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The Best Knives, Japanese vs Western Knives

What is the main difference in Japanese and Western knives

Both designs have world-class functionality and quality. They are made using a mixture of modern and traditional techniques. We will not know which knife is the best until we look at the details of the blade. This is their most distinguishing feature. Steel is an important component to any knife. But it's only part of the overall design. You need to take into account the manufacturing process, the general trends, and the tradition of knife making in order for the knife to discover more have a cutting edge.

The Steel

Japanese knives tend to use more hardened steels than their western counterparts. They are light, very light, and have a great balance. These knives are sharp and offer edge-holding characteristics comparable to high-end knives (62 - 64 HRC). They are easier to sharpen and resharpen. Japanese knives are sharper that cutters due to their thinner edges.

Western knives can be made with softer 54-56HRC stainless steel. This is a lower Rockwell-scale hardness. This makes western knives much more solid and heavy, and gives them a thicker edge that can withstand intense and prolonged use. A lower hardness doesn't necessarily mean it will be easier to sharpen. But, a 56HRC edge is easy to chip and a 64HRC blade will easily scratch. You can also dullen an edge by continuing to use it, causing dents in the blade and rolling in it. The top models are at 67HRC.

Sharpening Your Edge

A western knife's typical edge can be honed from 40 to 50 degrees. Japanese knives are sharpened at much lower angles (about 30 degrees) which makes them very sharp. Japanese blades can have their angles reduced by sharpening between 6 and 8.

Design

Kitchen knives that combine modern and traditional design have beautiful designs. Japanese traditional knives had single-edged, rounded blades with no grip marks. We already have sharper, ergonomic knives that can handle different cutting demands than traditional Japanese knives.

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