SharpEdge blog

All about knives, sharpening, Japan, blacksmiths ...

Quiz

QUIZ: WHICH KITCHEN KNIFE IS THE BEST FOR ME?

Solve this short quiz to find out which knife is the best one for you!

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Quiz

KNIFE TYPES

TYPES OF JAPANESE KITCHEN KNIVES

KIRITSUKE

nakiri

DEBA

GYUTO

BUNKA

SANTOKU

PETTY

a short INTRODUCTION

METALLURGY OF KITCHEN KNIVES

A short introduction to the metallurgy of kitchen knives.

Japanese knives 101

GUIDE: MAINTENANCE OF KITCHEN KNIVES

The anatomy of a Japanese kitchen knife

HOW TO CHOOSE A KITCHEN KNIFE

STEEL: THE HEART OF JAPANESE KNIVES

WHAT IS PATINA? IS IT GOOD OR BAD ON YOUR KNIFE?

HARDNESS OF STEEL ACCORDING TO THE ROCKWELL SCALE (HRC)

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT KNIFE FOR THE RIGHT PROSCIUTTO

BURJA

A superb prosciutto requires a precise cutting tool and a certain amount of theatricality in slicing and serving, so a long, thin slicer, resembling a real Japanese katana, is the right tool for the job.

Based on extensive testing and feedback from professional ham manufacturers and cutters, we eventually developed three different Burja knives.

Blade construction

BLADE CONSTRUCTION: LAMINATION

BLADE CONSTRUCTION: GEOMETRY

BLADE CONSTRUCTION: BLADE FINISH

Why own a Japanese knife?

Japanese knives are kitchen knives that originated in Japan and are renowned for their superior quality, exceptional sharpness, and rich tradition of craftsmanship. Their history goes far back, to the times of the samurai, and is rooted in the design and forging of the legendary Japanese swords - katanas!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW: JAPANESE KNIFE HANDLES

UNDERSTANDING JAPANESE KNIFE WA HANDLE SHAPES

What are Japanese knife handles made of?

Japanese Knife Handles vs. Western Knife Handles – What’s the Difference?

[VIDEO GUIDE]

A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO KNIFE SHARPENING

After some time, every knife (no matter how good or expensive it is) will become dull and will need to be sharpened. The knife sharpening process might seem intimidating and difficult at first, but it's not. All it takes is a little bit of practice and some patience.

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SHARPENING

SHARPENING STONES AND OTHER ACCESSORIES

WHY DO KNIVES NEED SHARPENING?

WHY CAN JAPANESE KNIVES CHIP? (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)

[VIDEO GUIDE]

SHARPENING SINGLE BEVEL KNIVES

An advanced sharpening tutorial to guide you through the world of single bevel knife maintenance.

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Blacksmiths

BLACKSMITH: Yu Kurosaki

BLACKSMITH: SHIGEKI TANAKA

BLACKSMITH: YOSHIDA HAMONO

BLACKSMITH: TAKESHI SAJI

BLACKSMITH: TOMOO MATSUMURA [TOJIRO]

Japanese blacksmith: Yoshimi in Hiroshi Kato

SMITHIES IN JAPAN

Japan is divided in regions and prefectures, each of them famous for its craft, but there are several key centers of metallurgical and forging industry where the knowledge has been passed on to younger generations for centuries.

JAPANESE BLACKSMITHS, SUPERIOR SHARPNESS, MYSTERIOUS STEEL AND SUPERB SUSHI

japan: our travel guide

Japan is famous for producing quality steel since the times of the samurai. The country is divided into 47 prefectures in eight regions and has one metropolis – Tokyo. Shimane Prefecture with the capital Matsue located in the south-west of the main and most populous Japanese island Honshu has been the centre of steel production in the country since ancient times.

WHY IS A JAPANESE KNIFE A GREAT GIFT?

Today we cannot imagine any work done in the kitchen – be it home or professional – without proper tools. Cooking is no longer seen as only necessary labour of preparing food for the family, but as a fun and social activity. Those who are truly in love with cooking (and those who wish to be) insist on using the best tool.