Traditionally, Japanese-style knives are inspired by katana swords, with sharper edges and better edge retention. Japanese-style knives are typically honed and refined by hand and fitted with a straighter edge than those of European-style knives. They’re thinner as well, usually consisting of a single bezel edge, and they are prone to rusting. They also usually contain more carbon steel or soft iron material than their European counterparts, which makes the knives harder, but not necessarily stronger. European-style knives, by contrast, are thicker, heavier, and stronger. Consisting of a rounder blade and finished by a machine instead of human hands, European-style blades are known for being more durable and made with less carbon in their steel than their Japanese counterparts - this means they aren’t as “hard,” but they also won’t break or chip as easily.