Kitchen Knives
Contents
- Introduction
- The Parts of a Knife
- The Handle
- The Material Used for the Blade
- Blade Construction
- Blade Edges
- The Cutting Edge
- Which Knives?
- Knife Care & Sharpening
Introduction
The knife is probably the most important utensil in the kitchen as it is essential for virtually all food preparation. A good sharp knife will help get the job done more effectively and with greater ease. Indeed a good sharp knife is safer and easier to use than a duller blade.
There have been some terrific developments in the knife industry in recent years as influences, primarily from Asia, have resulted in a much wider choice. It is important to understand the key differences between the different ranges – after all high quality knives are a big investment, the right knife could last you a lifetime so you want to make the right choice.
In choosing a knife you need to consider:
- How comfortable the knife is for you.
- The materials used in the make up of the knife.
- How easy the knife is to sharpen.
- The weight, strength and balance of the knife.
- The amount you want to spend.
The most important of these is comfort – a knife is a very personal choice as different individuals will prefer a different style of handle, design, weight and balance. The best way to choose a knife is to visit one of our stores where you can pick up and handle the knives and discuss the different ranges with us.
The Parts of a Knife
When choosing a knife it helps to understand how the different parts contribute to the overall performance of the knife.
The blade - will vary enormously in length, width, thickness, shape and flexibility. Each blade is designed for a particular task. The blade parts include - the heel, the edge, tip and point.
The edge - The cutting edge may be straight, fluted, serrated or scalloped, this will determine both the quality of the knife and what it can be used to cut.
The heel - This is the lower part of the blade next to the bolster or handle. A deeper heel allows the user to chop with the knife.
The bolster - This is the metal part of the knife between the actual blade and the handle. The bolster is the fulcrum or balance point of a knife. It adds weight and strength to higher quality knives and, most importantly it helps to prevent the hand from sliding down the handle and on to the blade. Lower priced knives do not always have a bolster or may have a false bolster – a metal collar applied to the knife so that the knife appears to have an integral bolster, a false bolster does not contribute to the strength of the knife and has little effect on the weight or balance.
The tang - This is the metal part of the knife that extends from the blade and bolster and in to the handle. The strength and balance of the knife will be improved with a larger tang and it generally follows that the superior quality knife will have a full tang. A full tang is the flattened out shape of the whole handle, this can be clearly seen on some knives as it is sandwiched by the wood or plastic parts of the handle.
An intermediate, or three quarter tang will be flat and extend part way along the handle. While a whittle or pin tang is a narrow strip of metal that extends into the handle.
The tang cannot be seen on some knives as it is completely enclosed within a moulded handle, the weight and relative price of the knife will help in identifying whether the tang within the handle is a pin, three quarter or full tang.
The rivets – These are seen on traditional knives as they attach the handles to the tang. In some lower priced ranges the rivets are false and are there for appearance only. Traditionally rivets are made of brass, but some knives have aluminium rivets which are not as hard wearing as brass.
The handle - The shape and material of the handle will directly affect the overall comfort of the knife – you will have your own preferences.
The Handle
The shape and material of the handle will be a vital factor in deciding the comfort of the knife. A good handle will provide grip even when the hands are wet or sticky. A quality knife will have better seals between the handle, tang and blade – be aware that bacteria could gather in any cracks in the handle of an inferior knife.
- • A metal handle will be welded to the bolster or blade - as with a Global knife.
- • A composition handle will be moulded or glued to the bolster and tang – as with a Henckels Four Star knife.
- • A riveted handle will consist of two pieces, typically of wood or plastic, attached to either side of the tang and held in place by rivets – as with Lion Sabatier.
The Material Used For The Blade
The steel used for the blade determines the quality, sharpness and care of the knife.
Stainless steel
An alloy of iron, containing approximately 10-15% of chromium, some nickel and a small amount of carbon. The proportion of chrome and nickel generally defines the quality of the stainless steel. The best quality is 18/10, that is 18% chromium and 10% nickel. The chromium adds rust resistance and shine, the nickel adds toughness. Knives made of 18/10 are usually inexpensive, the edge created in factory conditions may be very sharp but it is difficult to maintain or restore that edge in the domestic kitchen.
Carbon steel
Carbon knives typically include 1% carbon added to an iron alloy without any chrome or nickel. Carbon steel knives are easier to sharpen and hold an edge for longer than stainless steel, but they will rust if left damp and will stain with certain acidic food such as lemons. The maintenance and care required for carbon steel has led to a decline in popularity with both domestic cooks and professional chefs.
High carbon stainless steel
A combination of both stainless and carbon steel creates the best of both worlds. A high carbon stainless steel knife is resistant to rust or staining, it’s very hard and, with regular sharpening it will hold a great edge. This is a popular choice for quality knives.
Laminated steel or three-ply
This Asian design combines two steels to create an efficient sandwich, with the more brittle steel in the centre to form a sharp, more easily maintained edge which is protected by a sandwich of a softer but tougher steel.
Folded steel – or Damascus steel
The Japanese have developed the folded steel design to create an attractive yet strong and very sharp blade. The blade is constructed of many layers of soft and hard steel with a central layer of very hard steel for the cutting edge. The layers are heated, folded and hammered many times to create soft layers that act as shock absorbers for the hard steel which is very brittle. The knives are easily identified by the patterned blades as the layering creates a wavy design in the metal, not unlike a watermark.
A relatively large amount of highly skilled man hours are required to produce these knives, hence the knives are at the upper end of the price scale. Both folded and laminated steel knives are Asian in origin and are designed for fine slicing rather than chopping.
Ceramic
This is the hardest material available for knife manufacture and will hold a fantastic edge for the longest time. However, the blade will chip quite easily and it will break if it is dropped. These blades require specialist sharpening with a diamond sharpener – fortunately they hold their edge very well and need little sharpening. Ceramic blades will not react to chemicals and will not discolour or taint any food. These knives tend to be lighter and have plastic handles.
Blade Construction
The European knives with stainless steel, carbon steel or high carbon steel blades are typically produced in one of two ways:
- • A fully forged blade – is shaped out of one piece of steel, so that the blade and tang are all one piece. The metal is tempered (heated and cooled) in the manufacturing process, this develops the hardness, density and flexibility of the blade.
Compared to a stamped blade a forged knife is generally stronger and more balanced, they are also easier to sharpen and, with care, will last for many years. The Asian knives are produced using the method of folding or laminating the steel, as described above, ‘The Material used for the Blade’.
- • A stamped blade - is cut out of a flat strip of steel and then honed to create the finished shape. These knives do not have an integral bolster and typically have just a half tang, they tend to lack weight and balance but are lower priced than forged knives.
Blade Edges
Bevelled edge
The blade is tapered from the back of the knife then bevelled on the edge and ground to an angle of 20-25º. The sharp edge and tapering blade helps the knife to chop easily through food. This type of edge is often seen in European knives.
Taper ground edge
Typically Asian in design and made with a harder steel so that the blade can take a longer, thinner and sharper edge. A taper edge is ground to between 10-15º and will slice thinly and give a cleaner cut. These blades will require less frequent but more thorough sharpening.
Hollow ground edge
A ground edge can be seen on lower priced knives. Much of the blade is flat and the edge is hollow ground on either side to create a finer edge. These knives require minimal maintenance. The edge is machine ground and will retain its sharpness for sometime but once blunt it will be virtually impossible to sharpen with domestic sharpeners.
The Cutting Edge
The edge of the blade will be straight, fluted, serrated or scalloped.
Straight edges are on most general preparation knives. A straight edge is ideal for chopping and slicing through food.
Fluted edges are applied to some blades. The dimples create both a thinner blade and little air pockets between the blade and the food, this helps to slice through food more easily. Fluted blades are particularly useful as slicing and carving knives especially for cold meats and smoked salmon.
Serrated edges actually tear through food and are ideal for certain tasks. A bread knife always has a serrated or scalloped blade that can cut more easily through the crust. Smaller knives with a serrated edge make easy work of slicing food with a hard skin such as cucumber, tomatoes and lemons.
Scalloped edges are like an enlarged serration as the points have clearly defined crescents separating them. The points will cut through a hard, outer crust or skin. These knives can be used for the same foods as serrated knives and they are also suitable for slicing cold meats. Both serrated and scalloped edge knives are difficult to sharpen, however they retain their edge for a long time.
Which Knives?
Having chosen the range of knives you prefer you now need to select which knives within the range you need.
Ideally you need a minimum of four different knives in your kitchen:-
- • A paring knife (approx.10cm/4”) for the preparation of small fruit and vegetables.
- • A larger cook’s knife (approx. 20cm/8”) with a rigid blade for chopping and the preparation of larger foodstuffs.
- • A carving or slicing knife (approx. 27cm/10”) for slicing meat, poultry or ham.
- • A serrated bread knife (approx.27cm/10”).
The shape of the blade – The length, width and level of flexibility of a blade will determine what the knife should be used to do. The cutting edge is also vital – is it straight, fluted, serrated or scalloped?
A paring knife is a small knife with a plain edged, rigid blade, typically 6–10cm / 2½-4” long. This is an all purpose knife for all sorts of tasks such as working with small fruit and vegetables, de-veining shrimps or cutting small garnishes.
Also known as a ‘bird’s beak’ or ‘peeling’ knife. The blade is short (about 6cm / 2½” long), curved and rigid. It is used for peeling and turning vegetables (cutting barrel shaped vegetables).
A broad, rigid blade between 15–30cm / 6–12” long. This general purpose knife is used for the preparation of large fruit, vegetables and meat. The blade has a heel so that the knife is ideal for chopping herbs and onions – you’ve seen the TV chefs hold the tip of the blade on the board between forefinger and thumb and rock the knife by lifting the handle with the other hand.
The narrow, flexible blade will be between 15-28cm / 6-11” long. The flexibility enables the blade to cut against the bones of a piece of fish.
The blade is typically broader and less flexible than a filleting knife, but narrower than a Cook’s knife. It is usually between 20-38cm / 8-15” long and is used for slicing or carving joints of meat, poultry and ham.
A boning knife is used to remove meat from the bone. The blade is usually about 12-15cm / 5-6” long and is always narrow so that it can cut in and around small spaces and along the length of a bone. A rigid boning knife is ideal for beef, pork and lamb, while a flexible blade is more suitable for poultry and fish.
The serrated blade of a bread knife is usually 15–25cm / 6–10” long. The serrations will tear through the hard surface of a loaf of bread, whereas a straight edged blade would be far less efficient as the downward pressure could result in a squashed loaf!
A rigid, serrated blade about 10-15cm / 4-6” long. As with the bread knife the serrations will easily cut through the hard skin of a tomato or cucumber and will make much easier work of cutting and segmenting grapefruit and oranges.
This Asian blade has a broad, rigid, roughly oblong shaped blade. The edge is either straight or scalloped. A good santoku knife is extremely sharp and is ideal for chopping and slicing vegetables.
A broad, oblong blade measuring approximately 18–22cm / 7-8.5" in length. Similar in use to a Santoku knife this is a general purpose cook’s knife for cutting, cubing and slicing vegetables – often used by professionals for preparing a stir fry. Although called a cleaver, the blade has a fine edge and must not be used for chopping bones.
A similar shaped blade to a Chinese cleaver but a heavier weight. A meat cleaver is designed for chopping through bones and bone joints, it will also cut through large pieces of meat and can cope with extra tough sinews. If chopping through a bone, the cleaver must be heavy duty – the bigger the bone the bigger the cleaver needs to be, on large bones a saw will help do much of the work.
A long, rigid blade with jagged serrations that are off set alternately to left and right, this helps with the tough job of sawing through frozen food.
Knife Care & Sharpening
Knives should be stored in a knife block, magnetic rack (with the tips pointing up) or in a canvas roll. It is potentially dangerous to store knives loose in a drawer – the blades may get damaged or you could cut your hands. Plastic knife covers provide a low priced effective way of protecting the blade and your hands.
A wooden or plastic (polyethylene) board is much kinder to your knife than a metal, glass or marble board, these are not meant to be used as chopping boards as they may blunt or damage knives.
Cleaning knives
All knives should preferably be carefully washed by hand, some knives can be cleaned in the dishwasher but at Kitchens we advise against this – if you really want to put them in the dishwasher then please ask us or check the manufacturer’s instructions.
Knife sharpening
Knives should be kept sharp at all times. A sharp, well honed knife will cut through food easily and is a pleasure to use. A blunt knife can be frustrating to use and it is potentially more dangerous as greater force is required and it could slip off, or squash the food rather cut into it.
Knife sharpening is a process of either realigning the edge of a knife to re-create the sharp edge or of grinding a completely new edge on to the blade. Ideally you should aim to maintain a good edge on your knives, don’t allow them to get really blunt as it’s harder to get the edge back on a neglected knife.
Most European knives such as Henckels Four Star and Lion Sabatier are ground to an angle of 20-25º whereas Asian knives, such as Global and I O Shen have a finer edge at 10-15º. The different types of knives will require different sharpening processes. European knives need to be sharpened little and often, Asian knives should be sharpened less frequently but more thoroughly.
The sharpening steel is a rod of hard steel, diamond coated steel or ceramic held in place by a handle. Steels are more suited to European style knives. The fine angle of Japanese blades makes them difficult to sharpen on a steel and in any case these knives generally incorporate a very hard steel in the blade that will not be sharpened by a steel.
A steel works by honing, or re-aligning the cutting edge. They are a maintenance tool and are fantastic for keeping a knife sharp but they cannot re-create an edge or rescue a very blunt knife. The coarser the steel the more it will wear the blade, while a smoother steel, or ceramic will gently hone the edge.
Hard steel – is coarser and more effective on a duller blade.
Diamond coated steel – is the professional’s choice and great for maintaining a good edge.
Ceramic – is very smooth and ideal for gentle honing. Although a good tool a ceramic steel is brittle and could break if it was dropped.
After using a steel use a damp cloth to wipe the blade and the steel to remove any swarf (metal filings). Steels do wear and need replacing if the metal has become so smooth that it has little or no effect on the knife blade.
It requires a bit of practice to use a steel, if used incorrectly you can cause more harm than good and you end up with a knife that is actually more blunt! Don’t imagine you have to use a steel with the dextrous speed and skill shown by professional chefs and butchers. There is a much easier, slower way to use a steel that is just as successful, you just need to follow some basic rules.
1. The blade must be held at the correct angle to the steel.
The easiest way for most people to use a steel is to begin by resting the steel vertically on your work surface, put the tip on a damp cloth to prevent it from slipping and hold it in your left hand (if you are right handed).
Now take your chosen knife and place the heel of the blade (the end nearest the handle) against the top of the steel at the required angle. A European blade should be between 20-25º while an Asian blade should be 10-15º.
To find the right angle start with the blade at right angles, or 90º to the steel, tilt the blade half way up to 45º, now halfway again to 22.5º for European blades, then halfway again for Asian blades.
2. Be sure to ‘pull’ the entire blade across the steel.
Pull the knife across the steel from heel to tip. This does not have to be fast and furiously but must be controlled.
3. Apply even pressure.
To know you are using the right amount of pressure imagine you are cutting a fine slice off the steel.
4. Do the same number of strokes to both sides of the blade.
Be sure to do alternate strokes to each side so that both sides of the blade maintain the same edge.
These work like mini steels as they are designed to hone and maintain a sharp edge and yet require less practice and skill than a steel. The mini steels, diamond powder pads or ceramic wheels are set at the appropriate angle for sharpening either European or Asian blades – be sure to check you purchase the right sharpener for your knives.
To use these sharpeners simply drag the entire length of the blade through the fixed ‘V’ shaped channel. Repeat the action until the blade has been successful honed.
Electric sharpeners
Electric sharpeners have greatly improved in recent years and are now the preferred option by many home cooks. The better quality electric sharpeners can produce a fantastic quality edge with minimum skill and practice.
Choose an electric sharpener with two slots. The first, coarser slot can rescue blunt knives and actually re-grind the blade. The second, finer slot will finely hone and maintain a good edge.
Electric sharpeners are available for either European or Asian knives – be sure to buy the one that suits your knives.
A step up from Granny’s back doorstep! A whetstone is the preferred choice of many professionals, especially those with Asian knives, as it can form a new edge on a knife and will also hone and maintain a blade. However, like a steel, it does require a little practice and skill to use a whetstone properly – but if you want superb results it is worth learning how to use one.
Whetstones are made of ceramic or aluminium oxide - ceramic is harder wearing. The coarseness or smoothness of a whetstone is graded by a ‘grit number’. This refers to the size and number of particles that the whetstone is made of. The lower the grit number the coarser the whetstone; the higher, the smoother.
Typical grit numbers are:
240 = Coarse
1000 = Medium
3000 = Fine
6000 = Super fine
8000 = Ultra fine
The smoothest or sharpest edge is achieved on a higher grit number. A coarser stone is needed to form or re-grind the edge which should then be polished on a finer stone. If you intend to have only one stone then choose a medium, 1,000 grit stone.
Before using the stone check the manufacturer’s instructions with regard to pre-soaking. The stone will probably have to be soaked in water for twenty minutes prior to use.
To use a whetstone:
- 1. Place the whetsone on a flat surface. Putting it on a damp cloth will give more stability.
- 2. Use your preferred hand to hold the edge of the blade against the whetstone and at the appropriate angle for the type of knife (10-15º for an Asian knife or 20-25º for European knife). It’s possible to buy a guide that attaches to the knife to ensure the correct angle is maintained.
- 3. Place two fingers from your other hand on top of the blade, towards the lower edge, apply gentle pressure and rub the same section of blade backwards and forwards along the stone. Work on small sections of one side of the blade at a time.
- 4. Continue the action until you can feel a slight burr on the other side of the knife edge.
- 5. Work the whole blade in sections along one side then turn the knife over and work along the other side.
- 6. Having honed the entire knife on a coarser stone you should do the same again on a finer stone.
- 7. Finally, to tidy up the edge completely, brush the edge of the blade backwards and forwards against a tough material such as leather, canvas or a thick cotton – in the same way the barbers will finish sharpening a cut-throat razor by rubbing it against a leather strop.
Ceramic knives - must be professionally sharpened. We can arrange for ceramic knives bought from Kitchens to be re-sharpened.
Fusion® knives - the blade edge on these knives has been fused with tungsten carbide to create a long lasting sharp edge, these knives must not be sharpened.
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