Do you want to know what is a knife bevel? right? Basically, the ground surface of any knife that shapes the knife-edge called a bevel. This ground surface starts almost from the middle of the knife’s blade to downward till the edge. If you observe it deeply it shows like an angle on which the blade has been bent. Sometimes it will be on a single side and a few times on both sides of the knife’s blade.
What is a knife bevel used for?
Now when you have known about bevel then it is essential to know that what is a bevel used for? The bevel of the kitchen knife assists to define the knife’s durability, strength, sharpness, look and use. As compared to the double bevel knife, the single bevel knife creates thinner cutting.
What is a single bevel knife?
The knife that blade’s edge has been ground on one side called a single bevel knife or one-sided knife. In oral history, the Japanese fall in single bevel or double bevel kitchen knives, and normally single bevel knives are most common. It is because of the increasing trend of past used in history Japanese knives. Although there are many benefits of single bevel knives but also few downsides have been observed by expert chefs and home cooks.
As well as, in the Japanese world, Japanese knives have many double-edged knives,, such as the gyuto knife, the sujihiki knife, and the honesuki knife.
Benefits of a single bevel knife and its uses?
- Thinner cutting
Where it is useful for thinner cutting, left-handed people can easily and perfectly use it. A left-handed cook can cut everything especially vegetables with the help of a one-sided bevel knife so it happens grateful for sushi chefs. When you are cutting a veggie, you feel the cut is smooth and the piece of vegetable has been cut straight down and the other side of the piece leaving the blade easily. It decreases the vegetables chipping with the knife’s blade.
With the help of a single bevel knife, you can easily curve the fruits veggies as shown in the above picture.
- Design:
A single bevel knife has a unique outline because one side is completely straight and the other is angled from mid of the blade to the edge of the blade, which makes it charming.
- More Sharpen
One-sided edge makes the knife sharper because it has been sharped on one side of the knife. So you just hone or sharpen one side of the knife and it is easy to make a single angle during the sharpening process. This also permits accuracy during slicing, dicing, and cutting which is necessary for Japanese cuisine, especially when crafting sushi.
What angle do you sharpen a single bevel knife?
If we talk about the single bevel knife sharpening angle, usually 15-17 angle is suitable for the knife best performance.
- Long wafer-like cutting
Chefs and home cooks always face a problem, when they are cutting in long like wafer style, it is a technique with care to it long, but a single bevel knife makes it easy and does this job perfectly. You can cut fruits of any sized like pineapple etc, vegetables, and meats in long sizes without breaking.
Now i think you have realized that a single edge knife is essential for performing kitchen daily tasks and for also trimming delicate fish, seafood, meat, and vegetables.
How to sharpen a single bevel knife?
Having all qualities, when a kitchen knife takes a lot of time to sharpen, although it requires sharpening after almost 6 months, however, it is the main thing to consider. A one-sided knife is easier to sharpen because you have not required to be a professional. Single bevel knife sharpening is very easy. Just sharp it’s one side and sharpening process completed for months, no edges tactics. If you want to sharpen it manually then you need a whetstone.
So the conclusion of this topic is if you like the specific style of single beveled knives like Japanese knives then this is the perfect choice for yourself. Because i have discussed this is very useful for cutting fruits of all sizes, mincing veggies and trimming of raw fishes, etc.
Drawbacks of single bevel knife:
- Weak durability
If we pay attention to knife durability then i will tell you that a single bevel knife is not a more durable knife, because the thickness of the blade is thin that makes the blade more sensitive. In simple words when a knife becomes thin its durability becomes down but it makes awesome cuts due to its sharpness. Now after hearing this disappointing thing, you will have a question ” Are single bevel knives good?”
- Having less versatile:
Single bevel knives have less versatility. In short words like chef’s knives, these knives are not perfect in versatility. Now you will have a question in your mind that what is meant by knife versatility right?
What is meant by knife versatility?
Versatility means that how a knife is useful for all types of works. For example in kitchen knives which knife has more versatility, the answer is chef’s knife because this type of kitchen knife is using for everyday tasks in the kitchen.
Are single bevel knives good?
The comprehensive and simple answer is yes. The reason is, the sharpness and single bevel edge permit the cook to cut accurately and nicely. It is only possible with one-sided knife. And these types of kitchen knives are good for left-handed people also.
Expert recommendation for single bevel knife:
What is a double bevel knife?
Double-sided ground edge of knives called double bevel knife. If the knife is ground on one side then it will be called a single beveled knife and when goes to both sides so it is a double bevel knife. You may call it a v-shaped knife. The ratio of bevel angle on both sides of the blade is 50-50.
So if one side is ground on 11 degrees then the other side will be ground on 11 degrees, the total angle will be 16 degrees. In the western world, double bevel knives are used such as German and French. Asian knives have 8 degrees on both sides that make them sharper.
Pros of double bevel knife and its uses?
When we talk about double bevel knives, these are the maximum used in the western world. It is all-rounder like very useful for both hands, right hand and left hand, due to its both ground edges. More durable as compared to the single bevel knife. The v-shaped design makes it easy to cut, mince and chop.
All types of kitchen tasks can be done including small and large items in fruits, veggies, and meats. I mean it has maximum versatility than a single bevel knife. A little bit of tactical sharpening can be faced after using double bevel knives. Double bevel knife sharpening angle is recommended by creators is 20 degrees to 30 degrees on both sides.
But it depends on the type of work. If you want to use a double bevel knife for cutting and chopping vegetables and meats then it will be higher in degrees like 30 degrees on both sides.
Expert recommendation for double bevel knife:
FAQs:
What is the difference between a bevel and an edge?
Bevel is the ground surface of the blade, which starts from almost the center on the blade to downward. On the other hand, the edge is the sharp part of the blade that starts from the heel of the knife to the tip.
