| The current centers of fine cutlery and chef knife | | | | 1980 they established a division in Solingen |
| manufacturing all have one very important thing in | | | | Germany. |
| common. That is a long history in the art of steel | | | | JA Henckels, the famous German company of |
| manufacture and they were all centers for their | | | | "Twins" fame returned the favor by establishing |
| individual countries in the sword making trade. In | | | | the Miyabi company in Seki in 2004. Their |
| more recent times these "sword centers" have | | | | Japanese line of knives melds the best of German |
| become "personal grooming" centers as well. | | | | steel making with the beauty and grace of |
| There are many "centers" in several countries; | | | | Japanese artistry. The steel smiths of Seki have |
| Thiers in France, Scheffield in England and Toledo | | | | taken their steel making to an art form, producing |
| in Spain are good examples. The two giants in the | | | | much harder steels than their German cousins. |
| industry today are Solingen in Germany and Seki | | | | Which is better? There is a trade-off, the high |
| in Japan. These two cities host a myriad of knife | | | | end German made and Japanese chef knives are |
| brands and are home to razor, personal grooming | | | | both beautiful. Both arrive from the factory with |
| and scissor companies as well. | | | | very sharp blades. Over time the softer steel |
| In Germany several companies the city of | | | | knives will dull more quickly than their harder |
| Solingen is home to several world famous | | | | counterparts. |
| companies. JA Henckels, Wustoff, Dovo, Boeker, | | | | The kicker is this, to sharpen a German steel, 20 |
| FDick, and Victorinox are all companies of | | | | degree beveled, knife requires much less effort. |
| international repute. Many of these companies are | | | | Five minutes on a 1000 grit stone, a steel and |
| directly associated with sword making going back | | | | maybe a strop and you are back in business. |
| for centuries. | | | | Versus the very hard Japanese steel 15 degree |
| In Seki you will find a similar situation; its | | | | beveled, which requires the 1000 grit stone and |
| craftsmen's centuries old association with the | | | | then a 6000 grit water stone to fine polish the |
| famous "Samurai" sword. When swords were | | | | edge and restore its' narrower edge. A |
| outlawed in 1876 the local smith's turned to | | | | professional can do this quickly, an amateur can |
| cutlery and began producing kitchen knives. Today | | | | easily make the knife duller than it was. In fact, |
| some of the industry leaders from are Kai, Mac, | | | | most of the Japanese companies recommend |
| Kasumi, Kanetsume, Global and a host of | | | | that the knife be returned for factory sharpening. |
| American companies whose knives are also made | | | | This has been simplified a bit as there are |
| here. | | | | certainly many knives from both Seki and |
| One of the largest companies in Seki is the Kai | | | | Solingen made with harder and softer steels. |
| group. It began in 1908 as a small manufacturer | | | | Today more than ever before there is so much |
| of pocket knives. Along the way it got involved in | | | | science an technology in developing steels that |
| razor's and personal grooming. Today there are | | | | each company works to develop the very best |
| several divisions and it is a giant in the fine kitchen | | | | product the consumer can buy. |
| cutlery and chef knife department. Interestingly in | | | | |