A kitchen knife is just a kitchen knife, right? Wrong! Kitchen knives should never be an afterthought when buying for your kitchen. Invest in a good set of kitchen knives and learn to care for them properly, and they’ll give you many years of trusty service! Today, many of us building an inventory for the kitchen will pick up a set of knives at Target or maybe we’re gifted a set of knives. To be honest, we really don’t put a lot of thought into choosing knives that will serve us well for decades to come. However, not only is choosing the right type of a stainless steel knife set important but knowing how to care for them properly is also imperative as well.
Choosing Your Knives
First, let’s talk about choosing the proper knives for your kitchen. First, let’s look at what types of knives we should ensure are a part of a good set. You’ll need some general-purpose knives for sure. This includes at least one paring knife, a large chef’s knife, a butcher knife, a cleaver, and a bread knife. Now, you can always add to your own personal list of “necessary knives.” Some, especially those with small hands, will want additional paring knives, and there are those who will never use a cleaver. Some will want to add a carving knife to their list of “necessary knives,” as well as a boning knife. Depending on your lifestyle, budget, diet, and other factors you will need to look at a few different kinds of knives. If the aforementioned Target knife set isn’t your speed or you’re looking for something fancier like a Japanese santoku knife, make sure you pick the knife that suits your needs and your budget.
What Goes Into a Knife?
Once you’ve decided upon your list of necessary knives, you need to choose a quality set of knives. Unfortunately, those sets you might purchase at a big box store may not truly be quality knives. The quality of a kitchen knife depends upon the type of steel used to make the blade as well as a few other factors. First, you want a knife steel that will hold up well under use and won’t rust easily. For many, that means choosing a stainless steel knife set. However, do not shrug from choosing a high-carbon steel, which is a rather tough blade that will stay sharp with little effort from yourself. Look for NUMBERS as to the blade of the knife. Great kitchen knives are typically made from 1055 steel or 1095 steel. If you prefer a stainless steel blade, look for 420 J or 440 (A or C). All of these knife materials are fairly strong, fairly rust-resistant, and keep their edge for quite some time.
Components and Parts
A few other things you’ll want to look for in a kitchen knife include the tang of the knife. Turn the knife over and look at the back of the handle. If the steel of the knife runs all the way into the blade, you’ve got a “full” tang knife that is structurally sound and less likely to break when you’re prying something apart. While you’re observing the knife, think about your comfort, the weight of the knife and its overall size. Those with small hands will not want to choose a heavy or large knife. A good rule of thumb is, if you can’t chop with it, it’s not the knife for you! Look at the blade and the handle – is there a balance there? If the blade is too heavy when you’re holding it in the store, it will certainly be heavy once you get it home. There should be a balance in weight between the handle and the blade (which is another reason full-tang knives are important). Is the grip one that is comfortable? Remember, if a knife is uncomfortable in the stove, it will be at home as well.
Upkeep and Maintenance
Finally, let’s consider the upkeep of your kitchen knife as well as storage. All steels will rust! It is a good idea to hand-wash your kitchen knives then wipe them dry and oil them with just a touch of cooking oil after each use. Don’t store your kitchen knives in a wooden block as they tend to collect moisture and can be a haven for bacteria. Instead, install a magnetic strip to store your knives. (Hint: You can put this in the pantry for out-of-sight storage.) Most of the aforementioned steels will need little sharpening as they keep their edge pretty well. However, one can purchase a tool that will sharpen your knives when necessary.
