Types of kitchen knives
A&A Restaurant Supply: Types of kitchen knives
Knives are an integral part of cooking. It enables us to cut through the ingredients we need for a specific dish. However, a common mistake many people make is not using the correct type of knife. When appropriately used, knives can help you cook more efficiently and effectively. Check out an in-depth explanation of the different parts and kinds of knives right here in A&A Restaurant Supply.
Parts of a knives
Knowing the parts of knives will enable you to utilise one of the sharpest objects in your kitchen. Furthermore, it will also help you give a greater appreciation for kitchenware.
| Parts of knives | Description |
| Point | The point refers to the tip of the knife. Often, it is sharpened so that you can easily pierce or slice the food. |
| Blade | The blade is the part of the knife used to chop things. Most blades are made of ceramic, titanium, and even plastic. |
| Edge | The blade’s edge is the sharpened part and is utilised for most cutting. To keep your knives razor-sharp, it’s best to sharpen them often. |
| Tip | The tip is located at the edge of a knife. This is the part that is mainly used for delicate cutting. |
| Spine | The spine is the upper, non-cutting side of the blade. Remember that the thicker the blade’s spine, the greater the knife’s strength. |
| Heel | The heel is located at the lowest edge of the blade. It’s usually the knives broadest section. |
| Tang | The tang is the part that links the edge of the blade to the handle of the knife. |
| Handle | The knife section that you hold onto while slicing is called the handle. |
| Bolster | The bolster is the space between the blade and the handle above the knife. |
| Butt | The butt refers to the end of the handle at the bottom of the knife. |
How is a knife made?
Have you ever wondered how a sharp knife is made? If yes, then you’re in for a treat! There are two ways to create one, forging and stamping. Check out the table below to see the difference between the two:
| Forging | Stamping |
| Forged knives are made of a single piece of metal. Steel is pounded into form with a firm press and then polished and sharpened to create the blade. When steel is forged, the structure is changed down to the molecular level, making the knife incredibly robust. When determining whether or not a knife’s blade and handle were forged, you should look for a steel bolster between the blade and the handle. | Stamp knives are manufactured with a powerful stamping machine by cutting a single steel sheet into a blade. This is followed by hardening, polishing and sharpening the edge to achieve a razor-sharp finish. This style of knife is lighter than forged knives because it is made from a thinner piece of steel. In addition, stamped knives are relatively cheaper than forged ones, but they need more sharpening than the latter. |
Types of knives
Because each style of cuisine may benefit from a different type of knife, it’s crucial to know what to look for when shopping for a new kitchen tool. To do a job effectively, the correct blade must be selected. Check out the table below to see the different types of knives:
| Type of knife | Description |
| Chef knife | A chef’s knife has a long and broad blade. It’s widest at the heel and progressively narrows to a tip. The large heel section makes it heavy-duty for cutting thick and hard foods. |
| Utility knife | Utility knives are more suited for cutting softer foods. Keep in mind that this type of knife is best suited if you’re cutting smaller ingredients. |
| Pairing knife | A paring knife’s blade is small, thin, and pointy. It tends to be light to enable delicate work. This is often used to prep fruits and vegetables but may also be used for various other tasks. |
| Bread knife | Bread knives have long, even blades with a serrated edge. This knife is perfect for cutting crusty bread, baguettes, bagels, and rolls. |
| Carving knife | A carving knife has a long, thin blade with a sharp point. Due to its narrow blade, this knife produces fewer unevenly cut food pieces. You can use this to cut chicken, hog, lamb, and cattle to ensure regular thickness and size. |
| Butcher knife | A butcher’s blade is flat and rectangular. In addition, they are one of the broadest and heaviest knives, with a hole near the spine for hanging. This knife is used to cut raw meat into smaller pieces during slaughtering or cooking. |
| Boning knife | A boning knife’s small blade and razor-sharp edge make it excellent for deboning. To form a perfect joint or cut, use a boning knife to chop beef bones and cartilage. |
| Filleting knife | A filleting knife has a long, thin blade with a razor-sharp edge and a pointed tip. This is great for deboning fish without damaging the delicate skin. |
| Salmon knife | Salmon knives have a double-edged blade with a long, flexible blade. A salmon knife may be used to skin larger fish like salmon. |
| Santoku knife | If you’re looking for an excellent knife for cutting, dicing and mincing, the Santoku is your best bet. Santoku knives feature long, slightly tapered blades with a drop point for accurate, detailed cutting. They are one of the most popular kinds of kitchen knives in Japan. |
| Nakiri knife | Nakiri knives are small, thin meat cleavers. They feature a large rectangular shape with a hollow ground edge. Because the blade is squared and has a straight edge, you don’t have to rock it back and forth while you chop. |
| Tomato knife | Tomato knives are designed to be light and easy to handle and are used to slice or chop tomatoes, which have delicate skin and a mushy inside. This type of knife includes textured plastic or rubber handles for better grip. |
| Peeling knife | Peeling knives have a short, rigid, rounded blade. This tool makes peeling vegetables, potatoes, and fruits much simpler. This type of knife has an ergonomic design for simpler and safer peeling |
Cutlery knives
Knives are not only used for cooking. They are also used for eating. It enables us to eat faster and more efficiently. Check out the must cutlery knives you should consider having at your disposal.
| Cutlery knife | Description |
| Dinner knife | A dinner knife is a standard blade that you use at mealtimes regularly. A slightly serrated edge is usually seen on the edge of the metal or stainless steel knives, which helps them cut through tougher foods more effectively. |
| Steak knife | Table knives with a serrated edge and a pointed tip are known as steak knives. This enables the diner to bite into cooked hard meat, such as steak, effortlessly. Anyone who serves a wide range of meat dishes needs to have a steak knife on hand. |
| Fish knife | An angler’s or fish knife has a long, flat blade with a curved, sharp edge, similar to a hunting knife. These are often used in fish fillets. In addition, they make it easy to peel the skin off, and the pointed tip makes it easier to remove tiny bones from the fillets. |
| Butter knife | A butter knife has a soft, blunted edge and broad paddle-like form to avoid scraping crumbs or mistakenly cutting bread. This type of knife is can also be used for butter scones, English muffins, bread and sandwiches. |
Knife-edge types
The edge of a knife is the most critical component of any knife. Check out the different types and find out the most suited for the task at hand.
| Knife-edge types | Description |
| Straight edge | A straight edge is commonly referred to as a flat ground edge. Chef’s knives, paring knives, and utility knives, among other items, are the most common items to have this pattern. |
| Serrated edge | A serrated edge has grooves and ridges along the length of the blade, making it simpler to cut through thicker foods. Furthermore, they prevent the food from being crushed during the slicing process. Keep in mind that bread knives, tomato knives, and steak knives all have serrated edges. |
| Scalloped edge | For a scalloped edged blade, hollow dimples are cut into the blade’s side, preventing food from sticking. Their use is particularly beneficial for cutting wet or sticky items, such as raw fish or vegetables. Typically, this kind of blade may be seen on Japanese santoku and salmon knives. |
| Hollow ground edge | It is possible to create an exceedingly delicate and razor-sharp edge with a hollow ground edge by tapering the blade down from the knife’s centre. They are very sharp, but they are also more prone to wear and fracture, and as a result, they need sharpening on a more frequent basis. Nakiri knives usually have a hollow ground edge, virtually always present. |
