Oils on a carbon steel knife will help prevent rust. You can use any type of oil but a mineral oil like Tsubaki is preferred as something like an olive oil will go rancid over time, this will mark the blade and can obviously make you sick.
They only need occasional oiling, especially if they're stored for long periods or if the handle is made of wood. Caring for your Japanese knife may seem intricate, but mastering these basic maintenance techniques will ensure your investment lasts a lifetime.
However, you need to be careful. Hitting ceramic or metal against the edge of a Japanese knife can cause cracking and chipping. Because Japanese knives feature such hard edges, they're more prone to breakage if abused. This is why you're advised to not hit or chop frozen food, bones, cans, etc.
As a general rule of thumb, you should sharpen your Japanese kitchen knives every 1-2 months, while you should hone every week to ensure a sharp edge. However, how often you sharpen your Japanese knives largely depends on your usage frequency.
Japanese Knife Washing:
Stainless Steel only implies that they have a resistance to rusting. All Knives should be washed by hand with mild soapy detergent immediately after use and dried with a towel. Never wash any Japanese knife in a dishwasher.
For those who have reasonable experience with sharpening, we recommend a finish stone of 8000 grit. If one is not certain, or for beginners, stones with a grit between #3000 and #6000 will produce acceptable results.
Professional chefs around the world have a profound respect for Japanese knives, often citing them as their preferred culinary tools. These knives are not just about cutting; they're about precision, balance, and the continuation of a centuries-old tradition that elevates cooking to an art form.
Gordon Ramsay is known to have a deep love for Japanese steel knives. These lightweight knives are well known for their sharp edges and ability to cut through vegetables, meats, and herbs easily. They can handle any chopping, slicing, or mincing tasks with ease.
However, the investment is justified by the exceptional performance, longevity, and precision that a Japanese style knife offers. These knives are worth the price because they offer top-notch quality and durability.
The blade material is an important factor to consider when choosing a Japanese knife. High-quality knives are typically made from high-carbon steel or stainless steel. High-carbon steel is known for its sharpness and durability, but requires more maintenance to prevent rust and corrosion.
Kuro-uchi (Black)
In Japanese, kurouchi means “first black” and this finish is also referred to as the “blacksmith's finish”. The knife will retain the black scaly residue from the forging process which gives it a traditional look with a rustic charm.
All cuts on frozen foods are strictly forbidden. The hard blade of your Japanese knife will not resist well the hardness of the frozen ingredient. Our suggestion: Use a special knife designed specifically for frozen foods, or use a thick blade of an old knife that you do not use that much anymore.
A harder blade is more difficult to sharpen. The hard steel of an Asian kitchen knife cannot be honed with a honing steel. You can, however, use a ceramic sharpening steel. You achieve the best results with a Japanese waterstone made by, for instance, Naniwa, Shapton or Skerper.
A gyuto is one of the most versatile knives because it can be used with vegetables, fish, and meat. It resembles a Western-style chef's knife, with a rounded blade that lets you rock the knife while chopping, but it's a bit longer and not as tall.
For most cooks, the trio of serrated, chef's, and paring knife will tackle pretty much any cutting task. Depending on what you prep frequently, though, you might want to add these other knives to your collection. Boning knife: Useful for cutting up, butterflying, or fileting meat, fish, or poultry.
Japanese kitchen knives don't have to be incredibly expensive. On the contrary, many of the best knives are priced well under $100. Though you can try go even lower, we do not recommend it. Our first pick comes in at just over the $70 mark, and offers a sharp blade and the durability we expect from a Japanese brand.
If you're not familiar with them, it might be difficult to distinguish one from the other. But there are some slight differences. Gyuto has a more curved edge profile and a less turned down spine than Santoku. As a result, Gyuto has a slightly sharper tip.
Cypress, particularly hinoki wood, is considered the best for Japanese cutting boards. It is moderately soft, which helps in preserving the edge of the knife.
There are many types of Japanese knives, but fundamentally its steel is much harder than their German counterparts. Their edges do not curl easily and do not require daily honing.
Another term often used for sharpening stones is whetstone. Both terms mean exactly the same. After all to whet is to sharpen! It is a rather dated term but one that is still used regularly.
The correct sharpening angle for the blade edge of the best Japanese knives is 10 - 15 degrees on one single side. On a one sided blade, or single bevel the angle would therefore be 10 - 15 degrees in total.