The shape of the curve (or lack of curve) of the edge of a culinary knife reflects a particular culinary tradition as well as the ethos underlying that tradition‘s style(s) of preparation.
In addition to your own personal body mechanics and culinary aspirations, how you learn to use your knife and what you plan to use it for will invariably help dictate the ideal shape of that curve for you.
A German chef’s knife will have a distinct ‘belly’, or continuous curve to it’s edge and favor a ‘rocking’ cutting style. A French version of that knife will have a much straighter section from just past the heel to about two thirds of the way up towards the tip, facilitating slicing as well as chopping. Both will curve up significantly in the last inch or two towards the tip.
American chefs knives’ edges will traditionally lean towards the French, while an Italian knife will have an edge that stays the straightest and flattest until it gets close to the tip.
The Japanese version (called Gyuto) of the western chef’s knife has an edge that follows reasonably closely the French tradition but curves up less toward the tip. As well, the Gyuto presents the edge at a slightly different angle to its own spine than any of its European or American counterparts.
