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One of the most critical sections of the kitchen appliance is the selection of kitchen knives. There is a massive variety in the domain of knives. Different kinds of preparations require the employment of different types of knives. Therefore, one can only enjoy a spectacular culinary delicacy if they possess the right tools for it. It is imperative for every cook to have a decent set of kitchen knives irrespective of their range of devotion to cooking. There are multiple variables that every buyer must consider, like their budget, their requirement, the storage facility, and a few other parameters. This article will initially talk about the different kinds of kitchen knives that are there and then explore the anatomy of a knife. In short, if one were looking for a comprehensive guide for kitchen knives, they’ve reached their destination.
What are the different kinds of kitchen knives?
Knives come in different shapes and sizes. Even a knife of superior quality can fail if they try to recruit a serrated knife for cutting fruits. There is a brief overview of the kinds of kitchen knives below:
● Chef’s knife
A chef’s knife is usually present in every household. It is the most convenient for chopping vegetables and during the preparation for meat. In most cooking shows, the knives shown are the chef’s knife.
● Paring knife
Paring knives are perfect for cutting smaller vegetables like cherry tomatoes, smaller potatoes, etc. It could also act as a decent peeler in the absence of a proper one.
● Serrated Knife
A serrated knife is designed to cut softer food items like a baked dish or any kind of bread.
● Santoku knife
It is a lot similar to a chef’s knife, but it is used when the chopping requires precision. For example, it is suitable while mincing meat or herbs or cutting carrots or other vegetables into thin slices.
● Carving knife
A carving knife is ideal while making a roast of turkey or chicken. It offers a firm hold while cutting into the enormous chunks of meat.
● Boning knife
It is a specific kind of knife which is not usually available in every kitchen unless they are exceptionally interested in cooking. Similar to what the name suggests, it is used to segregate the bones from meat. It can also come in handy while cutting out the ligaments and tendons.
● Filleting knife
This is a knife that is specialized for preparing any fish delicacy. It is sharper and thinner than a boning knife and is used while filleting fish.
General anatomy of every kitchen knife
Every knife usually comprises eleven original parts:
● Blade
The sharper portion of the knife, excluding the handle, is known as the blade.
● Bolster
The connecting portion of the sharp blade and the handle is called a bolster.
● Butt
The posterior end of the knife is the butt.
● Edge
The side of the blade that cuts through any object is called the edge.
● Granton Edge
It provides better slicing ability to the edge but. Sometimes, it also acts as a trademark feature.
● Handle
The portion of the knife that one holds while cutting is called a handle.
● Point
The anterior tip of the knife is the point.
● Rivet
Rivets are like pins or screws that hold the tang and the handle together.
● Scale
Scales are the material that shapes the handle and covers the tang.
● Tang
Tangs are the extended portion of the blade that continues inside the scale.
● Spine
The blunt side of the knife, i.e., the opposite side of the edge is called the spine.
Different parameters to consider while shopping for a knife
While finding the kind of knives that will be making an addition to your kitchen is an essential section of the procedure, it is imperative to keep in mind the different parameters that come along with each knife.
Budget
To a lot of people, the budget for kitchen appliances doesn’t make a significant cut unless, of course, they tend to take a serious interest in cooking. However, cooking is a process that humanity will have to live along as long as survival will entail the consumption of food. Whether they like it or not, there will come a time where they will have to get to cooking. Keeping the frequency of cooking in mind, a budget should be cut for kitchen appliances, especially kitchen knives, differently which will help the people in figuring out the fund they have left while shopping for other essentials.
Stamped knives or Forged knives?
- Forged knives are usually designed by craftsmen where they take a chunk of steel and shape and hone it by applying extreme heat. In some cases, forged knives are also manufactured by machines.
- On the other hand, stamped knives are quite literally ‘stamped’ out of a massive steel sheet and heat-treated and honed for durability.
It has been common knowledge for quite some time that in the dictionary of knives, forged knives were synonymous to ‘real’ knives whereas stamped knives were used by people who weren’t as much invested in the process of cooking. Forged knives are usually more expensive since it entails intensive labor and quite a lot of time while stamped ones involve comparatively less labor and time. Forged knives typically happen to be heavier than stamped knives since they are made out of a single bar of steel where stamped knives were cut out of a single sheet of steel.
How sharp does one want their knife to be?
Now, this is quite an important parameter. While a person thinks of knives, they think of the swift cut it can make. People believe that as sharp a knife, the better quality it provides. While a dull knife is not appreciated, not everybody can handle the sharpest knife. Therefore, every person must check their blades before they buy it. This is why the wisest decision would be to shop for knives offline when a person can check the different qualities of a knife.
