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Wa-Bocho - The Japanese Chef's Knife
Wa-Bocho
Wa-Bocho, or Japanese chefs' knives, traces
its origins back to the days of the Samurai warrior in the
Feudal Era. The same hand forging methods used to make
swords is continued to be used today to create one
of the finest cutlery pieces in the culinary field.
In traditional Japanese cuisine, special care is taken
to highlight a chef's skill by arranging foods to present
his intricate Wa-Bocho handing techniques.
A number of Wa-Bocho styles are used
for different purposes in preparing vegetables, fish
and meat.
Kataba - The Beveled Blade
Japanese Wa-Bocho has
one distinct feature unique from many other knives: Kataba, or
the beveled blade, where the outer side is sharpened
with a beveled edge while the inner side is left flat.
Japanese professional chefs prefer this flat surface
feature, which eases food separation from the knife
during cutting.
With the flat side, the Wa-Bocho can
cut into a fillet of fish in a perfect 90 degree angle
for sashimi. When trying to do the same with a western
knife, the blade will pull slightly leftward with the
downward motion, resulting in the scalloped sashimi
pieces.
Kataba is used exclusively
when filleting a whole fish. The flat-edged blade naturally
cuts straight, flat across and very close to the bones.
A western knife would waver and leave rough-edged fillets.
In addition, foods with a clean cut finish eases absorption
of flavorings during cooking.
While western knives are more practical
on tougher foods such as meat, controlling the blade
for finer cuts and sculpting is easier with a Kataba. Kataba is
made for speed and control, and maintains its sharp
edge longer than a western knife.
There are two basic styles of
Wa-Bocho: Honyaki-Bocho and Kasumi-Bocho
Honyaki-Bocho
Honyaki-Bocho is made from one solid piece of
raw steel. Heated to a burning red rod, the steel is hammered
repeatedly to harden the metal and to form into the shape
of a knife. This forging process, called Hizukuri, eliminates
impurities from the mental to create pure steel. The
metal is tempered (Yaki-Ire) using water for Mizu-Honyaki
or oil for Abura-Yaki, which tempers the brittle steel
to a durable and sturdy piece.
Creating Honyaki-Bocho is a long arduous
process. Due to its characteristically sharp hard edges,
the blade retains its sharpness for a long time. By
the same token, these knives take longer to sharpen,
and in general, are more difficult to upkeep. Honyaki-Bocho
is preferred by most skilled professional chefs.
Kasumi-Bocho
In contrast, Kasumi-Bocho is easier to
maintain. The blade on the Kasumi-Bocho consists of
two layers of metal forged together. The flat backside
of the knife is made of hard durable steel. The front,
polished side is the softer steel, which simplifies
the sharpening process. Although easier to care for,
Kasumi-Bocho tends to dull more quickly.
---- Above text is from catalog page
166.