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German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives

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YIERCITY Cutlery
German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives

The hardness of German kitchen knives is usually slightly lower, mostly around HRC 55~58: Japanese kitchen knives have higher hardness, mostly HRC 59~61 or even higher. German kitchen knives are mostly double-edged, usually around 20 degrees, while Japanese kitchen knives have smaller edges, usually 9–18 degrees, and some have single-edged edges. For these two reasons, Japanese kitchen knives are often sharper and more suitable for delicate tasks, such as slicing fish. However, Japanese kitchen knives use high-carbon, harder steels, which have poor corrosion resistance and are relatively more prone to rust. On the other hand, sharpening the knives is also more difficult; in simple terms, it requires more careful maintenance. German kitchen knives like to use honing steel, while Japanese kitchen knives prefer to use knife sharpening stone.

German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives

Benchmade

Benchmade LogoFirst up is Benchmade. The Benchmade brand is highly respected, and has been since 1988 when they first set up shop in California. Based in Oregon since 1990, they are the patent-holders of the famed AXIS locking mechanism.

Whether you’re using the traditional AXIS without spring-assist or the AXIS-Assist with a spring to assist in rapid deployment, the lock-up is one of the most solid I’ve seen and is both safe and easy to use. Benchmade prides itself on using quality steel for their knives, and produce fantastic designs for EDC knives that will stand the test of time.

German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives
German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives

Benchmade knives run the gamut from budget-conscious to not-so-budget conscious. For the budget-conscious, the Griptilian and Mini Griptilian make excellent choices, with nicely scaled handles and 154CM stainless steel blades. If your budget is a bit more, the 940–1 Osborne is the quintessential lightweight EDC knife in my book, and is one of the finest knives Benchmade has ever produced.

Here’s our guide to the best Benchmade knives.

Spyderco

German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives
German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives

Spyderco knives Spyderco is based in Golden, Colorado, and has pioneered many features that have become commonplace in EDC knives, including the pocket clip and serrations, as well as the well-known “spyder hole” opening mechanism. In its design and innovation efforts, Spyderco has collaborated with athletes, self-defense instructors, and custom knife makers to develop the usage of 20 different blade materials.

German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives
German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives

Sal Glesser founded Spyderco in 1976, with the Portable Hand, a spider-shaped device that helped jewelers, hobbyists, and others work with small parts using a series of angles, ball joints, and alligator clips. Spyderco is also well-known for making knife sharpeners, but their knives are what really make the difference for this US company.

A staple in the knife enthusiast’s collection and one of my favorite EDC knives is the Spyderco Paramilitary 2. This knife utilizes the high-performance CPM S30V stainless steel with a full flat ground blade, and has G10 scales for lightness and excellent performance. The textured handles of the Paramilitary 2 make it simple and effective to hold, without rubbing your hand raw under heavy usage.

Cold Steel

German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives
German kitchen knives and Japanese kitchen knives

cold steel logoYou can’t talk about knives without talking about Cold Steel, and I don’t just mean the metal the knives are made of. Cold Steel is a company based in Ventura, California, that puts out some of the best knives, swords, and other edged weapons and tools available to the market.

Cold Steel was founded in 1980 by Lynn C. Thompson, and their knives and swords are frequently featured in major motion pictures such as The Wolverine and Dredd. The innovations made by Cold Steel are some of the reasons for many commonalities in the knife making industry today, such as the use of the Tanto-style knife blade.

A favorite among Cold Steel’s EDC knives is the Espada series, with its Japanese-made AUS-8 steel blade. The Espada series features a blade thickness of 4mm, and is available in lengths ranging from 8.5” to 16.75”. The Espada line of EDC knives comes with an ambidextrous pocket/belt clip, and handles made either of polished G-10 with polished 7075 Aluminum Bolster and Frame, or an all-G-10 handle. A respectable knife, the Espada looks as mean as it cuts. Another fantastic choice is the Cold Steel Code 4, which also features Japanese AUS-8 stainless steel for the blade. The handle on the Code 4 is 6061 aluminum, and this knife has found its way to being one of the most popular EDC knives among law enforcement personnel.

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