Which Miyabi Artisan Set to Buy? Review

First you’ll need to check out all features of the Miyabi Artisan knife line in order to see if it fits your preferences regarding knife construction and design. Second, you have to view each set and decide what tools you need or don’t and pick the one that fits your needs best. In order to make your life easier in deciding whether you should buy a Miyabi Artisan set or, which Artisan set to buy, we have prepared this detailed article with all you need to know in order to make the right choice.

Miyabi Artisan Set – Knife Features

The Miyabi Artisan knives are probably some of the most beautiful knives sold by Miyabi. You get handcrafted knives embodying elements of design and production from both Japanese and German knife making traditions. Miyabi is a Zwilling J.A. Henckels brand that makes its blades in Seki, Japan. Thus we can say you get the best of both worlds when it comes to design and construction.

All Artisan knives from the sets have a 3 layer construction with a SG2 micro carbide powdered steel core, CRYODUR hardened, and Honbazuke sharpened. This all means you get a knife with an impressive edge retention, that comes extremely sharp out of the box. But when we look at these high-end knives the specs are not enough. Thus, design is also a factor to take into consideration.

When it comes to design, these knives shine through the bunch. They are just beautiful to look at. First you notice that the blade fits seemingly to the handle. Second, the chromed, hammered finish on the sides of the blade captures your sight. And third, you feel the exceptional finish and craftsmanship of the knife on your fingertips. Because of its design and quality you can understand why the line is called “Artisan”. Only a artist could achieve such a masterpiece..

Blade

The core of the blade is made from SG2 which is a micro carbide powdered steel that reaches a hardness of 63 HRC on the Rockwell scale. The construction of the blade is made by cladding, thus the MC63 core is covered in layers of nickel and stainless steel that protect it from corrosion or rust. Only the best materials are used in creating the Artisan knives. But, the material alone does not make the whole knife.

As we got used to Miyabi, the Japanese tradition in building a knife (in this case the laminating process) is paired with German hardening techniques. Thus, in order for the knife’s edge to reach 63 HRC but still stay flexible the blades are hardened using Zwilling’s CRYODUR process. When reaching this point in production the Artisan knives are heated in vacuum sealed ovens before they are cooled and ice frozen to -320 Fahrenheit. This ensures you get a high quality blade that will last a very long time.

When you buy a Miyabi Artisan knife, know that the edges are 9 to 12 degree honbazuke sharpened. This means that the Artisan knives come extremely sharp out of the box. The steep angle of 9 to 12 degrees is very impressive, making it possible to easily slice vegetables clean through. But what’s the use of a steep angle without proper sharpening? Thus the Artisan line is Honbazuke sharpened. Through this process the blades are first ground and then sharpened on rotating stones. Before they receive a scalpel like edge by being polished on leather belts.

Handle

The handle of every Artisan knife is truly special. The design is unique as it is basically a D-shaped Japanese handle but has a bit of a belly shaped under-side. The Artisan line embodies elements of western knives (belly shape) with traditional Japanese features (D-shaped handles). Thus, you will feel a surprising comfort and sturdiness when holding this knife, even if you have small hands.

The Artisan knives are featured with a Cocobolo Rosewood pakkawood handle. No other material could do justice to this exceptional blade. But, to enhance the beauty of the knife even more, Miyabi, has also fitted a stainless steel end cap and bolster with red spacers and a beautiful mosaic pin in the center. With all these elements combined the knife really looks as an artist’s masterpiece.

Which Miyabi Artisan Set is Best?

In order to answer this question, you first need to know that the Miyabi Artisan set comes in 3 versions. The 2, 7 and 10 piece sets are intended for 3 different types of users. If you are a beginner you will probably choose the 2 piece set. While, if you are more experienced and want to get the most balanced Miyabi Artisan set, you would probably buy the 7 piece. And finally if you want almost everything on offer from the line you will be inclined on choosing the 10 piece set.

But this is not everything that sets these set’s apart. So let’s unbox each set and see what you actually get.

Miyabi Artisan Set 2 piece

The smallest set on offer in the Artisan line contains 2 basic knives. A 3.5 inch Paring knife and a 6 inch Chef’s knife. Almost 90% of all peeling, cutting, slicing and dicing work you will ever do will be based on using these 2 types of knives. Thus the set is a very good option for a beginner that doesn’t mind the budget.

Miyabi Artisan 3.5 inch Paring Knife

The 3.5 inch paring knife in the Artisan line is something really special. At 3.5 inches the knife size is perfect for peeling or the most advanced intricate work you intend on doing on vegetables and fruit. Because of its construction the knives edge will last you a very long time before it needs any sharpening or maintaining, It stays sharp as a scalpel.

Miyabi Artisan 6 inch Chef Knife

The Artisan 6 inch Chef knife has a short blade for most professional chef’s that require cutting large amounts as fast as possible. But, for a beginner cook or a cook that intends on doing a lot of prep work the knife is just perfect. Because of the 6 inch blade, the knife can be used comfortably and with ease by any user. Also the corrosion resistance and high edge retention is also recommended for a beginner which can’t be bothered with maintenance all day long.

Miyabi Artisan Set 7 Piece Block

The bigger brother of the 2 piece Artisan set is the 7 piece set. This set is intended for people with a certain knowledge about knives and cooking, simply by offering a wider range of knives and maintenance equipment. Thus, you will get the basic chef knife, paring and bread knife with an extra Santoku for chopping. Also you will receive alongside, a pair of kitchen shears, a knife block and a sharpening steel. Basically almost everything you will ever need to prepare a perfect dish.

Miyabi Artisan 3.5 inch Paring Knife

The 3.5 inch Artisan paring knife is featured in all 3 Artisan line sets. After the chef’s knife, the paring knife is probably second most important knife between your kitchen cutting equipment. Imagine, it would be pretty hard to peel or do intricate work with any other long blade. Thus this tool is indispensable in any set.

Miyabi Artisan 8 inch Chef’s Knife

Compared to the Artisan 2 piece knife set, the 6 inch chef’s knife is replaced by a 8 inch long knife. The 8 inch size is an intermediate size for a chef knife. Thus it is the perfect size for most users who have a certain degree of comfort in handling a longer blade. Also, the Miyabi Artisan 8 inch chef knife is one of the best sold products in the line showing the users confidence in the product.

Miyabi Artisan 9 inch Bread Knife

The bread knife is also a basic knife alongside the chef’s and paring knife. Because of its serrated edge the knife makes easy slicing of ingredients, with a hard exterior and and a soft interior, possible. For example to slice bread with a slicing knife would be very hard to achieve without squishing the ingredient. The serrations help the blade slide through without having to exert pressure, ending in a perfect slice.

Miyabi Artisan 7 inch Santoku Knife

The santoku knife is also a general purpose knife like the chef’s knife. The difference is in the shape and wider blade which usually features a graton edge in westernized models. These granton indentations help air pocket form in between your slices so that they won’t stick to the blade’s surface. But the Miyabi Artisan Santoku doesn’t need them as it has the Tsuchime Hammered Finish which takes the role of the Granton edge.

Miyabi Artisan Kitchen Shears

Kitchen shears are always useful. When opening a bag of ingredients or even when portioning a roast chicken, the kitchen shears will always make your job easier. But these tools are optional. You can always open a plastic bag or portion your chicken with a knife. Even though, it will always be easier with shears.

Miyabi Artisan 9 inch Sharpening Steel

When buying such high-end knives you should always keep in mind that in order for them to stay in proper shape you have to do regular maintenance. Here is where the sharpening steel comes into play. The steel or hone is used to bring the blade’s edge back into it;’s original form. If regular honing is not employed, your knife’s edge will slowly tilt to one side and the knife will become blunt.

Miyabi Bamboo Block

Another aspect to keep in mind is storing your knives. If you just keep your knives between other knives, kitchen equipment and tools, they will hit each other, scratch or even nick. Thus a knife block is a great way to store them. But, not every knife block fits every knife. Thus, to be sure, it is easiest to pick a block from the same brand and line of knives.

Miyabi Artisan Set 10 Piece Magnetic Knife Block

• One 3.5 inch Paring Knife
• One 5 inch Utility Knife
• One 7 inch Santoku Knife
• One 6 inch Chef’s Knife
• One 8 inch Chef’s Knife
• One 9.5 inch Slicing Knife
• One 9 inch Bread Knife
• One Piece Kitchen Shears
• One 9 inch Miyabi Sharpening Steel
• One Miyabi Magnetic Easel Block

The Artisan 10 Piece Magnetic Knife Block set is the largest on offer, on this line. Basically you get all the knives featured in the 7 piece set, plus an extra 6 inch chef knife, a utility knife and a slicing knife. Thus, you will have a total of 3 chopping knives with which you can do most of the cutting work needed in a kitchen. You also get, a paring and a utility knife for peeling and and slicing larger vegetables. Plus, a bread and slicing knife to complete the knife collection. Of course you also get the kitchen shears and sharpening steel, all of which are placed on the magnetic knife block. But let’s take a closer look at what is different in the Artisan 10 piece set.

Miyabi Artisan 5 inch Utility Knife

The utility knife is great knife to have in your knife tools collection. When you do prep work you always find that veg that is is too big for a paring knife but probably a bit too small to be handled with a chef knife. You will find that you also get this issue when slicing sandwich meats In this case, the Artisan utility knife becomes a useful tool that will be used quite often in a household.

Miyabi Artisan 9.5 inch Slicing Knife

The slicing knife is probably the most welcomed addition to the 10 piece Artisan set. As you might have seen we sometimes complain that there are no slicing or carving knives on average size sets. Even though, it would be easy to change that extra chopping knife or any other blade that you use less, with a slicing knife. Just imagine slicing a wide piece of roast with a chef’s knife. First the blade is wide so the slice will stick to the blade. Second, the shorter blade will probably pierce and slash the slice and roast while trying to portion it. Thus a 9.5 inch slicing knife is always a welcomed addition.

Miyabi Magnetic Easel Bamboo Block

When choosing a classic knife block set we usually advise people to choose one from the same brand and even knife line that their knives comes from. We do this because some knives could be of different size to the block’s slots thus, the they won’t fit. But, in the case of the Miyabi magnetic bamboo block this is not the case. As the knives are applied on the wooden/magnetic surface, you can store any knives you want. For this fact the block gets a big plus.

Do you like any Miyabi Artisan set? If you do, why not check out the entire Miyabi Artisan knives line to get a complete view of everything that’s on offer. But if you don’t get a general idea with our overall best knife sets from top brands.