What Is Rockwell Hardness (A.Ka. HRC)?
April 14, 2017
An axe sits near 50 HRC, supermarket knives 54-58, good kitchen blades 60-66. What that diamond-point test measures, and why harder isn’t always better.
Stories from Sakai, Seki and the kitchen
The Journal読み物
Notes on knives, cooking and the people who make things slowly.
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Different Types Of Kitchen Knives, What They’re Used For
April 13, 2017
Most homes own three or four knives without really thinking about it. Here are the ten common types sorted, and the four worth buying first.
All About Cooking Knives
April 10, 2017
The chef’s knife began as a butchery tool for slicing through cartilage. Here’s how the gyuto and its French and German cousins compare today.
Our Latest Trip To Takefu & Sakai – Japanese Knife Villages
February 7, 2017
Back from the forges of Takefu and Sakai, where an ageing trade and few young smiths explain why a handmade knife can take months.
What’s The Difference Between German Vs. Japanese Knives?
February 7, 2017
One holds a near-scalpel edge but will rust; the other shrugs off abuse. It comes down to Rockwell hardness, high 50s against mid 60s.
Western Vs. Japanese Kitchen Knife Types
February 7, 2017
Five blades, two traditions: the chef’s knife, Santoku, paring, bread and carving knife, and where Western and Japanese versions part ways.
Are Japanese Knives Worth Their Price?
February 7, 2017
A £1,000 knife can take five weeks and a workshop of four to forge. What the price buys: layered steel, hand-welding and balance.
Do I Need a Special Knife like a Sashimi or Yanagiba Knife for Sushi?
February 7, 2017
Can you make good sushi at home without a Yanagiba? Where single-bevel slicers ground 70:30 or 90:10 actually earn their keep, and when they don’t.
Shirogami (#1) & Aogami (#2) Steels – The Difference
February 7, 2017
The difference between Shirogami (#1) and Aogami (#2) steels, how their carbon and alloy content compares, and which blades each suits best.
Guide To The Best Knife Steel: VG10, Blue Steel And More
February 7, 2017
A guide to knife steel including VG10 and Blue Steel, explaining hardness, toughness, wear resistance, and edge retention in plain terms.
Knife Steel Composition Chart
February 7, 2017
What separates one knife steel from another? A sortable composition table, plus what carbon, chromium and molybdenum each do to edge, hardness and rust resistance.
The Difference Between A Single And A Double Bevel Blade
February 7, 2017
Western blades meet in the middle at roughly 20 degrees; most Japanese knives are ground on one side only. What that single bevel buys you, and where it doesn’t.
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