Posts Tagged ‘ knives ’

Whether you are a seasoned chef or just aspiring to be one, there is one kitchen staple that you need to have – knife. You use knife to perform various kitchen tasks such as slicing, cutting, mincing, etc. And you can’t just use any other knife if you wish to have perfectly cut and minced ingredients. Chef’s knives and Japanese knives are among the most popular staples in the kitchen for seasoned cooking aficionados.

Both the Chef’s knives and Japanese knives have distinctive design and different uses. However, no one can say which knives are superior over the others; rather, it is about your personal preference on which type, brand and size you want to use.

Get to Know Chef’s Knives

Also known as the French knives or cook knives, the Chef’s knives are used for various foods preparation chores. When the knife has been introduced, the Chef’s knife was primarily meant for slicing and disjointing large cuts of meat – particularly beef. It is now being considered as a primary utility knife for most cooks.

Generally, you can find Chef’s knives with blades measuring from 8 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. You can also find other models with sizes ranging from 6 up to 14 inches long.

When buying Chef’s knives, you should consider their physical characteristics. Since these knives are usually made from either hot-forged or stamped blades, you need to decide which ones you want to get. Hot-forged Chef’s knives are full-tang; the metal runs from the knifepoint’s tip to the handle’s far end. Hot-forged knives are also usually expensive as compared to stamped knives. Now, stamped knives are made by cutting directly from cold rolled steel; then the knives will be grounded, sharpened and polished.

You should also choose from among the four types of blades used to make Chef’s knives – carbon steel, stainless steel, laminated or ceramic. The edges of the knives are also ground in different ways. You can choose from double grind and double bevel edge, convex edge, hollow-ground and chisel edge.

Get to Know Japanese Knives

When it comes to knives, many consider Japanese knives as among the top choices. There are also various options when it comes to buying Japanese kitchen knives; you can get the “deba bocho” (kitchen cleaver), “usuba bocho” (vegetable knives), “santoku hocho” (all-purpose knife), “nakiri bocho” (vegetable knives) or the yanagi ba and tako hiki (sashimi slicers).

Among these, the “santuku hocho” has become really popular among cooks in the West. This Japanese knife can be used for cutting vegetables, fish and meat. You can only used the knife for boneless meats or lightly boned meats though.

Knives come in different sizes, designs and uses. Knife manufacturers around the world continue to make high quality knives made of superior materials. This is one of the greatest inventions of humankind that has evolved dramatically. It is also one of the things that every person has in their home right now. The diversity of its forms is shown on its various designs. There are different types of knives that people use in different occasions for slicing and skinning, among others. Some people use it for emergency situations.

There are brand name knives that are available in the marketplace today at a lower price. High quality knives are expected to be a little expensive. The ability of cheap knives is very limited. In choosing a blade that best fit for your needs, you must know where you are going to use the knife. Understanding the purpose of every knife helps you in coming up with a better choice. You must also scrutinize the sheer genius underlying the knife designs to fully appreciate the beauty of the blade. There are new models that come out almost as quickly as the exit of the old ones. It is also important to purchase the kind of knife that you really need and not just for its aesthetics.

Benchmade Mini Griptilian is one of the classic knives that many knife enthusiasts prefer to use simply because of its simplicity. The advantage of this blade is it is user-friendly and you can also carry it comfortably wherever you are without creating a scene. It is also reliable to get some work done when it requires you to. With its timeless design, you have many options when it comes to its purpose. This is definitely the kind of knife that will give you an outstanding performance when used accordingly.