After the Japanese-Sino War (1894) and the Japanese-Russo War (1904), the industrial revolution finished in Japan. At that time, Japan was short on Tamahagane but Japanese modern steelmaking was still developing.

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I previously explained that Tamahagane which is a Japanese traditional steel is the best steel.

But CHIYOZURU Korehide, who has been admired as the great master of the plane and a legendary blacksmith in the 19th century, left a will that said “Don’t use Tamahagane. Use imported steels” for his disciples.

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Today, many kinds of steel are used as knives but the king of steel is traditionally “Tamahagane” in Japan. Although Samurai swords are made of Tamahagane in recent days, the steel is very rare.

Tamahagane is made from iron sand by a traditional furnace called “Tatara”.

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I explained that Japanese knives are made of hard steel and soft iron by forge welding. Forge welding techniques give an advantage to Japanese knives. It is the ease of sharpening.

However solid and sharp a knife is, it must become dull. Sharpening is very important work in all countries.

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The shortest description about Japanese knives is,“They are made of hard steel and soft iron by forge welding.”

Western knives are made of only one steel. On the other hand, the edge of Japanese knives is steel, while the other part is made of soft iron.

If steel gets harder, it becomes less elastic. Or, when it gets elastic, it becomes less hard.

Today, in spite of drastic advance in technological innovation, we can’t get a steel which has both hardness and elasticity yet.

Not to break or twist and to remain sharp ……There is a discrepancy.

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