Japanese or European cooking knives?

dmourati said:

Everyone should try a sharp japanese chef's knife at least once to see what they are missing.

I love my Japanese knives.

dmourati said:

Everyone should try a sharp japanese chef's knife at least once to see what they are missing.

Not being a clown here, but does anyone have a link explaining the difference between  “Japanese” and the “Asian” blades that I and others have even suggesting? 
 

RRP said:

dmourati said:

Everyone should try a sharp japanese chef's knife at least once to see what they are missing.

Not being a clown here, but does anyone have a link explaining the difference between  “Japanese” and the “Asian” blades that I and others have even suggesting? 
 

Adding to dmourati, you had two posts suggesting Victorinox, which is a valid suggestion. No matter the shape (if shaped like an Asian knife) that's not what people are talking about when they say Japanese. When talking Japanese many are speaking more of the steel than anything. You can get Japanese knives shaped western style, but it's still Japanese.  I think many that say Japanese are also talking steel, shape, blade angle, hardness, and to a lesser extent handle style.

A Wusthof santoku is still a German knife for example.

I agree with RRP but would also add Dexter Russel     I use both of these and sharpen with a Chefs Choice TRIZOR 15 electric sharpener.  I also have a set of the ORIGINAL Knuckle Sandwhich Knives from Guy that I also like and they were fairly inexpensive. 

You get what you pay for (for the most part). 

The biggest difference between Japanese and German knives is in the steel. German knives are made out of softer steel, which has some advantages. For example, you can twist and abuse a good German knife with little worry over the knife getting chipped, bent, or otherwise damaged. I have a Henckel chef's knife that is now over 30 years old (it was one of the first things I bought when I moved out on my own). I still use it for cutting really tough squashes, etc.

Japanese knives are made out of harder steels. Harder steel keeps its edge longer, so you can create a bevel (the edge of the knife) that is at a very shallow angle. A shallow angle means a really sharp edge that will stay sharp for a long time compared to a knife with a steeper bevel. While a steeper bevel has more metal very near to the edge and is therefore less prone to chipping, etc., it only takes a few cuts for the sharp edge to lose its cutting edge. 

So if you have a German knife, it is really useful to have a honing rod. When that edge gets rolled over after a few cuts, you run the blade along the honing rod, which pushes the edge back into place, and away you go with a sharp edge again. After doing that for a while, the edge becomes dull, and you have to sharpen.  So a big advantage of a Japanese knife is that you can keep a screamin' sharp edge for a long time, whereas a German knife needs attention on a very regular basis, if you want to keep a really sharp edge.  

Have you ever been cutting an onion and the knife got away on you a bit? That's a dangerously dull knife that you should not be using until you get it sharpened.

My Japanese knives keep their edges long enough that I notice it immediately when the knife has lost its cutting feel. That's when I know to sharpen it, and that usually happens 2-4 times a year depending on the knife. I use my knives multiple times per day, every day.

When you get used to the cutting feel of a good knife, your cutting skills get a lot better. You get a lot faster and a lot more precise. Suddenly you start to notice that the food is better when the same veggies are cut to the same size, and that since its pretty easy to cut the carrots, onions, and celery into really small pieces, your sofrito really is better, too. I like really thin onion slices in my baked beans. And my French fries are way better now as well. In short, my Japanese knives have helped me to grow and improve in my cooking and food prep.  

2HB said:

You get what you pay for (for the most part). 

The biggest difference between Japanese and German knives is in the steel. German knives are made out of softer steel, which has some advantages. For example, you can twist and abuse a good German knife with little worry over the knife getting chipped, bent, or otherwise damaged. I have a Henckel chef's knife that is now over 30 years old (it was one of the first things I bought when I moved out on my own). I still use it for cutting really tough squashes, etc.

Japanese knives are made out of harder steels. Harder steel keeps its edge longer, so you can create a bevel (the edge of the knife) that is at a very shallow angle. A shallow angle means a really sharp edge that will stay sharp for a long time compared to a knife with a steeper bevel. While a steeper bevel has more metal very near to the edge and is therefore less prone to chipping, etc., it only takes a few cuts for the sharp edge to lose its cutting edge. 

So if you have a German knife, it is really useful to have a honing rod. When that edge gets rolled over after a few cuts, you run the blade along the honing rod, which pushes the edge back into place, and away you go with a sharp edge again. After doing that for a while, the edge becomes dull, and you have to sharpen.  So a big advantage of a Japanese knife is that you can keep a screamin' sharp edge for a long time, whereas a German knife needs attention on a very regular basis, if you want to keep a really sharp edge.  

Have you ever been cutting an onion and the knife got away on you a bit? That's a dangerously dull knife that you should not be using until you get it sharpened.

My Japanese knives keep their edges long enough that I notice it immediately when the knife has lost its cutting feel. That's when I know to sharpen it, and that usually happens 2-4 times a year depending on the knife. I use my knives multiple times per day, every day.

When you get used to the cutting feel of a good knife, your cutting skills get a lot better. You get a lot faster and a lot more precise. Suddenly you start to notice that the food is better when the same veggies are cut to the same size, and that since its pretty easy to cut the carrots, onions, and celery into really small pieces, your sofrito really is better, too. I like really thin onion slices in my baked beans. And my French fries are way better now as well. In short, my Japanese knives have helped me to grow and improve in my cooking and food prep.  

This is a very good perspective. 

fishlessman said:

GrateEggspectations said:

fishlessman said:

didnt know shun made a folding vg10 steak pocket knife.

Because one never knows when they may face a dreaded cutlery emergency at the steakhouse. 

I  may get this. Just for bonefire bbq emergencies and for serving trout to eagles off the boat

If I had a nickel for every time I served trout to an eagle off a boat.  . . 

fishlessman said:

didnt know shun made a folding vg10 steak pocket knife.

Me neither... but by the way, and I mean WAY back to 1963 as a freshman living in a dormitory the AA guy across the hall who was from KC, MO carried a blade (no sheath) quite similar to that and would show/challenge ANYONE who even seemed to disagree with him.

Trust me it scared the living sh*t out of the rest of us there...BUT he flunked out before the end of that first year, and we never knew why...but...oh never mind...

Do they taste like Chicken?  Direct or indirect?

@MediumRarely, Spot on!  Knives must feel as if they are an extension of your hand, have good balance and quality steel. I prefer Zwilling/Henkle, have mine for 30 years.