Knives by Blade

Once you know a little about Japanese kitchen knives, you can choose the model you need based on the blade type. In the Japanese art of knife forging, each blade has its own characteristic features, dictated by its future use. For peeling vegetables and fruits, a short knife with a thin blade is essential, one that fits well in the hand and allows you to remove the skin without wasting the product. In turn, for mincing herbs with a fluid, rocking motion, a blade with a gently rounded belly is needed, which gently bounces off the board. Each Japanese blade has its specific length, shape, and grind type. Based on this, we distinguish the following subcategories of Japanese knives by blade:

  Gyuto
  Santoku
  Bunka
  Nakiri
  Sujihiki
  Kiritsuke
  Petty/Pairing
  Honesuki
  Yanagiba
  Usuba
  Deba
  Kiridashi

Are any of these missing from your collection?
Why are there so many types of Japanese knives?
Japanese knives are famous for their sharpness, hardness, and durability. This comes from using high-quality steel that is resistant to corrosion or scratches and is also very easy to grind. However, the popularity of Japanese knives is based on much more. It’s primarily their functionality, which we find in their ergonomic and specially designed blade and handle construction. Individual Japanese knife blades can differ in:

  thickness,
  width,
  grind type – single-edged, double-edged,
  belly shape,
  length.

Some Japanese knives resemble European knives, while others are completely unique. For example, a Gyuto is the Japanese version of a classic chef’s knife, but a Bunka, a knife with a distinctive tip with a very aggressive line, is one of the more recognizable Japanese knives for which it is difficult to find a European equivalent. The diversity of Japanese blades results from the desire to adapt their construction to the nature of the work with individual products and to the work methods themselves. We can therefore distinguish knives created for:

  slicing,
  chopping,
  cutting,
  peeling,
  boning,
  portioning,
  crushing,
  separating meat from bone, and so on.

However, many Japanese knives combine different purposes, becoming multifunctional and almost completely universal. An excellent example of such a blade is the one used in Gyuto knives, i.e., chef’s knives, which are used for cutting, chopping, slicing, and also for transferring sliced pieces from the board to the pot or pan.

In addition, different blades are also designed for different food products. Each has a slightly different consistency, a different texture. Therefore, we need a different blade for cutting hard vegetables and fruits than for cutting soft meat. If we choose the right knife for the planned work and the product being used, we will achieve perfect results and ensure maximum comfort. The pieces of meat will not be frayed, the slices of cold cuts will be exceptionally thin and smooth, and the herbs can be chopped in a few seconds. So, if you know the names of Japanese knives and know what their blades are like, choose the product based on its original Japanese name.