When shopping for new kitchen knives, many people get fixated on aesthetics or focus entirely on steel type and edge retention. But there's something more foundational that's often overlooked: the knife's blade construction.

How kitchen knives are built, from the type of steel, the number of layers, and whether it's stamped or forged, can all impact their performance, durability, flexibility, ease of sharpening, maintenance, and price. In this guide, we'll break down the three (actually four) most common blade constructions in Japanese and Western knives: Monosteel,  San Mai, and Damascus.

Whether you're just getting into kitchen knives, are a proficient home cook, or an experienced chef that's looking to expand their knife collection, understanding the construction method of your next blade will help you choose the best knife for your budget and maintenance preferences.

All images are linked to specific knives or collections, so if something catches your eye, give it a click or tap!

Monosteel kitchen knives are made with one piece of steel throughout the blade, sometimes expanding into the bolster and tang of the knife's handle. These are more common in Western knives and budget-friendly Japanese options. They're typically easier to manufacture, whether they're fully forged or stamped. 

Classic German knives, such as those by Zwilling and Wusthof, typically feature a fully forged, full-tang, monosteel blade. There is no core, no cladding, and aside from rivets or inlays in the handle, there is no other metal used. 

Most Western-style kitchen knives are made from softer stainless steel, typically with a Rockwell hardness of between 54 and 58, which makes them very easy to maintain, hone, and sharpen.

Flexible knives, such as boning, fillet, and some carving knives, are often made with a monosteel construction and a lower Rockwell hardness, which allows them to bend without breaking.

Meanwhile, some kitchen knives, such as those by Global from Japan, have a monosteel appearance throughout the entire knife. Although the blades of Global knives are made with a single piece of steel, they are actually welded to another steel type that makes up the handle. 

Monosteel blades can have various knife finishes, including polished, sandblasted, stonewashed, and kurouchi, but they generally have one type of finish.

Although most budget-friendly knives feature a monosteel blade, some outliers are hand-forged or crafted using various techniques that can enhance their value.

MONOSTEEL BLADE RECAP:

• Often lower Rockwell, so they are very durable
• Many budget-friendly options
• Widely available
• Available with hollows on the side for food release

San mai means "three-layer" in Japanese. A San mai knife has a hard steel core, usually high-carbon, semi-stainless, rust-resistant, or stainless steel that forms the cutting edge and the "skeletal structure" of the knife, which is then sandwiched between two softer layers of steel, also known as clad. These cladding layers protect the core and influence how the knife looks and performs.

San mai blades are traditionally Japanese, but makers all over the world utilize this style.

It's easy to see the san mai cladding line on most san mai kitchen knives, but you don't always see the layers from the spine, as you can with the Shiro Kamo Gyuto seen below.

Most san mai knives have stainless steel cladding, which protects the core steel, especially if it's made with carbon steel. So, that layer of stainless steel on each side drastically reduces the potential wear and tear of the core steel and minimizes the amount of the blade that will patina, or potentially rust if not cared for properly.

San mai blades can have a variety of finishes, ranging from completely polished throughout, also known as migaki for Japanese knives, to a mix of finishes.

The easiest way to detect a san mai blade is by looking just above the sharpened edge, where you'll find the wavy line that shows where the cladding meets the core steel. Remember, with a san mai blade, the core steel is what gets sharpened and does all the slicing!

SAN MAI BLADE RECAP:

• Cladding protects the core steel
• A wide variety of core steels are used that vary in their Rockwell Hardness
• Stainless cladding makes carbon steel cores easier to maintain
• More finishing options compared to monosteel blades

Think san mai, but instead of the core being sandwiched between two layers of steel, many kitchen knives have Damascus cladding, which consists of many layers of alternating steels. The number of layers will vary, and how many you see will also vary depending on the direction of the Damascus and the grind of the knife.

Below is the Enso SG2, with an SG2 stainless steel core and 101 layers of stainless Damascus cladding. You can see the exposed SG2 core along the sharpened edge, a slight polished gap, and then the wavy Damascus layers all along the side. In the case of the Enso SG2, the 101 layers would be the total layers of varying steels on both sides of the blade. 

The types of steel used for Damascus cladding aren't usually shared by the maker, as it's generally softer, and since it doesn't affect performance and is more so for looks, what it's made from isn't much of an announcement. When a kitchen knife with any cladding is explained, it's usually a simple description such as carbon steel, stainless, soft iron, or Damascus cladding.

The Miyabi Birchwood is another example of 101 layers of Damascus Cladding. The Enso HD features 37 layers of Damascus cladding with a VG10 core, complemented by a hammered or tsuchime finish on the top half of the blade.

Meanwhile, the Hatuskokoro Kumokage features an Aogami #2 Blue core, followed by hazy Damascus cladding (layers not identified by the maker) and a kurouchi finish that's lacquered for protection.

Some kitchen knives, such as the Kramer Damascus, Zwilling Tanrei, and the Nigara Anmon, not only feature multiple layers of alternative steel types in their Damascus cladding design, but also exhibit different textures within the steels, which are created by an oxidation process, giving them a deep-etched Damascus look and feel.

DAMASCUS CLADDING BLADE RECAP:

• Everything from the San Mai list, with the addition of some absolutely stunning-looking blades!
• Tsuchime finish often replaces hollows, still aiding in food release, and aesthetics

A true Damascus blade is constructed by welding together different steel billets in alternating layers and then forging the knife with various folding and twisting techniques to achieve unique designs and patterns. There is no core or cladding; the same steels at the sharpened edge are the same on the side of the blade, along the spine, and into the handle. The more the layers are folded or twisted, or both, the more layers you'll see.

Four pieces of steel folded in half become eight, folded again become 16, and again become 32, throw a twist in there and a few extra folds, and next thing you know, you're seeing dozens of layers of spiraling, layered Damascus.

Damascus blades vary in their appearance, depending on the forging or finishing process, like soaking in coffee or an acid bath for a few hours. A coreless Damascus blade is usually one that the maker wants to show off, so the pattern is often noticeable throughout the entire blade. Some Damascus layers are tight throughout the blade, while others consist of tight waves in some areas and then larger gaps in other parts of the blade.

DAMASCUS BLADE RECAP:

• Generally hand-forged and ideal for knife enthusiasts and collectors
• Beautiful and unique designs
• Many one-off, limited releases are available
• More affordable, mass-produced options still look and perform fantastically

A simple example of Damascus blade construction is the Shun Dual Core collection, which includes the original Dual Core, as well as the Shiranami and Nagare series. These series consist of alternating layers of VG2 and VG10 stainless steels.

Let's break down how to pick the best kitchen knife for your chopping style, how much you want to put into maintenance, and of course, your budget. Keep in mind that this chart is based on averages; there are always outliers like the Miyabi Black 66 Rockwell or the $350 Kramer Carbon 2.0 Monosteel kitchen knives.

Regardless of what knife you choose, whether it's based on looks or your budget, something to keep in mind is that higher Rockwell kitchen knives require a bit more TLC than those made with softer steel.

Most monosteel blades can handle any cutting technique, since they are generally low to mid-range on the Rockwell scale. However, once you get above 61-63 Rockwell, you want to use a delicate touch when rock chopping, and preferably on a soft to medium hard wood or soft synthetic board. Super thin, higher Rockwell knives at 64+, both stamped and forged, require a soft board and are most suited for tap and push chopping.

Now that you understand how the majority of kitchen knives are constructed, you can decide which type is best to add to your collection next! Keep in mind that even collectors with super high-end and expensive knives love to have some softer monosteel blades in their collection; certain jobs require specific knives!