Whether you're an amateur or a professional chef, your kitchen knife is probably your best ally! However, among all the knives available on the market, choosing THE perfect companion for you can be complicated. You might ask yourself, "Where do I get my knives from? Which brand to choose? What is the best steel? And so on.

Some of our articles can already guide you in choosing a good kitchen knife, such as: our advice on choosing your first kitchen knife, the best steel to choose, or the 4 must-have kitchen knives. However, some questions remain, particularly those concerning the origin of your knife: should you opt for a Western knife or an Asian knife?

Germany, and more specifically the town of Solingen, is one of the world's most renowned knife-making regions. Located in northern Germany, Solingen has been renowned since the Middle Ages for the quality of the blades forged there, which were prized throughout northern Europe at the time. Today, Solingen remains the heart of German cutlery, home to renowned manufacturers such as Wusthof and Henckels.

🇩🇪 GERMANY x FRANCE 🇫🇷

German kitchen knives are typically quite heavy and have a thick blade with an average hardness of 52-56 HRC, which means that the steel is fairly soft. The advantage of a softer metal is that it gives the blade greater durability, shock resistance and adaptability to a wide range of tasks.

Note: The hardness of steel is measured in HRC, the Rockwell C hardness scale. 

Then, these kitchen knives are often double-edged; their blade is sharpened symmetrically on both sides. This allows two lateral pressures to be exerted instead of just one for a single-edged blade, giving a stable and predictable trajectory to the cut. 

Moreover, German knives can be easily recognised by the curve of their blade starting in the middle of the cutting edge. The back of the blade, which is often flat and straight, helps to balance the knives and ensures greater precision when using them.

Nevertheless, despite the performance of German knives, their blades tend to dull quickly due to the low hardness of the steel. However, this is an advantage when it comes to maintenance: the softer the steel, the easier it is to sharpen.

Finally, French kitchen knives are very similar to their German counterparts, apart from a few details. They are thinner and specifically designed to chop food quickly. In addition, the curve of their blade starts closer to the tip, offering better control and slightly reducing the cutting surface used for chopping.

CHINA 🇨🇳

In Asia, one of the main knife-producing regions is China, where production is estimated to have begun over 1,500 years ago, when the imperial army set up camp at Yangjiang. Local craftsmen of the time became master blacksmiths, making swords for the army. However, with time and technological advances, the swords became obsolete, forcing the craftsmen to switch to knife-making. Their expertise and reputation, acquired over the years, spread throughout the country, popularizing the town of Yangjiang as the capital of Chinese cutlery.

The emblem of traditional Chinese cuisine is the Chinese cleaver (more commonly known as a chopper). It is an ultra-versatile knife, designed to perform all kinds of culinary tasks: chopping, dicing, mincing, slicing and julienning. Whereas in Japan, many blades are designed for a specific use.

Contrary to popular belief, the Chinese cleaver is not a butcher's cleaver, although it is shaped like one. A butcher's knife is designed to split bones without chipping them, whereas a Chinese cleaver, with its much thinner blade, is intended for many tasks, but especially not for cutting bones. The blade would be damaged if you tried to cut bones with it.

Finally, many people appreciate the Chinese cleaver for its 'scraping' function thanks to its wide blade, making it easier to transfer ingredients from the chopping board to a hot pan.

JAPAN 🇯🇵

How can we talk about the best kitchen knives without mentioning Japanese know-how? With a worldwide reputation, Japanese knives - often from Seki or Sakai - are increasingly sought after and prized by cooking enthusiasts. In Japan, tradition is very important, so knives are made using expertise and knowledge handed down from generation to generation. Japanese blacksmiths have thus been able to preserve their manufacturing secrets and their unique mastery of steel, which remain unrivaled despite being imitated.

Initially, forging techniques were developed for making Katanas - the swords of the Samurai. However, with the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and the start of modernisation, the carrying of swords by Samurai was quickly banned. This led to many Japanese blacksmiths losing their jobs and turning to the manufacture of kitchen knives.

Japanese knives are renowned for their long-lasting, razor-sharp edge. This characteristic is due to the high-carbon alloy of Japanese steels, giving them an average hardness of 58-65 HRC. While their German equivalents, as mentioned above, have an average hardness of 52-56 HRC.

Thanks to their harder, carbon-rich steel, Japanese knives retain their sharpness for longer. However, this also means that maintenance is more fastidious. They take longer to sharpen, and are not as rustproof as their Western counterparts. So they need special care when being cleaned and stored.

Finally, Japanese knives are also known for their asymmetrical cutting edge (also known as the "beveled edge"). This means that only one side of the blade is sharpened: an asymmetrical edge offers a more delicate cut, preserving all the flavors of the sliced food. This technique is typically Japanese, as it enables fine, precise cuts such as sushi, sashimi, etc. to be made. 

The cutting edge is usually on the right-hand side, as most consumers are right-handed. Although there are now double-edged Japanese knives, Japanese craftsmen rarely produce knives with an asymmetrical cutting edge on the left. So, if you're left-handed, it won't be surprising if you have to place a tailor-made order for a Japanese kitchen knife with a beveled edge to match.

We know that it's not always easy to choose between a Western and an Asian knife. We would like to be able to benefit from the advantages of both without their disadvantages, but that often seems impossible, doesn't it?

With this mission in mind, KOTAI was born. We have created two collections of hybrid knives: the PAKKA and the BUNKA, combining the best features of Asian and Western blades.

Indeed, our knives offer the precision and sharpness of Asian blades, as well as the robustness and optimum comfort of Western blades. By bringing these two distinct worlds together, we have eliminated the fragility and susceptibility to oxidation of Japanese blades, as well as the tendency of Western blades to dull easily.

Moreover, we have retained the double edge of Western blades for easy and pleasant maintenance, whether with our honing steel or with one of our whetstones (grit 180/800 and 2000/6000).

Discover some of our hybrid knives that you might like... 👇

Our Kiritsuke BUNKA Collection chef's knife is forged from high-carbon 440C Japanese stainless steel, which makes its cutting edge even more durable (hardness HRC 60). Its 21-centimeter blade offers an optimum balance between handle and blade, making it easy to use.

The Kiritsuke is a hybrid of two distinct Japanese chef's knives: the Gyuto and the Yanagiba. It is distinguished by its "Reverse Tanto" or "K-tip" blade profile, which gives it greater precision when cutting.

Finally, its octagonal handle is made from ebony, a magnificent dark natural wood renowned for its strength and ability to age well.

Our Cleaver Knife PAKKA Collection, also forged from high-carbon 440C Japanese stainless steel, is the perfect counterpart to the famous Chinese cleaver. In fact, thanks to its slim 8 cm wide and 19 cm long blade, it offers greater versatility, capable of performing a variety of tasks: cutting up large portions of food or quickly chopping up hard vegetables, while protecting your wrist from fatigue.

CAUTION: like the Chinese cleaver, this is not a butcher's chopper and should not be used for chopping bones or frozen foods.

Our Fillet Knife PAKKA Collection has the finest blade of all our knife ranges. Indeed, its long, thin and flexible 20 cm blade is ideal for the precise preparation of fish and meat filets. In addition, the narrowness of the blade makes it easier to cut through fibrous meat tissue.

Finally, you can be sure that its exceptional flexibility will minimize waste, allowing you to preserve more food!

The choice of your kitchen knife will depend on a number of factors, such as: your specific needs (chopping, precise cutting, slicing, etc.), how often you use it - regularly or occasionally - and above all your preferences in terms of comfort and aesthetics. 

Western knives

• Softer steel, making it easier to maintain the double-edged blade.
• Suitable for a wide range of tasks thanks to their optimal balance.
• Heavy-duty handle materials, often reinforced with rivets.

Asian knives

• Harder steel, optimizing the durability of the cutting edge.
• Ideal for fine, delicate cuts thanks to the beveled edge and thin blade.
• Designed for a specific use, with each knife dedicated to a particular task (except for the Chinese cleaver, which is multi-purpose).

KOTAI hybrid knives

• A combination of the best qualities of Japanese and Western cutlery, without the drawbacks.
• Stainless steel kitchen knives that are robust, sharp, precise and comfortable to use.
• Easy to maintain, whether for sharpening or honing.