• Santoku 185mm 50 Layer Damascus GoMai 1.2419 Black Ash Burl & Bog Oak
  • Santoku 185mm 50 Layer Damascus GoMai 1.2419 Black Ash Burl & Bog Oak – detail view
  • Santoku 185mm 50 Layer Damascus GoMai 1.2419 Black Ash Burl & Bog Oak – side profile
  • Santoku 185mm 50 Layer Damascus GoMai 1.2419 Black Ash Burl & Bog Oak – handle detail
  • Santoku 185mm 50 Layer Damascus GoMai 1.2419 Black Ash Burl & Bog Oak – blade close-up
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Santoku 185mm 50 Layer Damascus GoMai 1.2419 Black Ash Burl & Bog Oak

Santoku 185mm 50 Layer Damascus GoMai 1.2419 Black Ash Burl & Bog Oak

By Martin Huber

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Martin Huber

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A classic piece from Martin Huber. House made laminated steel with a premium tungsten alloyed 1.2419 core. This piece features a beautiful 50 Layer Damascus and nickel cladding that provides a durable and captivating protective layer over the already tough core.

Black etched and finished with a touch of brute de forge around the spine. A very cool looking piece of steel.

The profile is a classic Martin Huber Santoku profile. Relatively tall compared to a Japanese Santoku with fine convex bevel and razor-sharp edge.

Martin’s tapered Rokkaku Hanmaru handle is very comfortable in the hand. Always produced in premium woods, or other robust and durable materials. This piece feature a lovely Black Ash Burl and Bog Oak combination that fits beautifully with the Damascus clad blade.

Generally speaking, Martin produces incredibly well-made knives and his Santoku’s are very popular. If you are in the market for a beautiful knife with a high performance edge geometry, that is perfect as general use knife at home, then look no further.

Product Specification
  • Blade Type:
  • Edge Length: 180mm
  • Spine Heel: 3.28mm
  • Spine Mid: 2.99mm
  • Spine Tip (20mm before): 1.23mm
  • Blade Height: 57.66mm
  • Weight: 209g
  • Cutting Edge Steel:
  • Steel class: Carbon
  • HRC: 65
  • Blade Construction:
  • Blade Finish: Brute de ForgeAcid Etched (Forced Patina)Satin Polish
  • Grind:
  • Handle Construction:
  • Handle Materials: Black Ash Burl, Bog Oak, G10
  • Handedness: Ambidextrous

Blade type

Santoku

三徳

A shorter, lighter all-purpose knife — usually 165 to 180 mm — built around the same "three virtues" the name describes: meat, fish, and vegetables. The edge is flatter than a gyuto's, with a rounded, sheepsfoot-style tip, favouring a straight up-and-down push cut over a rocking motion. Its compact length and modest height make it easy to control, which has made it the default home-kitchen knife across much of the world.

The santoku trades reach and tip precision for manageability. The flatter profile and shorter blade suit smaller hands, smaller boards, and cooks who chop rather than rock, but those same dimensions limit it on large proteins and tall vegetables where a longer, taller blade does the work more easily. Think of it as a gyuto's more approachable counterpart rather than a replacement.

View full knife type guide →

Cutting edge steel

1.2419

Low-alloy tungsten-chromium tool steel

Typical HRC
62–65
Corrosion class
Carbon
Production
Conventional
Origin
Germany (DIN 105WCr6); approximately the European 125SC family in spirit but more alloyed

1.2419 is the German tungsten-chromium tool steel that sits a clear step above the simple carbons in alloy content, with about 1.05 percent carbon, 1.0 percent chromium, and 1.1 percent tungsten. It is closely related to 1.2519 (which adds vanadium) and to its leaner sub-variant 1.2419.05.

In a kitchen knife it runs at 63–64 HRC, sharpens cleanly, and produces an edge with notably better wear resistance than W2 or 80CrV2. The W- and Cr-rich carbides do real work; toughness is good for the hardness, and patina behaviour is moderate. It is a steel that rewards a maker who can dial in heat treatment and grain control.

European bladesmiths have used 1.2419 for kitchen and outdoor knives for decades. It is well respected in the Solingen tradition and remains a credible choice for a refined carbon-edge knife. Among the makers Modern Cooking carries, Martin Huber, Karol Karyś, Fredrik Spåre, Michał Lipiński, and Birch & Bevel work in this steel. The community sometimes discusses 1.2419 in the same breath as Aogami #1 — not chemically identical, but in a similar performance neighbourhood.

View full steel guide →

Blade construction

Laminated Steel

A category covering knives built from multiple layers of different steels forge-welded together. The hard cutting steel is sandwiched between softer outer layers (cladding) that protect the core, add toughness, and often contribute visual contrast.

The most common laminated constructions in the Modern Cooking catalogue are:

SanMai (三枚) — three layers: hard cutting steel in the centre, softer cladding on both sides. The traditional and most common form.

GoMai (五枚) — five layers: a hard core, two intermediate layers, and two outer layers. Adds visual depth and structural complexity.

KuMai (九枚) — nine layers: similar logic, with more cladding layers for additional pattern and structural variation.

GoMai and KuMai are often chosen not only for the additional layers and visual depth, but also because the intermediate layers can act as a nickel diffusion barrier — limiting carbon migration out of the core into the cladding during forge welding, and protecting the core's intended carbon content through the heat of the forging process.

In all cases the cutting performance is determined by the core steel; the outer layers are cosmetic and structural. The lamination contributes corrosion protection (when a stainless jacket clads a carbon core), reduced reactivity, and the visible boundary between core and cladding that gives the knife its character.

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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