Double Bevel Japanese Kitchen Knives

A double bevel (ryoba) knife is sharpened on both sides of the blade, usually symmetrically or slightly off-centre. That makes it versatile. Most suit either hand; some are ground asymmetrically, so check the knife.

It is the standard grind for everyday Japanese kitchen work. Common profiles include the gyuto, santoku, petty and nakiri.

Tojiro says the gyuto (牛刀) came to Japan with the beef-eating culture of the Meiji era and is used for all kinds of cooking, which is why it is also called the chef's knife. It describes the santoku (三徳) as a household knife that combines the good points of the nakiri and the gyuto, for everything from vegetables to meat and fish.

Tojiro lists both as double-bevel for household use, the gyuto at 150 to 210mm and the santoku at 165 to 170mm. Our gyuto vs santoku guide sets out the trade-off.

No one steel wins; pick by what you will maintain. Proterial lists Aogami Super as an alloy steel; its 0.30 to 0.50% chromium is below the stainless threshold. In its Japanese materials, Proterial calls its Aogami (青紙) steels high-carbon steel (高炭素鋼). We recommend wiping the blade dry after use. Stainless families such as VG10 and SG2 resist rust and suit busy kitchens.

Choose between edge holding, ease of sharpening and rust care, then pick within that. Our steels page covers every steel we stock.