ABOUT PRODUCTS
Should I choose a carbon steel or stain-resistant
steel Western-style knife?
All kitchen knives,
both carbon and stain-resistant, contain some carbon, which
allows them to take and keep an edge. The more carbon the blade
contains, the harder, sharper, and longer lasting the edge will
be. Carbon steel knives require significant maintenance and
will react with acidic foods, so you should be very careful
when using them and clean them often. High grade stain-resistant
knives have a high carbon content, and therefore also keep a
sharp edge for a long time. They can also rust, so you should
clean them and make sure they are dry when you store them. Whether
you choose carbon or stain-resistant, you should choose a knife
that suits your level of sharpening ability and meets your needs
in terms of use.
Do you recommend traditional Japanese
knives for preparing Western dishes?
No, but Western-style
Japanese knives are a good choice for the non-Japanese kitchen.
Japanese knife-making developed in close connection to Japanese
cuisine. Traditional knives are ideal for preparing Japanese
ingredients in the Japanese style using Japanese cooking techniques.
Western-style knives, on the other hand, were developed to meet
the needs of Japanese chefs preparing non-Japanese cuisine.
They are sharp, task-specific precision tools that can be used
in all kitchens.
What kind of knife do you recommend for a beginner sushi chef?
The Korin knife master
recommends you make the investment to buy the Shiro-ko
Kasumi Yanagi HKR-SK-Y240. The Shiro-ko Kasumi knife is
carbon steel which means it is much sharper than the stain resistant
Yanagi. To make sushi, you need to make precise and beautiful
cuts of the fish or other ?eta· the stain-resistant Yanagi
will not be sharp enough for you. Because the Shiro-ko Kasumi
knife is carbon steel, you will need to take care to wipe the
knife constantly so it doesn? stain or rust. Professional sushi
chefs in Japan all do this and it will be good for you to learn
the habit now for your future career as a sushi chef. Make sure
you have a clean, dry towel by your side or tucked into your
apron. Use the towel to wipe the knife before you put the knife
down to do something else.
How do I choose a water stone?
Ideally, you should have three water
stones; a coarse grain for repairing a damaged blade, a medium
grain (800-1000 grit) for establishing a sharp edge, and a superfine
3000+ grit stone for achieving a razor sharp edge and mirror-like
finish. However, a single 1000 grit stone will be sufficient
for sharpening your knives. A stone fixer is a good investment
for prolonging the effectiveness of your water stone. We do
not recommend a coarse grain stone for beginners.
ABOUT KNIFE CARE
How do I remove the stains on
my carbon steel knife?
Surface discoloration is normal
for carbon steel knives and doesn't necessarily affect the performance
of the knives but unsightly stains can easily be removed with
a "rust eraser" (offered by Korin Trading) or with
the flat side of a wine cork.
How often will I need to sharpen
my knives?
That depends on the frequency of use
and the types of jobs you use them for. For example, highly
acidic foods like tomatoes will tend to quickly dullen a finely
tuned edge. That said, a good rule of thumb in the busy professional
kitchen is once every other day for about 10 minutes per knife.
The longer you put off sharpening your knives, the duller they'll
become and the longer it will take to re-sharpen them.
Which honing steel is best for
my stain-resistent chef's knife?
We do not recommend using a sharpening
steel on any Japanese knife. Using a honing steel can change
the blade edge and the overall shape of the knife. A proper
edge cannot be achieved with a honing steel; we recommend using
only water stones to sharpen your knife.
The only time we would suggest using a honing steel on your
knife is when you are working in the kitchen and your knife
needs a very slight touch-up to remove animal fat from the blade.
For this purpose any type of honing steel will suffice.
If you purchased your knife at Korin
and you would like to send it to our knife master to be sharpened
for a small fee, please tell me and I will email you the instructions
to send the knife.
How do I care for my sharpening
stones?
Caring for your water
stone is as important as caring for your Japanese knives. Once
you have finished sharpening your knives with the water stone,
make sure to level the surface with a stone
fixer, rinse, and dry with a towel. Keep the stone away
form direct sun or excessive moisture. In very dry climates,
you should leave your stones in water.
|