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Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Enjoying Japanese Knives By Kei Nishida View Table of Contents
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Confused? We made graphs to let you know where all the blade material lives in terms of all the materials used for most Japanese knives in the market today.
I hope the above graph helps you understand what you are picking. (Our product materials are in blue letters.)
Below is another graph showing differences and price and hardness of each material.
And here are the detail of each materials.
Popular options as they do not require heavy maintenance like non-stainless steel options.
CM Stainless (CM合金鋼製)The Most Popular Material
The material of choice for professional chefs. It’s rust-resistant, and in turn easy to maintain. It is made of high-carbon steel with chromium molybdenum. Which is equal in sharpness, sharpening properties, and hardness to carbon steel knives. This material is used for both CM options - the Japanese Style magnolia wood handle and the western style handle.
The More Economical Choice, That Is Still Equally Sharp.
Super French knives are made using carefully selected alloy steel that creates a more affordable price. Making it ideal for at-home cooking enthusiasts and beginners alike. It is equal in sharpness, sharpening properties, polishability, and hardness to carbon steel knives. Plus it is also rust-resistant. The notch in the lower part of the handle creates ease of use. While it isn’t super sharp or hard like the other types, it can do most jobs just as well.
These knives require high maintenance and will rust very easily. They are only used by limited chefs in Japan.
HM Carbon Steel (HM炭素鋼製)The Hardest & Sharpest Knife in Japan.
The knife of choice for top-tier chefs around the world. In fact, it’s the hardest and sharpest knife in Japan - perhaps even the world. However, it also requires the most upkeep as it easily rusts.
It’s handmade with the same technique as samurai swords. Using specially selected blade steel, of pure iron + carbon. The key advantage is that it holds its sharpness extremely well. Then it’s forged with traditional bladesmith techniques passed down for generations. It truly is a legacy knife!
Kasumi Superlative Knives are made by joining a piece of soft iron with a piece of carbon steel. The soft iron portion protects the hardened steel that tends to fracture. This reduces brittleness and makes sharpening easier.
Honyaki knives are made of steel strengthened by quenching. Since quenching the entire steel blade makes the blade brittle and makes aligning its curve difficult, the blade is quenched only from the cutting edge to about the blade's half-point. The high price of Honyaki products is because their production is extremely labor-intensive.
It's not an exact science, but it gives you a good idea of whether or not a knife will suit you.
Here is a chart of what sizes of knives are available based on the blade length.
There are many reasons that home cooks and chefs choose to use a magnolia handle. The foremost is that they're incredibly comfortable and feel perfect in hand. The importance of this can't be understated - a knife that's easier to hold is easier to cut with.
Magnolias are beautiful, large flowering trees that have sweet, floral fragrances. The wood of the Magnolia tree is beloved by Japanese artisans for a number of reasons. Such as its easy workability, strength, and lightness. It is also highly water-resistant, has a lovely bright color, and is reasonably priced. These qualities have made it a popular material choice for a variety of objects, including chopping boards, sheaths, furniture, and knife handles.
Magnolia handles are the most popular in Japan. The bright-colored wood adds a beautiful natural look and comfortable feel. The wood itself is lightweight and soft, yet tough. It provides a textured grip that helps prevent slipping while cutting. It’s a great choice for knives as it is water-resistant and doesn’t contain any resins that might cause corrosion in carbon steel.
Learn More about Magnolia Wooden Handle
For Left Handed knives, we will situate the D-shape in the opposite way than right-handed knives.
Vegan Friendly & Economical
For those concerned about using animal products - we offer a plastic alternative. It’s just as reliable, waterproof, and durable. It is also the standard, free option.
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For an additional $100
Buffalo horn is a waterproof, durable, and natural material pleasing to the eye. It feels especially nice when held. This material is a traditional choice and gives knife handles a classic Japanese look. It also makes the knife 100% natural origin.
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