German Vs Japanese Cutlery

German cutlery typically has thicker blades with full tang handles. Full tang handles are commonly constructed with a metal bolster and metal connecting pins. This all adds up, making the knife heavier than Japanese knives. Thicker blade designs accommodate durability. Also, a thicker blade means that the knife will be more forward-heavy.

Japanese knives are thinner, making them lighter in weight. Japanese bladesmiths also forge into the blade called the 'sweet point.' This is a balance spot 1/3 down from the tip where the blade feels balanced while in motion, allowing the knife to become an extension of your hand. The user gains better control and experiences less fatigue.

Handle designs for German knives are full-tang. This means a single piece of steel is used to make the blade and becomes the center of the handle, running all the way to the butt. The tang can be seen since it is the same shape as the handle silhouette. Classically, a bolster is forged, and often it tapers downward into a finger guard at the heel of the knife. The handle scales (handle material on each side) are affixed to the tang with metal pins. The metal pins, metal bolster, and full tang design, along with thicker blades, make for an overall weightier knife.

Traditionally, Japanese handles are oval, teardrop, or octagon in shape and have a hidden tang. This means a single piece of steel is used to make the blade and becomes the center of the handle, tapering, then stopping shy of the butt of the handle. Hidden-tang handles usually have a ferrule made from horn. This tapered and hidden tang design is another reason Japanese blades are often lighter in weight. In the modern day, Western handles are frequently used. Today, Japanese-made & designed Western handles often include a metal bolster, following German design cues. This bolster does not taper down into a finger guard at the heel like most German designs.

German steel used for cutlery usually ranges from 57 to 59 on the HRC Rockwell Scale. Within this range of hardness, the knife's blade will have more forgiveness. This means less chipping while maintaining good edge retention.

Commonly, Japanese alloys are harder. Typically ranging from 59 to 67 on the HRC Rockwell scale. Hard translates to better edge retention, but hard also means more brittle. It’s important that Japanese knives are not mistreated (like trying to open coconuts or chopping through bones).

German knives are mono steel, which means the knife is hammered to shape from a single billet (solid length of metal, square or round cross-section of steel). The alloys have natural earth elements that give the knife characteristics. Features such as hardness, toughness, edge retention, sharpenability, etc. Once the knife has been shaped, it is quenched and then heat treated.

Because Japanese steels are hard, it is important that the knife’s blade have shock absorption and structural integrity. Otherwise, hard steel alone would be very brittle. The answer to this challenge is to use hard steel for the cutting edge and soft steel at the spine and sides. This has created classic forging & heat-treating techniques such as Sanmai, Honyaki, Kasumiyaki, and Warikomi.

Solingen city in Germany is world famous and has a long history associated with the production of premier knives and cutlery. With the advent of stainless steel circa the early 1900s and popularity gained in the late seventies, most German knives are constructed from stainless alloys today. Popular German alloys are MA5 steel, X50CrMoV15 steel, and 420 steel.

Before the invention of stainless steel and the advancement of modern metallurgy, knives were made of high-carbon steel. Simply, Iron and Carbon. Today, Japanese companies like Hitachi & The Aichi Corporation, among others, produce high-carbon alloys or stainless alloys. These are used by Japanese manufacturers and blade smiths. Sometimes Japanese smiths break from tradition and use western alloys.

As mentioned earlier, German sensibilities value durability and versatility. Of course, there are particular types of knives that are category specific such as boning knives, but not necessarily task specific such as with the Japanese designs. Overall, the silhouette or profile of German knife blades have more ‘curve’ or ‘belly’ compared to their Japanese counterparts. Slicing, dicing, and chopping techniques utilize a rocking motion. Blade designs, in general, are more versatile. German blades are also typically thicker and are sharpened at 18° to 20°. These blades are a generally flat grind, meaning that there is a distal taper starting at the spine down to the cutting edge. It’s commonplace for German knives to have scallops on the side of certain blade designs. These are called ‘Kullenschliff’or ‘Granton,’ and they keep food products from sticking to the blade surface. Serrated knives, such as bread knives and utility knives, are more common in German designs.

Unlike Japanese cutlery which offers different blade surface finishes and polishes, traditional German knives typically have a medium polish. Meaning the blades have a refined, smooth, & shiny surface, but not so shiny that they have a mirror polish. A German knife will have up to 40 steps in their production with finish polishing, sharpening, and honing being the last.

Unlike Japanese cutlery which offers different blade surface finishes and polishes, traditional German knives typically have a medium polish. Meaning the blades have a refined, smooth, & shiny surface, but not so shiny that they have a mirror polish. A German knife will have up to 40 steps in their production with finish polishing, sharpening, and honing being the last.

Japanese bladesmiths have developed different finishes over the centuries. Migaki is a smooth polished finish that can range from brushed to mirror polish. A Nashiji finish, literally “pear skin,” has a light grit texture, giving the blade a rustic quality. Kurouchi, “the bladesmith’s finish,” is a technique in which black iron oxide is left on the blade from the forging process, ultimately helping to protect high- carbon from rust. Tsuchime, “hammered” is a texture on the blade from hammer marks. This callback to ancient handcrafting techniques helps prevent food products from clinging to the knife.