From the sharp corners on a slice of sashimi that stands by itself, to the smooth and shinny surface (a.k.a 艶 tsu-ya) of a cut — Cutting properly with a knife does not only make the beautiful food but is also deeply relevant to the flavours the cuts can create.
What is a sharp knife? Its shape, material, manufacturing methods to the ways of knife sharpening all matters. If you aim to achieve the best sharpness of a knife, the first thing is to know the knive types as they are.
Sashimi Knives
Used from the end of the cutting edge all the way to the tip, Sashimi knives are designed to make slashing cuts. They are praised for their extremely sharp edges and the beautiful cuts they can create. …
When choosing a Japanese kitchen knife, it is inevitable that its steel becomes a part of the consideration. There are a few kinds of steels that are commonly used in modern knife making, and I will cover some that are widely available in stores.
Carbon Steels
The types of carbon steels used in blades are categorized based on their makers. Yasugi factory, owned by Hitachi Metals, Ltd., …
In Sakai city, there are craftsmen who specialize only in the knife handle making. A good knife should not cause fatigue after prolonged use; this owes to the handle (柄 e) that introduces good balance to the knife.
The Japanese knife handles are usually made of materials like Japanese cypress (檜 or 桧 hinoki), Ebony (黒檀 kokutan) or Japanese yew (櫟 ichi-i). Sakai handle-making craftsmen mostly uses hinoki . Hinoki is light-weight, does not crack easily or rot in water; it also is non-slip when held in hand. These characteristics make hinoki the best fitted material for knife handles.
Placed at one end of the handle, there is either 角巻 Kakumaki, made of buffalo horns, or 口金 Kuchigane, made of metals like copper and brass. In cheaper models, plastic is also used as kakumaki. …
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