Faq - Samura Knives

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does everyone praise Japanese knife steel?

We’ll try to answer briefly. Centuries-old traditions of Japanese sword making (high level of labor division); modern unconditional success of Japanese “package” high-tech steels, combining several complex properties in the blade simultaneously; reverent attitude of ordinary Japanese workers to the result of their labor – and as a result, impeccable quality of the product in materials and everything! For the production of Samura knives, steels such as AUS8, AUS10, VG10 are used.

I can’t make a choice and I need a consultation

Feel free to contact us on ecom@samura.com and our specialists will help you choose a product suitable for your needs.

I am looking for kitchen knives for home. Can you advise which choice out of 3 knives you consider optimal?

Choose based on price and steel quality.
We have developed an optimal option for everyday use in sets of 3 and 5 knives. The “Chef’s Trio” includes: a Vegetable Knife, a Utility Knife, and a Chef’s Knife. The set of 5 knives adds traditional Japanese types of knives – Nakiri and Santoku. Or just go with one-for-all decision that we provide in Samura Knife sets

I don’t know whether to get a kitchen knife with single-sided sharpening or double-sided sharpening?

Japanese knives traditionally have single-sided sharpening on the right side of the blade. If such a knife is used to cut thin slices from a piece of meat or fish, the flat left side guides the knife, and the thin slices easily bend to the right. However, when cooking European dishes, where meat, fish, and vegetables are cut into larger pieces, such a knife is less manageable and tends to veer to the left, causing the cook to strain their hand additionally. European knives have symmetrical sharpening, and they don’t veer off during cutting; and if you need to chop salad or prepare a Japanese dish, the familiar symmetrical blade unconsciously turns slightly to the left and slices evenly. How is this possible? The answer is simple: Japanese people are accustomed to single-sided sharpened knives from childhood, while Europeans are more used to double-sided edges. So, if you are not a Sekunin (knife specialist), a sushi chef, or Japanese, choose a knife with double-sided sharpening.

Can all Samura knives be washed in a dishwasher?

We do not recommend washing Samura kitchen knives in a dishwasher, as the detergent used in it is quite aggressive and negatively affects the steel and the handle of the knife. Moreover, hard steel alloys are not absolutely stainless. The harder the steel, the higher its susceptibility to corrosion. Do not leave knives wet!

What does sharpening 3000 mean?

This means that the sharpening of a certain knife was done on a water sharpening stone with a grit of 3000 units (#3000).
Any knife sharpening is carried out in several stages, the number of which primarily depends on the degree of dullness.

Coarse, using sharpening stones from #400 to #1000 – the correct angle (cutting edge geometry) is formed with coarse abrasives.

Medium, using sharpening stones from #1000 to #3000 – finer abrasives are used to grind to the desired smoothness.

Finishing, if necessary, using sharpening stones from #3000 to #8000 – edges are polished to a mirror shine (finishing).

To maintain the sharpness of kitchen knives at home, two stages with sharpening stones from #1000 to #3000 will be sufficient.

In which cases is it more convenient to use a honing steel, and in which a sharpener?

A honing rod is for frequent use – to “quickly fix the cutting edge,” a gentle mode once every two weeks, for example. Sharpeners or whetstones are useful for “well-dulled” knives. We recommend using water sharpening stones, as they are more effective for sharpening.

I would like to know the differences between three-function and two-function sharpeners

In a three-function sharpener, in addition to sharpening knives, you can also sharpen scissors.