Beginner's guide: How to choose a Western handle for your Japanese knife

Each characteristic of a Japanese knife serves a different purpose, comfort is a priority when choosing a knife handle, especially after you have considered what functions and features you want from your Japanese kitchen knives. In this guide, we’ll show you how to choose a knife with a Western-style handle. A guide to choosing based on a Japanese-style knife handle is also available.

Table of Contents:

1. Does a Japanese knife’s handle matter?
2. Types of Western handles
1. Resin
2. Marble
3. Cherry
4. Mahogany
5. Stainless
6. Specialty handles

Does a Japanese knife’s handle matter?

When it comes to a knife’s handle, there is no such thing as best or worst, it is completely dependent on one’s own personal taste, comfort, and priorities. Because of this, we have created a comprehensive guide to choosing a handle based on how each one will affect your cooking experience. 

Before diving into the types of knife handles, it is important to note that we categorize Japanese knife handles into Western-style and Japanese-style. For more information on Japanese style knife handles, check out our guide to the  wa handle.

On the other hand, Western style handles, often referred to as yo, come in only a Western full tang. They are typically heavier than wa handles, making them ideal for rigorous use, but can cause fatigue to set faster than lighter handles.

Types of Western knife handles

Although Western handles only have the Western full tang, a further categorization of the knives are based on material, whether it be resin, marble, cherry, mahogany, or stainless. 

Resin handle

What is a resin handle? A resin handle is made from epoxy resin, usually resulting in a variety of colourful knife handles. 

• Pros of a resin knife handle: Resin handles are particularly durable, as well as waterproof and heat resistant.
• Cons of a resin knife handle: Those looking for Japanese-style handles may not be satisfied with the modern look of a resin-based kitchen knife handle.

Our recommendations for knives with resin handles are:

1. Kiritsuke Santoku VG-10

Point: This Kiritsuke Santoku has the perfect blend of functionality and beauty with its vibrant blue resin handle that stands out in any kitchen.

2. Kiritsuke Gyuto SG-2

Point: With its white resin handle, this refined-looking Kiritsuke Gyuto combines essential functionality with elegance.

3. Kiritsuke Petty VG-10

Point: Designed with attention to detail in mind, this Kiritsuke Petty’s blue resin handle helps the knife itself stand out, adding a touch of beauty to intricate tasks.

Marble handle

What is a marble handle? Marble is considered a luxurious handle for the creation of knife handles, each coming with its own distinctive details.

• Pros of a marble knife handle: Heat resistance is a key feature of marble handles, helping prevent the handle from becoming warped or damaged by high temperatures.
• Cons of a marble knife handle: Marble handles are quite fragile, needing to be handled carefully. Their delicate nature may not be well-suited for the demands of a busy, fast-paced kitchen environment where durability and resistance to impact are crucial.

Our recommendations for knives with marble handles are:

1. Kiritsuke Santoku VG-10

Point: The unique patterns of this Kiritsuke Santoku’s marble handle makes it a beautiful, eye-catching tool. However, it is not only visually pleasing, it is also a comfortable tool for use in the kitchen.

2. Kiritsuke Petty VG-10

Point: This Kiritsuke Petty knife promises precise and reliable cutting, and its handle provides the added benefit of excellent heat resistance.

3. Kiritsuke Gyuto VG-10

Point: This Kiritsuke Gyuto’s handle features a black marble base with eye-catching white specks. The luxurious material is known for its unique and distinctive details, ensuring each handle is one of a kind.

Cherry handle

What is a cherry handle? Cherry handles are created from either natural cherry, or dyed cherry wood. Its rich color and attractive grain pattern make it particularly unique.

• Pros of a cherry knife handle: A cherry handle’s natural luster and rich color can be enhanced with minimal effort, making them a stylish and long-lasting choice.
• Cons of a cherry knife handle: For those looking for a tool that would not look out of place in a modern-looking kitchen, the rustic cherry handle may not be the best choice.

Our recommendations for knives with cherry handles are:

1. Santoku VG-10

Point: The Santoku VG-10 Tsuchime Damascus knife features a western-style rich brown handle made from long-lasting cherry wood. This durable handle, combined with the easy-to-maintain stainless steel blade, ensures the knife will last a long time, potentially even a lifetime, with proper care.

2. Nakiri VG-10

Point: The Nakiri’s modern cherry wood handle is designed for an easy grip and can be easily polished, ensuring a professional appearance at all times.

3. Gyuto VG-10

Point: This Gyuto’s dyed blue cherry wood handle will ensure that it stands out in any kitchen, especially with its eye-catching grain pattern. 

Mahogany handle

What is a mahogany handle? The material with which mahogany handles are made has antiseptic properties, making knife handles crafted from mahogany wood resistant to rotting and long lasting.

• Pros of a mahogany knife handle: On account of the wood it is made from, mahogany handles are water- and rot-resistant, making them ideal for use in all kinds of environments.
  
  Additionally, mahogany handles are known to absorb sunlight, ensuring that the beautiful material does not fade away.
  
  
• Cons of a mahogany knife handle: Despite the durability of a mahogany handle, all wooden handles are more prone to scratches, dents, and moisture-related issues, necessitating extra careful handling and storage.

Our recommendations for knives with mahogany handles are:

1. Nakiri VG-10

Point: The durable mahogany handle pairs perfectly with the lightweight Nakiri, creating a balanced and enjoyable experience when using the knife. The rich mahogany adds both strength and elegance, complementing the knife's performance and making it a pleasure to handle.

2. Petty AUS-8

Point: The sturdy construction of this Petty knife’s mahogany handle ensures a comfortable grip, as well as long-lasting use, in any kitchen. This will prove helpful when working on intricate tasks usually assigned to Petty knives.

3. Santoku VG-1

Point: This Santoku’s mahogany handle adds a touch of elegance to the kitchen knife, while its design ensures practicality and comfort in use.

Stainless handle

What is a stainless handle? Stainless handles are the best option for first-time Japanese knife owners, since their features will be helpful for those not familiar with knife maintenance procedures.

• Pros of a stainless knife handle: Corrosion resistance is one of the main benefits to owning stainless handled Japanese knives.
  
  Beginners will also appreciate that it is safe to clean in the dishwasher, making it relatively easier to clean than other chef’s knives.
  
  
• Cons of a stainless knife handle: Stainless steel handles tend to have heavier weight properties compared to other materials. By default, they are smooth and slippery, which can limit grip unless they are textured.
  
  Additionally, they become even more slippery when wet, further compromising their handling performance.

Our recommendations for knives with stainless handles are:

1. Gyuto VG-5

Point: This Japanese knife is a great investment because of its ability to handle a variety of ingredients. Beginners will especially appreciate the stainless steel handle as well as the VG-5 stainless steel blade, which makes cleaning the knife easy and convenient.

2. Nakiri VG-5

Point: This Nakiri VG-5 knife is ideal for a home cook looking to enhance their kitchen skills. Its VG-5 stainless steel blade offers precise cutting for various ingredients, while its accompanying stainless steel handle ensures durability and easy maintenance.

3. Honesuki Boning Knife AUS-8

Point: A Honesuki knife was originally created for cutting up an entire chicken. Its pointed tip helps you get close to the bone and remove as much meat as you can, while the triangle-shaped heel is great for cutting through cartilage and separating joints.

The stainless steel handle is important because it provides a sturdy grip and is easy to clean, making your work in the kitchen more efficient.

Specialty Western handles

What is a speciality handle? Musashi Japan is a company that aims to preserve Japnaese culture through the support of craftsmen who have passed their skills on through generations.

With this, we frequently collaborate with expert craftsmen to bring to life one-of-a-kind knives to introduce to share with the world.

1. Petty VG-1

Point: Created by Yoshinobu Yamawaki, who has made it his mission to carry on the 600-year-old Sakai Hamono tradition, this knife is the product of a Japanese artisan with over 40 years of experience.

Featuring a green ceramic handle, as well as the impression of a dragon’s head at the base, this knife has been appropriately named Dragon Handle. 

Other styles of Japanese knives with this handle include:

• Santoku VG-1
• Gyuto VG-1

2. Santoku SG-2

Point: The handles of this knife are made with crushed turquoise from Aomori Prefecture. Created by the up-and-coming craftsmen, Nigara Forging, they are known for the uniquely eye-catching designs they add to their Japanese knives.

The turquoise blue and green handle collection not only features distinctive colored handles but also gold and copper detailing on its metal rivets. Knives with these handles come in either the Damascus or Tsuchime finish. 

What is a Damascus finish? A Damascus finish refers to the distinctive pattern created on a blade when multiple layers of different steels are combined. When it catches the light, it is particularly visually pleasing as the different metals in the blade shine – nickel brightens and carbon steel darkens. Characterized by a pattern of wavy lines, this finish is particularly eye-catching.

• Santoku SG-2 Damascus
• Gyuto SG-2 Damascus
• Bunka SG-2 Damascus

What is a Tsuchime finish? Tsuchime refers to a finish with distinctive hammer marks on the blade, creating indents along its side.

For more information on the classification of finishes, Musashi Japan has created a comprehensive guide to Japanese knife finishes! 

• Santoku SG-2 Tsuchime
• Gyuto SG-2 Tsuchime
• Kiritsuke Nakiri SG-2 Tsuchime
• Petty SG-2 Tsuchime
• Bunka SG-2 Tsuchime
• Kiritsuke Petty SG-2 Tsuchime

Want more knife content? Create your Musashi Japan account today to subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on new arrivals, restocks, and more!