How to choose good kitchen knife?

1. Hardness of steel and the quality of its tempering.

The softer the steel the faster it will lose it sharpness. In order to avoid this happening to soon, manufacturers of budget knives form the cutting edge with a bigger angle. That is why even a new and seemingly sharp knife does not cut all that well. The secret behind a hard blade is well tempered high quality steel. Such steel can be made razor sharp and the blade will not lose its sharpness after just a few weeks.

Blades made from steel hardened to 54-56 HRC are considered soft. Starting with 60 HCR they are considered hard. A knife made from such steel, if used properly, will stay sharp throughout a period of a year.

2. Shape, size  and weight balance.

While choosing a knife one of the main properties to consider are shape and size (depending on the utility). However, the weight balance is too often neglected, even though it is one of the important aspects when we talk about the convenience of using the knife.  It is also quite often neglected by manufacturers of budget knives to cut costs.

Usually it is preferred for the weight center of the knife to be just above the place where we put the index finger (see the picture below).

The Japanese “Kanetsugu” knives are very carefully balanced and therefore very comfortable to use.

3. Shape of the handle, the materials used and aesthetics.

The handle and the material of which it is made tells a lot about the product. The shape of the handle should be comfortable for various sizes of palms. The material out of which the handle is made should be resistent to humidity and deformation. There should be no cracks between the handle and the blade where humidity and remains of food could accumulate. A beautifly made and durable knife handle is proof that you are holding a quality product worth your attention.

 The handles of the Kanetsugu SAIUN series knives are made out of high quality spanish MICARTA material that imitates wood-grain, making the knife look very elegant.