Why Japanese Chef’s Knives Are So Expensive | So Expensive

 

 

Narrator: Japanese chef's knives are world-renowned

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for their unique design and durability.

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And just one can cost you over $900.

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From heating and hammering the metal

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to sharpening the knife's edge

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and polishing the final blade,

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these are only a few of the skills

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a Japanese artisan spends a lifetime learning to master.

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So what makes these knives so coveted?

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And why are they so expensive?

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Narrator: Terukazu has spent 37 years crafting chef's knives

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at his family's factory in Echizen.

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Each one goes through 100 production stages.

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It's a process that requires over 10 years of practice.

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Narrator: Compared to popular European chef's knives,

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Japanese blades are lighter and sharper,

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allowing for more precise cuts.

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On the low end,

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most Takamura blades cost a couple hundred dollars.

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But custom-made pieces can sell for 15 times that.

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One of the most expensive knives produced by the shop

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sold for $6,900.

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Narrator: Takamura Hamono was one of the first knife makers

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to use a certain kind of stainless steel

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called high-speed powdered steel.

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It was originally designed for power tools,

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like saws and drills,

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because of its durability and strength --

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two qualities Japanese chef's knives are known for today.

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Once the metal is cut,

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it's heated in an electric oven

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to harden and strengthen the blade.

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Then the hammering begins.

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At this point, the artisan relies on experience

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and instinct to guide them in producing a blade

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of ideal strength and thinness.

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Hammering leaves behind circular indents,

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something knife makers in the past typically polished away.

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But 60 years ago,

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Terakuzu's father and his colleagues

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discovered the benefit of knives

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with a textured surface, like this.

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Narrator: This hammered finish, called tsuchime,

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allowed chefs to chop ingredients quickly

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and more efficiently.

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It also added a beautiful aesthetic to each blade,

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another element highly valued in Japanese knives.

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Narrator: But a Japanese chef's knife wouldn't be

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nearly as valuable without its supremely sharp edge.

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An artisan presses the blade against a rough grindstone

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made of natural rock,

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a sharpening material you'll only see used in Japan.

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This step distinguishes an artisan's skill

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and ultimately sets a knife's final value.

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Narrator: It takes one full day to sharpen the blade

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and another full day to secure and polish the handle.

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The final knife is totally unique --

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each with its own distinct balance,

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thickness, and design.

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Narrator: Several of the world's best chefs

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use Takamura's knives,

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from René Redzepi at Noma

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to Massimo Bottura at Osteria Francescana.

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Another one of those chefs is Masakazu Fujii.

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He uses Takamura's knives to prepare fish

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at his restaurant in Fukui.

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Narrator: Echizen has been the center

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of high-quality-knife making

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since blacksmiths began crafting chef's knives here

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700 years ago.

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And today, the city is internationally recognized

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for its cutlery production.

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But before knives, artisans made swords --

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another valuable trade in Japanese culture.

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Narrator: Despite dedicating decades to this craft,

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Terukazu and his brothers weren't always set on

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becoming master knife makers.

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Narrator: Professional chef or not,

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getting your hands on one of Takamura's knives

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could take years.

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With that kind of wait time,

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coupled with the decades of training

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required to master this craft,

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it's likely these pieces will remain costly

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for years to come.