Japanese kitchen knife

[1] 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 -kiri (〜切り, lit.

Japanese handles, on the other hand are often made of ho wood which is burned in and friction-fitted to a hidden tang.

A metal collar or buffalo horn bolster caps the handle-blade junction and prevents any splitting.

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.

They have an omote, (an edge on the right for right-handers); a shinogi, (where the front bevel meets the flat of the blade face); and an urasuki, (a hollow backside that releases food).

Edo-style knives are typically shorter with a square tip used for horizontal cuts, rendering a more robust working knife.

Japan adopted French and German cutlery ideas during the Meiji period in the late 19th century, integrating them into Japanese cutting techniques and culture.

[5] Traditional Western knives are made with a double bevel — ryoba — which tapers symmetrically to the cutting edge on each side.

Single bevel knives, kataba, which only taper to one side (typically the right), can require more care and expertise when both using and in sharpening.

Carbon steel is generally harder and sharper, but is more brittle, less tough, and corrodes more easily, (usually with a dulling and blackening of the metallic patina).

In the highest quality though, it retains an edge longer and the grain structure is similarly sized in its carbides to carbon steel.

The two forms of laminated blades are: A variation on the traditional laminated blade style is to form an artistic pattern in the jigane; patterns include: A great deal of high-quality Japanese cutlery originates from Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, the principal city of Japanese sword-smithing since the 14th century.

After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the samurai were banned from carrying swords as part of an attempt to modernize Japan.

Today, Seki in Gifu Prefecture is considered the home of modern Japanese kitchen cutlery.

Most manufacturers are small family businesses where craftsmanship is more important than volume, and they typically produce fewer than a dozen knives per day.