The manufacture of Japanese knives meets high standards in the kitchen: precise cutting and perfect handling. The Nakiri allows you to slice your vegetables quickly and precisely. While the blade length of the Gyuto excels at cutting fish to prepare sashimi or sushi. A versatile knife, the Santoku helps you slice meat successfully.
To preserve the performance of a Japanese knife in the kitchen, proper maintenance of the blade and handle is essential on a regular basis. Particularly for high-end Japanese knives of traditional manufacture. Made of Damascus carbon steel, the blades of these knives deserve attention that matches the quality of their cutting edge.
Why is maintaining your Japanese knives important for the sharpness of their blade?
In Japan, cutlery is based on the ancestral know-how of making samurai swords. A heritage that weaves close links between the work of forging blades and the spiritual dimension of their use. This is why Japanese master chefs take such careful care of their kitchen knives. The chef's respect for quality manufacturing full of meaning.
In Western cuisine, the maintenance of Japanese knives is more pragmatic. Professional or amateur, maintain the sharpness of the Japanese knife to perpetuate its remarkable cutting. To cut cleanly and not tear meat, fish or vegetables.
Made of carbon steel, Damascus steel or stainless steel, the blades of Japanese knives undergo wear from cutting. These micro-alterations end up dulling the edge of their cutting edge. These effects are accelerated when you use a Japanese knife inappropriately in the kitchen. For example, when you use a chef's knife to debone meat.
Maintaining the blade of your Japanese knife to preserve the quality of its edge
Do you own a Nakiri, Yanagiba, Kengata, Gyuto or Santoku knife? Here are our tips for sharpening and maintaining the edge of your Japanese knives on a daily basis.
Sharpening a Japanese knife blade: frequency and tools
A home chef should sharpen his Japanese knife set every 3 to 6 months depending on how often you use them. If you are a professional chef, sharpen the blade of each knife every month.
To preserve the sharpness of your Japanese knife, we recommend using a Japanese sharpening stone. Using this stone allows you to sharpen a blade while respecting the sharpening angle (15 degrees). And thus restore a clean edge.
To choose a sharpening stone, firstly check the carbon steel content of the blade of your Japanese knife. The more carbon the steel blade contains, the finer the grain of the stone must be. Secondly, as in Japan, take into account the food to be cut. Unlike vegetables and meat, fish require a very fine sharpening grain (#8000). The ideal solution is to have a sharpening stone for each type of knife. All your wishes for perfect cutting are thus possible.
Maintaining the quality of the edge of a Japanese knife on a daily basis: our advice
In everyday use, respect the intended use of your Japanese knives to preserve their steel blade. Select the Nakiri for slicing vegetables and not for boning meat. And a Takohiki, Mioroshi or Deba knife for preparing fish for sashimi and sushi, rather than a Kasumi knife.
In the kitchen, also use a cutting board adapted to your cutting. Preferably select a wooden board. Especially for meat to be boned. Wood preserves the quality of the sharpness of the carbon steel blade of your Japanese knives . Finally, avoid transferring meat, vegetables and fish with the sharpness of the blade of these quality knives.
To clean Japanese knives , avoid the dishwasher. Clean each knife with water without any abrasive product for the blade. Also remember to clean the handle of the Japanese knife. Impurities can stick to the handle and hinder its handling in the kitchen. And the dexterity of a chef is priceless! Then, dry each knife immediately to prevent corrosion of its carbon steel blade. Finally, store each of your Japanese knives on a wall rack or in a protective case.
Maison Damas: the online store for your Japanese knives
Maison Damas manufactures Japanese knives in Damascus steel in the greatest tradition of traditional Japanese cutlery. The blades of Maison Damas knives are made of multi-layer Damascus carbon steel. This gives them exceptional hardness and remarkable cutting quality. The range of these Damascus steel knives meets the most demanding wishes of a professional or amateur chef.
Maison Damas Japanese knives are sold individually or in sets of 2 to 6 knives. To cover the most frequent uses in the kitchen, select a knife set with a multipurpose knife, such as the Santoku or the chef's knife. Then choose one or more specialized Japanese knives from our stock (Gyuto, Nakiri).
Professional or amateur chef, quickly discover our range of Japanese knives in stock on our online store. And remember to order our essential accessories for the maintenance and protection of their blade: sharpening stone and wall support.
