What Makes Japanese Steel Kitchen Knives So Special?

To cook at your best, you need the finest tools. Quality knives are vital in any kitchen, enabling chefs at all levels to enjoy a fast, precise cut on any ingredient.

No matter what your favorite dishes, the right preparation is crucial: prepare your vegetables, meat, and other produce inadequately, and the quality of the meal itself will suffer. Carrots chopped too thickly, mushrooms sliced with a blunt blade until they crumble … the entire balance of the meal is at stake.

Of course, slicing with a blunt or clumsy knife can knock your meal off-schedule. Take too long, and you can end up affecting your timings – serving the dish later than planned, possibly under- or overcooked.

This may not be so bad if you’re cooking for yourself, but for your guests? A sub-par dish may put them off of choosing to eat with you again.

Japanese steel knives have the power to revolutionize your preparation process, providing a cleaner, finer cut than the more common knives many of us have in our kitchens.

What makes them so different – and so special?

A Tradition of Quality

Traditionally, Japanese kitchen knives were crafted with a carbon steel identical to those used in the manufacture of katanas – the swords carried by samurai warriors. Today, though many years of swordsmiths turning their attention to cutlery instead of weapons, stainless steel is commonly used to produce high-quality Japanese knives instead.

There are various overall types of Japanese kitchen knives, depending on the materials and manufacturing process employed.

Honshu Knives:

Knives made with steel from Honshu are renowned for their high-quality performance and expert craftsmanship. For years, professional chefs across the globe have ordered Niigata Japanese kitchen knives to bring a touch of authentic, traditional expertise to their restaurants.

Honyaki Knives:

These blades are crafted with just a single material (typically white or blue steel).

Kasumi Knives:

These are crafted with two materials, as katanas once were. The white or blue steel used is mixed with a softer iron, producing a blade which slightly simpler to maintain in the long run.

Control, Precision, Comfort

A major difference between Japanese knives and those most of us usually use? The handles.

Japanese kitchen knives generally feature handles made of ho wood, which can be replaced easily if need be, without having to get an entirely new knife – a more cost-effective solution for us all.

This wood is porous, which minimizes the risk of splitting, and maximizes the quality of the chef’s grip even when the knife is wet (a natural side-effect of working in a kitchen!).

Handles are typically bigger yet lighter than those many of us may be used to, while the blade feels heavier and more robust. Expert, experienced chefs have developed a real affinity for Japanese kitchen knives, and find them a much more practical, convenient, comfortable solution for the most professional food-preparation.

For any chef serious about creating food to the best of their ability, investing in the proper tools and utensils is absolutely vital. Even the most skilled hands can struggle to achieve the results they crave without the best knives to hand.