, the stone occasionally. A diamond rod keeps a working edge true. When it stops responding, it's time for a whetstone — how to sharpen a knife using a whetstone walks through it, and how to tell when a knife needs sharpening covers when to bother.
- Avoid pull-through sharpeners. Fixed carbide slots tear a hard Japanese edge. We explain why in are electric knife sharpeners bad for Japanese knives.
Use the supplied scabbard, or a magnetic rack. Loose in a drawer is how good knives get chipped.
Frequently asked questions
Are Haruta knives good?
Haruta sits in the middle of our range: 67-layer VG10 Damascus blades with oval wooden handles and a fitted wooden scabbard with every knife. Singles run from £64.99 to £89.99 and sets from £129.99 to £499.99. It suits a home cook who wants a hard Japanese-steel edge and the Damascus look without paying several hundred pounds for a single blade. We sell the range, so weigh that accordingly — but every spec and price on this page is taken from the live product listings.
What steel are Haruta knives made from?
67-layer Damascus with a VG10 core. VG10 is a stainless steel containing chromium, so it resists rust far better than a traditional carbon steel, though it is not rust-proof. The 67 layers are cladding folded around the core; the feather pattern is structural rather than printed. These are Japanese-steel knives — we do not claim they are made in Japan.
Which Haruta knife should I buy first?
The 8" Gyuto Chef Knife at £89.99. It has a curved belly that suits a rocking cut and a pointed tip for detail work, and it will handle the large majority of everyday kitchen tasks. If your board is small or you prefer a push-cut, the 7" Santoku at £89.99 is the alternative.
How much does a Haruta knife cost?
Individual knives run from £64.99 for the 4" paring knife to £89.99 for the 8" gyuto, santoku, kiritsuke, nakiri, nakiri cleaver and bread knife. The 13" diamond sharpening steel is £54.99. Sets are £129.99 for the box set, £349.99 for the 5-piece and £499.99 for the 10-piece.
Do Haruta knives come with a scabbard?
Yes. Every knife in the range ships with a fitted wooden scabbard, including the knives supplied in the 5-piece and 10-piece sets. That is unusual at this price and it means the blades are protected even before you have sorted out permanent storage.
Is there a Haruta bread knife?
Yes — the Haruta 10" VG10 Damascus Bread Knife at £89.99, with the same wooden handle and scabbard as the rest of the range. It was added after this range first launched, so older guides may say a serrated knife is still to come.
Can Haruta knives go in the dishwasher?
No. Hand wash and dry immediately. Dishwasher heat and detergent will dull the edge and damage the wooden handle, and blades knocking against crockery through a cycle risk chipping a hard VG10 edge.
Should I buy a Haruta set or individual knives?
Individual knives, for most people. Nearly everyone does the large majority of their cutting with two or three blades, so a chef knife plus a paring knife will cover more than you expect for around £155. Buy a set if you cook broadly enough to use the specialist blades, or if you want a single complete gift.
What is the difference between the Haruta 5-piece and 10-piece sets?
£150 and the breadth of the specialist blades. The 5-piece set at £349.99 covers a home kitchen without duplication; the 10-piece at £499.99 extends into blades most households use rarely. Both include a wooden handle and scabbard on every knife.
Related guides
Start with one knife, or take the set — every Haruta blade ships with its own wooden scabbard.
Shop knife sets →
