Gyutos, as I mentioned, are Japanese-style chef’s knives. Like Western-style chef’s knives, they are versatile blades, usually between six and 12 inches long.

Ultra-sharp and precise, the best Japanese knives are known for their premium craftsmanship. Compared to their Western or German-style counterparts, Japanese blades are lighter, thinner and harder ...

The Hira-Zukuri blade shape is an almost elemental blade design, simple and flat and ridgeless, ideal for utility swords and unfussy battle knives. It dates back to ancient times but was common ...

The Best German-Style Knife: Wusthof Classic, $170 The Best Budget German-Style Knife: Henckels Classic, $48 The Best Japanese-Style Chef's Knife: Akira-Saku Blue #2 Funayuki Gyutou, $145 ...

Japanese-style knives are another category of chef's knives. These are typically lighter with a finer edge and are engineered for more meticulous knife work, including slicing sushi.

It has two slots for each style of knife: coarse and fine at both 10 and 15 degrees. The 10-degree is for sharpening Western-style blades, while the 15-degree is for Japanese-style blades.

The knife is still made in the USA — a point of pride for the brand. Furthermore, the blade still has the brand’s signature thumb disk and a hefty flipper. This way, you can choose your deployment ...