This 18cm Naikiri knife is a Japanese vegetable knife in the style of a meat cleaver, but smaller and slimmer. The Nakiri blade has a broad rectangular shape and a very sharp point, making it ideal for cutting large vegetables like aubergine, squash, and pumpkin. The fluted edges of Naikiri knives prevent vegetables from sticking to the blade when slicing. The fluted edges of the blade trap air between the knife and the vegetables as it slices, avoiding any sticking when slicing and dicing. The straight edge and shape of the Naikiri knife allow for easy chopping without the need to rock the knife back and forth; instead, a single chop through the vegetable to the board is all that is required. Despite its similarity to a meat cleaver, this 18cm Naikiri knife should not be used in the same way as a meat cleaver.