German vs Japanese Knives

When you're looking for a new knife, you may find you can't see the forest for the trees. To make the choice easier, we usually ask a few questions. The most important of these is whether your preference is for a Japanese or German knife.

"Japanese knives, those are the very best knives, right?"
While we're big fans of Japanese knives, that doesn't mean that these are always the best choice. Each knife has its own advantages and disadvantages, and ultimately personal preference also plays a big role. We will discuss the main differences below.

1. Hardness of steel

Japanese knives are made of very hard steel. Although any knife can be sharpened sharp, the steel used determines steel determines how sharp a knife can become and how long it stays sharp.

The hardness of the steel determines how long a knife stays sharp. With a special machine, the hardness is tested at the factory and expressed in the Rockwell Scale of Hardness, part C (HRC for short).

The higher the HRC number, the harder the steel is, and the longer it stays sharp.

Japanese knives are generally made of much harder steel than European knives. European knives have a hardness that is usually between 52 and 58 Rockwell. Japanese knives often start at 58 Rockwell and can go as high as 67 Rockwell.

To achieve this hardness, steel with a higher carbon content is used. This does make the knives more susceptible to rust.

So why isn't only extremely hard steel used?
The harder the steel, the more brittle it becomes. A knife with a hardness of, say, 68 HRC could break even with one wrong move.

You've probably cut with a ceramic knife before. These knives have a hardness of around 70 HRC. They indeed stay sharp for a long time, but the problem is that pieces quickly crumble off or the knife may even break in break in half. Moreover, they are rarely delivered from the factory really razor-sharp because sharpening is difficult. Lastly, they are almost impossible to sharpen yourself.

So while an extremely hard knife stays sharp for a long time, it is more susceptible to abuse.

Harder steel is harder to sharpen
Another disadvantage is that keeping or making a hard knife sharp is a lot harder. A knife up to 58 HRC can easily keep sharp with a standard sharpening steel. Harder knives you will have to sharpen with a diamond or ceramic sharpening rod or whetstones.

Harder steel is also more expensive
The base material to make the steel is more expensive, but production also takes more time and more can go wrong during forging. This causes harder steels (such as VG10, SG2, Aogami Super etc.) are more expensive than the widely used German Molybdenum Vanadium steel.

Advantages and disadvantages of Japanese steel:

Harder steel, can be sharpened sharper, stays sharp longer.

More brittle due to higher hardness, harder to sharpen, more susceptible to rust

2. Thickness of the blade

Another big difference is the thickness of the blade. Thanks to the hard steel, Japanese knives can be made thinner made. This creates less resistance while cutting. If you were to blunt a European knife and a Japanese knife equally blunt, the Japanese knife will still cut finer.

The advantage of a thicker blade is that it can handle much more. It is no problem to use it, for example, to cut a thick pumpkin with it, and accidentally cutting a bone won't ruin your knife right away.

So simply put, Japanese knives cut better but you have to be careful what you cut with them. You can use a European knife for almost anything.

Advantages and disadvantages of a Japanese thin blade:

Thinner steel, less resistance, more precision when cutting

More vulnerable to damage

3. Sharper angle.

The combination of the type of steel used (and hardness) and the thickness of the blade determines how sharp a knife can be sharpened. European knives from the better brands are usually sharpened at an angle of 20 degrees per side. So that works out to 40 degrees for the entire blade.

Japanese knives, because of the combination of the hard steel and thin blade, can be sharpened at an angle of 15 degrees so a total angle of 30 degrees. Again, the sharper the angle, the sharper the knife.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Japanese sharpening angle

Sharpened at a smaller angle (15 degrees), thus sharper.

The crease is thinner and this actually makes the knife more fragile, but this is compensated by the hardness of the Japanese steel.

4. Cutting technique

If you put a Japanese and a German chef's knife side by side, you will also notice the shape of the blade. A German chef's knife is usually a bit wider and runs more in a curve. Because of this, you cut with a German knife with a rocking motion. This is also the technique we Europeans are used to.

Japanese knives are narrower and straighter. You use a push or pull cut with these knives. You push the knife and pull the knife back again (and vice versa with the pull cut). Because a Japanese blade has less curve, wobbling is hardly possible. In addition, the rocking can cause the hard steel to chip.

Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages, but they can all be mastered well with a mastered with a little practice.

5. Weight

In general, Japanese knives are lighter in weight than European knives. This is due, among other things, to the handle and the thickness of the blade.

It is a misconception that a heavier knife helps with the cutting. The sharpness of the blade ensures that you cut through your ingredients effortlessly.

Advantages and disadvantages weight:

Here we cannot give advantages and disadvantages because it is a matter of personal preference.

6. Handle

European knives are available with many different types of handles, but in terms of shape, they are generally generally the same.

With Japanese knives, you can choose from knives with a traditional Japanese handle or a European handle.

It is also important to pay attention to the material the handle is made of.

Stainless steel and plastic: Maintenance-free and can go in the dishwasher (This only applies to European knives and we do not recommend).

Wooden handle: May not go in the dishwasher and must be oiled occasionally to keep it in perfect condition.

Advantages and disadvantages of the handle:

Here we cannot give advantages and disadvantages as it is a matter of personal preference.

7. One-sided sharpened knives

Some of the traditional Japanese knives are one-sided sharpened. What does that meaning?

One-sided sharpened knives are sharpened on one side. This allows the knife to be sharpened at a sharper angle, allowing for more precise and thinner cuts. One-sided sharpened knives are more delicate though and must be sharpened in a different way than regular knives.

The best known one-sided sharpened knives are the Yanagiba (for sashimi and sushi), Deba (for fish) and the Usuba (for vegetables).

90% of the Japanese knives we sell are double-sided sharpened and can therefore be used in the usual way use.

Conclusion

Whether you choose a German knife (e.g. Wusthof or Zwilling) or a Japanese knife, you can cut perfectly with both types of knives.

Are you precise and take good care of your things? Then a Japanese knife is an absolute must and a wonderful product to have.

If you want a knife that you don't have to worry about, but that offers a lot of cutting pleasure, then it's best to opt for a German knife.

We hope you now have a better idea of the differences between Japanese and German knives, and that it has made it easier to choose the perfect knife. Still unsure between certain knives? Please feel free to contact us or drop by in our store. Together we can then choose the ideal knife for you.

Features of Japanese knives:

It is important to note that these properties are generalities. There will always exceptions within each category. But by understanding the differences between Japanese and German knives , you can better determine which type of knife suits you best.

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