No kitchen can be considered well equipped without a line of basic knives. The range in quality goes from good, better to best so it would be hard for the serious knife consumer to not find what he or she needs. Here is some basic information you should take into consideration before choosing which knives to buy.
Q: What are the components of a knife?
A: A good knife consists of a blade, bolster and tang. The blade is the part of
the knife one cuts with. It is the part of the steel that is honed to have an
edge. The bolster of the knife is the knife's midsection. It provides the
balance for the knife leveling out the weight of the blade against the weight of the tang. The tang of the knife is the part that extends to create the handle.
Q: How do you recognize a good knife?
A: Two manufacturing processes are available when purchasing cutlery, forged and stamped. One can always tell a forged knife by identifying the bolster. Forged knives tend to be heavier and better balanced, and will hold an edge longer. Stamped knives are machine made by stamping the knives out of long sheets of steel. These knives are lighter in weight and tend to be less expensive. We carry both types of knives.
Characteristics of good cutlery
- It is simply designed, sharp, heavy and balanced.
- The heaviness of the knife combined with the balance and sharpness allow the best performance from the knife with the least effort preventing strain or fatigue for the cook.
- It should have a bolster for added weight and balance and the bolster protects your fingers from slipping to the edge.
- The blade should be made of high carbon-no stain steel, and should extend all the way down to where it becomes an integral part of the handle.
Care
- Sharpen regularly
- Hand-wash (dishwashing may cause chipping from water pressure and hot and cold cycles may change the temper of the steel.
- Store properly
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