What is a kitchen knife

A kitchen knife is an important tool in the kitchen. A single knife can make all the difference to the quality and taste of a dish.

It is often said that a knife can last a lifetime, and this is true, as long as it is cared for and maintained. To find the knife that will last you a lifetime, it is important to know what type of knife it is and what it is made of.

If you like to cook, you will want to make sure you have the right kitchen knife for the job. It’s best to match the knife to your specialty. For example, if you like to cut meat, you should use a Chef’s knife, if you like to cut fish, you should use a Deba knife, and if you like to enjoy sashimi at home, you should use a sashimi knife for slicing.

Materials of kitchen knives

There are different materials for kitchen knives: steel, stainless steel, ceramic and titanium. Let’s take a look at the characteristics of each material.

Steel

When you think of kitchen knives, steel is probably the material that comes to mind. This is because steel is the most common material used for Japanese kitchen knives. Steel is a metal that is made by removing impurities from iron.

Steel knives have the sharpest cutting edge. However, the disadvantage is that they rust easily. After using a steel knife, you must take care of it and sharpen it regularly in order to keep it sharp. Therefore, it is suitable for those who want to develop their knives and maintain them for life.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a rigid iron containing chromium, which is resistant to rust. It is a metal that is mainly used for western knives. Stainless steel knives are characterized by their resistance to rust and their long-lasting sharpness. The main advantage of stainless-steel knives is that they do not need to be cleaned frequently. They are also very durable and resistant to spills.

Stainless steel knives can be sharpened, but it is difficult to do so with a whetstone. It is advisable to have them sharpened by a craftsman if possible. It is also possible to sharpen them with a sharpener, but the sharpness will be inferior to that of a whetstone.

Parts of a kitchen knife

Point: The thinnest part of the knife and is used to cut thin foods into small pieces.

Tip: The first third of the entire knife blade, suits delicate slicing and cutting or separating food into small portions.

Edge: Opposite the spine is the knife’s sharpened side also known as the edge. Knife edges are specially designed to easily slice certain Straight edges are best for tough vegetables or meat while serrated knives suit softer fruits and bread.

Spine: The blunt side of the knife, the thickest part of the blade. Spine thickness influences blade strength and the balance of a knife. A thicker spine is meaning of a stronger blade but a heavier knife, which is perfect for chopping but not slicing.

Heel: This is the end of the blade on the handle side. This part of the blade is used to remove potato sprouts. Some foreign knives have a rounded chin, or a tang placed up to this point.

Bolster: This is the metal part of the joint between the handle and the blade. It is used to prevent the handle from cracking due to the impact of the knife insert.

Tang: An extension of the blade, covered by the handle. Full tang means an knife’s extension is riveted through the entire length of the handle. On the other hand, partial tang means less power but lighter.

Handle: This is the part to be gripped by the hand. The handle can be made of plastic or stainless steel. There are many different ways of threading the cores.

Types of Kitchen Knives

Chef’s Knife: It is a common kitchen knife in western countries, can be used for multi-purpose, like cutting, slicing, light chopping, and etc. It is a double-edged knife, but some people prefer a single-edged knife. In Japan, it is named as Gyuto as a Japanese kitchen knife.

Santoku Knife: It is a household knife that has rounded corners and is easy to use. It is also called a universal knife because it can be used for meat, fish, and vegetables. It is a kitchen knife that is ideal for general household use because it can be used in various ways, such as scraping fish scales from the round part of the peak.

Bread Knife: used for slicing bread, ham, etc. It has a wavy blade and can be moved back and forth like a saw, making them ideal for cutting soft foods, but they are not suitable for cutting frozen foods. Some knives do not have a wavy blade.

Nakiri Knife: This is a western style knife, which is different from Japanese kitchen knives in that it is double edged. The blade of this knife is square and is designed for vegetables.

Boning Knife: as its name suggests, is used for separating meat from the bone, fileting fish, and cutting up meat. Smaller boning knives can also be used in place of a paring knife for peeling and trimming veggies. Boning knives are typically about 3 to 8 inches in length, with slightly varying blade widths. The blades can be flexi, semi-flexi, or stiff, with stiff blades being the most popular among home cooks due to the enhanced precision of the cut.

Utility Knife: This is the most commonly used small kitchen knife. It is a smaller version of the Chef’s knife and is used for peeling, cutting fruit and in some cases is used in the same way as the Chef’s knife. In the case of professionals, it is known that the blade near the chin is crushed and the chin is used as a grip.

Paring Knife: A small knife, similar to a peeling knife, used for cutting fruit, peels and cheese. It can be shaped like a petit or a candle flame.

Kiritsuke Knife: Kiritsuke Knife is a Japanese original kitchen knife which is a combination of the good points of Nakiri knife and Chef’s knife. It is narrower than Chef’s knife, and the blade is curved compared with Nakiri knife.

How to store a kitchen knife?

In order to use a good knife for a long time, it is necessary to maintain it every day and to use it in a certain way.

The daily maintenance of a kitchen knife includes sharpening, but for a household knife, sharpening once a month will keep it sharp.

Cleaning

It is important to wash your knives as soon as you have finished using them. This is because the salt and acid in the food can cause rust. If you use only one knife, such as a santoku knife, it is a good idea to wash it every time you cut a different food, to prevent the smell from spreading to other foods.

Use a mild detergent and a sponge.

Use a piece of cork or a piece of radish to polish the surface, which will remove rust and make the surface smooth and sharp.

However, we do not recommend using the dishwasher. However, we do not recommend using a dishwasher, as the chemical action of the washing liquid in the dishwasher can cause rust to form more easily than usual, and the water flow can cause the blade to chip as it comes into contact with the surrounding dishes and the basket in the dishwasher.

Drying

It is also important to dry the knife immediately after washing to prevent rust from forming. Wipe dry with a dry cloth and place the knife in a knife block or knife holder to dry naturally. It is strictly forbidden to burn the knife in order to dry out the moisture quickly. If you do, the sharpness of the blade will be fatally damaged.

Storage

Normal stainless-steel knives should be stored in a well-ventilated place without any rusting problems. If the knife will not be used for a long time, wrap it in newspaper and store it in a dry place.

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