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Japanese kitchen knife
A Japanese kitchen knife is a type of kitchen knife used for food preparation. These knives come in many different varieties and are often made using traditional Japanese blacksmithing techniques. They can be made from stainless steel, or hagane, which is the same kind of steel used to make Japanese swords. Most knives are referred to as hōchō (Japanese: 包丁/庖丁) or the variation -bōchō in compound words (because of rendaku) but can have other names including -ba (〜刃; lit. "-blade") and -kiri (〜切り; lit. "-cutter"). There are four general categories used to distinguish the Japanese knife designs:
Western handles have a bolster and a full or partial tang. These handles are often heavier, but are smaller in volume and surface area than most Japanese handles. The scale handle materials are often synthetic or resin-cured engineered wood and are non-porous. Chefs who prefer the feel of a Western handle, enjoy a more handle-heavy balance and grip the handle closer to the blade. This allows for more weight in the cut.
Japanese handles, on the other hand are traditionally made of ho wood which is burned in and friction-fitted to a hidden tang. The wood is porous and fine-grained, which makes it less likely to split and retain its grip. A metal collar or buffalo horn bolster caps the handle-blade junction and further reduces the possibility splitting. This allows easy installation and replacement.
More decorative woods, such as ebony, yew, cherry, or chestnut, may be made into handles, though they are heavier and often charred on the outside to improve grip and water resistance. If they are not cured well or properly cared for, these decorative woods will crack more easily when exposed to moisture.
Pak or Pakka wood is a composite material of laminated wood bound in a synthetic resin matrix. It has the advantages of that is more durable, not porous and so waterproof, and is less likely to split. It is used on less expensive knives commonly replacing either the buffalo horn bolster, or both the bolster and the handle. The most common wood variant is chestnut.
The most common cross-sectional shape is an octagon, which is made with a gradual taper towards the blade. Another common shape is the D-shape, which is an oval handle with a ridge running along the same side as the edge bevel, (right side of handle for a right-handed knife).
A chef who prefers a knife with more weight in the blade, their knife to be lighter overall, to have a larger handle, or one who wants to replace their knife handle more easily, will often turn to a Japanese handle.
Traditionally, Japanese knives are single-bevel edged — kataba — and this remains the dominant style. These are the knives of the established traditional Japanese cuisine and were originally developed from the Chinese double-beveled knives.
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Japanese kitchen knife
A Japanese kitchen knife is a type of kitchen knife used for food preparation. These knives come in many different varieties and are often made using traditional Japanese blacksmithing techniques. They can be made from stainless steel, or hagane, which is the same kind of steel used to make Japanese swords. Most knives are referred to as hōchō (Japanese: 包丁/庖丁) or the variation -bōchō in compound words (because of rendaku) but can have other names including -ba (〜刃; lit. "-blade") and -kiri (〜切り; lit. "-cutter"). There are four general categories used to distinguish the Japanese knife designs:
Western handles have a bolster and a full or partial tang. These handles are often heavier, but are smaller in volume and surface area than most Japanese handles. The scale handle materials are often synthetic or resin-cured engineered wood and are non-porous. Chefs who prefer the feel of a Western handle, enjoy a more handle-heavy balance and grip the handle closer to the blade. This allows for more weight in the cut.
Japanese handles, on the other hand are traditionally made of ho wood which is burned in and friction-fitted to a hidden tang. The wood is porous and fine-grained, which makes it less likely to split and retain its grip. A metal collar or buffalo horn bolster caps the handle-blade junction and further reduces the possibility splitting. This allows easy installation and replacement.
More decorative woods, such as ebony, yew, cherry, or chestnut, may be made into handles, though they are heavier and often charred on the outside to improve grip and water resistance. If they are not cured well or properly cared for, these decorative woods will crack more easily when exposed to moisture.
Pak or Pakka wood is a composite material of laminated wood bound in a synthetic resin matrix. It has the advantages of that is more durable, not porous and so waterproof, and is less likely to split. It is used on less expensive knives commonly replacing either the buffalo horn bolster, or both the bolster and the handle. The most common wood variant is chestnut.
The most common cross-sectional shape is an octagon, which is made with a gradual taper towards the blade. Another common shape is the D-shape, which is an oval handle with a ridge running along the same side as the edge bevel, (right side of handle for a right-handed knife).
A chef who prefers a knife with more weight in the blade, their knife to be lighter overall, to have a larger handle, or one who wants to replace their knife handle more easily, will often turn to a Japanese handle.
Traditionally, Japanese knives are single-bevel edged — kataba — and this remains the dominant style. These are the knives of the established traditional Japanese cuisine and were originally developed from the Chinese double-beveled knives.