What’s the difference in Japanese Knives from Western Knives, and how can you tell?

Both designs are of world-class quality and offer functionality. Both are made with age-old techniques combined with modern technologies. The primary difference between them is the blade. We won’t be able tell which one has the better design. Steel is not the only component that makes a knife a great tool. To determine the knife’s cutting edge, and ability, it is necessary to consider that site how it was made, and what trends are being followed.

The Steel

Japanese knives are made more from hardened steel than western ones. They are light and extremely lightweight with great balance and geometry. The knives’ sharp edges indicate their strength and edge holding ability. They are very easy to sharpen, re-sharpen and maintain. This knife is well-known and comes with almost no disadvantages. Japanese knives have thinner edges which makes them more efficient than cutting tools.

A western knife is made typically from soft steel, which is between 54-56HRC. It also has a lower Rockwell Hardness. These western knives are stronger, more durable, and have thicker edges. A lower hardness is more useful for sharpening, but 56HRC edge can easily chip or dents more than 64HRC. The dents, rolls and scratches on the blade can wear down the edge. The highest-end models cost 67 HRC more.

Sharpening Your Edge

The average western knife edge is sharpened at 40-50 degrees. Japanese knives have a more sharp angle of between 30 and 30 degrees. Some Japanese knives can also be sharpened between 6-8°.

Design

These beautiful and practical kitchen knives were created by combining world traditions. Traditional Japanese knives had rounded handles and single edged blades. But western-style Japanese knife can be found with western-style handles and sharper blades. We already have sharper, more robust knives that can be used for different tasks than standard western or Japanese knives.