Home >
Information Center >
Kitchen
Knives
Vermont Cutting Boards Information Center
Kitchen Knives
The term knife actually applies to any and all “utensils.”
Kitchen Knife is specific to the kitchen knives we use in the
kitchen to slice and prepare food. We use knives on a daily
bases from chopping, to slicing, to the Japanese kitchen knife
that is growing ever more popular. A good kitchen knife is an
absolute must have in all kitchens.
Have you been without a kitchen knife when you really needed
one? Have you, for example, wanted to cook a delicious meal
that you have all the ingredients for only to find that you
have absolutely nothing to slice the onions with, or the meat,
or the fruit? It can be exasperating not to have the right utensils
at your fingertips for doing all that you need to do in your
kitchen. It makes sense to spend time finding the right kitchen
knife for your use.
There are just a few things to consider when purchasing
kitchen knife.
Handle: Is the handle a clunky piece of hardwood
or a sleek piece of rosewood? Or do you prefer a synthetic handle,
something a little more ergonomic? The choice can often be personal,
and it's not simply a matter of price. Wood has natural warmth,
but the process of mass production limits actual shaping. Synthetic
handles won't crack and often have the feel of custom-made knife.
And you'll want to take the size of your hand into account:
a small hand will quickly tire of a hefty handle.
Construction: There's a reason that stamped
blades are less expensive than forged blades: they are punched
out of sheets of steel with knife-blade-shaped dies. High-end
knives often lay claim to being hand-forged. This doesn't mean
an Old World master craftsman worked the blade at a forge and
anvil with a big hammer. Picture a factory laborer with a pair
of tongs holding on to a hot piece of steel for the several
blows of a 100-ton drop forge. There are, however, many steps
in the process of making a high-quality knife, and in a couple
of them you can count on some human intervention.
There are basically three materials blades are typically made
from: High-carbon stainless steel, high-carbon
steel, and ceramic. Each has its positive
and negative aspects. Chose the one that would work best for
your needs.
Buy the best knives you can afford, and plan on using them
for the rest of your life. Knife design has evolved over hundreds
of years. A couple of questions to ask yourself: Will the new
design stand up over time? Will it be comfortable? Is it necessary?
Avoid making what could potentially be an expensive mistake
by doing your homework before purchasing your first or next
kitchen knife. You won’t be sorry!
Chopping
Blocks
