Anatomy of a Kitchen Knife
Having a beautiful piece of equipment without understanding what makes it a good tool is like enjoying a beautiful bottle of wine without a label. It's pleasant, but you miss out on the ecstasy that makes the moment so beautiful. It's a shame.
A quick test before moving on. If we ask you:
- Bolster?
- Silk?
- Heel?
And you answer "The Three Wise Men" or "Kamoulox," take a seat. The anatomy lesson of a kitchen knife is now.
Since we know that just saying the word "course" gives some people hives, we've created a nice summary diagram for the back row:
The "head" of the knife: the blade
Let's not complicate things, we'll proceed very simply: from left to right. So, logically, we start with the head of the knife, which we call the blade.
So far, everything should be fine, since the blade is something you should be familiar with. And you even know that it can be forged or cut. We'll write a full article on this subject to explain the difference.
Elements that make up the blade
A knife blade is made up of several elements, each more important than the last.
To begin with, and still from right to left, we can mention the most well-known part: the tip.
No catch here, this is the very tip of the blade. It's the part of the knife least likely to injure you, as it faces away from you when you cut. Well, on the other hand, if you point it at someone in front of you, it can be very dangerous. No need to draw a picture, you understand that you have to be careful.
This part is also very sensitive and can break if you drop your knife. It is therefore necessary to be careful when storing it in your kitchen. We also recommend equipping it with a caseto prevent it from getting damaged.
Next comes the cutting edgeor the edge of the blade. This is the cutting and sharp part of the knife. A part that must be regularly maintained to maintain all its cutting qualities.
Then, if you follow the edge or the blade's grain (from a distance! Don't put your finger on the edge, a word of advice from a friend), you arrive at what is called the heel. This is the angle of the blade as it rises towards the handle.
And as you continue along your path, this rising part is called the guard. This part is generally not too sharp to avoid injury if the handle slips out of your hands while cutting a butternut, for example.
Opposite the edge of the blade is the spine. The name of this part is quite evocative. It is the unsharpened upper part of the blade and is thicker than the edge.
And finally, the last element is the tang, also called the tang.
This is the steel part that extends the blade and is embedded in the handle or bolster.
When we talk about a "full-tang blade," we are talking about a blade forged from a single piece of steel from end to end, with the tang extending all the way to the end of the handle. A full-tang blade provides better balance because it's heavier, and it also provides a more solid structure.
A little tip: you can easily recognize a full-tang knife by the rivets on its handle.
No, we haven't talked about rivets yet. That's a little teaser for what's to come. But first, there's nothing like a little technical knowledge about the blade to help you choose the right knife.
What type of blade should you choose for your knife?
You can find several types of blades for your kitchen knife. These blades differ from each other based on several criteria.
Composition
You can choose from different types of materials to make your blade:
- Stainless steel blades, which make up the majority of blade production, are more affordable and more durable than other materials. This is the good value for money option we chose for the Ultimate Chef's Knife.
- The blades in carbon steel which allow for optimal precision and strength, but which are much more demanding in use and maintenance.
- The blades in ceramic which are also interesting in particular because they do not need to be sharpened. On the other hand, these blades are much more fragile than those made of steel.
Hardness
The hardness of a blade is measured using the Rockwell Index. We're also preparing a comprehensive article on this extremely important topic.
Hardness must be high, but not too high, to ensure the blade's strength and long-lasting sharpness, while preventing breakage.
The Production Process: Forged or Cut Blade?
This distinction in the production process of your blade will provide information on the strength and durability of your knife, as well as its price. Obviously, forged knives, like theUltimate Chef Knife, are stronger and more durable over time.
The Shape
Depending on how you use your blade, the recommended shape will vary.
- Smoothlike theUltimate Chef's Knifefor cutting meat and vegetables.
- Serrated for cutting bread or thick-skinned meats, for example.
Dimpled for very finely cutting products, especially vegetables, without them sticking to the blade.
The body of the knife
After discussing in detail what we find in the head of the knife, let's look at the body.
First, the bolster also called the bolster. This is the junction between the blade and the handle. It is a part of the knife that aims to protect the hand and contributes to the knife's balance.
While on some knives, particularly historical models, the bolster can run all the way to the heel of the blade, Japanese knives, for the most part, do not have a bolster.
Next comes the handle also called the grip. This is the part where you position your hand and which allows you to manipulate the knife.
As you might have guessed, it's important that the handle feels comfortable and doesn't slip for a good grip.
The handle has three important elements:
- The famous rivets, which keep the two parts of the handle, located on either side of the full tang, connected together.
- The pommel, located at the end of the handle, ensures perfect balance.
- The corbin, which is the angle formed below the handle just before the pommel.
The anatomy of kitchen knives no longer holds any secrets for you. It's break time, don't forget your snack!
And if you have any questions, you can ask us in the comments below. We're here to answer them.
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