What Is Special About Japanese Knives: Complete Guide To Choosing The Perfect Blade

Forbes

2 days ago

Japanese knives have unique superior properties.
Korin
At a sushi restaurant, you might have seen the chef behind the counter masterfully cutting fish with an exquisite knife. The slices of the fish have an impressively silky, shiny, smooth surface—it is the power of Japanese knives.
Then, what is the difference between Japanese knives from your regular Western knives? Here is what you should know.
The Japanese knives are crafted with high-carbon steel, which makes them harder.
How much harder? Generally speaking, high-quality Western knives have 59-62 HRC, a measurement of the hardness of materials, whereas Japanese knives' HRC ranges from 60 to 65.
The hardness enables the blades to be sharpened at a much steeper angle than Western knives. The narrow angle reduces the surface that the blade touches, resulting in less damage to the food, i.e. a better mouthfeel and texture with flavors remaining unblemished.
Also, Japanese knives are thinner and lighter than regular Western knives, because traditional Japanese knives have no bolster, which is the band that joins the blade of the knife to its handle.
While the bolster gives support and balance to the knife, the lightness of the bolster-free Japanese knives offers ergonomic benefits. Also, the center of balance of Japanese knives is on the blade, instead of the bolster, which provides precision and control.
No bolster also means you can choose the handle. There are diverse shapes and materials for Japanese knives to choose from for both ergonomics and aesthetics. Popular materials include buffalo horn and rosewood. The octagon-shaped handle is the most prestigious design, which is easy to hold as well.
Thanks to the high-carbon hard steel, Japanese knives can maintain sharpness longer, reducing the frequency of sharpening—less burden and also less wear and tear on your knife. Many chefs and home cooks have been using the same knife for decades, if not a lifetime, with proper care.
What does proper care mean?
You can get a whetstone and sharpen your knife yourself quite easily. (Do not use honing steel, which can damage your knife or change the shape of the blade.) You can also have your knife professionally sharpened to maintain its edge perfectly.
It should be noted that Japanese knives are more prone to chipping because of their hard nature. Careful storing is crucial, such as on a block or magnetic strip.
Another distinctive feature of the Japanese knives is the shape of the blades. Traditional Japanese knives have a single-edged blade, or Kataba, whereas Western-style knives bear a V-shaped, double-edged blade, or Ryoba.
The single-edged blade is effectively designed: only one side of the blade is sharply beveled and the other side is slightly concave. This structure enables the minimum damage to the food, such as bruising, crushing and loss of moisture in the tissues. Also, the concave shape, or Urasuki, makes the food easier to fall off the blade.
However, not all Japanese knives are single-edged. To reflect the need for processing more diverse types of ingredients, Western-style knives have become equally popular now, such as Gyuto and Santoku.
High-quality Japanese knives are crafted by skilled artisans and the process entails more than 20 labor-intensive steps, from forging to edge crafting, handle making, and assembly. These knife-making techniques took centuries to establish.
The history of Japanese knives goes back to over 1,000 years ago. Initially, they were a part of religious ceremonies, but around the 7th century, they began being used as weapons. Over time, their quality and functionality along with aesthetics improved to the level of samurai swords, which are both elegant and lethal as depicted in classic films like Kurosawa's.
Samurai swords' production peaked during the 15th century, which was filled with feudal wars and political turbulence. During the Edo Period from 1603 to1867, Japan celebrated a more peaceful time than ever and the demand for swords declined. Many swordsmiths turned their skills to producing kitchen knives instead.
During the following Meiji Period, two major events occurred: production and possession of samurai swords were banned; and the Japanese government actively enhanced the Westernization of the country, including meat consumption. (Up until then, Japanese people had been prohibited from eating meat since 675 due to religious influence.)
As a result, more swordsmiths converted to knife makers. Also, they started making Western-style knives that are more capable of cutting meats. Since then, new-style Japanese knives have been created to accommodate various needs in the home and professional kitchens with the same mindset as swordsmiths.
One of over 20 steps of Japanese knife crafting.
Korin
Here are the popular types of Japanese knives. Depending on the manufacturer, the blade can be either one-sided or two-sided. Check before you purchase and consider which one is better for your purpose of use.
Santoku is the most popular type in Japanese households. It is versatile and good for cutting meat, fish and vegetables. Most likely two-sided, around five to seven inches long.
All-purpose like Santoku but with its longer body and sharper point, it is more suitable for cutting larger items, including bone-in meats. Usually two-sided, around seven to nine inches long.
Short, thick and weighty, Deba is designed for descaling and deboning fish, but also handy for poultry. It is usually one-sided.
Its long, narrow blade looks similar to a sushi chef's sashimi knife but it is mostly two-sided. Sujihiki is ideal for slicing large pieces of meat or fish, capable of cleanly cutting through its fibers. It works very well for serving your BBQ items like grilled fish and brisket.
With a two-sided, rectangular straight blade, Nakiri is ideal for chopping, slicing and dicing vegetables in general, including hard-skin items like root vegetables. It can work well for fine jobs like julienne and is particularly useful for a bold downward-cutting movement without damaging the cells of the vegetable, like squash.
With a thin, straight, rectangular one-sided blade, Usuba is designed for more detailed work than Nakiri, such as finely cutting and peeling vegetables. It works very well for decorative cutting.
Long and slender with a one-sided blade, it can produce perfect slices of sashimi. Sushi chefs' must item.
A mini-version of Gyuto with a four to seven-inch blade. It is a multi-purpose knife great for peeling, slicing, chopping and shaping small items like fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Various types of Japanese knives.
Korin
You don't have to go to Japan to purchase a Japanese knife. There are online shops that offer good products. Spend enough time to examine the quality offered.
If you live in New York, Korin and MTC Kitchen both have a showroom in Manhattan where you can explore products in person and discuss which one is right for you.
Saori Kawano, founder of Korin, is known for having educated non-Japanese chefs about Japanese knives, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud.
'At the core of Japanese knives is craftsmanship. Lumps of steel and iron are transformed into elegant objects of beauty and exceptional function by the artisans whose lives have been devoted to producing superior products,' she says.
'Their skills and know-how have been passed on and further honed by their predecessors for generations. Unfortunately, like any other labor-intensive job, Japanese knife makers are facing challenges in handing down the tradition. Our mission is to let the world know the preciousness of their work to preserve the invaluable, intangible treasure.'