Types of Kitchen Knives

Something to remember about Knives!

Every knife has a specific use and you should use the proper knife for every cutting task. To get the best use out of your knives you need to keep them very sharp, handle your knives properly and practice. A sharp knife is much safer than a dull knife. Selecting good quality knives is very important, a knife should fit your hand, be quite comfortable and should only be used for it's intended task.

1. Chef Knife (French Knife)

This is the cooks most important and versatile cutting tool. This all purpose knife is used for a variety of cutting and chopping work, as well as slicing and mincing. The blade is normally 8 to 12 inches long and a few inches wide.

A good Chef Knife in the hands of a skilled cook can be more accurate and faster than a machine.

2. Utility Knife

This smaller, lighter knife is used for light cutting and slicing jobs, often on fruits and vegetables.

The blade is usually 5 or 6 inches long.

3. Bread Knife

For slicing breads, cakes and pastries, a bread knife is used most often in the bakeshop and to cut loaves of crusty bread.

The blade is usually 8 to 10 inches long.

4. Boning Knife

Used for separating raw meat from the bone. It has a thin short blade and is often stiff or flexible.

The blade is usually 5 or 6 inches long.

5. Filleting Knife

Used for filleting fish. It has a thin flexible blade.

The blade is usually 6 or 10 inches long.

6. Carving Knife (slicer)

Used for carving large roasts, turkey and also filleting very large fish. It has a long slightly flexible blade. The blade is usually 10 to 14 inches long.

7. Cleaver

Used for chopping meats and cutting through bones. It has a heavy rectangular blade.

Not to be confused with the Chinese Cleaver (a Chinese Chef Knife) used for most cutting and chopping. The blade is usually 10 to 14 inches long.

8. Paring Knife

Used for For peeling, slicing, trimming and dicing small fruits, vegetables and cheese.

The blade is usually 3 to 4 inches long.

9. Tourne Knife (peeling)

Used for peeling, slicing, trimming and dicing small fruits, vegetables and cheese.

10. Steak Knife

Used for cutting steak, chicken and other main courses.

The blade is 4 to 5 inches long and can be wide or thin, serrated or smooth.

11. Clam Knife

Used for opening clams.

The blade is 3 to 4 inches long and slightly sharp, it should be used with a butchers glove.

12. Oyster Knife

Used for opening oysters.

The blade is 3 to 4 inches long and blunt, it should be used with a butchers glove.

13. Sharpening Steel

Used to re-truing or re-aligning the knife's edge. It should be used after each cutting task, several strokes on both sides of the blade holding the knife at a 20 degree angle.

Sharpening Steels are 10 to 14 inches long.

NOTE: Diamond Sharpening steels are faster and save time compared to

 a traditional butchers steel.

Note: These are the most used knifes, there are many other kinds of knifes.

Sharpening your knife on a stone or sharpening steel.

1. Most stones are "wet stones" and they require a light coating of oil or water. Both oil and water help cut the steel and keep it cool during sharpening (we prefer to use water on diamond stones or a dry diamond sharpening steel). Japanese knives require using a very fine wet stone or ceramic sharpening steel (1000 grit or finer). These should be used with water maintain a 20 degree angle during sharpening. As the knife becomes sharp, gradually press lightly for a razor edge.

2. If the knife is very dull or damaged start with the rough side of the stone (or a Diamond Sharpening Steel).

If your knife is fairly sharp and in good condition you should use the fine side of the stone (or a Diamond Sharpening Steel).

3. Hold the blade of the knife at a constant 20 degree angle to the stone.

4. Make light even strokes, use the same number of strokes on each side of the blade and sharpen in one direction only. We prefer to cut a slice off the stone. Use the whole blade of the knife from heel to tip.

5. Do not over sharpen your knife.

6. Finish your knife with a dozen strokes on the sharpening steel (or diamond sharpening steel) again a constant 20 degree angle. Make light, even regular strokes on the steel alternating with both sides of the knife and steel . Use the steel often and you will rarely have to use a stone.

7. Test your knife on a piece of paper, it should easily cut ribbons.