Does a Chef knife or Santoku need to be deferentially heat treated?

[AVigil]

I am making a 7" Santoku from 01.

Do I need to draw the spine or can they be fully hardened?

 

[A C Richards]

It can be fully hardened. No knife HAS to be differentially heat treated. It adds another dimension to the blade though esp if you do a hamon.

 

[AVigil]

Thanks,

Good to know. I figured since it was not going to see any more action then vegetables it might not need it.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I fully harden all my culinary knives. (Most of them are stainless steel, and would have to be fully hardened ,anyway.)

 

[james terrio]

I figured since it was not going to see any more action then vegetables it might not need it.

I believe you are correct that a knife built for chopping food, not trees, does not need differential tempering. It may also be worth considering that steel is generally at its most corrosion-resistant, when it is fully hardened.