What is a left-handed knife? Explaining the differences between double-edged and right-handed knives

Knives are essential for everyday cooking. When it comes to choosing one, left-handed people can be confused and wonder , "Can a double-edged knife be used by a right-handed person?" or "Should I buy a left-handed knife?"

In fact, the knife you should choose will depend on the ingredients you want to cut and the amount of time you can spend on daily maintenance.

For example, if you are using it for everyday cutting meat or vegetables, you should choose a Santoku knife with a symmetrical handle, while if you want to neatly fillet fish, you should choose a Deba knife for left-handed people, which has the opposite structure.

In this article, we will thoroughly explain the crucial differences between left-handed and right-handed knives, as well as how to choose the right one (type, structure, material).

What is a left-handed knife?

A left-handed knife is a knife made specifically for left-handed people, with everything from the blade angle to the center of gravity designed to be a mirror image (reverse) of a right-handed knife .

If you are worried about not being able to cut properly when cutting ingredients, or if you want to cut straight but end up cutting at an angle, it may not be because of your skill, but because the structure of the tool (knife) is incorrect.

Why can't a left-handed person cut straight using a right-handed knife?

The thickness of the ingredients changes. When you cut sashimi, the flesh falls apart.

Have you ever experienced something like this? This is caused by a "bite phenomenon" that occurs when using a right-handed knife (especially a Japanese knife or a single-edged knife) with your left hand.

The angle of a typical knife is calculated so that the food you cut peels cleanly to the right. However, when you hold it in your left hand, the blade's structure reverses the vector of the force it applies.

• The blade moves in an unintended direction : Even if you think you are cutting straight down, the blade will move in an unintended way, digging into the food (or moving away from it).
• The cross section will collapse : Excessive force will be applied, crushing the fibers of the ingredients and causing the cross section to become rough.

Disadvantages of left-handed people forcing themselves to use right-handed knives

Continuing to use a knife that doesn't fit has more serious disadvantages than simply making it difficult to cut.

1. Increased risk of injury: Unnatural force is applied to the wrist and fingertips in order to control the blade, which tends to bend on its own. When cutting hard ingredients (such as pumpkin or sweet potato), the blade may slip due to poor grip, greatly increasing the risk of serious injury.
   
   
2. You develop bad habits and your skills don't improve: In an attempt to cover up the flaws in your tools, you may develop bad habits such as twisting your wrist when cutting or inserting the blade at an angle. Once you develop a bad habit, it's hard to break it, and as a result, it becomes a major obstacle that prevents you from improving your cooking skills.
   
   
3. Cooking becomes less fun: This is the biggest disadvantage. Many left-handed people mistakenly believe that they are clumsy or have no talent for cooking, and end up hating cooking altogether.

By simply using a special left-handed knife, you can cut ingredients with ease.

The crucial difference from right-handed knives

At first glance, the knives look the same, but there are differences between left-handed and right-handed knives in terms of the blade and handle.

Japanese knives, such as the "deba knife" used to fillet fish and the "yanagiba knife (sashimi knife)" used to cut sashimi, are basically single-edged .

This knife has a blade on only one side, and a recess on the other side called a "ura-ski." For left-handed knives, this structure is the exact opposite (mirror image) of that for right-handed knives.

If you use a right-handed knife with your left hand, the blade may slip inside the food or dig in too deeply.

When it comes to Japanese knives (single-edged), we can say with certainty that they cannot be used for both left-handed and right-handed people. Be sure to get one specifically for left-handed people.

Is it true that left-handed people can use double-edged knives?

You may have heard that double-edged knives can be used by left-handed people. However, even double-edged knives can be difficult for left-handed people to use due to issues with the blade or handle structure.

At first glance, it looks symmetrical, so you might think, "Can't I use either one?", but in fact there are two pitfalls.

1. Depending on the manufacturer, the ratio of the sharpening of double-edged blades is 7:3 on the right and left sides.

At first glance, double-edged knives appear to be symmetrical, but in fact, depending on the manufacturer , they are sharpened for right-handed people with a ratio of "7:3" or "6:4" for right-handed people.

If you use this with your left hand, the balance between the left and right sides will be disrupted, causing the blade to bite into (or escape from) the food at an angle.

However, some manufacturers may already have the blade sharpened to a 5:5 ratio (perfect left-right symmetry) from the beginning. Don't assume that it's okay just because it's double-edged; always check the blade specifications before purchasing.

2. Be careful if the handle is D-shaped

The handles of Japanese knives and some high-quality Santoku knives have a cross section shaped like the letter "D" (chestnut shape) .

This is designed to fit the knuckles of the right hand, so when gripped with the left hand, the sharp corners rub against the fingers, causing pain and instability .

Even if it is a Santoku knife, it is best to choose one with a blade that is left-handed (or 5:5) and a handle that is symmetrical (oval, for example) .

[How to tell the difference between a double-edged and single-edged knife] When you hold it in your left hand, can you see the edge of the blade on the outside?

"I don't know which knife I have at home is left-handed" or "I want to know if the knife I found at a recycle shop is left-handed" In these cases, try actually holding the knife in your left hand.

The checkpoint is the "shinogi line ." "Shinogi" is the boundary between the flat part of the blade and the part that slopes toward the cutting edge (cutting edge).

When you hold a knife in your left hand, if you can see the diagonal pattern of the blade called "shinogi" on the outside of the knife (the side facing away from your body), then it is for left-handed use .

Conversely, if the outside is smooth and you can see the crease on the inside (towards your body), then you are holding the right-handed version upside down.

You can tell at a glance, so be sure to remember it.

How to choose a left-handed knife

Even if you say "left-handed," searching online can be confusing as there are so many different products available. However, there are only three points you need to check. If you check them in this order, you can find the perfect one without making any mistakes.

How to Choose 1: Check the Type of Knife

First, clarify what you want to make with the knife (its main purpose).

I want to be able to eat meat, fish, and vegetables in one bottle.

Santoku knife or Gyuto knife: These are the most common all-purpose knives in Japanese households. Choose this as your first knife.

I want to prepare whole fish and sashimi (hobby/professional)

Deba and Yanagiba Knives: Deba is for cutting fish bones, and Yanagiba is for cutting sashimi. These are knives for specialized tasks that a Santoku knife cannot replace.

Tip 2: Check whether it is double-edged or single-edged (if it is single-edged, check whether it is for left-handed people; if it is double-edged, check the handle as well)

This is the most important point when choosing a left-handed knife. The points you should check will vary depending on the type of knife you choose.

■ For Japanese knives (deba, yanagiba, etc.)

• Things to check: Does the product name clearly state that it is for left-handed people?
• Please note: Single-edged blades cannot be used for both left-handed and dual-handed use. Please exclude all options other than "Left-handed only."

■ For Western knives and all-purpose knives (Santoku, Gyuto, etc.)

• Things to check: The shape of the handle and the blade sharpening.
• Important note: Choose a knife with a symmetrical handle (oval or octagonal) and a left-handed (or 5:5) sharpening. Avoid D-shaped handles or right-handed sharpening.

Tip 3: Check the material

• If you want sharpness but don't want the knife to rust, choose Ginsankou :
  This material is rapidly gaining popularity for use in fish filleting knives, etc. It is the strongest choice today, combining the sharpness of steel with the rust resistance of stainless steel.
  
  
• If you want professional-level sharpness and ease of sharpening, choose [Steel]:
  This is a traditional material favored by professional chefs. It has an excellent sharpness and adheres well to whetstones (ease of sharpening), but if left wet it will quickly rust. It is recommended for professional chefs who are able to take good care of their knives.

Left-handed knife FAQs

Q. Is it difficult to sharpen it myself?

A. To be honest, it's difficult at first.

Most knife sharpening videos and textbooks are written for right-handed people. When sharpening a left-handed knife, you need to mentally mirror (reverse) all of the movements, which means there is a risk of losing the angle of the blade (resulting in a rounded blade) until you get used to it.

• Solution 1: For regular maintenance, use a simple sharpener that is clearly labeled "left-handed."
• Solution 2: If the blade loses its sharpness, don't force it and use the manufacturer's "resharpening service (mail order available)."
• Solution 3: If you are going to sharpen the knife yourself, we recommend that you first practice with an inexpensive knife or choose a material that is easy to sharpen, such as the aforementioned "Ginsan steel."

Q. Should professional chefs who are left-handed use "right-handed" knives?

A. It depends on the rules of your workplace, but it doesn't matter if you're going independent.

Some Japanese restaurants and sushi restaurants, which require rigorous training, may require customers to "correct to being right-handed" for the following reasons:

Traffic flow issues: In a small kitchen, your elbows bump into the person next to you.

Presentation direction: The cross section (corner) of the sashimi may be facing the wrong way, making it difficult for right-handed customers to eat.

However, this is only a matter of "efficiency as a team." If you have your own restaurant or are just enjoying cooking at home, the correct answer is to use the "left-handed" version that is easiest for you. It would be a loss if you end up hating cooking due to forced correction.

Q. If my child is left-handed, should I give them a left-handed pen from the start?

A. For safety reasons, please make sure your child has a left-handed or fully double-edged knife (for children).

It is extremely dangerous to let a child use a right-handed knife with their left hand, thinking, "I might need to correct my posture someday." It is difficult to apply force, and when cutting hard objects, the hand may slip, causing serious injury. Also, if a child is initially taught that knives are difficult to use (scary), they will lose interest in cooking. To encourage your child's desire to "try cooking," choose tools that fit their left hand.

Q. I hear that left-handed knives are expensive. Why is that?

A. Because it cannot be mass-produced and includes a "technical fee" for the craftsmanship involved in the process.

This is because all factory machines are set up to make right-handed gloves, so making left-handed gloves often requires adjustments to the machines and a special process in which the craftsman completes the product in reverse. The price difference is high, but it can be said to be an "investment in comfort" as the craftsman puts in the effort.

Summary: Get the right left-handed knife for you

In this article, we have explained the importance of left-handed knives and how to choose one.

• Difference in structure: Single-edged (Japanese) knives have a mirror image structure. They cannot be used for both purposes.
• How to choose: If you are looking for a Santoku knife, pay attention to the handle. For Japanese knives, the best is the Ginsan steel, which is easy to maintain and has a sharp edge.

It's time to stop blaming yourself for not being able to cut properly because you're clumsy. The moment you pick up the right tool (a left-handed knife), you'll be amazed at the pleasure of smoothly cutting into ingredients. It will transform your cooking time from a "painful task" to "creative enjoyment."

We hope you find a book that will be your companion for life.