Korin Chef Knife: What You're Actually Getting From This NYC Knife Shop

Korin is a New York City kitchenware shop that has been supplying professional sushi chefs and serious home cooks since 1982. Their chef's knives, sourced directly from Japanese bladesmiths, represent some of the finest blades you can buy without flying to Seki or Sakai yourself. If you've seen the Korin name come up in your research and wondered whether the reputation matches the price, here's what I know from spending time with their knives and the customers who use them.

The short version: Korin doesn't manufacture knives, they curate and import them. When you buy a Korin-branded or Korin-stocked chef's knife, you're often getting a blade made by established Japanese makers under house branding, or an authentic knife from a specific smith sold at fair prices for the quality. The knives span a wide range of styles, steels, and price points, from accessible stainless gyutos around $100 to custom carbon steel pieces that run $500 and above.

What Korin Sells and How to Think About Their Lineup

Korin organizes their chef's knife offerings around traditional Japanese knife categories. The gyuto is their equivalent of the Western chef's knife, a double-bevel all-purpose blade used for meat, fish, and vegetables. They also stock santoku, kiritsuke, and bunka styles, each suited to different cutting techniques.

Within the gyuto category, Korin offers multiple lines at different price tiers. Their Togiharu line (their house brand) starts around $80 to $120 for a solid stainless gyuto and is often recommended as an entry point into Japanese cooking knives. The steel is VG-10 or similar high-carbon stainless, hardness around 60 HRC, and the grind is better than what you get from mass-market Japanese brands at the same price.

Togiharu vs. Premium Lines

The Togiharu knives represent Korin's "this is what a good Japanese knife feels like" tier. They're sharp, well-balanced, and hold their edge notably better than German steel at the same price. The handles are traditional Japanese style, usually octagonal magnolia wood, and the fit and finish is clean without being elaborate.

As you move up to Korin's curated premium lines, you encounter knives from makers like Masamoto (a Tokyo institution since 1866), Nenox, and various Sakai-based smiths. These start around $200 and go well past $1,000 for layered Damascus or hand-forged carbon steel blades. At this level, you're paying for the steel quality, the grinding, and the history of the smith as much as the cutting performance itself.

The Steel Situation at Korin

Most Korin stainless chef's knives use VG-10, the same steel found in Shun's Classic line. VG-10 sits around 60-61 HRC and takes a razor edge that holds noticeably longer than German steel. The downside is brittleness: VG-10 chips if you hit bones, frozen food, or hard seeds without adjusting your technique.

Carbon steel options at Korin use white steel (Shiroko) or blue steel (Aogami). White steel #2 is extremely pure, takes an incredibly fine edge, and is the steel of choice for traditional sushi knives. Blue steel #2 adds tungsten and chromium for improved edge retention compared to white steel, though still not as rust-resistant as stainless. Both require drying immediately after use and occasional oiling to prevent rust.

If you're new to Japanese knives, start with a stainless option and learn sharpening on that before moving to carbon. Carbon steel rewards the skill; stainless is more forgiving while you develop it.

Korin's Sharpening Services

One of the things that separates Korin from ordering through Amazon is their in-house sharpening service. You can mail in any knife, Korin brand or otherwise, and have it sharpened by their staff to a 15-degree angle (the standard for Japanese blades). Cost runs $8 to $18 depending on blade length.

This matters because most electric sharpeners use a 20-degree angle appropriate for German steel. Using a 20-degree sharpener on a Japanese blade technically works but removes more metal than necessary and doesn't match the blade geometry. If you're spending $150 or more on a Japanese chef's knife, factor in either learning to sharpen on a whetstone yourself or using Korin's service annually.

Comparing Korin to Other Japanese Knife Sources

Korin vs. JB Prince: Both are NYC-based professional kitchen suppliers. JB Prince's knife selection skews more toward Western brands (Wusthof, Global) while Korin focuses almost entirely on Japanese. Korin wins for Japanese knife depth and knowledge.

Korin vs. Japan Centre / direct Japanese imports: If you're comfortable ordering from Japanese retailers who ship internationally, you can sometimes find the same knives at lower cost. Korin's advantage is English-language customer service, straightforward returns, and the sharpening service.

Korin vs. Chubo Knives or Carbon Knife Co: These are other US-based Japanese knife importers with comparable selection. Chubo focuses on Sakai-made blades; Korin has a slightly broader range including the Masamoto line.

For a broad look at chef's knives across all price points and origins, the Best Chef Knife guide covers Korin's Togiharu alongside major competitors. If you're also evaluating sets rather than a single knife, Best Chef Knife Set breaks down which bundles make sense.

FAQ

Are Korin knives worth the price compared to Amazon Japanese knives? For the entry Togiharu line, yes. You're getting better steel and grind quality than similarly-priced Amazon Japanese knives, plus a direct relationship with a shop that knows their products. At $80 to $120, Togiharu competes well with Tojiro DP and Mercer Genesis.

Does Korin ship internationally? Yes. Korin ships to most countries, and their website is fully in English. Import duties vary by destination.

Can I visit the Korin store in person? Yes, their Manhattan showroom lets you handle knives before purchasing. If you're in New York, it's worth a visit to hold different handle styles and get advice from staff who use the knives.

How do I sharpen a Korin knife? Japanese knives (at any bevel angle but typically 15 degrees) sharpen best on a whetstone. Start with a 1000-grit stone to set the edge, then refine with a 3000 to 6000-grit polishing stone. Korin sells whetstones and offers sharpening tutorials on their website. Their sharpening-by-mail service is the fallback if you're not ready to learn.

What to Actually Do

If you want a solid Japanese chef's knife at an honest price, the Togiharu line is worth your time. Order the 8.2-inch gyuto and a basic whetstone to go with it. If you're ready to spend more for a knife that will become a long-term tool, look at the Masamoto KS series or ask Korin's customer service about what's recently arrived that suits your cooking style. They tend to answer email questions thoughtfully rather than just pointing you to the most expensive option.