Written by our Asian correspondent.
One of the most dignified and admired arts in the field of the craftsmen of Japan was the creation of the Samurai Sword or, as others refer to it, the Katana , which started in the 8th Century. Many people would look up to you that you were somebody that was working in a noble craft and that you could provide the protection that they needed. But chef knives in that era do not belong to the art collections of the Japanese and it is not something that one would take into consideration. It was just a basic tool that you could find in everybody’s kitchen. People regarded most knives as something without any value at all. It would be some time before the best Santoku knives as we know them today would appear. Learn more in this and the article on what is a Santoku knife.
Let us always remember that change is the only constant thing in this world and it wasn’t until the 16th century where the making of swords was at its peak. During the Meiji reinstatement, as a symbol of the Japanese rejuvenation, owning and taking good care of Samurai Swords was prohibited.
Although there were strict rule in sword making, there was still demand, especially in the field of the army where the majority of the Katana makers resided, in forging blades for the benefit of the tobacco industry.
There are a lots of stories behind the history of the Santoku knife, due to the fact that the documentation of events is poor and it is ill researched. Many of the people who were producing knives and the chefs at their own homes noticed the lenient categorization of knives. For example, a Western vegetable knife is not really a vegetable knife because it can be used as a knife for meat products, but instead it is called so because it is perfect for cutting vegetables. On the contrary, the nakiri or the usuba is a vegetable knife because it must never be intended to touch a single piece of meat. So, it was very confusing what the criteria for the segregation of the knives was.
The story about the birth of the Santoku knife started in the year 1920 when a housewife needed to find a new knife that could be used for slicing meat perfectly, but the problem was she didn’t know what knife to buy and the fact that knives in that era were very expensive. But hen somebody told her that that kind of thinking of using separate knives in cutting meat and vegetables was just myth in their time and then Santoku is born. The unholy marriage of both knives, which are the gyuto and nakiri, is embodied in the creation of Santoku; wherein you are able to cut meat as perfectly as cutting all manner of vegetables and fruit.
On the other hand, the makers of the Samurai Swords had their own way of making another beautiful masterpiece so that their worthiness would not die out by making the first Japanese Chef Knife which is also called the Santoku Knife.
In making the Santoku Knife, the same process is being followed that produced the legendary carbon steel blades that are found in Samurai Swords, many generations ago. This new innovation spread across the East at the speed of lightning, creating a huge buzz.
Chefs’ all over the world admired the quality and brilliance of the Santoku, and considered it as a secret weapon in cooking. But believe it or not, the price of this multipurpose piece of art would cost a years salary at the time.
Following World War II, in the production of forged blades, Japanese added a little spice to swords by creating European fashion blades to cater for the demands of their neighboring countries in line with the Chef Knives. Originally Santoku was obtained under the guise of a French Chef Knife called the Gyutou Knife.
For the current generation, the quality of the Santoku Knife is still considered to be the best. A Chef Knife that is made from perfect carbon steel metal which is just about perfect for chopping and slicing all sorts of food.
Santoku Knife Options
The Santoku Japanese Chef Knife has a blade length range between 5 to 7 inches. The edge of this knife is equally flat and the curve is a sheepsfoot and the angle of the curve is approximately at 60 degrees. The top part of the handle of the Santoku is at the exact level as the blade’s top side.
There are three high caliber assets that are imbedded in the Santoku which are the slicing, dicing and mincing; these three are the most perfect uses that this knife can impart to the user and it will never fail to amaze you with its expertise in the said field. The essence of the same length and width of the handle to the blade is a way to make them function in great harmony. It is created to provide perfect equilibrium in slicing, cutting and mincing.
Santoku Knife Design Elements
The sheep’s foot tip that you can find in the Santoku blade is designed for the user to have the comfort of easily drawing the backstrap of the knife down to the front. Control over the knife is dominated by the user and it is very easy, due to the fact that it has a straight dull part that bends with a 60 degrees angle when it approaches the tip.
The main point of having a straight dull part that is near the handle is for the fingers to rest upon while cutting, resulting in a proper and swift control on the knife. Having such feature the Santuko has a much lesser chance of rocking when you compare it to other knives such as the the Chef Knives from the Western world, a very minute cutting edge touches the surface because of the extreme radius that the tip has.
A very concrete example that will illustrate such a flaw is dicing some onions. Generally speaking, upon using a Western knife for this kind of cutting a knife will slice downward and it will rock the edge of the knife forward to finish the procedure, while the Santoku Japanese Chef Knife depends solely on a single downward motion cut and upon observing clearly that the motion that it produces is landing from the heel to the tip. The Santoku knife is used mostly by professionals because it requires practice to make a perfect cut and it is mostly used to create a magnificent cut on vegetables. If you aspire to be one of the users of this kind of knife, don’t hesitate to practice and achieve a professional-like motion in using the Santoku. Experience the efficiency of it personally.
The distinguishing factor that the Santoku knife has when you contrast it to a conventional Western knife is that it weighs less, the width is thinner and the total length is much shorter. The usual length of the Santoku is six or seven inches long and the common knife that you can find on someone’s kitchen is at 8 inches length.
Talking about the thickness of the blade, when compared to German knives and French knives, the Santoku is created in thinner steel and the steel used in manufacturing this knife is greatly hardened which is designed to provide compensation for the extremely thin cutting edge factor. Mostly, the knives that you can find inside a regular home have a blade angle that stand between a forty to forty-five degrees, while the Japanese Knives have a natural molded-tip edge which is ideal to provide a tremendous angle that it just ten to fifteen degrees.
On the other hand, the distinction of the special chef knife which is the Santoku is the degree shoulder of just ten to twelve. It is very important to heighten the level of the hardness of the Santoku knife to preserve the edge retention as well as the rolling of the lean cutting edge is well compensated. The down side of a knife that is more hardened is that it is prone to chipping, which is why it is not advisable to use it against hard material like using it to cut bone or with regards to using it to slice dry and extremely woody herbs. Moving along, German knives are manufactured with softer steel, but it has a lot of substance on the cutting edge. For a normal user, a German knife is simple to sharpen while the Santoku Japanese Chef Knife will withstand its cutting performance with a longer span of time between maintenance periods.
Why Pick A Santoku Knife
Occasionally, the Santoku knife is chosen by people that have small hands, and adapted Santoku knives have gone viral on the television via promotions which were created by manufacturers outside of Japan. One of the most popular versions that mimic the Santoko Japanese Chef Knife is the Edge of Belgravia Damascus steel Santoku. This kind of knife has the conventional figure of the original Santoku blade based on many layers of steel of damasc which is incorporated with a revolutionary look to the handle. All in all, the functions and characteristics of this knife are the same as through the Santoku Knife, it is just made attractive to the eyes of the potential buyers which will help the manufacturer gain a greater profit.
The production of a knife that is a prototype of the Santoku is highly produced in the neighboring archipelagos of Japan. These prototype knives have a lot of difference to the original version when it is examined fully; they have varying edge styles, there is a deviation on the balance and the steels are made softer. One pattern that you can see on the prototype Santoku knives are the use of a particular alloy which contains a kellenschliff, scallops or recesses to produce the product. This feature has the main purpose of creating a lesser friction during the cutting process and it will provide a greater separation on the material being cut. The authentic Santoku does not have this kind of element because it is dependent on the natural eminence that you can find in the steel and the geometry that is genuine on the Santoku is present to provide clean cuts in every motion that it produces.
Picking A Santoku Knife
There are so many manufacturers in the whole world that are avid fan of creating a copy of the Santoku knife because of the unique function that it has. Although there are some alterations in the original version of the Santoku, more or less it still embodies the essence of the authentic Japanese Chef Knife Santoku. You can really have a lot of choices to select from due to the fact that there are wide varieties of brands available in the market today.
There are popular brands that you can find at your favorite mall in the kitchenware department and choose what best suits you and will provide the most enjoyment when using it. If you don’t want to go out and mingle with the other shoppers, you can always have the convenience of browsing the online store that offers different brands of Santoku knives. All you need to have is a computer and a reliable internet connection, and you can start looking for the best deal there is in the market today.
Much like when the Japanese cook rice, they take some time to pick the best Japanese rice cooker, everyday cooking utensils and other items should be chosen with future as well as present needs in mind. So don’t rush in to picking a Santoku knife, research first and buy what is going to offer you the most practical use.
The prices of the Santoku knives that you can find on a regular physical outlet and at the online store varies and it will depend on the brand that you will choose as well as on the quality of the materials that are used in manufacturing the product. Know what you really want and know your budget so that you will have the best Santoku Chef Knife within your means.
Caring For Santoku Knives
Maintain the quality of your chosen Santoku knife because if it is dull it will defeat the sole purpose of the knife which is the ability for it to slice most produce with ease and grace. There are some tips available for the users of the Santoku knife to preserve the innate quality that it has.
First and foremost always remember that washing it after every use is very important and before putting it back into its place, make sure that you have dried it well. In addition, it is not recommended for you to wash it using a dishwasher because it may damage the knife; you should carefully hand-wash it using soap and water. It must be kept in a place where there this no other hard objects that will come in contact with the sharp part of the knife because it is prone to chip if it touches such a surface. It is best to be stored in a knife block or in a knife drawer organizer. When you are going to use it, make sure that the chopping board is made of wood because when you are going to use it against other forms of board, it will lessen its sharpness.
It is strongly not suggested to sharpen the blades of the Santoku knife because it will create certain deformities on the edge and blade. It is very significant to maintain the sharpness of the Santoku knives because it is designed to create a fine slice and if the blade is damaged then the knife will not perform well. The most recommended method to maintain the sharp blade of Santoku is by having it sharpened by a professional, go to the nearest knife shop in your area and let them do the trick. The money that you will be spending on the maintenance of the Santoku will be about three to five dollars and it is ideal to sharpen it in on average every two to three months. Or if you really have no budget for that kind of option then you can also use an electric sharpener for knives. This kind of method is not recommended but you can resort to this if you really don’t have much of a choice.
How To Use Santoku Knives
Like any other thing, there is a proper way to use a Santoku Japanese Chef Knife to let it function at its maximum efficiency. First, position a mat under the cutting board to prevent it from skidding and then place the board on top of it, then hold the handle with a tight grip and pinch the blade that is located close to the hilt of your thumb and pointing finger to maintain the stabilization of the blade; after which, position the food on top of the cutting board preferably on the center where it will be the most stable.
It is preferred to cut the object first into half and place the flat surface of the object against the board. You must put the object in place by holding the object with the use of your fingers in a claw pose, making your knuckles located evenly with your fingertips or just slightly extending it in front.
Cutting of your own fingertips will be avoided if your hand is in this kind of position. Then, your forearm, as well as your shoulder must be above the knife; in this manner you will have the maximum control over the knife. And now you can start slicing the item in an up and down motion. Don’t use your wrist to control the knife because it won’t create a prefect cut. Also, avoid a rocking motion because the Santoku is not intended for that kind of motion.
It is said that the Santoku Japanese Chef Knife is used in a different manner compared to other traditional chef’s knives. The up and down motion that is incorporated when you are using this knife takes time for you to get along with. It is like weaning a baby from a bottle. It takes some practice and determination. You can’t easily be accustomed to such kind of motion when you are cutting, especially if you are generally using a rocking movement in cutting. At first, it will be hard for you to do it but when you have the patience to practice you will surely love the Santoku in the long run. And if you are already an expert in cutting with Santoku, you are not going to let it go ever, due to the fact that it has the most perfect capacity to cut items with so much grace.
There are a lot of things to consider in making a decision. You have to weigh all the pros and cons that will affect your decision making and these must be based on concrete facts that you can find along the process of choosing the right knife.
It is very helpful that you can find something worth reading in the cyber world that will influence you to turn into the right decision like in the manner of deciding to buy the right knife that is suitable for your intended purpose. Buy a knife that will make your like easier inside the kitchen. Don’t waste your money on buying knives that you really don’t need.
You don’t need to buy a lot of knives to serve different purposes when you are cutting because the Santoku Japanese Chef Knife exists. It is multi-functional and it can be used to save you a significant amount of money. You can always look at online reviews, as in that way you will be able to know the feedback of people who are using the knife and you will also know what brand of Santoku to buy. All you need to do is to have an ounce of patience in trying to investigate all the things about a certain brand, so that at the end of the line when you have the item in your hands, you won’t have any regrets.
When you own one, use it for its intended purpose and don’t abuse it because like all things, it will wither and the beauty will die out. Take good care of it and you will have a chance to have it functional for a lifetime. Be wise and see things in a positive perspective.
And never forget that if you want he best knife then it has to be the Santoku Knife.
