A Katai chef's knife is the knife your kitchen runs on. This one from Katai Forged has a 20.5cm blade with a gently curved edge, so you can keep the tip on the board and mince herbs, onion or garlic in a rocking motion. For large quantities that saves noticeable time.
The blade is forged from a single piece of steel and runs through to the handle. That puts weight exactly where it belongs: the knife drops through a pepper or a piece of meat on its own, you do not need to push. At the barbecue you use it for preparing and portioning boneless meat.
- 20.5cm blade with a gently curved edge
- Full tang for balance and sturdiness
- For vegetables, herbs, meat and boneless fish
- Tall blade keeps your knuckles off the board
- Part of the Katai Forged knife range
Why a Katai chef's knife cuts differently
With a forged blade, the steel is shaped under heat instead of stamped from a sheet. The result is a knife with more mass towards the handle and a tighter transition to the blade. You notice that mainly in the balance: the knife does not feel top-heavy and stays pleasant even after half an hour of work.
Maintenance and keeping it sharp
Cut on wood or plastic, rinse the knife straight after use and dry it immediately. Store it separately, for example on a magnetic stand, so the edge never knocks against anything. Touch up the edge regularly at a fixed angle.
Bill's tipNever cut on glass, stone or a ceramic plate. One wrong cut there costs you more sharpness than a month of normal use.
The rest of the range is at knives, including the Katai Forged Santoku knife 18cm as a Japanese alternative. For keeping the edge sharp, see the Horl knife sharpeners.
