Industrial advancements have made it possible for manufacturers to mass-produce all kinds of consumer items, including kitchen knives. While this makes knives highly accessible, those knives might lack some of the quality that chefs want from their tools. Meticulously crafted knives are still available today, though, and you may choose to add these to your food preparation arsenal instead. Below, we’ll cover the advantages of hand-forged knives, particularly Japanese-made varieties, to show you why you might want to acquire them.
Increased Strength
Whereas machines stamp out the final shape of mass-produced knives, hand-forged knives undergo an extensive hammering process. This hammering causes the grain of the steel to conform more to the knife’s shape, which increases its strength. In addition, handmade knives can have better balance and more strength when the artisans who make them extend more metal through the handle. As such, they’re more comfortable to hold and use, as well as sturdier, since they typically contain only one piece of steel. With a better feel in hand, you may find hand-forged knives to be perfect for brushing up on and refining essential kitchen skills associated with knife use.
Longer-Lasting Edge Retention
The steel that comprises Japanese hand-forged knives has impressive edge retention because it has a higher carbon content. As a result, these knives stay sharp for far longer than most other varieties. With mass-produced knives, the steel is usually more flexible and prone to blunting. Hand-forged knives are more brittle, so you must handle them with care. But this also means that they can perform better when making precise cuts because they don’t deform easily. When the time does come to perform maintenance on them, their rigidness also makes sharpening them easier because they won’t experience unwanted bending.
Beautiful Appearance
Just like any craft, the ability to hand-forge a knife is an art form. Craftspeople put their skills to use to create knives that perform excellently and have a beautiful appearance. Therefore, a major advantage of hand-forged knives for casual and professional chefs alike is their unique look. They may have various designs that you wouldn’t be able to find with machine work, and many people have an appreciation for the process that goes into making them. For instance, certain makers may put ripples, visual textures, and indentations into the blades that set them apart from their mass-produced counterparts.
To acquire hand-forged knives for your kitchen, visit the Chubo Knives website. We stock singular, handmade Japanese knives and Japanese kitchen knife sets for chefs with a keen eye for detail.