A knife is an integral part of kitchen equipment, which is used, without exaggeration, by all. Both a high-class chef and a simple housewife are interested in quality products so that cooking is not only useful, but also a pleasant experience. Slicing ingredients for soups, salads, main dishes and desserts is an integral part of the culinary process. In order to make it as fast as possible, high-quality and comfortable – it is necessary to use high-quality and sharp knives. From the Kamikoto Blog you can learn a lot now.
The Essential Variety
Today, the widest variety of these products is presented on the market: from super-cheap Chinese “no-name” manufacturers to European or Japanese brands, whose quality is confirmed by centuries-old practice. It is impossible to review all of them at once neither time nor pages are enough for this, and hardly anyone is interested in reading hundreds of pages of descriptions of products of the budget segment that are similar, like two drops of water. But to highlight the leaders in the market of kitchen knives, whose products are of high quality and have their own advantages, it’s definitely worth a try. Traditionally, the world leaders in the quality of cutting tools are Japan, with its centuries-old samurai past and high-tech present, and Germany, which also has a long history of weapons manufacturing and is distinguished by high quality products. Yes, it’s just weapons: the technology used to produce high-quality steel has been improved for centuries by the masters of the blade, and only relatively recently, combined with modern scientific achievements, they joined the cooks and housewives in the peaceful service.
The Manufacturing Variations
The number of manufacturers of kitchen knives in Japan is also in the tens, and a number of manufacturers have been making knives for several centuries (the 500-700 year history has not surprised anyone, since the Hiromoto family from Seki is 780 years old, and the Aritsugu family submitted documents from 1560), but at that while very young companies exist. Almost all companies claim that they produce kitchen knives based on ancient sword forging technologies and the achievements of modern science.
- As a rule, none of the manufacturers is engaged in steelmaking, but buys the necessary billets from steel companies that are not afraid to produce their products in small batches. There are not many companies that produce steel for knives – Hitachi Metals (ZDP 189, “white” and “blue” papers), Diado Steel Company (Cowry X), Takefu Steel Corporation (VG – 10), Kobe Steel Company (R2) .
Among the manufacturers there are large companies with high turnover and generally mixed capital (Global, Mac), trading houses ordering knives from various craftsmen and selling them under their own names (Aritsugi, Kukuichi – very high quality knives) and individual craftsmen (Hattori, Itou , Watanabe, Fujiwara, etc.)
