Knife Styles

Knife Styles

There are basically two styles or philosophies of making kitchen knives. We'll refer to them as Eastern and Western. You can choose between: light weight Eastern style, or heftier, heavier knives of the Western style. You can decide which works for you more: better cutting performance and more required maintenance of the Eastern style; or somewhat less performance with easier and less frequent maintenance of the Western style. A good cook will be able to work with both styles. It is all a matter of personal preference.

Eastern Style Knives

Eastern style knives such as Japanese made knives like are made from harder steel, the blades are significantly thinner, producing a lighter weight knife and the bevel angles are more acute. That means these knives will hold an edge longer (and also take longer to sharpen or steel) and will be sharper, requiring more maintenance. They are wonderful for cutting where accuracy is necessary such as preparing Sushi or making decorative cuts.

Western Style Knives

Western style knives such as European made knives are made from softer steel (less edge holding but easier to maintain) are thicker (heavier) and have more obtuse bevel angles so that they won't get quite as sharp but the edges will be sturdier requiring less maintenance. They are outstanding at chopping, as an example.