A knife is an essential tool that can be used to cut things. Knife is also a weapon, and it should be used with caution.
There are many different types of knives in the world. There are pocket knives, hunting knives, cooking knives, throwing knives, butterfly knives, and so much more. Some of these categories have sub-categories of their own.
It’s interesting to note that almost every culture has its own name for the knife. For example – the Japanese call it “katana”, while the Italians call it “stiletto”.
In this post, we’ll talk about is your knife 15 or 20 degrees?
Let’s find out!
Is My Knife 15 Or 20 Degrees?
Knife edges are designed to cut across food fibers instead of tearing them. The greater the angle between the blade and the less sensitive cuts you can make from it, if you use it in a quick manner it will more likely tear instead of cutting.
A 20 degree edge will make a less clean incision through thicker foods than a 15 degree edge.
Good knife edges are sharpened with an thinner angle. Some manufacturers mention this angle in their product descriptions. Asian style knives have an approximately 15 degree grind, while European/American knives mostly have 20 degree knives.
3 Best Knives To Get
- HENCKELS CLASSIC 4-inch Paring Knife, Utility Knife, Kitchen Knife, Black, Stainless Steel
- Victorinox 4-Piece Set of 3.25 Inch Swiss Classic Paring Knives with Straight Edge
- HENCKELS Solution Paring Knife, 4-inch, Black/Stainless Steel
1. Go To A Professional To Identify
Knife sharpening is a skill that should be known by every kitchen lover. It can help you save money and reduce the amount of waste in your kitchen. A dull knife will make it hard to cut, which causes more waste.
When you go to a professional say, ‘I want my knives sharpened’, they will know right away if you have the right kind of knife, and what degree it is. This is the essential information they need to sharpen your knife properly.
Even if you don’t know they’ll identify themselves and tell you the information based on what they’ve found.
2. European/American Knife?
A lot of people are surprised when they find out that European and American knives are usually 20 degrees – the Japanese knives, however, are usually at an angle of 10 degrees or a bit more.
The reason for this is almost certainly not because the Japanese have better skills than the Europeans or Americans. In fact, it’s probably just because of the different types of steel they used.
So if your knife is American or European it’s highly likely the degree of your knife is 20.
3. Asian Knife?
Most kitchen knives are sharpened to an angle of 20 degrees. This is not true for Asian knives, they are sharpened at 15 degrees mostly.
The reason is that for most Asian foods 15 degrees are enough.
