Fleur de Lys Damascus Nakiri-13 145mm (Blade Only)

SPECIFICATIONS

Knife Style: Nakiri
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Blade Material: 1084
Blade Finish: 15n20 Forged Damascus
Blade Hardness: 62HRC (+/-1)
Bevel: Double
Handle: None ➛ Choose yours
Blade Length: 145mm

Forged in Québec. Built one layer at a time. Made only once.

The Fleur de Lys Collection is a celebration of Québec bladesmithing at its most hands-on—a collaboration between Kakushin, Noah Vachon, and Jérémie Yelle built around completely handmade carbon Damascus steel.

Every blade begins with 1084 and 15N20 carbon steels, forge-welded together and repeatedly manipulated to create the layered Damascus pattern running throughout the blade. Unlike a surface finish or decorative etching added afterward, the pattern is created within the steel itself. Every line is the result of forge welding, drawing, shaping, grinding, and countless hours of work before the knife ever reaches its final form.

The contrast between the darker 1084 carbon steel and the nickel-rich 15N20 brings the Damascus pattern to life, revealing the movement created during forging. Because the steel is produced and shaped by hand, the pattern develops organically from one blade to another. No two can ever be perfectly duplicated.

And that is precisely the point.

These are not knives designed around absolute uniformity. Each piece carries subtle differences in its Damascus pattern, profile, grind, texture, and finishing that reveal the work of the bladesmiths behind it. Every blade is individually forged, ground, heat treated, polished, and finished in Québec.

Inspired by Japanese kitchen knives, the Fleur de Lys Collection combines thin cutting geometry, purposeful profiles, refined tapers, and precise edge performance with a distinctly Québec identity. It is not an attempt to reproduce a Japanese knife—it is Québec craftsmanship interpreting the qualities we admire most about them and creating something entirely its own.

This particular piece is Model No. 13, a one-of-a-kind 145mm Nakiri.

At 145mm, this Nakiri takes the traditional Japanese vegetable knife and gives it a compact, highly controlled personality. Its broad rectangular profile offers excellent knuckle clearance and a reassuring presence on the cutting board, while the flatter cutting edge promotes clean, efficient contact through vegetables, herbs, and fruit.

The Nakiri is especially well suited to push cutting, straight chopping, and repetitive board work. With no pointed tip to dominate the profile, the entire blade is focused on clean, practical cutting—making it particularly satisfying for cooks who spend a lot of time preparing produce.

The 145mm length keeps this piece exceptionally agile. It is shorter and quicker than a traditional full-size Nakiri, making it easy to maneuver in tighter workspaces while still offering enough edge length and blade height for serious everyday prep.

Its combination of compact size, tall profile, and handmade Damascus construction gives Model No. 13 a character all its own: precise, practical, and visually unmistakable.

This knife is offered blade-only, leaving the final character of the piece in the hands of its future owner. Choose a handle from Kakushin’s available inventory and the knife will be professionally assembled, balanced, sharpened, and finished in our workshop.

As with any handmade carbon steel knife, the blade will naturally react to moisture, acidity, and use, gradually developing a patina unique to its owner. Proper care is part of the experience—and over time, the knife continues to become more personal.

Fleur de Lys is about more than Damascus. It is about the hours at the forge, the decisions made by hand, and the small differences that can never be reproduced by a machine.

Kakushin can handle the blade-to-handle assembly for you at our shop. If you're new to the custom knife world and want to confirm the fit and sizing of a handle with a specific blade, feel free to reach out!