| When the term Forged Blade, or Forged Chef | | | | Chromium, Vanadium, Molybdenum and Cobalt. |
| Knife is used, it immediately makes people think | | | | The Carbon Steel metal used today is called |
| of the Samurai Katana swords of Japan. | | | | VG-10. |
| But what does it really mean? | | | | VG-10 carbon steel is so precious to the Japanese |
| A forge is in fact an oven. | | | | culture, that the Japanese government does not |
| The blade smith heats the steel ingot (block), | | | | allow it to be exported as raw material. |
| usually it will be some sort of Carbon, Cobalt steel. | | | | Chef Knife blades forged with VG-10 Steel are |
| It is heated up close to its melting point, so the | | | | always made in Japan, and only exported after it |
| steel becomes soft. Then it is hammered to the | | | | is forged there. |
| shape of the blade, being a chef knife blade, or | | | | The second part of the Japanese forged blade, is |
| sword blade, or pocket knife or any other knife. | | | | folding the Carbon Steel metal while hammering it. |
| Now, the Japanese Forged Chef Knife is known to | | | | This gives layers to the blade allowing for |
| have the best blade of all knives. And there is a | | | | extreme strength and flexibility. |
| reason for that: | | | | The best Katana Samurai blades, were folded up |
| First of all the Steel itself. | | | | to 800 times, making them extremely expensive |
| Not any forged metal will make it strong. The | | | | and very sought in the far east, and later on in |
| steel compound that is forged, shaped and | | | | Europe. |
| sharpened has a huge importance to the final | | | | Folding Carbon steel into a blade while forging it, |
| density and durability of the blade. | | | | takes a lot of time and experience. That is why a |
| In the 13th century, when blade forging was used | | | | good Japanese forged chef knife cost ranges |
| to form the most revered and sought after | | | | from a few hundred dollars and can get to |
| Katana (Samurai Sword), -- see History of the | | | | several thousands of dollars. |
| Japanese Forged Chef Knife. | | | | Each fold made on the blade, adds steel fiber |
| The Japanese sword smiths experimented with | | | | layers by 2 to the factor of the number of folds. |
| several kinds of steel compounds to achieve the | | | | Each fiber gives the blade a higher flexibility factor |
| highest strength and flexibility for their knives. | | | | and more strength. |
| After countless steel compounds were tested and | | | | Today's forged Japanese chef knives usually has |
| forged, finally, the most skilled sword smiths | | | | between 16 to 32 Layers. |
| settled on a compound which is used up to this | | | | The better knives have 67 layers and up to 960 |
| day for the making of the Japanese Forged Chef | | | | layers. |
| Knives. These Carbon Steel compounds include | | | | |