Sujihiki knife in Australia is a very popular Japanese kitchen knife. However, some people confuse it with the Yanagiba knife. If you are planning to buy one of these knives, it is crucial to know their differences and similarities to make a better decision.
The Sujihiki knife
This is also known as the ultimate carving kitchen knife. It is an easy to use knife. Just like most kitchen knives, they are double bevel kitchen knives and this means that they are sharpened the same way on either side of the kitchen knife.
The knife is great for cutting straight and thin slices of fish and meat. It has a needle-esque shape that makes it ideal for getting under and cleaning unwanted fat off large cuts of meat such as pork loin or ribeye and its length also makes the knife easy to glide through large cuts on one single stroke. If you have ever used the North American style carving kitchen knife then the Sujihiki kitchen knife will be familiar for you.
Whilst the knife is easy to wield and sharpen, you will not find a lot of these knives at high end sushi restaurants. Most sushi chefs would feel more comfortable with a Yanagiba knife.
The Yanagiba kitchen knife
This is a single bevel kitchen knife. This means that it is only sharpened and ground on one side. These knives are heavier than Sujihiki Japanese cooking knives due to their thicker spine. However, do not let this fool you because the edge on a Yanagiba is very thin.
The idea behind this is that the weight in the spine allows gravity to take care of the downward force when using the knife to slice through delicate fish. This reduces friction hence less tearing. The inside and back of the knife is not just flattened off. It is slightly concave. This gives the kitchen knife a unique non-stick property that is not present in a Sujihiki knife.
Most Yanagiba knives are made out of carbon steel. A lot of blacksmiths and cooks like carbon steel because it holds a fine edge. It is a heavier but thinner knife and this makes it super sharp. The knife is sharp enough to glide through fish and meats easily. The biggest thing you need to keep in mind is that the knife does not cut straight. They are a handed knife and this means that they have a different construction for either left or right handed people. It is important to keep in mind that not everyone can use the same type of Yanagiba knife. Right handedYanagiba tends to pull to the left, whilst left handed ones pull to the right a little bit. The sensation takes a bit of getting used to. However, the fruits of your labour will be worth it.
Which knife do you need?
Do you need to buy a Sujihiki knife in Australia or a Yanagiba knife? Some of the best chefs will swear by the Yanagiba knife. However, if you are a beginner, choose a Sujihiki because it is easier to use and sharpen.
