Three layers, and the reason for them is the whole point. A blade that is hard all the way through holds a superb edge but fights you when it is time to sharpen. A soft blade sharpens easily and goes dull just as fast. So the hard steel goes in the middle where the edge is, and softer stainless goes either side. You get the cutting edge of a hard Japanese steel with a knife that still sharpens on a normal stone and does not chip if it knocks a bone.
The core is VG10, a cobalt alloy high-carbon stainless developed by Takefu Special Steel in Japan, known for taking a very fine edge and holding it. The outer layers are 13-chrome stainless, so the knife resists rust and stains rather than demanding you dry it the moment you set it down. Full tang, three-stud laminated handle that will not warp or work loose, and a metal bolster sealing the join between blade and handle.
Santoku means three virtues: meat fish and vegetables. The flatter profile and shorter blade suit a straight up and down chopping motion rather than the rocking action of a gyuto.
TOJIRO CLASSIC was known as TOJIRO DP until 2025, when TOJIRO renamed the range. The knives are unchanged: same VG10 core, same three-layer construction, same handle. Only the name is different, so a CLASSIC sits alongside a DP you already own.
The pattern has barely changed since it was introduced, and in 1996 it took Japan's Good Design and Long Life Design award, which is given to products that stay relevant rather than ones that launch well.
- VG10 cobalt alloy core takes and holds a very fine edge
- 13-chrome stainless outer layers resist rust and stains
- Three-layer construction sharpens easily on a normal whetstone
- Full tang with a three-stud reinforced laminate handle
- Metal bolster seals the blade to handle join against food and moisture
- Made in Niigata Japan
- Blade hardness approximately 60 HRC (average rating and may vary by plus or minus 1)