Reviewed by Valery Grin · · updated June 4, 2026
Yaxell Ran – 17 cm Japanese Nakiri in 69-Layer VG-10 Damascus
The flat blade that preps grill veg at pro-kitchen speed.
From€170
Reference price on Amazon (June 2026) · subject to change
As an Amazon Associate, mikamado.es earns from qualifying purchases. At no extra cost to you.
A 17 cm flat blade made for vegetables: a VG-10 core wrapped in 69 Damascus layers, micarta handle. The nakiri drops flat to the board with no rocking, so it parts onion, courgette and pepper for the grill in clean, even cuts.
The nakiri is the vegetable specialist, and the Yaxell Ran is among the best at it without collector prices. A VG-10 core (cobalt-molybdenum-vanadium) at around 61-62 HRC, clad in 69 Damascus layers with a gorgeous pattern, and a black linen-micarta handle with full tang. Its tall, flat blade is the key: it drops straight to the board with no rocking, giving clean, even cuts in onion, courgette, aubergine or pepper headed for the kamado grill. The blade height also lets you scoop up what you've cut in one pass. Honestly it's a single-job knife: not for boning or slicing meat, where a gyuto does more. But for vegetable mise en place it's a joy. Hand-wash, dry at once, and edge on a whetstone.
Specifications
- Type: Nakiri (vegetable specialist)
- Steel: VG-10 core + 69 Damascus layers
- Hardness: ~61-62 HRC
- Blade: ~17 cm, tall and flat, double bevel
- Handle: Black linen micarta, full tang
- Origin: Made in Seki, Japan; lifetime warranty
As an Amazon Associate, mikamado.es earns from qualifying purchases. At no extra cost to you.
Goes well with
FAQ
Why a nakiri if I already have a chef's knife?
The nakiri cuts veg faster and cleaner: its tall, flat blade drops straight down with no rocking, so the piece isn't left hinged together. For lots of vegetable mise en place it's noticeably comfier.
Can I cut meat or fish with it?
Occasionally yes, but it's not its job. With no fine tip or belly, it's poor for boning or slicing. Use a gyuto for meat; a sujihiki or deba for fish.
Does the Damascus pattern wear off?
No: the Damascus is structural, the 69 layers run through the blade's thickness. What you must avoid is the dishwasher and leaving it wet, which stains the outer steel.