What is the main difference between Japanese Knives or Western Knives? click this.

These lines have world-class style and functionality. They are made using modern technologies and traditional methods. We might not be able to identify which one the best unless we examine the details of their primary distinguishing feature, their blade. Steel is an important part of a knife. However, it’s not enough. To assess a knife’s ability to cut and edge, it is important to examine the making process, general trends, as well as traditional practices.

The Steel

Japanese knives often use harder metals than their western counterparts. They are lightweight and extremely balanced. These knives have sharp edges which indicate that they are more edge-holdable than the knives in the 62-64HRC series. These knives are very easy to sharpen. They can also be easily resharpened. Japanese knives perform better in cutting than other types of cutters, due to their sharper edges.

Western knives can be made from softer stainless steel. They can be hardened to 54-56HRC. Western knives are heavier, stronger and have thicker edges. They can withstand repeated uses. Lower hardness means that an edge can be sharpened with less effort than 64HRC. This can lead to the edge dulling from the constant use. The highest-end models go for 67HRC.

Sharpening your edge

The average western knife is sharpened at 40-50 degrees. Japanese knives can have their edges sharpened at a much shorter angle, with a minimum of 30 degrees. Some Japanese blades may be sharpened from 6 to 8. This makes angles smaller than regular straight razors.

Design

You can make functional and beautiful kitchen knives from combining European and Japanese tradition. Traditional Japanese knives had single edges and had no grip marks. Today, we see western-style Japanese kitchen knives with western-styled grips. We already see ergonomically-sharper and more versatile knives to meet different cutting needs than either the western or Japanese traditional knife.