Introduction of NENOX-X series

In 2024, Nenohi's solid steel, NENOX series, will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
In this milestone year, Nenohi has developed the new NENOX X series.

We have always asked ourselves and still do:
"Where is the limit of sharpness?”
"How far can we go in making knives that sharp?"
Nenohi is proud to announce the new NENOX X series, a model that expresses our determination to continue to challenge endlessly up until now and from now on at all times.
The X series has succeeded in commercializing a very delicate steel material, which was impossible to process in the past, using a unique manufacturing method cultivated through years of research.

The "X" in the series name is derived from "EXTREME". The X series is for NENOX fans all over the world, and for those who pursue the highest level of performance.


We will elaborate further on the "differences with the S Series" and the "sharpening" required to unleash the performance of the X Series.
Summarizing the respective characteristics, the following features can be listed.



<S Series>
It excels in sharpness, sharpness sustainment, rust resistance, and durability, making it well-balanced for any scene.

<X Series>
NENOX X series is a sharpness specific type among our regular products with sharpness, durability(sustainment), and rust resistance.
Being treated roughly can easily cause the blade to chip, so it is important to handle the knife with a little bit of care.

<Overall>
The X Series is a knife specialized in performing well in scenes where "sharpness is required" rather than rough handling.
Simply pursuing numerical sharpness would result in several disadvantages for the knife as a professional tool, such as susceptibility to rust, fragility, difficult sharpening, and overall difficult knife handling.
The desired sharpness of the X Series takes into consideration aspects that make cooking easier, such as being able to cut like an extension of your hand, being user-friendly, and reducing the need for frequent sharpening.
The S series is a knife with excellent performance that takes overall balance into consideration.
Compared to the X Series, it can be used by anyone and can be handled roughly, making it suitable for any cooking scene.

【About Sharpening】
You can sharpen it just like regular stainless steel.
We have designed it to be easy to sharpen despite its sharpness and hardness.
However, we strongly recommend sharpening with a high polishing power whetstone.

<Refference>
We use the follwing whetstones for each purpose:

「For thinning and reforming the shape of the blade (such as a chip), also recommended as a flattening stone」
・Shapton KUROMAKU #1000
・Naniwa HIBIKI #1000

「Retoring the sharpness for regular maintenance」
・Shapton RockStar #2000
・Shapton KUROMAKU #2000

「Medium sharpening(→Fine sharpening)」
・Shapton RockStar #3000 (→ Shapton RockStar #6000)
・Shapton RockStar #4000 (→ Shapton RockStar #8000 or #10000)
・Shapton KUROMAKU #5000 (→ Shapton KUROMAKU #8000)
*With high-grit stones like #10000, which are typically not necessary for regular knives, it is notably effective for the X series.


Currently, the X series is built to order.
For any concerns or questions about your order for the X series, please refer to the page for NENOX-X series.
To inquire specifically about the products, kindly contact us through the inquiry form.