Kitchen Knives Overview

A glance through the knife bag of any professional chef…

…can leave you dazed.

What do you do when there are so many different types…

…and styles of these essential kitchen tools to choose from?

How do you know which to choose for your favorite recipes?

In the end, there is no one clear answer to this question.

What’s the point? Every cook will have their own unique knife needs…

…based on their own habits and preferences…

…just as each cook has their own unique needs.

We’ve put together this handy guide on all things knives…

…so you can start building your own collection.

An essential tool for every kitchen…

Think again if you think that amassing a diverse collection of knives is simply a luxury.

You can achieve optimal results in the kitchen by choosing the right knife.

When preparing food, selecting the right knife is crucial…

…whether you’re trying to save time, create a particular texture…

…or prevent injuries and promote safety.

Food products as well as the user can be damaged when using the wrong knife.

In the kitchen knife is the single most important tool…

…according to most professional chefs.

The process of purchasing a knife is only the first step.

It is equally important to learn how to use each knife in your collection.

Chefs must practice for many years…

…before they are comfortable performing a wide range of tasks in the kitchen.

Practice makes perfect, as with nearly everything in life.

Let’s hear Andrea’s story first…

Hi, I’m Leona, and I’m passionate about cooking!

Due to my small hands, I tend to use the Santoku more frequently than a chef’s knife.

Garlic and lemongrass are the two things I crush with my cleaver most often.

I use a Santoku knife and a pair of shears

for almost everything I do as a casual home cook.

Also included is a peeling knife.

However, I have some friends who are more dedicated

and actually own and use all the kitchen knives, and some even rarer ones.

They have me a little jealous..

Now, let’s get started…

History of Kitchen Knives

Knives are the oldest and most basic tools in mankind…

…from which all other types of knives or any other cutting tools were derived.

With so many different uses for a tool…

…it is no wonder that the knife is one of the most versatile.

From survival to food preparation to construction…

…the knife is used for a wide range of activities.

Prehistoric men used small stones…

…or pebbles to cut animal carcasses before knives were invented.

In the Stone Age, prehistoric men struck two stones together…

…and sharpened one of those stones to create crude cutting edges.

This resulted in the world’s first knife.

During the prehistoric period, mankind improved the process…

…of turning stones into various tools, including knives.

The stones were also shaped in a specific way…

…so that they could turn them into knives with serrated edges.

During the Iron Age, however, metals completely replaced stone…

…as the preferred material for making knives and other sharp or pointed tools.

Metallurgy is actually a very ancient process…

…with origins dating back to the 5th and 6th century B.C.

Iron refining was one of the breakthroughs in ancient metallurgy…

…since cast iron could be rendered molten, shaped into a mold…

…and then fashioned into a variety of tools…

…including cooking pots and knives, with single or double blades.

Steel metallurgy had advanced so much in Medieval Europe compared…

…to thousands of years ago that people then began using daggers…

…small swords, and bigger tools and weapons such as axes, swords, and spears.

The use of knives as a utensil for cutting food wasn’t widespread…

…despite those advancements.

It seemed that only the wealthy used knives…

…as both eating utensils and weapons for self-defense.

The first real kitchen knives…

…and table knives appeared in the early 17th century.

Most likely, they were invented by an unknown craftsman…

…seeking to diversify his wares and boost sales.

Iron knives, on the other hand, would pose a great deal of trouble to people.

They rusted too quickly and broke apart too easily…

…especially when used too frequently or on tougher jobs.

In order to prevent rusting, they refined iron and added other elements…

…creating a new alloy called steel, with a high carbon content.

The first stronger type of stainless steel was developed in England.

Knife blades were made sharper, more durable…

…and more resistant to corrosion, staining, and rusting.

That’s why steel was (and still is) used to make knife blades.

During the era of Louis XIV, kitchen and table knives…

…with blunt tips and single blades became very popular…

…not only in France but also throughout Europe.

In addition to four-tipped curved dining forks…

…the advent and popularity of blunt-tip…

…single-bladed knives meant fewer sharp-tipped knives were used.

Due to the development of stainless steel in the 20th century…

…table knives had become standardized.

Further developments in metallurgy…

…and other related fields have led to improved knife blades…

…which come in a variety of shapes, profiles, and purposes.

Modern kitchen knives come in a variety of materials…

…(apart from steel), including ceramic, titanium, and plastic.

This is the interesting part…

Most Common Kitchen Knives

The Chef’s Knife

Chef’s knives are easily recognized as the ‘Most Valuable Player’…

…of kitchen knives by most professional chefs.

This all-purpose, highly versatile knife has an incredibly wide blade…

…and relatively long length, making it a favorite of chefs…

…who want to maximize productivity without sacrificing quality.

“A chef’s knife is one of the most versatile tools. Any professional chef will tell you this is a must-have. It should feel like an extension of your arm. It’s a go-to for chopping and dicing vegetables, fruit, and herbs. As well as cutting a variety of other ingredients like meat, poultry, and fish.”
Jessica Gavin – Certified Food Scientist and Certified Culinary Scientist.

Chef’s knives come in a variety of sizes, starting at 6 inches…

…and reaching all the way up to 14 inches;

…however, the standard blade length is 8 inches.

In what ways can the chef’s knife be used?

What can you not do? would be a more accurate question.

While originally designed for slicing…

…and disjointing large cuts of beef…

…the chef’s knife is useful for a wide range of tasks…

…from delicate to challenging. It can easily handle all of these tasks…

…and more, including slicing, dicing, mincing, trimming, chopping, and carving.

Keep in mind that chef’s knives are the workhorse in the kitchen…

…so they will require proper and frequent sharpening for best performance.

The chef’s knife is the best way to spend your savings…

…if you’re just starting out in knife collecting, or if you have a limited budget.

The Utility Knife

Utility knives are used to cut fruits and vegetables, as well as poultry…

…more precisely than chef’s knives.

Typically 5 to 7 inches long and with a thin blade…

…a utility knife is the perfect size for maneuvering through narrow food cavities.

Knives with serrated or plain edges are available for utility use.

The serrated utility knife is your best choice for cutting everything…

…from crusty bread to a perfectly ripe peach.

Despite its surprising delicacy…

…the serrated utility knife is a stand-out among kitchen knives…

…for its ability to cleanly slice through tough outer edges…

…without damaging food’s more delicate insides.

The Bread Knife

Bread knives come in a wide range of blade sizes from 7 to 10 inches…

…with either straight or curved edges.

They are perfect when you need to slice rather than chop.

A gentle sawing motion allows this knife’s serrated edge…

…to cut through crusty bread without mangling the softer innards.

Keep reading…

The Paring Knife

Paring knives are often used by chefs when chef’s knives are too large.

The compact size and maneuverability of paring knives…

…make them the perfect tool for everything from peeling fruit to filleting fish.

Paring knives feature short, yet powerful blades…

…that are ideal for cutting in hard-to-reach places…

…or for tackling tasks that require precision.

Paring knives are categorized by their different blades…

…such as the curved blade, bird’s beak, and serrated blade…

…each with their own use in the kitchen.

The Fillet Knife

Fillet knives are known for their high level of precision.

Fillet knives typically measure between 5…

…and 9 inches in length and have a flexible blade.

By having an upward curve along its blade, and a sharp curved tip…

…this knife moves easily along the backbone and under the skin of fish…

…making it ideal for deboning salmon and cutting thin slices of fish.

Additionally, it can be used to remove bones and skin from meat.

The Slicing Knife

The versatility of slicing knives makes them ideal…

…for much more than cutting poultry, pork, beef, and steak.

Long knives with rounded or pointed tips are ideal…

…for cutting uniform pieces of sushi and sashimi.

Blades range in length from 9 to 13 inches, with granton, serrated, or straight edges.

Go on…

The Cleaver

Cleverly recognizable by their heavy, rectangular blades…

…cleavers are ideal for heavy-duty tasks in the kitchen…

…including cleaving (obviously), hacking, chopping, and mincing.

But if you think cleavers are only useful for tough jobs…

…you are underestimating their full potential.

Chinese chefs use them just as much as Western chefs use chef’s knives…

…because they’re so versatile.

The Boning Knife

The boning knife is a powerful tool for easily deboning chicken, meat, and fish.

This blade is a thin, sharp metal tool ranging from five to eight inches in length.

It makes splitting proteins from bones and trimming meat easier.

Boning knives come in a variety of blade types…

…from flexible to stiff and everything in between.

The Santoku Knife

Its name translates to “three virtues,”…

…but Santoku knives do far more than slice, dice, and mince.

Known for their multifunctionality and sharp edges…

…Santoku knives are a lighter alternative to heavy chef’s knives.

Kitchen Shears

Kitchen shears, although technically not knives…

…can be used in place of knives for many common kitchen tasks.

Do you need to chop scallions and herbs?

Cut them up quickly with kitchen shears.

With thick and strong blades, shears can slice pizza, prepare shrimp…

…and even section chicken!

Blade Types

The most common blade types are stainless steel…

…high carbon stainless steel, carbon steel, and ceramic.

Blades made of stainless steel are very affordable and resistant to rust and corrosion, but they do not resharpen or hold an edge as well as other types of blades.
Chefs choose high carbon stainless steel blades because they have a good balance of sharpness, edge retention, easy resharpening, and are corrosion and rust-resistant.
Carbon steel blades hold their edge longer than steel and are easier to sharpen. Chefs swear by the extra sharpness of carbon steel knives, but they require much more maintenance than other knives, which may be a downside for some.
Ceramic knives are super-hard, lightweight, ultra-sharp and will hold an edge for longer than the other knives. Ceramic knives are susceptible to shattering if dropped or breaking if handled improperly.

Perhaps you are wondering…

How to Take Care of Your Knives

Knives are an investment, so they should be treated as such.

The following tips will help you maintain the proper working condition of your knives:

Sharpening Knives

Knives are only as effective as their condition…

…so to ensure that they are safe to work with and are at their best…

…they should be sharpened and honed regularly.

Sharpening and honing your knife collection…

…can be accomplished using different types of sharpening tools.

By sliding the knife across the top of the sharpening stone…

…you can straighten and refine the cutting edge on the blade.

With knife sharpeners, you can sharpen dull edges on knives…

…by pressing the blade in the slot and pulling it in and out.

After your knives have been sharpened…

…it is recommended that you hone them with a honing or sharpening steel.

Keeping knives sharp is easier with these realignments.

Storing Knives

Knives can be stored in various ways to preserve them…

…and keep them safely out of the way.

Knife blocks,
Lined or wood storage trays,
Magnetic knife holders (particularly useful when space is limited),
A knife bag for chefs on-the-go.

Cleaning Your Knives

According to most experts, knives should be hand-washed…

…after each use using hot water and soap, then dried.

Stainless steel knives that are dishwasher-safe…

…usually less expensive, can go on the top rack of your dishwasher…

…in utensil racks so they don’t bump into other items.

Knives of high quality can last for a long time, especially when maintained properly.

In any case, if you notice cracks or loose parts, it’s time to replace.

In addition to causing food to accumulate on broken knives…

…and making them difficult to clean…

…working with damaged cutlery increases the risk of injury.

Our Article About Kitchen Knives

Choosing the Best Santoku Knife for Your Kitchen

Santoku knives are general-purpose kitchen knives…

…based on ancient Japanese samurai swords.

The design is not traditional; it was created in the mid-1940s…

…when Japan adapted the traditional Western Chef’s knife for Japanese cooking.

By definition, “Santoku” means “three uses or virtues,”…

…and it refers to the knife’s ability to slice, dice, and chop…

To learn more about this topic, continue reading the rest of the article!

Best Knife Block Sets on Amazon

The use of extremely sharp knives is a necessity when cooking.

Besides the essential knives for ingredient prep – the chef’s knife…

…the serrated knife, and the paring knife…

…there are knives that make deboning, filleting, and carving easier.

Our perception of knife block sets is that they are more of a luxury.

When you purchase a knife block set…

…you eliminate the need to research and pick each blade one by one…

To learn more about this topic, continue reading the rest of the article!

Best Fillet Knife: Bliss Your Cooking Skill

So, you’re looking for the best fillet knife?

Okay, I bet you want to be able to work with your fish…

…as easily and as quickly as possible.

You want a knife that is sharp and ready every time you need it.

You don’t want to have to spend all day prepping your ingredients…

…before they can even hit the pan.

To learn more about this topic, continue reading the rest of the article!

8 Best Meat Cleavers For Professional Chef To Home-cook

The meat cleaver is one of the few knives you don’t see too often in…

…the kitchen collection of knives. However, it’s a vital tool for every chef or cook.

In every kitchen, you need only a handful of knives.

Among them are the chef’s knife, a paring knife, a fillet knife, a utility knife…

and a serrated bread knife.

The knives that professional sushi chefs use when preparing this…

… type of meal are specialized.

To learn more about this topic, continue reading the rest of the article!

Sum Up!

Are you unsure whether you should get a set of knives or buy individual knives?

It is largely a matter of personal preference.

In some cases, buying only the knives you need for your style of cooking…

…at your current cooking level is a wise choice.

In other cases, having a well-stocked knife collection…

…may give you more versatility and practice opportunities.

Conclusion

Knives are not a one-size-fits-all product.

Do you use the right tools for dicing, slicing, mincing, and chopping?

Without it, you may be getting less-than-perfect results despite your best efforts.

When it comes to both ease of preparation and quality of your work…

…adding a new knife to your collection, upgrading old, worn-out…

…or broken knives, or investing in a completely new set of knives has immense value.

Kitchen Knives Overview

History of Kitchen Knives