Ulu Knives

An ulu knife is a crescent-shaped, all-purpose knife with the handle set directly above a curved blade, so your hand pushes straight down through the cut. Developed by the Inuit, Iñupiat, Yup’ik, and Unangan (Aleut) peoples of the Arctic, the ulu is still used every day across Alaska and is now a favorite in kitchens far beyond it for rocking through herbs, vegetables, pizza and meat.

This collection brings together ulu knives in Damascus steel with handles in wood, bone, antler, and other materials, along with sets that pair a ulu with a cutting bowl or stand. Each listing shows the blade width, steel, handle material, edge grind, and what’s included, so you can compare ulus for the kitchen, camp, display, or a gift.

Shop Ulu Knives

Start with blade size and handle style, then compare steel and what’s included. Product photos show the blade curve, the handle, and how they join, so you can see the shape before you choose.

What Is an Ulu Knife?

An ulu knife is a traditional Arctic knife with a curved, fan- or crescent-shaped blade and a handle fixed along the top of the blade instead of at one end. The word ulu means “woman’s knife” in Inuktitut, because it was traditionally a woman’s everyday tool for preparing food, cleaning hides, and sewing.

Early ulus had blades of ground slate, and in some regions copper. Steel replaced them after contact with 19th-century traders and whalers. Handles were made from caribou antler, muskox horn, walrus ivory, bone, or wood.

Styles vary by region. Alaskan ulu knives, in the Iñupiat style, usually have a blade with a cut-out center attached to the handle at two points. Canadian Inuit ulus often join the handle with a single central stem.

What Is an Ulu Knife Used For?

An ulu knife is used for chopping, mincing, slicing, and skinning. Its centered handle drives your hand’s force straight down over the middle of the blade, which gives more power and control than a standard knife for cutting through tough food, cartilage, or hide.

Traditionally, the ulu was used to skin and clean seals, caribou, and fish, cut meat, trim hides for clothing, and even shape blocks of snow. Today, many people use an Alaska knife ulu at home as an everyday kitchen tool.

The rocking cut that minces herbs also makes quick work of onions, garlic, nuts, salad greens, chocolate, and cooked meats. An ulu also cuts pizza and flatbreads cleanly in one roll, without dragging the toppings. Outdoors, hunters and anglers use it to clean fish and process small game.

Because the blade rocks and pins food against the board, many people find an ulu easier to use with one hand than a standard knife. That makes it a popular choice for cooks with limited grip strength or arthritis.

Alaskan Ulu Kitchen Knives

Alaskan ulu kitchen knives are used with a rocking motion. Place the center of the blade on the food, then rock it from one end of the curve to the other, keeping the edge on the board. For finer pieces, gather the food together and rock again.

A ulu works best on a wooden or plastic cutting board, or in a matching ulu bowl. Ulu bowls are shallow wooden bowls carved with a curve that matches the blade, so the edge meets the wood evenly as you rock and the food stays contained.

Choosing the Right Ulu Knife

Blade Size

Ulus come in several sizes, with blades from small, about 3 to 4 inches wide, to large, about 6 inches or more. Smaller ulus suit garlic, herbs, and fine trimming. Larger ulus handle pizza, cabbage, big cuts of meat, and fish. Check each listing for the blade width.

Edge Grind

Many Alaskan ulus are sharpened on one side only, with the other side flat, which helps the blade rock cleanly and makes sharpening simple. Others are sharpened on both sides. When you sharpen, follow the original grind. Each listing notes the grind where it’s specified.

Steel

Carbon steel takes a keen edge and sharpens easily, but it needs drying to prevent rust. Stainless steel is more rust-resistant for kitchen use. Damascus blades show a layered pattern from different steels forged together, so every ulu looks a little different. How well a blade cuts depends on the steels used and the heat treatment, not the pattern alone. Each listing names the steel.

Handle

Wood handles give a warm grip and are the most common today. Bone and antler handles have a traditional look and natural texture. The handle should feel secure across your whole hand, since you press straight down on it. Each listing names the handle material.

Alaskan Ulu Knife Set

An Alaskan ulu knife set usually pairs an ulu with a wooden bowl, a display stand, or both. The bowl gives you a curved cutting surface, and the stand protects the edge and displays the knife on the counter. Sets are popular housewarming, wedding, and holiday gifts. Check each set’s listing to see exactly what’s included.

Custom Ulu Knife Options

A custom ulu knife can carry a name, initials, a date, or a short message, which makes it a personal gift. Engraving usually fits best on the handle or on the flat of the blade. Check each listing for the personalization options available on that ulu, or contact us if you have something specific in mind.

Ulu Knives for Sale

Our ulu knives for sale include single ulus and complete sets. If you’re searching for an Alaskan knife ulu, please note that our ulus are ulu-style knives. Unless a listing says otherwise, they are not made in Alaska or by Alaska Native artists. Each product page states where the knife is made.

Ulu vs Mezzaluna

An ulu and a mezzaluna both use a curved blade and a rocking motion, but they’re held differently. A mezzaluna, from Italy, usually has a handle at each end and is rocked with two hands. An ulu has one handle centered over the blade, so it works with one hand and can also slice, skin, and trim, not just chop. Choose a mezzaluna for two-handed herb chopping. Choose a ulu for an all-purpose knife you can control with one hand.

Caring for an Ulu Knife

Hand wash and dry the ulu right after use. Dishwashers can dull the edge and damage wood, bone, and antler handles. Keep a light coat of food-safe oil on carbon steel and Damascus blades.

Store the ulu on its stand, in a sheath, or with an edge guard, because the long exposed edge is easy to bump. Oil wooden bowls and handles occasionally so they don’t dry out or crack.