• Oblivion Blades 170mm Nakiri OB Wootz with Composite Handle - Blade
  • Oblivion Blades 170mm Nakiri OB Wootz with Composite Handle - Handle
  • Oblivion Blades 170mm Nakiri OB Wootz with Composite Handle - Profile
  • Oblivion Blades 170mm Nakiri OB Wootz with Composite Handle - Profile
  • Oblivion Blades 170mm Nakiri OB Wootz with Composite Handle - Profile
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170mm Nakiri OB Wootz with Composite Handle

170mm Nakiri OB Wootz with Composite Handle

By Oblivion Blades

No longer available

Jerarmie Heywood

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A combination of elements makes Wootz steel interesting when it comes to knife making. Firstly, is its association with the origins of Damascus steel. The truth is that nobody really knows where Damascus steel came from or how it was originally produced. Today when we refer to Damascus, we are most commonly referring to pattern wielded steel, the layered steel produced by wielding various soft and hard steels together.

Wootz steel refers to crucible steel. It is made by melting a combination of elements in a crucible to form a small ingot of high carbon steel that is then forged and thermal cycled in a specific manner that leads to highly refined carbide bands that produce the final pattern when the steel is etched.

The high carbon content and the refined carbides can produce extremely tough steels that take very fine edges. The problem is that in most cases it is truly difficult to know the final content of a crucible steel and it is possible that the carbon content is much lower than often predicted.

Jezz at Oblivion Blades has each of his ingots tested to know precisely how much of each element is contained within. This blade contains a very reasonable 1.6C 0.4W 0.35Cr, it’s a very decent piece of Wootz.

So, with the technical stuff out of the way, a little about the blade itself.

Firstly, for a Nakiri you might see the angled handle as a little unorthodox, but the angle is perfectly suited to the profile of the blade which tapers towards the nose of the knife. In use this geometry actually relieves tension in the wrist, and I believe would reduce fatigue over time.

If you know the origins of the Nakiri, it was first developed as an easy-to-use vegetable knife, mainly for the home. The knife was modelled on the Japanese Usuba, which is used for a particular cutting style called Katsuramuki or Rotary Pealing a technique that involves holding a piece of vegetable in one hand and peeling away a thin layer by rotating the vegetable against the blade while moving the knife in a subtle, up and down motion. In my limited experience with this technique I believe the angled design would make this process a little easier.

The blade is very thin at the edge, about 0.2mm, and remains fairly thin for about 1cm above the edge, giving the knife a razor like property that is perfect for vegetable prep. The knife is nicely balance for a pinch grip and the balance point sits precisely on the Oblivion Blades, makers mark.

Crucible steel or Wootz is a very labour-intensive steel to produce and to find a premium kitchen knife of this standard in such a unique high carbon steel is an absolute rarity. Jezz is a very talented knife maker and steel producer, and the combination is proving to result in some amazing kitchen knives. This is absolutely no exception. A great 170mm Nakiri, in an amazing, tough steel and with a tonne of style!

Product Specification
  • Blade Type:
  • Edge Length: 170mm
  • Spine Heel: 3.55mm
  • Spine Mid: 3.05mm
  • Spine Tip (20mm before): 2.2mm
  • Blade Height: 59mm
  • Weight: 272g
  • Cutting Edge Steel:
  • Steel class: Carbon
  • HRC: 63
  • Blade Construction:
  • Blade Finish: Matte Polish
  • Grind:
  • Handle Construction:
  • Handle Materials: OB Composite, Brass Pin, Tasmanian Oak dowel
  • Handedness: Ambidextrous

Blade type

Nakiri

菜切

A double-bevel vegetable knife with a tall, rectangular blade and a straight edge that meets the board along its full length. That flat profile is built for one job done exceptionally well: clean, full-contact push and chop cuts through vegetables, with the height giving knuckle clearance and a broad face to guide sliced produce. There is no belly to rock, because rocking is not what it is for.

The nakiri's specialisation is also its limit. It is superb on vegetables and unhurried prep, but the straight edge and squared-off tip make it poor at the tip work, rocking, and protein tasks a gyuto or santoku handle easily. It is best understood as a dedicated vegetable knife that earns its place alongside a more general blade rather than replacing one.

View full knife type guide →

Cutting edge steel

Crucible Steel

Generic descriptor / brand name — refers to either historic crucible-process steel or modern Crucible Industries (CPM br

Typical HRC
Varies
Corrosion class
Varies
Production
Varies
Origin
Varies

"Crucible steel" is two things, and a customer-facing entry should disambiguate. Historically, the term refers to steel made by the crucible process — a method of melting wrought iron with a charge of carbon in a covered crucible to produce a homogeneous, high-quality steel, which was the dominant method of high-grade steelmaking in eighteenth and nineteenth century Sheffield and India (the legendary wootz being the most famous example). Knives sold today as "Sheffield crucible steel" are nearly always evoking this tradition.

In the modern American market, "Crucible" almost always refers to Crucible Industries, the New York steelmaker behind the CPM family — 3V, MagnaCut, CRU-WEAR, CruForge V, and many others. When a contemporary maker says a knife is in "a Crucible steel," they almost always mean a CPM powder grade.

For an encyclopedia entry, the rule is: if the term comes from historical context, it points at the crucible *process*; if from modern context, it points at the *manufacturer*. Both are honest uses; both are reasonable in their setting.

View full steel guide →

Blade construction

Crucible Steel

Historically, steel made by the crucible process — wrought iron melted with a carbon charge in a covered crucible to produce a homogeneous, high-quality steel. Wootz and Bulat are the most famous traditional crucible steels; Sheffield's nineteenth-century crucible steel production drove the city's reputation.

In the modern kitchen knife world, true crucible-steel construction is rare and almost exclusively found in collector's pieces. The technique survives mostly in revivalist work — a small number of contemporary makers reproduce wootz with painstaking historical accuracy. The visual signature is a fine, watery pattern in the steel, distinct from forge-welded damascus.

View full construction guide →

Grind

Convex

A grind whose bevel bulges outward in a gentle curve from spine to edge, rather than running flat. That extra steel directly behind the edge makes a convex grind notably strong and resistant to chipping, while the curved geometry helps food release and lets the blade glide through dense ingredients with less wedging than a flat grind.

The strength comes at the cost of ultimate thinness and ease of maintenance. A convex edge has more metal behind it, so it is not quite as effortlessly keen as a thinly flat-ground edge, and it is harder to sharpen freehand — holding the curve takes a stropping technique or a deliberate hand rather than a single fixed angle. The reward is an exceptionally tough, smooth-cutting edge.

View full grind guide →

Handle construction

Hidden Tang

A construction in which the tang runs into the handle but stays concealed inside it, rather than showing between two scales. A narrower tang — a full-length stick or a shorter projection — is set into a drilled or burned channel in a one-piece handle and secured with adhesive, a friction fit, or a threaded fitting drawn up against the blade. This is the traditional construction of Japanese wa-handles and many European hidden-tang knives.

The design puts the handle material in charge of the look and feel: a single piece of wood, horn, or composite — often with a ferrule or spacers at the front — is shaped into any cross-section the maker wants, from the classic octagonal and D-shaped wa profiles to fully rounded Western forms. With no steel showing along the grip, the handle can be slim and light, and is frequently made to be removed and replaced, with the balance sitting toward the blade.

View full construction guide →

Shipping & Returns

Shipping

We process orders 5 days a week (Monday - Friday) and ship from our shop in Sydney, Australia. We ship with FedEx, UPS and DHL.

We are happy to offer free international shipping on a variety of orders depending on location and order value.

Free Shipping Regions and Minimum Order Values

For Australia and New Zealand the minimum is $500AUD. For the rest of the world it is approximately €1000EUR. The discount is applied automatically when you reach the minimum cart value at checkout.

Returns

If you're not entirely happy with your purchase, you can return it within 14 days of delivery for a refund. The item must be in its original condition with all original packaging.

  • Returns are accepted for 14 days
  • The customer is responsible for return shipping costs
  • A 15% restocking fee may be applied to change-of-mind returns
  • We do not accept returns on second-hand items for change of mind

Faulty or Damaged Items

You must notify us within 5 business days of receiving your order. Photographic evidence of damage is required. Once approved, Modern Cooking will cover return shipping costs.

Product Care

Cleaning: Clean by hand with warm water. Avoid wetting the handle when possible.

Sharpening: We advise using whetstones to sharpen your knives and a honing rod or steel to maintain the burr between sharpening sessions.

Reactive Steels: Reactive steels like Aogami Super, Apex Ultra or premium reactive German and Swedish steels are susceptible to rust if not properly cared for. Keep the knife dry between uses and when storing for longer periods, wiping the blade with Tsubaki oil or another food-safe oil is a wise choice. A patina can be a beautiful personal feature on your knife and helps to stop rust forming.

Handle Care: For non-stabilised wooden handles, apply Tsubaki oil or another food-safe oil from time to time. Food-safe wax can be applied to both stabilised and non-stabilised wooden handles. Never apply hot wax or oil as you risk warping or damaging the handle.

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