Other than Western-style kitchen knives generally made in Western countries and Honyaki knives in Japan, most of Japanese kitchen knives are often composite knives forged with Hagane(steel) steel and Jigane(soft iron). This composite structure is ideal for knives that will be sharpened on a whetstone.

But one specific problem – which does not occur with a double-edged knife – occurs with only thin & long sashimi knives like Yanagiba, and thin & wide Usuba knives, all of which have single-edged thin blade.

Figure (a) is a concept drawing of a Usuba knife. By heat treating this, the hagane becomes martensitized, increasing in length as it cures. Thus, as in Figure (b), it’s typical for the knives to warp upwards when viewed horizontally. To correct this, the knife is placed on an anvil as in Figure (c) and the Jigane is struck with a hammer, extending it and straightening the knife.

          Figure 1. Why Thin-Bladed Composite Usuba Knives Warp

After the product is ready, but as time passes after production the steel side shrinks as Figure (d), warping in the opposite direction as shown in Figure (b). Heat-treated steel cannot be lengthened and there is no way to straighten out and fix the knife.

Whether or not the Forging process that starts the mounting of steel is done carefully, is said to greatly affect the deformation of the product. Fundamentally, the reason behind this warping is the pasting of two materials, a soft material in Jigane and a hard material in steel. This being the case, the solution would be to make a knife out of a single piece of metal, which was the Honyaki.

[Referenced from Hamonoarekore by Kato and Asakura(2013)]

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

All the Hocho-Knife staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Why Honyaki Knives Created in Japan? first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Tuna Kiri is a very long Japanese knife to cut tuna fish. Yukifuji, one of the high-class brand just for professional use for a long time in Japan, produces the Chu-Kasumi Gyokuhaku-ko (White Steel) Tuna Kiri putting soft kitchen knife iron on traditional TAMA-HAGANE steel.

Tuna Kiri is a very long Japanese knife to cut tuna fish. Yukifuji, one of the high-class brand just for professional use for a long time in Japan, produces the Chu-Kasumi Gyokuhaku-ko (White Steel) Tuna Kiri putting soft kitchen knife iron on traditional TAMA-HAGANE steel.

The TAMA-HAGANE steel is made with the much-treasured secret the materials of the iron selected carefully from Masago iron sand of the historical San-in district in Japan.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

All the Hocho-Knife staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Japanese Tuna-Kiri Knife with 600mm Blade by Yukifuji first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

The Shigeki Tanaka Aogami Swordlike Knife series feature beautiful Damascus-patterned blades with a core of Blue Paper (Aogami or Aoko) No.2 Steel, known as prime high carbon steel.

The longer blade 330mm shows its stylish arched shape, recreating the element of the traditional Japanese sword.



This material has highest wear resistance and toughness because of special hardness (hardness of 63-64 HRC). Very good choice for high end Japanese kitchen knives.



These masterpieces are carefully forged & finished by the blacksmith Shigeki Tanaka with his own hands for their top-rate cutting performance.

Premium Paulownia Box


The beautiful Paulownia Wood Box adds a touch of premium accents for the best present.

About Shigeki Tanaka
Shigeki Tanaka, well known as an outstanding master blacksmith at Miki in Japan, is turning out excellent knives with unsurpassed Japanese blade knowledge and expertise handed down from generation to generation for centuries.

Some Michelin 3-star chefs in Europe gave a high marks to the Tanaka knives, and we recommend this premium kitchen knife series for professional chefs to enhance their art of cooking as well as for Perfect Gift.

The stock is extremely limited. Very sorry for the inconvenience.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

All the Hocho-Knife staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Shigeki Tanaka Swordlike Archformed Aogami Damascus Sakimaru Sashimi Knives 330mm Long first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

This mirror finished Shiroko or White Paper (Shirogami) #2 Steel Knife is made from famous Yasugi steel, known as prime high carbon steel, specifically developed for tools and knives.
Its blade is made through traditional Water Quenching Honyaki process, so the edge gets very hard and retains its sharpness for a long time.
The honyaki knives cannot be mass-produced. They are primarily for professional chefs and for the most important person because of the highest quality traditional-style Japanese knives.

Again, the blade has a special Mt.Fuji & Full Moon on a long Wave pattern is priceless, because it is made through the Water Quenching Honyaki process by hand. Please be noted that the special pattern is never engraved, nor marked!

It is highly recommended for Perfect Gift as well as for your better cooking experience, but please be noted that the leadtime is very unpredictable if the current stock is sold out.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

All the Hocho-Knife staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Mt.Fuji-on-Wave Mirrored Honyaki Yanagiba Knife by Togashi Kenji – Sakai Takayuki first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

This mirror finished Shiroko or White Paper (Shirogami) #2 Steel Knife is made from famous Yasugi steel, known as prime high carbon steel, specifically developed for tools and knives. 
Its blade is made through traditional Water Quenching Honyaki process, so the edge gets very hard and retains its sharpness for a long time.
The honyaki knives cannot be mass-produced. They are primarily for professional chefs and for the most important person because of the highest quality traditional-style Japanese knives.

Moreover, the blade has a special WAVE pattern is priceless, because it is made through the Water Quenching Honyaki process by hand. Please be noted that the WAVE pattern is never engraved, nor marked!

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Goh Umanosuke Yoshihiro Honyaki Shirogami Steel with traditional water-quenched WAVE first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Honyaki Knife Special Coverage debut! first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

“Hello, i have a question and can´t find the answer at the tutorials. There are two blade structures of traditional japanese knives.
  Kasumi (cheaper)
  Honyaki (very expensive)
There are some cheaper japaneses knives made with stainless steel. I think they are made with one steel like Honyaki knives. Is this right? How can they be so cheap? Is it because of the stainless steel? Is the hardening process of stainless steel different to carbon steel and much more easier ?

For example: Masahiro Stainless Japanese-style Deba Knife 120mm
I can see no Hamon.”

It seems an issue that some are concerned about. The following was our answer, hoping it would be helpful for him.
———-
First, we must discuss things in high-carbon steel world.

“Honyaki” knives are forged from one single material of steel, generally high-carbon steel called “hagane” (blue or white steel) .
The finest “Honyaki” is differentially-hardened and their sharpness is the longest lasting of all Japanese blades.
They are extremely difficult to make right forging and rapid quenching which require a high level of skill and experience.
Also, the number of skilled blacksmiths who can handle this process exist very few today. That’s the reason why they are very expensive.
(Even if the stainless knives are made of a single material of stainless steel, they are not “Honyaki” in the proper sense of the word.)

On the other hand, “Kasumi” are made from two materials, “hagane” and soft iron “jigane” forged together.
This style of knives do not necessarily require high skills for processing as the honyaki.
So, the Kasumi offers a similar cutting edge to a honyaki blade in high-grade knives at a reasonable price.

Second, stainless steel knives generally doesn’t require such difficult forging and quenching process as hagane,
that means they can be processed with less skills to achieve a kind of mass production. That’s why the stainless knives are manufactured at a much cheaper cost.

Of course stainless knives made of two materials like Kasumi are very popular and have a hamon on the blade.
The Masahiro Stainless Japanese-style Deba Knife is made of a single stainless steel, which does not have the “Hamon” as you mentioned.
(There are two ways that “Hamon” is created, one is boundary of two materials like “Kasumi”, another is at special harden process of “Honyaki”.)
———

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Why honyaki knives so expensive, even if made with a single steel like cheap stainless knives ? first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

“I’m looking for a sushi knife, can’t decide which I should select, Takohiki or Yanagiba.
The takohiki just look cool, functionally wise they should be the same but which would be better for sushi related tasks, mainly sashimi and nigiri?”

It is a kind of basic question but very essential.
The following was our answer, hoping it would be helpful for him.
———-
“As you know, Yanagiba and Takohiki are both kitchen knives suitable for Sushi and Sashimi, although Yanagiba is nowadays more and more popular than Takohiki.
You may find out what the difference is between them if you read the following,

<< Yanagiba >>
A Sashimi Knife, for cutting and filleting fish or ham with a pull stroke.

Slim blade in the shape of a willow leaf or Katana (sword). Long and Narrower blade is suitable for slicing tasks.
Especially for preparing fresh, good&beautiful shape of raw fishes (sashimi). The Yanagiba is called “Shobu” and popular in Western Japan (around Osaka and Kyoto).

<< Takohiki >>
Square shape, longer blade of Sashimi Knife, designed for same purpose as Yanagiba.

Not for slicing “Tako” (Octopus) but for making Sashimi. The edge line is almost straight, while Yanagiba knife’s blade edge line is more curved towards the blade tip.
The Takohiki was popular in Eastern Japan (around Tokyo).

<< Fuguhiki >>
This time, we should explain “Fuguhiki” as well, in addition to Yanagiba and Takohiki.
Fuguhiki is a Sashimi knife for a specific purpose, originally designed for cutting and slicing Tessa (Blowfish Sashimi).
Its blade shape is similar to Yanagiba, but is narrower and thinner than that of Yanagiba. That is suitable design for thinner cutting, slicing tasks for higher-level professional chefs.
———-

You can check a detailed list for the three sashimi knives.
 Yanagiba, Takohiki, Fuguhiki

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

All the Hocho-Knife staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Takohiki v.s. Yanagiba, Which is suitable for Sushi and Sashimi? first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Kasumi Knives
Kasumi knives are made from two materials by joining a piece of soft iron (Jigane) with a piece of high-carbon steel.
“Kasumi” means “mist” which refers to the hazy appearance of the soft iron body of the blade, as contrasted to the glossy appearance of the carbon steel.
The actual cutting edge and backside of the blade is carbon steel, while the supporting spine and rest of the blade is soft iron, which makes the sharpening process easier.
Kasumi knives are less expensive than Honyaki knives and are easier to use and sharpen.

In addition, Kasumi  category has a higher grade, “Hon-kasumi” or “Hongasumi”. The hongasumi knives are made in the same way as Kasumi knives. But the quality of steel used is often higher, and more processes and work are required for its construction than Kasumi knives.

“Masamoto Honkasumi Gyokuhaku-ko”
http://www.hocho-knife.com/masamoto-honkasumi-tamashiro-steel/

“Sakai Takayuki Kasumi”
http://www.hocho-knife.com/sakai-takayuki-kasumi/

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

All the Hocho-Knife staff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Honyaki and Kasumi Knives — Two basic categories of Japanese wa-bocho first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

The shape of these knives has developed solely from their intended purpose, which gives them an aesthetic quality not remotely influenced by fashion trends. The light wooden handles, the well-balanced design and the extraordinary sharpness make using Hocho a remarkable experience.

Nowadays stainless steel is often used for Japanese kitchen knives, and multi-layer laminated blade construction (so-called “Damascus”) is used in more expensive blades to add corrosion resistance while maintaining strength and durability.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team

mport Japan.com,Inc.
Florida, USA
Kyoto and Hyogo, JAPAN

www.hocho-knife.com/

The post Structure of Hocho first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.