Cutlery
Colonel Wexler takes us to the chopping block and an overview of
chefs' knives -what they're made of and how, the best way to keep
them sharpened and how to find the best values.
 What's the most useful tool
in a kitchen?
A good sharp knife is the most useful tool in a kitchen. Any
chef will show you a knife case with their prized possessions. So
what, exactly, makes a good knife? A stamped knife is a bargain
because of its low cost but a forged knife, made of high quality
steel, though more expensive, holds a sharper edge and is the one
sought after by chefs, culinary students and the home cook. Budget
is the main issue in deciding which to buy..
A good knife has 3 important features:
1. It is comfortable to hold.
2. It performs the task at hand safely and with
authority.
3. It is sharp and stays sharp.
What are knives made of? How are they made?
Quality knives are made of high carbon steel or ceramic.
Knives made only of stainless steel (the kind you see on TV or in
the supermarkets) do not hold a good edge. The highest quality
knives are forged knives made of high-carbon steel alloys
with chromium, vanadium and molybdenum. These knives hold the
sharpest edge, won't rust and can last a lifetime if properly cared
for. Stamped knifes are made of lesser quality, are
lighter and are great for the household on a budget or as adjuncts
to a forged knife set. Ceramic knives are ultra sharp,
light weight and delicate and magnificent for paring, slicing and
dicing.
 A knife is comprised of; the blade, the
bolster, the tang and the handle. The blade is obviously the
part you cut with. The handle is what you hold. The tang is
the steel that extends from the blade into the handle. and the
bolster is the thick part between the blade and the handle. A
forged knife is distinguished by the bolster.
A stamped knife is made by literally stamping the shape
of the knife from a sheet of steel, grinding and polishing the
blade, welding the tang (another piece of steel) to the blade and
attaching a handle around the tang. The steel is of lower
quality as it is extruded (as opposed to forged) and the result is
a good quality knife at a moderate to low price.
 A forged knife is hot
dropped from a single blank of steel. Up to 40 steps are used
in the process of making a forged knife. A forged knife has a "full
tang", meaning that the blade and the tang are made from one piece
of steel (not welded). The bolster is most important as it adds
strength to the knife and acts as a comfortable "stop" for your
index or third finger. Try "choking" (sliding your hand
towards the blade) and you'll see how comfortable and balanced it
is. If the knife is made of the highest quality steel,
usually high-carbon, no-stain vanadium/molybdenum steel, the edge
will hold the sharpest edge for the longest time. including forming
of the bolster to the riveting of the handle.
Ceramic knives are made by a process of compressing
"ceramic" powder under great heat and pressure and then diamond
grinding and polishing for the finished product.. Ceramic is
the second hardest material (diamonds are of course the hardest)
and the blade is razor sharp.
How and when do you sharpen a knife?
The simple answer is when cutting is felt to be more difficult. It
is important to know why and when you would use a "sharpening
steel" or a knife sharpener.
Every set of knives usually includes a sharpening
steel. The sharpening steel does not sharpen your
knife. It is a maintenance tool. As a knife is used, the
blade loses its "straightness". Looked at it with a 1000x
magnifying glass, the blade develops fine "teeth or wiggles" over a
short period of time. This makes cutting more difficult,
harder or shredding whatever you are cutting. A sharpening steel
realigns (straightens) the edge, restoring the sharpness.
Sharpening steels should be used regularly.
Sharpening a knife should be done on a yearly basis for a
stamped knife, every 3 to 5 years for a forged knife and 5 or more
years for a ceramic knife. You can sharpen your knives
yourself with a sharpening stone, a diamond steel, an automatic
sharpener or you can take your knifes to a cutlery shop and have
them sharpened for about $2.00 a piece. Sharpening is an
occasional, not regular activity. Ceramic knives should be
sharpened only with a special sharpener (not commercially available
now). Don't worry, the manufacturer will do this for you, but
you won't need them sharpened for up to 5 years.
What are the most important knives to have in a kitchen?
A basic knife collection consists of:
- an ever useful 3 1/2 inch paring knife
- a 6 inch utility or sandwich knife for small tasks
- the most important 8 inch chef's or cook's knife
- a 5 inch boning knife for trimming filleting and
boning
- a 8 inch carver/slicer
- an 8 inch serrated bread (your life cutting bread will change
with this)
- and of course the above mentioned sharpening steel
- add a
knife block to hold the knives and you will have
the knives for most of the uses in your kitchen.
How do I select my
knifes?
You have to make the choice of budget and quality. Select a
known name, but be careful, many household names do not make the
best knives. Remember the difference between stamped (most Henkel knives) knives and forged (Trident
Classic and Messermeister San Moritz).
Note the feel and balance (a most personal thing). You will
immediately feel the difference between a stamped and forged knife.
A well designed knife has a curve from the bolster to the tip to
allow you to rock the knife as you dice.
Take a look at the two Eberhard Schaaf knife sets
below or the huge selection of top name cutlery manufacturers, at
discounted prices from  Tavolo .
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