Forged blade or cut blade: How to choose?
That's it, you've decided! It's time to properly equip your kitchen and get yourself a knife that will pay homage to the beautiful products you love to cook with.
So you're about to buy your first chef's knife. You're well informed. You've been gleaning information online for weeks. You find one that perfectly meets your criteria. You're about to add it to your cart. When, suddenly, your eye is caught by an unknown piece of information: "Chef's knife with forged blade." What does that mean? What are the options? It's too technical for you! Is that it? Is this the end of this wonderful project already?
Don't panic! Forged blade or cut blade. We'll explain everything. It's worth noting that these two approaches to knife making have specific characteristics that make them quite different. Investigation!
Forged Blade and Cut Blade
Before examining the differences between a forged blade and a cut blade, it's important to understand what these two blades are and the production processes for such knives.
What is a forged blade?
With all due respect to the Lord of Mordor... it's not just the rings that are forged from steel. Knives are too. And here, we're even talking about a raw bar of steel that serves as the basis for the entire knife. The latter can then be:
- Hot forged at over 1000 degrees
- Or hot forged with an additional step, upsetting, for knives with a large bolster
At Atma, we have chosen a forged blade for ourUltimate Chef's Knife. It must be said that forged blades are often stronger and more durable.
What is a cut blade?
So-called "cut" blades are, in fact, cut from a steel plate. They can be obtained via:
- Cold cutting, performed using a die cutter that allows the pieces to be drawn into the metal plate. This is a widely used method for mass production because it is relatively inexpensive compared to other methods of producing forged and cut blades.
- A laser cut from an industrial design on a sheet of steel.
Now we have a clearer picture of cut and forged blades. But what really differentiates these two types of blades?
Which type of blade should you choose?
The production of these knives creates real differences in nature between forged and cut blades. These differences will help you choose between these two types of knives. Here they are:
- Durability: A forged blade will be heavier, stronger, and more durable than a cut blade. However, it will require more work.
- Aesthetics: From an aesthetic point of view, a forged knife will not have the same appearance as a cut knife. The former will have more volume in the bolster and full tang than the latter.
- Price: Economically, there's no comparison here either. Because a cut knife requires less work and consumes less material overall than a forged knife, it is less expensive to purchase.
So, to choose between these two types of blades, you need to clarify your expectations and your budget. For a better quality, but more expensive, knife, turn to higher-quality forged blades like those from Atma. If you prefer to pay less but have a less durable, budget-friendly knife, then forged blades are available. Forged blades are likely to last a cook a lifetime if they are properly maintained, which will likely not be the case with forged knives.
You're now well equipped. All that's left to do is...
To your blades. Ready? Cook!
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