What Is Santoku Knife? 3 Superb Guides To Maintain It To Keep In Shape

What is santoku knife? It’s a Japanese kitchen tool. It’s the one you reach…

…for when making quick work of cutting up vegetables or slicing an onion…

….and it also comes in handy as your go-to sushi cutter to slice pieces…

…from fresh fish without too much fuss (or mess). Read this article…

…until the end to know more about what is santoku knife.

What Is Santoku Knife

So, what is a santoku knife? Santoku knife is a type…

…of Japanese kitchen knife. It is used by the traditional Japanese to cut food…

…in a variety of ways. The name derives from “shin” (新, shin) meaning new…

….and “koto” (刀, katana) meaning sword. However, this term does not have…

….any official definition within Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry..

…or its National Police Agency, thus it is often misused…

…among Japanese people as well as non-Japanese visitors.

In fact, there are no formal definitions of what exactly a santoku knife is…

…and the only way to identify one is through usage. In actuality…

…even at home, most Japanese knives can be used as santoku knives. For example…

…a standard chef’s knife can be used to paring onions, but even…

….a regular Japanese knife can be used to thinly slice an apple.

Most Japanese chefs prefer their santokus to have a curved tip…

….rather than a straight tip. This is done to make sure that the user…

…doesn’t accidentally stab themselves when they are trying….

…to use the knife to make cuts. Additionally, the curve makes it easier…

….to hold onto the knife because the hand naturally curves around the shape.

The size of a santoku knife varies greatly depending…

…on where you buy it. A typical santoku knife will weigh…

…between 4.5 ounces (130 grams) and 7.0 ounces (195 grams)…

….although we see some weighing over 8.8 ounces (250 grams)…

…nowadays due to the popularity of the knives. They typically measure…

…between 12.5 inches and 16 inches long and 2 inches wide. As such…

…the length ranges from just under 3.3 inches to almost 5.9 inches…

…and the width ranges from slightly over 1 inch…

…to just under 2 inches. A santoku knife has been used since ancient times in Japan.

Even today, many modern Japanese still rely on these knives…

….in their daily lives. In here, we have story from Alves about his experience…

…using santoku knife. 

Let us hear Alves’s story

I really love cooking and I also investing a good quality of kitchen tool…

…and appliance for my kitchen. And there’s a thing that I really love from my kitchen….

.… a santoku knife! My santoku knife’s handle was very nice. I bought this santoku knife…

…few years ago and now I am still happy with it. When I cook at home…

…I always use this santoku knife to do all kinds of things. There is no other knives…

….like this santoku knife. It is very easy to sharpen and clean. Because it has no blade guard…

…it is very dangerous while using. But it is not easy to lose. If you lost it…

….you must spend a lot of money to replace it. You should pay attention…

...to how to protect it. So please keep it safe. This is a really worth a money for you to have!

From this blog, we can see that having santoku knife…

…is a good investment for your kitchen, so why don’t you have it too? Don’t worry…

….in this blog we also have an article about best santoku knife…

….that you might want to read about it.

The History Of The Santoku Knife

The oldest known mention of the santoku was during the Edo Period…

…approximately 400 years ago. However, the word “santoku”…

…wasn’t the same as it is now. At that time, the word meant…

….”a kind of knife produced by Shikoku island”. During the Meiji Period…

….the word was redefined to mean “a knife for cutting vegetables”.

Then during the Taisho Period, the word changed again. This time…

….it was defined as “a knife to be used after a short period of sharpening”. Finally…

….during the Showa Period, the word was finally redefined…

….to mean “the Japanese traditional kitchen knife”. Since that point onwards…

….the word has remained unchanged, and refers solely…

…to a traditional Japanese kitchen knife.

Types of Santoku Knives

• The first is called a tetsuji santoku, which translates as “sword shaped santoku.” These knives were traditionally made with a single piece of high carbon steel. Due to the strength necessary to produce them, all of the blades had to be thin, making them extremely difficult to sharpen. These were primarily used by farmers who would go out into the fields to harvest crops. Because of the difficulty involved in using these knives, the knives were very expensive compared to other types of santoku. Today, however, these knives are more affordable due to advances in technology.
• The second type of santoku is called a benshin santoku, or simply “benshi”. These are also called “banana knives” in English speaking countries, due to the shape of the blade. Like the tetsuji santoke this style of santoku can only be sharpened once before being discarded. However, there are no restrictions regarding how thick the blade can be. These kinds of santokus range in price from under $10 USD up to about $50 USD.
• Lastly, there is a third type of santoku, which is called a katana santoku. These are similar to the tetsuji santoke but include a full tang so that they can be resharpened multiple times without discarding the entire knife. In addition, the blade is usually thicker than a banana knife, making it much stronger. It’s not uncommon for someone to spend thousands of dollars on a single santoku knife. While a santoku knife can take practically any task, its primary use is for slicing foods such as cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, etc.

What Does A Santoku Knife Do?

At its most basic level, a santoku knife is designed to cut food. Because…

…the best-quality santoku knives have a strong and lightweight handle…

…it’s easy to hold onto and maneuver around food. The longer the knife…

…the easier it is to control while it’s in your hand. Therefore…

….if you want to slice something quickly, you should choose…

…a shorter knife. If you want to slice an onion, then you’ll need a longer knife.

Santoku And Chef’s Knife – The Key Differences

The main difference between a santoku knife and a chef knife…

….is the shape of the blade. A santoku has a curved edge and is used for slicing food…

….while a chef knife has a straight edge and is used for chopping food. Both knives…

….are made from high carbon steel and are designed to withstand heavy use.

Knives are similar tools that are used for many different purposes. Both are made out…

….of various materials and designed for specific uses. Professional chefs…

….prefer stainless steel knives because they are durable and do not rust easily.

Japanese knives are usually made out of a thin, hard blade…

…that allows them to be used precisely.

A Santoku is a Japanese chef’s knife with a wide blade. It is used…

…for cutting vegetables, meat, fish, etc. It is thinner than a Chef’s knife…

….allowing you to get closer to the object while cutting. A Santoku…

…can also be single-beveled or double-beveled.

Knives vary in size depending on what type you want. A knife…

…may be larger than your hand or smaller. Usually no bolster. Balanced weight.

Lightest to hold. May have an honed edge. Knife…

….may be longer than your arm.

Japanese knives are generally more expensive than American ones…

…because they are usually made of higher quality materials. However…

….Japanese knives are also thinner and sharper…

….than American knives. They are better suited for precise cuts.

How Maintain Your Santoku Knife

You will always need to maintain your knife. When using a knife properly…

…you must sharpen it regularly. If you don’t, it’s possible…

….that you could damage the tip or the blade, causing you to lose money.

Here are some guides to maintain your santoku knife:

Keeping It Sharp

To keep your santoku knife sharp, first make sure…

…it is cleaned. This includes removing all dirt, grease, and grime from the blade. Then…

….soak it in water overnight before drying it off. You should also rinse it…

…with hot water after every time you use it. After soaking, dry it off…

…and put it away until next time. Keep it stored on a wooden block…

…when it’s not being used. Some people like to place a small towel…

…under their knife so it doesn’t slip.

Using The Right Technique

When using a knife, the angle at which you hold it affects…

….how well you can manipulate the food. Hold the knife at about 45 degrees…

…to the surface and position yourself close to the item you are cutting.

Use your entire forearm as a guide as you move through the material.

When cutting onions, try to avoid touching the exposed root end…

…with the tip of the knife. Instead, gently slide the knife…

…along the side of the onion without making contact. Doing this prevents…

…the raw onion juice from staining your hands and clothes.

Never let the tip of the knife touch anything else other than the board. This includes…

…your fingers, tablecloth, countertop, etc. This creates friction…

….and can cause dulling. Make sure to remove any residue…

….such as tomato sauce or ketchup immediately. To prevent these stains…

…wipe down the knife with a damp cloth after each use. Be careful not to drop…

….the knife too much during cleanup. Do not submerge the blade into water.

Storing Your Knife

After you finish cleaning up your knife, store it carefully. Place it on a dish rack or other nonporous surface. If you have a plastic storage container, make sure to clean it periodically. Store it upright in its case or box. Don’t stack large amounts of knives together.

If your knife gets dirty again, wash it thoroughly and dry it off completely. The best way to clean your knife is by sandblasting it. Sandblasting requires special equipment and is very hard on the knives. If you choose this method, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, just put a little oil on the knife and rub it vigorously.

Sum Up

Santoku knife has been designed based…

….on Japanese traditional techniques. A good quality santoku knife…

….is essential for slicing and dicing vegetables and fruits. A santoku knife…

…is an excellent addition to your kitchen. It allows you to cut food…

…while keeping your hands safe from cross contamination. With proper care…

…and maintenance, you’ll be able to enjoy this wonderful kitchen tool for many years.

Conclusion

To conclude, santoku knife is one of the most popular kitchen tools…

…among chefs and home cooks alike. It offers versatility…

….and precision that comes with a great price tag. Its design makes it easy…

….to handle, but its blades are durable enough to withstand heavy usage.

In terms of functionality, it is quite versatile. Whether you want to slice bread…

…chop meat, peel fruit, or dice vegetables, it will do the job perfectly.

Additionally, it is easier to maintain than other types of knives. When compared…

…to other type of knives, it may seem expensive. However…

….if you invest in a high-quality santoku knife, you’ll get value for money.

That’s all for now, do you have any question regarding…

….what is santoku knife? Just drop it in the comment section below…

…thanks for reading! Cao!

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