The Miyabi 600-S Vegetable Knife or Kudamono pares and preps vegetables and fruits. That sounds like a paring knife to me, but the Miyabi Morimoto vegetable knife actually tries to be something more.
Forged with a full bolster and full tang, the 3-1/2 inch kudamono knife uses the riveted black polymer handle slabs familiar to those who own knives from German cutler J.A. Henckels. The blade style conforms to Japanese concepts, and the result is a knife that includes the practical features of both philosophies. Miyabi forges the knife from German Solingen stainless steel and then hones the edge with a traditional three-step Japanese procedure. The professional cutting edge — hardened to Rockwell 57 — restores easily with an ordinary sharpening steel. The finished knife is flexible, stain-resistant, and easily maintained at home.
The Miyabi concept began in 2004 when Henckels acquired one of the leading manufacturing companies in Seki, Japan — center of Japan’s sword and knife production since the 14th century. Working with the first Japanese Iron Chef, Rokasuburo Michiba, Henckels employed Japanese craftsmen and production methods to create hybrid Miyabi knives from Friodur ice-hardened steel. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto oversaw the development of less expensive Miyabi product lines — designed for western chefs just beginning to experiment with Japanese cutlery. Chef Morimoto approaches cooking from a modern viewpoint, combining features of Japanese, Chinese, and European cuisine. The 600-S series of knives reflects his fusion philosophy.
For a larger vegetable slicer combining German and Japanese features, see the Wusthof Nakiri Bocho.
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