Hard Steel or Tough Steel? German vs Japanese Knives

Walk into any knife shop and the chef’s knives split into two camps. On one side are the heavy, forged German blades from Solingen. On the other are the thin, light Japanese knives with their harder steel and finer edges. Both make a good chef’s knife. The real differences are in the metal, the edge, the weight and how much care each one asks of you.

This guide is about those differences, not the blade shape. (Choosing between a santoku and a chef’s knife is a separate question about shape.) Here we compare German and Japanese chef’s knives on steel hardness, edge angle, weight, chipping, washing and sharpening, using what the makers and America’s Test Kitchen state, then name one German and two Japanese knives worth buying.

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Quick verdict: German or Japanese?

The table sums up the differences. The sections after it explain each one.

German vs Japanese knives, side by side

Steel hardness: the root of every other difference

Knife hardness is measured on the Rockwell C scale (HRC). In its gyuto review, America’s Test Kitchen’s Miye Bromberg writes that Japanese chef’s knives are usually made from harder steels than Western-style chef’s knives, at roughly 58 to 65 HRC against about 55 to 58. Wüsthof, the Solingen maker, says its Classic Ikon knives are tempered to 58 HRC, the top of the German range. Shun says its steels are harder than those used in most Western-style knives.

Hardness cuts both ways. A harder steel can be ground thinner and holds a fine edge longer. But it is less tough. ATK says that because gyuto blades are thinner and made from harder metal, they are less forgiving and can chip easily. A softer German blade tends to bend its edge over instead, and as general kitchen sense that is a much easier problem to fix: a few strokes on a honing steel and it is back in line.

Edge angle: closer than you might think

The old rule was that German knives had thick 20-degree edges and Japanese knives had keen 15-degree ones. The makers’ own figures tell a more nuanced story today. Wüsthof says most kitchen knives from other makers have an edge of about 20 degrees per side, but that its PEtec process, which uses lasers and robots to sharpen each blade, gives its knives an edge of 14.5 degrees per side. Shun says its blades are sharpened to 16 degrees per side. Global says its knives are factory sharpened at 10 to 15 degrees.

So a modern German knife from a top maker can leave the factory with an edge as fine as many Japanese knives. Where the Japanese knife pulls ahead is in what is behind the edge. ATK says gyuto blades are typically thinner from spine to edge and narrower than Western chef’s knives, so they slip through food with less wedging. The harder steel also keeps that fine edge for longer between sharpenings.

One detail matters for left-handed cooks. ATK notes that the bevel on many gyuto is asymmetrical rather than symmetrical as on Western knives, and that lefties will have the most success with gyuto that have symmetrical edges. Check the listing before you buy.

Weight, thickness and the bolster

In ATK’s lineups, the Japanese knives ranged from about 3 to about 6 ounces, while Western chef’s knives ran about 4 to 9 ounces. Much of the German weight sits in the bolster, the thick collar of steel where blade meets handle. ATK says most gyuto lack a bolster. Wüsthof’s Classic Ikon uses a half bolster at the heel, which Wüsthof says reduces weight and makes sharpening easier, with a second bolster at the end of the handle for balance.

As general kitchen sense, weight helps when you’re pushing through a butternut squash or splitting a chicken through the joints, and it tires the hand over a long session of dicing onions for pico de gallo. A light Japanese knife is quicker and more precise for fine cuts and thin slices of grilled steak, but it does less of the work for you on dense food.

What each knife can and can’t cut

This is the practical difference that matters most in a busy home kitchen. ATK’s guidance for gyuto is blunt: no scraping, no twisting, no cutting through frozen foods or bone. Shun says the same about its knives: avoid cutting bones, frozen foods or very hard rinds, and don’t twist the blade. Global adds frozen food and bones to its own list, along with hard surfaces like marble, stone, tile or glass.

A German chef’s knife is not a cleaver either, but as general kitchen sense it tolerates the jobs a thin Japanese edge won’t: working around chicken joints, scraping chopped onions across the board with the edge, or pushing through a hard winter squash. If several people share the knife, or it has to take whatever the kitchen throws at it, the German knife is the safer bet.

Washing, drying and boards

Neither kind belongs in the dishwasher. Wüsthof says to wash its Classic Ikon by hand, dry it immediately and not to soak it. Shun says never to put Japanese knives in the dishwasher and not to leave them to air-dry: wash by hand with warm water and mild soap and dry completely with a towel. Global says its knives should not go in the dishwasher, because it can damage the edges, and to avoid harsh detergents or bleach. ATK adds that carbon-steel gyuto must be wiped dry from time to time during use to prevent rust.

Board choice matters more for the Japanese knife. Shun recommends wood, which gives slightly under the blade, and says glass, marble, granite and ceramic should always be avoided. Our best cutting board for Japanese knives guide covers that choice.

Honing and sharpening

Here the two families need different tools. A German knife is the classic partner for a honing steel. Global, by contrast, tells owners to keep its edges aligned with a fine ceramic or diamond rod, and says traditional steels made of other materials are likely to damage its knives. As general kitchen sense, the rule behind that advice is that a rod should be harder than the knife, which is why hard Japanese blades usually get a ceramic rod. Our best honing steel guide covers both kinds.

For sharpening, Global recommends a waterstone or ceramic stone. Shun says that for most home cooks, sharpening once or twice a year is enough, and that honing in between does not remove steel. Shun also offers free sharpening for its knives. A German knife can go on a stone too, and its softer steel is quicker to sharpen; our best whetstone guide covers stones for both.

Choose German if… / Choose Japanese if…

Choose a German knife if…

• You want one tough knife for everything, including chicken and squash.
• Several people share the knife, or it gets handled roughly.
• You’d rather fix the edge with a quick pass on a steel.
• You like a heavier knife that does some of the work.

Choose a Japanese knife if…

• You want a lighter, thinner blade for fine dicing and slicing.
• You want an edge that stays keen longer between sharpenings.
• You’ll always wash by hand and dry at once.
• You’ll keep a cleaver or a tougher knife for bones and frozen food.

Our picks on each side of the German vs Japanese knives question

All three were in stock with a new lead offer when we checked. The German pick is a Wüsthof Classic Ikon, the Solingen maker’s forged line. The Japanese picks show the two directions Japanese makers take: Shun’s layered, hard-steel knife and Global’s light, all-steel one. The Shun is a hollow-ground listing of the Shun Classic chef’s knife on our best chef knife guide; it is here because it is the clearest example of the hard-steel, 16-degree Japanese edge and adds hollow-ground sides. For more Japanese knives, see our best Japanese knife guide.

German and Japanese knife questions, answered

Are Japanese knives sharper than German knives?

Usually a little, and they stay sharp longer. Shun gives 16 degrees per side and Global 10 to 15, but Wüsthof’s 14.5-degree edge shows the gap is smaller than it used to be. The bigger difference is the harder steel and thinner blade behind the edge, which ATK describes.

Do Japanese knives chip more?

Yes. ATK says gyuto are thinner and made from harder metal, so they are less forgiving and can chip easily. Keep them away from bones, frozen food and twisting cuts.

Can I use a honing steel on a Japanese knife?

Check the maker. Global recommends a fine ceramic or diamond rod and warns that traditional steels are likely to damage its knives. A ceramic rod is the safe choice for hard Japanese blades.

Which is better for a beginner?

A German knife. It tolerates more mistakes, and a quick pass on a steel fixes a rolled edge. Our best chef knife for beginners guide has more options.

Can either go in the dishwasher?

No. Wüsthof, Shun and Global all say to wash by hand and dry straight away.

Which knife family to start with

If you’re buying one chef’s knife to do everything, start German: it forgives more and asks less. If you already cook a lot, keep your boards wooden and enjoy looking after your tools, a Japanese knife rewards that care with a lighter, finer, longer-lasting edge. Many cooks end up with one of each, using the German knife for chicken and squash and the Japanese knife for onions, tomatoes and cilantro. For a lighter take on the Japanese side, see our best Japanese knife gyuto guide. And when you’d rather someone else did the chopping, see the menu or call to order.