A Cut above the Rest: Kitchen Knives
Kitchen knives are the most important pieces of hardware in the kitchen. Now, while most people are all about forks and knives, any rationally-thinking individual has to admit that there would be no food on the plate if it were not for the knife. Kitchen knives are an integral part of food preparation; while other utensils make the act of eating easier, knives make the act of eating possible.
The Anatomy of the Knife
A knife is composed of many parts. There are some qualities that transcend the purpose of the knife; hunting knives have many of the same pieces found in kitchen knives. However, while knife parts may be universal, the design of these parts varies greatly across the knife spectrum.
While some kitchen knives are specialized for specific tasks, most are created for general use, and their blades are designed in such a way that each part is important. The point, or very end, of the knife blade is used for piercing. The point is part of the tip, which is the first third of the blade; the tip is used for delicate, intricate dicing and slicing. The edge of the blade is sharpened metal, and it runs the entire length of the bottom of the blade. The spine runs the length of the blade on the opposite side, and is thickened metal that adds wait to the knife, making it easier to cut and chop.
Even the handles on kitchen knives are intricately designed for optimal performance. The blade joins the handle at the bolster, which is a thick piece of metal that also balance to the knife. A piece of the bolster is thickened even further to create a finger guard between the handle and the blade. The tang, a portion of the blade that extends deep into the handle, is surrounded by two scales, or portions of handle material. The tang provides stability; otherwise, the blade would bend easily at the bolster during use. The scales are secured to the tang with three or more rivets. The butt is the end of the handle, and the handle guard, located beneath the butt, provides grip and prevents slipping.
The Knife Spectrum
Knives vary greatly. Even in the same category, knives have their own characteristics, their own personalities in a sense. Kitchen knives can differ in anything from color to size to shape. Blades differ in the type of metal used, the shape, the type of edge and the forging technique. Handles can be composed of various materials, from wood to plastic to stainless steel. These knives are influenced by use and even by their countries of origin. Still, there are a few major categories of kitchen knives that most chefs, and even housewives, have in their arsenal.
Chef's knives are all-purpose knives used for cutting, piercing, chopping, slicing and any other functions. They come in a variety of sizes, but their shape is rather universal. Bread knives and steak knives are used at almost every meal. Paring knives are small knives used in most food preparation tasks.
Meat knives are used specifically to prepare meat. Carving knives carve meat into thin slices, cleavers cut meat into chunks, and boning knives remove bones from meat. Other meat knives are designed specifically for the type of meat, including ham slicers and fillet knives.
The realm of kitchen knives is extensive. Every type of food has its own knife. Every type of cut, pierce or chop has its own knife as well. Forks and spoons, well, they have no chance.
