Kitchen Knife Glossary

[Dave Martell]

The most important secret of sharpening : To this point, the blade has been ground to form a secondary edge face. But for a really sharp edge, you must form the primary-edge faces that come together to form the actual cutting edge. The secondary faces were formed on a coarse hone, since a good bit of metal might have had to be removed. Now, for the primary edge, switch to a fine hone and increase the angle. This is called double edging and is the secret of a really fine edge[IMG][/IMG]

Is this what your are referring to Dave.

Yes sir

[heirkb]

Aren't hagane and jigane mixed up here? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought hagane referred to the harder core steel.

[JBroida]

Yes sir

Aren't hagane and jigane mixed up here? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought hagane referred to the harder core steel.

yup.. hagane is core steel, jigane is soft cladding

[Eamon Burke]

Somehow, I knew that was going to happen with the Japanese stuff. Thanks!

Could you double check my definitions for Kasumi, etc, Jon? I certainly don't speak Japanese, and try to avoid it even when talking cutlery.

[JBroida]

hagane- hard core steel
jigane- softer cladding
hamon-the line that shows up on honyaki knives when they have been deferentially hardened by coating the spine with a proprietary clay mixture
Kasumi- means mist. Often refers to a type of finish on clad japanese knives. Contrary to your definition, it ideal is NOT mirror hagane and misty jigane. Rather, they should both be misty, but with contrast between the hagane and jigane. Often the jigane will be either whiteish or darker than the hagange.
damascus- can also be called suminagashi (refers to ink swirl patterns), tamamoku (refers to wood grain patterns), or just plain old "damasukasu"
kataba- single bevel knife
ryoba- double bevel knife
migaki- polished
yaki-ire- heat treatment
san-mai- type of cladding that looks like 3 sheets... 2 sheets of softer steel around 1 sheet of harder steel
warikomi-a type of cladding in which the harder steel is jacketed by the softer steel
arato/aratoishi- coarse stone
nakato/nakatoishi- medium stone
shiageto/shiagetoishi- finishing stone
choshiageto/choshiagetoishi- super finishing stone (extremely fine grit)
toishi- sharpening stone
kissaki- the tip area of a blade's edge
shinogi- this the the line between the table/face of a balde and the bevel
ura- back side of a knife (hollow ground on single bevel knives)


Just a few to start with.. i'll add more when i have some more free time

[Eamon Burke]

Yeah, I don't know enough about Japanese to keep up with a list of Japanese Terms...Have you had a look at Gator's Japanese term glossary at zknives.com? I usually just go by that when I get confused by Japanese words.

I'll edit the Kasumi definition when I get home!

[JBroida]

yeah... gators site is pretty good

[jaybett]

This is getting OT, and I don't know what Eamon is planning, but I agree. A guide focusing on specific knives would never be complete, and would be worthless if the noobs don't know what they're looking for in the first place.

I think the main purpose of a noob's guide should be to explain the dis/advantages of different knife types and sizes, carbon vs stainless, soft vs hard steels, clad vs unclad, yo vs wa handles, etc. Those types of questions are timeless, and would cut down on the 'I want an all purpose knife, should I get a gyuto or a kiritsuke?' type of threads.

The objection I've had to the knife buying questionnaire at ITK and here, is that its tailored for experienced knife users, i.e. those who work in restaurants. Those of us, who are home cooks, which I am one, when we discover a knife site, its a whole new world.

German knives don't hold the top spot. The amazing number of Japanese companies, and the variety of their knives. People on the forum are encouraged to learn how to sharpen, when the typical advice is send out your knives to be sharpened.

Maybe a series of beginner faqs. European knife style compared to the Japanese style. A list of Japanese knifes, differentiating between the commonly used knives, and the specialized ones. Sharpening, the different types of stones, to prepping them for the first time, to holding a knife over the stones.

I'd be willing to take on one of the faqs/guides.

Jay

[Eamon Burke]

Maybe a series of beginner faqs. European knife style compared to the Japanese style. A list of Japanese knifes, differentiating between the commonly used knives, and the specialized ones. Sharpening, the different types of stones, to prepping them for the first time, to holding a knife over the stones.

I'd be willing to take on one of the faqs/guides.

You definitely should! I can see why that would be useful, but I don't know enough about all the traditional Japanese knives and language to be comfortable doing a list like that.

[Dave Martell]

I love seeing you guys getting involved with the education - it's awesome!