-
Chamba
-
Cookware
-
Appliances
-
Cutlery
-
Kitchen Tools
-
Bakeware
-
Table/Bar
-
Food
-
Collections
- Sale
Welcome to our Knife Skills series - Part II. Click here for Knife Skills Part I
Selecting quality kitchen knives like a pro involves understanding the materials, the purpose of the blade, and the task at hand.
To get started, let’s understand how kitchen knives are made.
Most kitchen knives are made of carbon steel or stainless steel, with varied levels of each material.
Forged Knives: Forging involves a single piece of steel being heated and hammered into shape — either by hand as in traditional blacksmithing, or by modern machine. Forged knives are heavier than stamped knives and tend to hold their edge better; they are also more expensive
Stamped Knives: These are cut to shape and offer very precise blades that are lighter and thinner than forged knives.
Damascus: This is a method most often found in Japanese knives that refers to the layering and folding of different steels, often creating a wavy appearance like in Kikuichi’s Nickel Warikomi Damascus Santoku.
Chef’s Knife: The most important all-purpose knife, great for chopping, slicing, and even breaking down a chicken. Typically in sizes between 6” and 12”, we love these options from Wusthof and Shun, and have corralled all our Chef’s Knives into one collection here. If you buy one knife, make it this one!
Paring Knife: Best for small, detailed tasks, like coring fruit, peeling vegetables, deveining shrimp, or fine work on garnishes. There are many budget-friendly options available, and we have a dedicated selection here.
Serrated Bread Knife: While difficult to sharpen, this blade is Ideal for crusty loaves. However, if it’s your go-to for tomatoes and soft fruits, you may need to sharpen your Chef or Paring knife. You should be able to slice through a tomato with no effort! Bread knives are often part of 3-piece starter sets, like this one from Wusthof.
Santoku: This Japanese all-purpose knife is shorter and flatter than a Chef’s knife, and should be razor sharp and lightweight.
Nakiri: This traditional Japanese vegetable knife literally means “leaf cutter” so you can make paper-thin cuts with precision. Shop our Santoku & Nakiri knives here.
Boning Knife: With its narrow, flexible blade, this tool lets you navigate around bones and remove meat cleanly for stocks or stir-fries. We love this handsome boning knife from Shun.
Utility Knife: With a slim 4-6″ sharpened edge, the utility knife lets you maintain control during fine work while still handling modest rough chop tasks. We recommend this short 4.5” Asian utility knife from Wusthof.
Meat or Vegetable Cleaver: This large blade is great for cutting through bones and tough produce. It shouldn’t be too heavy or unwieldy. This cleaver from Wusthof is a popular option.
Slicing & Carving Knives: These long knives are perfect for slicing portions of roasts and holiday turkeys. We love this carving set from Shun with its Damascus steel and wavy pattern.
Steak Knives: While not every household needs a set of steak knives (hi, vegetarians!) these knife sets make for excellent housewarming and wedding gifts, and are handy to have around beyond the use of meat-eaters. We love this set of steak knives from Wusthof that comes in a handsome Olivewood box for safe storage.
Poultry Shears: Think beyond chicken with handy, versatile kitchen shears that can be sharpened for the biggest tasks in your workspace. Check out our collection of shears here.
Shoutout to Mandolines and Microplanes for the sharp skills in the kitchen! Shop our selection here.
Sharpen your knives every 3–6 months, depending on use. Hone before each cooking session to keep the edge aligned and pay attention to your blade’s efficiency — it takes practice to gauge when sharpening is needed. We’ve gathered a list of Knife Maintenance Tools that a home chef should have:
Honing Steels & Honing Rods: Like all the images of chefs honing their blades before work, honing steels realign the knife edge, but do not sharpen your blades. We recommend this honing rod from Wusthof.
Knife Sharpeners: A sharp knife is the most important tool — and the safest! Knife sharpening removes metal to restore bevels and provide edge restoration. At Toque Blanche, we offer professional knife sharpening as well as easy to use at-home knife sharpeners like this reasonably priced electric sharpener from Darex.
Shun Knives: Your Shun purchase will come with a guide that provides information on how to sharpen and maintain your blades.
Whetstone: Use 1,000 grit for sharpening and 5,000–6,000 grit for smoothing. We recommend this whetstone system from Shun.
The proper storage is important for both safety and keeping your kitchen knives in the best condition. There are many ways to store cutlery and knives in your kitchen, including:
Magnetic Knife Rack: Keep your knives at the ready with a magnetic strip right above your workspace. We love this option from RSVP.
Drawer Knife Box: Keep your knives hidden in the drawer and out of reach of young children, while also ensuring blade protection. We love this in-drawer storage from Wusthof.
Knife Blocks: A popular choice for home chefs, the traditional wood knife block comes with as many cutout spaces as you need. From modern designs and attractive woods, you’ll love seeing these out on your countertop with easy access to all your tools. Shop our selection of Knife Blocks here.
Knives on the Go: Consider a blade protector for safe transport and edge protection, and a Knife Roll to arrive ready to get to work. Shop our accessories for cutlery storage and transportation here.
Cutting Boards: You may not realize, but the material of your cutting board can affect your knives. Wood cutting boards and chopping blocks will cause the least amount of stress on your knives, whereas harder cutting board materials like glass and stone can dull your knives faster.
Safety first! Using your kitchen knives incorrectly can lead to injuries, and we wouldn’t want that. Here are the top three things to avoid:
- Using the wrong blade — reach for a serrated knife, not a chef’s, on crusty bread.
- Ignoring handle care — wood handles need oiling to avoid splits.
- Overusing the tip — risking slips when you need the knife’s belly. Try rocking your knife.
- Always slice away from your body.
- Keep blades sharp — dull knives slip more.
- Place non-slip mats beneath your cutting board.
- Store knives in a block or magnetic strip—never loose in a drawer.
In our Knife Skills 101 series, we are excited to share more details on knife work, practicing your skills, exploring the handling of specific blades, and the best practices in utilizing your blade. Click here to read our Knife Skills 101 blog post!
