MAC Black 17cm Japanese santoku knife

Find out more about the manufacturer :

MAC has been working on its techniques since the early 60s, and its know-how is backed by several registered patents. The brand is now internationally renowned, and equips some of the world's finest chefs.

Its founder used the term "Macrocosm" to find the name of the brand, retaining only the first three letters. In simplified form, the term means "immense universe", in the image of the founder who, in using such words, wanted to make a link with his ambition to equip kitchens the world over.

The founder studied in the United States. He worked as a part-time cook, in addition to his studies. It was there that he had the opportunity to test kitchen knives that weren't necessarily to his taste. He was using a dull, heavy and very sharp German knife when he dropped it, narrowly missing injuring his foot. Instead, the knife stuck in the ground, and when he tried to pull it out, about 3cm of the point had broken off. To fix this, he took a sharpening stone to the blade, making the point "rounder" than it had been at first. Gradually, he realized that this modification had significantly increased the knife's efficiency, and with it his own output.

When he returned to Japan, this experience gave him the idea of establishing the MAC company, with the aim of creating knives with a formidable cutting edge, but at the same time safer, more durable, lighter and therefore easier to use.

Find out more about the knife :

The MAC Black knife is made in Seki, Japan, a town that has specialized in the production of quality knives and cutting utensils since the Middle Ages. It's a smart and efficient way to equip yourself: you benefit from Japanese expertise in cutlery, without having to invest huge sums of money.

It's particularly popular with professionals looking for performance and ergonomics, as they use it daily and almost intensively. It is also ideal for the passionate amateur who cooks at home, thanks to its intuitive operation.

The MAC Black 17cm santoku knife is a multifunctional model with a typically Japanese rounded shape. It enables you to cut, chop, chisel or mince many types of food. It's particularly popular for chopping fresh herbs, thanks to its special shape that facilitates movement.

Its blade is made of AUS-8 Japanese stainless steel, whose alloy has been enriched with 0.8% carbon (the average for a good Western kitchen knife is around 0.5%). This addition of carbon makes the blade slightly stiffer, bringing it up to a hardness of -+59 HRC on the Rockwell scale. This index shows the excellent ratio between edge retention and ease of sharpening. Your Mac Black knife will therefore hold its sharpness better with use, and will be easy to maintain when you start to feel it losing its edge. Just grab a sharpening stone and away you go!

For even greater efficiency, the knife has been hand-sharpened by a craftsman, using a whetstone. You'll feel the effectiveness of such a finish from the very first use.

Its cutting edge is worked in a hybrid way, combining a Japanese cutting angle (asymmetrical) and a Western cutting angle (V-shaped symmetrical). This special shape ensures the perfect combination of sharpness and longevity. You can produce fine, straight cuts. What's more, the finesse of the cutting edge ensures clean penetration that reduces fatigue over the long term, as you don't need to force it.

Finally, the blade features a black non-stick coating, visible on both sides of the cutting surface. Slightly rougher to the touch than steel, it enables you to cut wet foods more easily: they will stick less to the blade. This coating also protects the alloy from oxidation and bacteria.

The handle is made of Pakkawood, a composite material combining laminated wood and hot-compressed resin. It is resistant to humidity, shock and temperature variations. It is completed by 3 rivets that hold the Pakkawood to the full tang blade (which extends to the end of the handle).

The whole remains lightweight (a feature accentuated by the absence of a bolster), despite its respectable size, making it more pleasant to use over time. The shape is also designed for optimum grip, making it perfectly suited to Western use.

Care and maintenance :

The MAC Black knife should be washed by hand, using lukewarm water and a soft (non-abrasive) sponge, then dried immediately before storage. This gentle care guarantees long-lasting use of the knife.

Discover all the MAC knife ranges we have to offer!