One of the indispensable elements of kitchen utensils is a knife. The preparation of most dishes is not complete without the use of this tool. Provided that a convenient and sufficiently sharp cutting object is used, even a routine kitchen process will bring pleasure. Stylish and very high quality products are Japanese kitchen knives Samura. User reviews about this company and all its products are mostly positive.
Manufacturer
Japan has long been famous for its knife craftsmen. Much attention has always been paid to the art of creating combat swords in the Land of the Rising Sun. Katanas (long Japanese swords without pommel) are still considered the best examples of edged weapons today. In Japan, a special sharpening technology has been developed that extends the life of the blades. The traditions of creating Japanese knives are successfully supported by the masters of the city of Seki. The place is famous for the fact that there are many workshops for the production of knives. One of them produces weapons of the Samura trademark.
Specialization
JapaneseSamura specializes in the manufacture of knives that have found their way into the home. Professional Samura knives are in demand in restaurants and cafes. Customer reviews indicate that these products can also be used as a gift. All sets of cutting products of this Japanese company have high technical characteristics and attractive design. They are sold in a smart box.
What material are they made of?
V-Gold10 and Damascus steel are used in the production of knives. The Samura kitchen knives made of these metals are highly rated by consumer reviews due to their undeniable advantages: exceptional strength and the ability to keep sharpening for a long time. The classic Japanese kitchen knife is a product consisting of several layers. The basis of the blade is steel V-Gold10. Damascus steel grades SUS 430 and SUS 431 are located on the plates, which are equipped with Samura kitchen knives. User reviews indicate that due to these overlays, the blades look very attractive: the blades of such knives have beautiful and unique patterns.
For the manufacture of handles, a polymeric material is used - micarta. Durability and moisture resistance are considered its main features.
Budget option
Multilayer knives are expensive. Those who wish to acquire a beautiful kitchen set of Japanese blades can opt for single-layer products. This product is represented by a budget line of knivesPro-S. Externally, the products do not differ at all from expensive multilayer knives. The differences are in the manufacturing method. In the Pro-S line, one-layer production is practiced. Such blades cannot keep sharpening for a long time.
How are Samura knives sharpened?
Reviews of these kitchen tools inform that in Japan, unlike Western countries, it is customary to make knives for left-handed and right-handed people. Usually blades have only one sharpening. Products destined for export are the Western Japanese version. In such knives, the blade is subject to double-sided sharpening.
Disadvantage of single-sided sharpening
High level of strength, maximum sharpness and durability, achieved through the use of high-quality steel in the production, are the main indicators that distinguish Samura knives. Damascus steel (reviews admiringly characterize the material from which these tools are made) allows you to create exceptionally high-quality products.
But, despite all the advantages of classic Japanese kitchen knives, according to the European consumer, they have a drawback. It consists in one-sided sharpening, which is equipped with Samura knives.
Reviews negatively characterize tools designed for making sushi. According to users, it is much harder for a European consumer to use a knife with one-sided sharpening than to wield an ordinary familiar tool. This requires great skill from the chef anddexterity.
Standard set
More than twenty varieties of the brand are presented to the attention of users. The standard Japanese set of Samura Knives is characterized by reviews as not much different from the usual European one. The set includes:
- Knife equipped with a thin blade. Used for working with vegetables: large cuts.
- Cleaver. Used for cutting fish and meat.
- Special knife for making sashimi and sushi.
- A small knife. Used for small jobs: peeling vegetables and small cuts.
A certain type of knife is intended for each type of work. Samura knives are characterized by reviews of professional users as cutting kitchen tools with a convenient design and functionality.
Big knife
As in European sets, Japanese sets also have their own items equipped with large blades. To work with herbs and meat products, the Japanese manufacturer provides large Samura kitchen knives. Consumer reviews confirm that such a blade is indispensable in the kitchen. The wide shape of the blade allows it to be used as a spatula. This knife is the largest in the set. Its length is 300 mm. Depending on the function, the large knife can be:
- Vegetable. Used to work with greenery.
- Sirloin. Used when cutting meat products and fish.
- Universal. Effective for any task.
Cooking will becomean easy task when using products such as large Samura kitchen knives. Owner reviews confirm that long Japanese knives are indispensable for chopping greens, cabbage, as well as cutting meat and fish.
Traditional Japanese blade
Japanese craftsmen have never used rivets to make their kitchen cutlery. Such knives, unlike the usual European ones, do not have an ergonomic shape. Similar elements are present in hybrid products that incorporate the features of East and West. They are found in Japanese-made models that are intended for export. The manufacturer moved away from this practice, creating a series of Damascus knives. In it, the masters of the Land of the Rising Sun conveyed the true spirit of Japan to the European consumer. The handles and blades of such knives have shapes that were widely practiced in Japan before the advent of hybrid variants and were considered traditional.
Ceramic Applications
This material has recently been widely used in the kitchen. Samura ceramic knives are very popular. User reviews of these kitchen tools highlight their merits:
- Knives are environmentally friendly. Ceramics do not chemically interact with products, and therefore do not smell.
- Material keeps sharpening well.
The colors are white and black Samura ceramic knives. Consumer reviews indicate that black ceramic blades are much harder. A lot of positive feedback about the Eco-Ceramic SC-0084B knife series. These models have a higherhardness, which is 87HRC. The weight of the product does not exceed 124 g.
According to the owners, such a knife cannot be used to cut hard materials. It is ideal for cutting greens, soft meat. The blade is undesirable to use for bones, because ceramics is a very fragile material. The presence of even minor chips on the blade will negatively affect the cut. Among some consumers there is a prejudice towards ceramic knives. Such a negative attitude is explained by negative experience: there are cases when, when cutting, small pieces break off from a ceramic blade and fall into food. This situation occurs due to careless handling of the knife. Sometimes this leads to the fact that users completely abandon ceramic knives, preferring steel.
Samura Bamboo Series
Knives "Samura" - "Bamboo" are considered functional and very original products. User feedback on these knives suggests that these sets can be used as a gift. For the design of knives, beautiful and pleasant to the touch cardboard boxes are provided. The owners appreciated the peculiarity of the knives of this series - everything in the product is made of metal, even the handle, which is stylized as a bamboo stalk. It is short and asymmetrical. The steel is single-layer and, according to the owners, is very sharp. To prevent food from sticking to the blade, special notches are located on the sides.
The blade length is 8.8 cm, andweight - 145 g. According to the reviews of the owners of Samura Bamboo knives, products from this series leave only positive impressions, the knives are elastic, lie pleasantly in the hand and do not slip at all. Due to the hollow handle, Japanese kitchen knives of the Samura Bamboo series are very light. According to some users, it is inconvenient to work with a short blade: a decrease in the speed and accuracy of movements has been noticed. A hatchet from this series received a lot of positive feedback. The 400 g product is very effective in cases where you need to cut large pieces of meat, cartilage or bone. This tool can be done quickly and easily with this tool. The meat is cut under the influence of the weight of the blade itself. Users noted that the hands do not get tired at all, since this work does not require any effort, which cannot be said about ordinary kitchen knives. Samura Bamboo series cutting products are sold well sharpened. Due to the quality of steel, sharpening, according to consumers, lasts a long time.
Samura Harakiri Series
The Samura Harakiri knives are made from Japanese AUS8 grade steel. Reviews about this brand highlight its main quality - resistance to corrosion. Blade hardness is 58 HRC. Blades from this steel are sharpened with the help of water stones. The set includes the following types of knives:
- Chef knife. Size 208 mm. The knife has a wide, thick and long blade. It is used for cutting cabbage, greens, it is easy for them to cut meat and fish. This product is considered the basic element of the chef's trio of knives.
- Santoku - 175 mm.
- Nakiri - 161 mm.
- Master knife - size 150mm.
- Vegetable - 100 mm.
Each knife is a complete blade (from shank to tip). Products are distinguished by the presence of a thin butt.
The handles are made of black plastic. Each knife weighs no more than 500 g.
According to users, the Japanese knives of this series are ergonomically designed, light in weight, and represent a balance of aesthetic appearance and content. Samura Harakiri knives are effective both in the home kitchen and in the professional field. Products comply with all SES standards and can be used in cafes and restaurants.
Tactical "Samur"
This knife was developed by the Russian manufacturer OO PP “Kizlyar”. The design of the product has a guard, which makes it possible to intensively wield this knife, strike without fear that the hand may slip off the handle. For its manufacture, elastron is used. This material prevents slipping in the hand.
The main characteristics of the knife "Samur":
- The product belongs to the tourist type knives.
- The length of the whole knife is 280mm.
- Blade length - 160 mm.
- Blade thickness - 4.2 mm.
- Blade width is 34mm.
- Blade sharpening - concave.
- The knife is made using Z60 corrosion-resistant steel or its imported equivalent. In some versions, the blades of the Samur knife undergo a black chrome plating process.
- Steel hardnessis 57-58 HRC.
- The shape of the blade is traditional. There is a false blade on the butt.
- The handle is made of elastron.
- Handle thickness 20 mm.
- The knife is constructed by putting a guard, an elastron handle and a pommel on the blade shank, which is tightened with a screw.
- Included with the knife is a sheath, for the manufacture of which genuine leather is used. Cases are equipped with a special loop for attaching a knife to a belt.
Despite the presence of a guard, all the parameters of this knife do not go beyond the scope of GOST and the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation. This weapon does not belong to the category of melee weapons.
Tactical knife "Samur" ("Kizlyar"): reviews
According to users, the Russian "Samur" looks very impressive and intimidating. Terrible and powerful in appearance, it is extremely functional. This knife is indispensable in hiking, as it can easily perform any work: cut meat or chop branches for a fire. All work on this product is quick and easy.
There is an opinion of some users that the Samur knife has an uncomfortable sharpening angle. To fix this, it is recommended to sharpen the blades yourself at the required angle. After this procedure, the blade, according to reviews, becomes much more comfortable. It can be used both for thin cutting of vegetables and for cutting branches. Blade sharpening lasts a long time.
Some reviews negatively characterize the design of the cover, noting its imperfection. According to many users, the knife"Samur" ("Kizlyar") is a fairly heavy product, for carrying which the developers had to create more durable cases and loops for them. The existing loops are quickly torn from the weight of the knife. Consumers, discussing this problem, suggest equipping cases with stronger straps. Belt loops for such a massive knife, according to users, should be twice as wide and thick.
Conclusion
Japan is famous for its knife craftsmen, who have achieved great success in this area. In their work, specialists use carbon steel, which is processed by forging. Some blades are made from a combination of strong carbon steel and soft iron. As a result, such cutting products are flexible. In the kitchen knives of the Samura series, everything is thought out to the smallest detail. The perfection of design and high quality of these products will allow you to realize any culinary ideas.
