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Deba Knife
Japanese cutlery
Types of Japanese kitchen knives
There are two classes of traditional Japanese knife forging methods: honyaki and kasumi. The class is based on the method and material used in forging the knife. Honyaki are true-forged knives, made entirely of one material: high-carbon steel. Kasumi are made from two materials, like samurai swords: high-carbon steel and soft iron forged together (known as san mai blades), with the steel forming the blade's edge and the iron forming the blade's body and spine. Honyaki and kasumi knives can be forged out of either ao-ko or shiro-ko steel. Based on their kirenaga (duration of sharpness) and hardness, however they are more difficult to use and maintain. Additionally, there are high-grade quality kasumi knives called hongasumi and layered-steel kasumi called Damascus that have longer kirenaga.
Originally, all Japanese kitchen knives were made from the same carbon steel as katana. More expensive san mai knives have a similar quality, containing an inner core of hard and brittle carbon steel, with a thick layer of soft and more ductile steel sandwiched around the core so that the hard steel is exposed only at the cutting edge. Nowadays stainless steel is often used for Japanese kitchen knives, and san mai laminated blade construction is used in more expensive blades to add corrosion resistance while maintaining strength and durability.
Japanese cutlery production
Much high-quality Japanese cutlery originates from Sakai, the capital of samurai sword manufacturing since the 1300s. After the Meiji Restoration, the carrying of swords by the samurai class was banned as part of an attempt to modernise Japan. Though demand for military swords remained and some swordsmiths still produced traditional samurai swords as art, the majority of swordsmiths refocused their skill to cutlery production.
The production of steel knives in Sakai started in the 16th century, when tobacco was introduced to Japan by the Portuguese, and Sakai craftsmen started to make knives for cutting tobacco. The Sakai knives industry received a major boost from the Tokugawa shogunate (16031868), which granted Sakai a special seal of approval and enhanced its reputation for quality (and according to some references a monopoly).
During the Edo period (16031867) (or more precisely the Genroku era (16881704)) the first deba bocho were manufactured, soon followed by a wide range of other styles. Making kitchen knives and related products is still a major industry in Sakai, using a combination of modern machinery and traditional hand tools to make stain-resistant carbon steel blades.
Seki, Gifu is today considered the home of modern Japanese kitchen cutlery, where state-of-the-art manufacturing and technology has updated ancient forging skills to produce a world-class series of stainless and laminated steel kitchen knives famed throughout the world. The major cutlery making companies are based in Seki, and they produce the highest quality kitchen knives in the traditional Japanese style and the western style, like the gyuto and the santoku.
Another famous center for traditional blacksmiths and knifesmiths is Miki City. Miki is well known to all of Japan for its knifemaking traditions, and its knives and tools recall the pride of Japanese steelmaking. Most Miki manufacturers are small family businesses where craftsmanship is more important than volume and typically produce fewer than a dozen knives a day.
Japanese cutlery design and philosophy
(b) is angled on both sides, (a) and (c) only on one side, where (a) is for right hand use and (c) is for left hand use.
Unlike western knives, Japanese knives are often single ground, i.e., sharpened so that only one side holds the cutting edge. As shown in the image, some Japanese knives are angled from both sides, and others are angled only from one side, with the other side of the blade being flat. It was originally believed that a blade angled only on one side cuts better and makes cleaner cuts, though requiring more skill in its use than a blade with a double-beveled edge. Usually, the right hand side of the blade is angled, as most people use the knife with their right hand, with ratios ranging from 7030 for the average chef's knife, to 9010 for professional sushi chef knives; left-handed models are rare and must be specially ordered and custom made.
Since the end of World War II, western-style double-beveled edged knives have become much more popular in Japan, the best example being that of the santoku, an adaptation of the gyuto, (also spelled "gyutou") the French chef's knife. While these knives are usually honed and sharpened on both sides, their blades are still given Japanese-style acute-angle cutting edges with a very hard temper to increase cutting ability.
Professional Japanese cooks usually own their personal set of knives, which are not used by other cooks. Some cooks even own two sets of knives, which they alternate every other day.[citation needed] After sharpening a carbon-steel knife in the evening after use, the user normally lets the knife "rest" for a day to restore its patina and remove any metallic odour or taste that might otherwise be passed on to the food.[citation needed]
See also
List of Japanese cooking utensils
Kitchen knife
Honyaki: True-forged Japanese knives
Deba bocho: Kitchen cleaver for fish
Nakiri bocho: Standard vegetable knife
Usuba bocho: Professional vegetable knife
Tako hiki: Sashimi slicer
Yanagi ba: Sashimi slicer
Fugu hiki: Sahsimi slicer for fugu
Unagisaki hocho: Japanese eel knife
Udon kiri: Knife to make udon
Soba kiri: Knife to make soba
Hancho hocho: Very long knives to fillet tuna
Oroshi hocho: Extremely long knives to fillet tuna
Santoku: Meaning "three virtues", used for fish, meat and vegetables; western-style knife
References
^ a b Hurt, Harry, III (2006) "How to Succeed at Knife-Sharpening Without Losing a Thumb" The New York Times, September 23, 2006. Accessed September 23, 2006.
Tsuji, Shizuo, and Mary Sutherland. Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, first edition. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., 1980. ISBN-10: 0870113992.
Further reading
Nozaki, Hiromitsu, & Klippensteen, Kate (2009) Japanese Kitchen Knives: essential techniques and recipes. Tokyo: Kodansha International ISBN-13: 9784770030764
Tsuji, Shizuo, & Sutherland, Mary (2006) Japanese Cooking: a simple art; revised edition. Tokyo: Kodansha International ISBN-13: 9784770030498
External links
Japanese Kitchen Knife Types And Styles, photos and explanations
Behind-the-scenes photo story showing the making of a hand-forged Japanese kitchen knife from start to finish - in English
Categories: Japanese kitchen knives | Economy of Japan | Settlements in Japan | Japanese knivesHidden categories: Articles needing additional references from November 2009 | All articles needing additional references | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from November 2009
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Questions about Japanese knives?
I am looking at some of the Japanese knives and I have a few questions. 1) What is the difference between a Gyuto and a western Chefs knife? 2) Is the only thing different about the Japanese knives is that they have a thinner blade? Is there anything else? 3) Are Japanese knives worth the high costs? 4) What is a Deba and what is it used for? Thanks
1) A Gyuto is Japanese version of the western chef's knife. WA-Gyuto would be a gyuto with traditional Japanese style handle. Difference with western chef's knife is mainly the philosophy, hard steel, thin edges and thin blades, as far as gyutos go. Gyuto resembles French style chef's knives, i.e. slender blade, less belly compared to German style chef's knives. However, if you like German chef's knives blade geometry better, than Shun makes gyutos that are have plenty of belly, while having all other qualities of Japanese knives.
Here, bunch of gyuto reviews - http://zknives.com/knives/kitchen/ktknv/type/gyuto/index.shtml
2) Main difference between quality Japanese knives and western knives is the approach to the knife design. Japanese knives are more task specific than western knives. Besides thinner blades you mentioned, more importantly Japanese knives, at least most of them, also have considerably thinner edges, which results if far better cutting performance. Average edge sharpening angle on western chef's knife is about 20 deg. per side, or 40 total, while 15 per side is much more typical on Japanese knives and that's actually where they start, quality pieces have even thinner edges. The difference in cutting ability is huge.
Steel used in the knives is also treated differently. Even when Japanese knvies are made from western steels, like Swedish Sandvik, they heat treat them to much higher Rockwell hardness than western knife makers. 54-56HRC is typical western kitchen knife, and sadly, for larger pieces like 6"+ chef's knife that value is closer to 54HRC than 56HRC, and for Japanese chef's knives 62HRC average, high end stuff easily goes into 64-67HRC range.
It's the harder steel that allows for much thinner edges and much better edge holding ability. An edge sharpened at 10 per side on the western knife with 54HRC hardness will not last 20 minutes in the kitchen, while on hard steel it can go without major sharpening for weeks, at home use.
Also, some of the Japanese knives are a lot thicker compared to western kitchen knives.
More in depth review of western vs. Japanese knives - http://zknives.com/knives/kitchen/misc/articles/kkchoser/westvsjapn.shtml
3) There are lots of Japanese knives that are priced comparably with high end western knives - 100-200$ price range. Japanese knives are worth high cost if you use them for designated purpose, e.g. gyuto is not the knife to chop bones with, cleaver or axe would be better. And maintain them properly. Harder steel in in Japanese knives has all the benefits, but is also more delicate. Tossing those knives into kitchen sink full of other utensils and then putting a pot on top of it will not help either.
4) Deba - Heavy, thick knife designed for cutting and filleting the fish. Can be used for butchering poultry, however cutting bones with it isn't recommended. As usual 165mm-200mm long blade. Traditionally single grind, although double grind versions, called Ryodeba are quite popular as well, Few makers do offer various Debas with western type handles as well, those would be Yo-Debas.
Japanese knives types explained - http://zknives.com/knives/kitchen/misc/usetype/all/index.shtml
San-mai style doesn't have soft steel on the spine, only on the sides, Warikomi does and Ni-Mai as well - http://zknives.com/knives/articles/jpnknifecladtypes.shtml
Kasumi style baldes are easier to sharpen/maintain compared to honyaki, but honyaki will have better kirenaga/edge holding.
All real honyakis are differentially tampered, otherwise they will simply break. Nowadays, Nenox, Susin and few other makers call their high end knives honyakis, which are neither high carbon(as in non stainless, because good stainless steel is also high carbon), nor even forged.
While Honyakis do cost more than kasumi knives, many custom makers can definitely give you a better deal than 1000$ for 240mm gyuto.
Sharpening honyakis is not that big of a problem compared to kasumi style. Does take some experience, but if you can sharpen kasumi style, it's not much after that.
Chef Thorn How to cut Fresh salmon