The making of Japanese knives meets high demands in the kitchen: precise cutting and perfect handling. The Nakiri allows you to slice your vegetables quickly and precisely. Meanwhile, the blade length of the Gyuto excels at cutting fish to prepare sashimi or sushi. A versatile knife, the Santoku helps you successfully slice meat.
To maintain the performance of a Japanese knife in the kitchen, regular maintenance of the blade and handle is necessary. This is especially true for high-end, traditionally made Japanese knives. Made from Damascus carbon steel, the blades of these knives deserve attention that matches the quality of their sharpness.
Why is the maintenance of your Japanese knives important for the sharpness of their blade?
In Japan, cutlery is part of the ancestral craftsmanship of samurai sword making. A heritage that weaves close ties between the work of forging blades and the spiritual dimension of their use. This is why Japanese master chefs pay careful attention to their kitchen knives. The chef's respect for quality craftsmanship imbued with meaning.
In Western cuisine, the maintenance of Japanese knives is more pragmatic. Whether professional or amateur, maintain the sharpness of the Japanese knife to perpetuate its remarkable cutting ability. To cut cleanly and not tear meat, fish, or vegetables.
Made from carbon steel, Damascus steel, or stainless steel, the blades of Japanese knives undergo wear from cutting. These micro-alterations eventually dull the edge of their sharpness. 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 its sharpness
Do you own a Nakiri, Yanagiba, Kengata, Gyuto, or Santoku knife? Here are our tips for sharpening and daily maintenance of the blade of your Japanese knives.
Sharpening the blade of a Japanese knife: frequency and tools
An amateur chef should sharpen their set of Japanese knives every 3 to 6 months depending on how often they are used. 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 whetstone. Using this stone allows you to sharpen a blade while respecting the sharpening angle (15 degrees). Thus restoring a clean edge.
To choose a sharpening stone, first check the carbon steel content of your Japanese knife's blade. The more carbon the steel blade contains, the finer the stone's grit should be. On the other hand, like in Japan, consider the food to be cut. Unlike vegetables and meat, fish require a very fine sharpening grit (#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 sharpness of a Japanese knife daily: our advice
Daily, respect the intended use of your Japanese knives to preserve their steel blade. Select the Nakiri for slicing vegetables and not for deboning meat. And a Takohiki knife, a Mioroshi, or a Deba for preparing sashimi and sushi fish, rather than a Kasumi knife.
In the kitchen, also use a cutting board suited to your cutting. Preferably select a wooden board, especially for deboning meat. Wood preserves the quality of the sharp edge of your Japanese knives' carbon steel blade. Finally, avoid transferring meat, vegetables, and fish with the sharp edge of these quality knives.
For cleaning Japanese knives, avoid the dishwasher. Clean each knife with water without abrasive products for the blade. Also, remember to clean the handle of the Japanese knife. Impurities can stick to the handle and hinder its maneuverability in the kitchen. And a chef's dexterity is priceless! Then, immediately dry each knife to prevent corrosion of its carbon steel blade. Finally, store each of your Japanese knives on a wall mount or in a protective case.
Maison Damas: the online store for your Japanese knives
Maison Damas manufactures Japanese knives in Damascus steel in the great tradition of traditional Japanese cutlery. The blades of Maison Damas knives are made from multi-layer Damascus carbon steel. This gives them exceptional hardness and remarkable sharpness quality. The range of these Damascus steel knives meets the most demanding wishes of a professional or amateur chef.
The Japanese knives Maison Damas 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 versatile knife, like 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 mount.
