Why does a knife cut?
A knife is a cutting tool, the working part of which is a blade, a blade. The geometry of the blade is laid down by the manufacturer, and determines its properties when used, that is, for cutting what materials it will be used.
The basic concepts that define the geometry and determine the use of a knife are descents, supplies and a cutting edge.
There are three main types of slopes: flat, convex and concave (lenticular). The shape of the slopes affects the property of the knife as a whole and the nature of its use. A flat blade cuts thick materials very well. A knife with convex descents does not cut very well, but is suitable for heavy work and for cutting; the most expensive to manufacture, difficult to sharpen. A knife with concave descents cuts thin materials well, designed for accurate work. This form is the cheapest and easiest to manufacture, which is why most knives have such descents. There are other options for descents, but they all use the ones we have already considered.
Leads are the parts of the blade that form the cutting edge. It is on the carts that the entire sharpening process takes place. The presence of supplies makes sharpening easier and allows us to work on the edge with the necessary pressure, reducing it on fine-grained stones during finishing operations.
The cutting edge is the main working most loaded part of the blade. A lot of pressure is generated on the cutting edge when cutting the material. The cutting edge must have a certain resistance and strength in order to withstand such high loads. The sharper the cutting edge is sharpened, the easier the cutting process is, the penetration of the edge into the material being cut.
An important concept is cutting edge sharpening angle. The sharpening angle is selected in accordance with the purpose of the knife. A knife for delicate and accurate work in the kitchen, sirloin work will have 20-25 degrees. Universal knives, hunting, tourist sharpen at an angle of 30-35 degrees. Utility knives and knives for heavy work, felling is sharpened at an angle of 35-45 degrees. The smaller the sharpening angle, the easier it is to cut, but the edge is also the least durable, and vice versa, the larger the sharpening angle, the stronger the edge, but it is difficult to cut with such a blade, it is easier to cut. As a rule, when sharpening, the factory sharpening angle is restored. The sharpening angle is changed only meaningfully and purposefully, for certain tasks, for a certain nature of work, and without forgetting about the capabilities and characteristics of the steel itself from which the blade is made. As a rule, this requires certain knowledge and experience. If these requirements are not met, and they are neglected, we can get jams on the edge or chipped sections of the edge.
Keep in mind that the angle at which a knife with symmetrical descents is sharpened is half: if the angle between the longitudinal plane of the blade and the plane of the bar is 12 degrees, then the total sharpening angle will be 24 degrees.
The thickness of the information is an important characteristic of the blade. The smaller the amount of information, the better the knife cuts and the more accurate the cut is. But at the same time, the edge becomes more delicate and can be damaged by inaccurate and incorrect influences. For example, if we cut / chop frozen meat with some finely ground Japanese or other knife, we will easily damage / crumble the edge. 
For tourist, tactical and hunting knives, mixing is necessary more, which will allow you not to be afraid to injure the edge under loads, and you can also chop small pegs with such a knife, etc. a little.
It seems to me that for folding knives the most successful reduction is 0.2 - 0.3 mm, depending on the purpose of the knife and the structure of the knife. For tourist knives, reduction is 0.3 - 0.5 mm, depending on the purpose of the knife and the structure of the knife. For hunting 0.3 - 0.5 mm, for skinners, the value is 0.3-0.4 mm. I repeat once again that this is my opinion, and many factors affect the reduction of a particular knife - the width of the blade, the thickness of the blade, the purpose of the knife ... You often see domestic-made knives, in which the thickness of the reduction tends to be 1 mm or more - such knives do not cut well, especially when sharpening a little podsyaetsya.
The shape of the cutting edge can be represented as a radius inscribed at the point of convergence of the leads.
The sharper the edge, the less effort it takes to cut and the cleaner and smoother the surface of the material being cut.
/ Hong Rock. Perfect edge /
Unfortunately, the zero radius is practically unattainable, but the closer we get to it, the sharper the knife. On a blunt knife, if you look at it from the side of the edge, you can see a line - a thin uneven shiny strip - this shows the places of blunting and bending of the edge. Of course, without a microscope, the radius on a sharpened edge cannot be seen, but it is useful to know about this in order to imagine what we want to achieve when sharpening a knife.
This is what the cutting edge looks like after sharpening:
The width of the edge (or the width of the top) decreases as the stone's grit increases.
Image after sharpening on a Chosera 1k stone, tip width in the range of 0.7 µm
Image of the cutting edge after sharpening on a Shapton 2k stone, tip width in the range of 0.4 µm
Image of the tip of the cutting edge after sharpening on a Shapton 4k stone, the width of the tip of the cutting edge in the range of 0.3 µm.
Image of the cutting edge after sharpening on a Shapton 8k stone, cutting edge width in the range of 0.15 µm
Image of the cutting edge after sharpening on a Shapton16k stone, the width of the tip of the cutting edge in the range of 0.1 µm.
Images of transverse sections of the progression are shown below.
Cross section of the cutting edge after sharpening on a Chosera 1k stone.
Cross section of the cutting edge after sharpening on a Shapton 16k stone.
Photos taken from the publication http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/3488088/post357879626/ , original article https://scienceofsharp.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/the-honing-progression/
The whole variety of knives can be reduced to three types:
- knives are awkward;
- folding knives;
- knives with a removable blade.
Knives of each type have their own characteristics and undeniable advantages, although knives of the third type are less popular. Despite the great popularity and convenience of folding knives, the leadership still remains with the most ancient knives - clumsy, or, in other words, with a fixed blade. They are also called "fixeds" in knife slang.
These knives have certain advantages over folding knives:
- a knife with a fixed blade is always ready “to work”, since it does not need to be opened, like a folding one, in which the blade can jam at the most inopportune and decisive moment;
- a clumsy knife has no risk of spontaneous folding of the blade.
Due to their reliability, it is these knives that dominate the kitchen, they are indispensable as hunting, tourist, combat knives.
The external simplicity of the knife is deceptive. It has a rather complex design and operational parameters that determine the nature of its use.
So, the knife consists of a blade (1) and a handle (2). The point where the contours of the blade converge is called the point (3). The sharpened side of the blade is the blade (4). It consists of surfaces tapering at a certain angle, called slopes (5), and a cutting edge (RK). The side opposite the blade is called the butt (6). On the side surface of the blade there may be stiffening ribs in the form of protrusions or grooves - valleys (7). The unsharpened part of the blade adjacent to the handle is called the fifth (8). Sometimes there is a limiter between the blade and the handle - one or two-sided guard (9), which protects the hand from injury. The part of the blade that forms the hilt or is inside the hilt is called the blade tang. The part of the handle, which is, as it were, a continuation of the butt of the blade, is called the back (10), the opposite part from the side of the blade is the belly of the handle. The part of the handle farthest from the blade is called the head or pommel. Sometimes a hole (11) is made in the top, into which a lanyard is passed.
The main component of the knife is the blade. It is on him that the main part of the work falls. The handle determines how comfortable this work will be performed.
Blade
The blade of a knife is a strip of steel that is sharpened on one side and forms the blade and edge of the knife, the other part is called the shank and serves to attach the blade to the knife handle.
The performance of the blade depends on its geometric features. In accordance with the purpose of the knife, the blade must have a certain shape. The most common blades are flat. However, there are knives with a spiral-shaped blade, or with a blade in the form of a hollow metal tube. Of course, the scope of such knives is limited and very specific. They are mainly designed for stabbing.
Knife blades are subdivided, firstly, according to the side profile of the blade, and secondly, according to the shape of the cross section of the blade.
Blade side profile shapes
According to the shape of the side profile, flat blades are divided into several types.
1. Blade with a straight butt (normal blade). Universal blade, suitable for both cutting and piercing with a point. This form is common especially with hunting knives. Rounding to the point increases the length of the cutting edge of the knife, which facilitates skinning and butchering meat. Also used in Finnish.
2. Blade with lower butt line (drop- point). The tip is at the level of the central axis. Such a blade cuts and stabs equally well. In addition, it is slightly lighter than a similar blade with a straight butt. On the front of the butt there can be either a “false blade” formed by descents without sharpening, or a full-fledged blade that helps the blade to enter the material being cut more easily when pricked. A characteristic feature is the shortened length of the cutting edge. Such a blade has high piercing characteristics and is very versatile in use.
3. Blade with an increase in the line of the butt (trailing- point). This blade has a cutting edge length more length butt. It is difficult for them to pierce anything, but it is very convenient for cutting non-hard materials. Thanks to the extended cutting edge, less effort is expended when cutting, and the efficiency is increased, since a longer cut can be made in one stroke of the hand.
4. Bowie blade (clip- point). From the butt to the tip of the knife, a bevel "pike" is made. It brings the tip closer to the line of application of force during the injection. It is similar in configuration to the drop-point, but has a thinner point. This type of blade is often found on military and combat knives, which, thanks to the “predatory” profile, have a more original and intimidating look. They are also well suited for household tasks. These knives are especially popular in the USA.
5. Blade type "goat's leg" (wharncliffe blade). A form opposite to the first type - a blade with a straight butt. A straight blade allows more precise control of the cut. But due to the lack of a point, piercing becomes impossible. It is used, for example, for vegetable knives.
6. Blade type "tanto". He comes from Japan, but acquired the form we are used to thanks to Cold Steel, USA. The blade is characterized by extreme stability of the point due to the fact that the massiveness of the blade is preserved to the very point. Such a blade is convenient for power thrusts, but its cutting qualities are limited. Mainly used in combat knives.
7. Spear Blade (spear- point). The tip is located on the middle line of a double-edged blade. This form is perfectly adapted for injection, therefore it is usually used on daggers and combat knives. Bilateral sharpening allows you to make movements without turning your hand and without thinking about which side of the blade the blade is on.
The type of side profile determines the shape of the blade - the cutting edge of the knife. It can be straight, convex or concave. The most functional and convenient straight blade. It is it that is used for most of the operations performed by the knife. In addition, it is easy to sharpen. If the blade has a pronounced convex part, then this part is called the abdomen. The belly gives a concentration of effort on a limited part of the blade when making a cut. A concave (sickle-shaped) blade is used to rip up a surface.
Often there are reliefs on the surface of the blade - descents and supplies. They form the thickness of the knife blade and the sharpening angle. Their shape determines the quality of the cut. The profile of the descents is clearly visible on the cross section of the blade.
Cross section of the blade
The cross section of the blade, or profile, is one of the main parameters that determine the functionality and strength of the knife. Knowing what type of profile a blade has is necessary not only in order to choose the right knife for yourself in accordance with its functionality. The type of cross section also determines the type of sharpening and the angle of sharpening, as well as the correct placement of the blade on the grindstone.
There are many types of blade in the section, but their classification is reduced to seven main types. All these types are various variations an ordinary wedge, the lateral surfaces of which can be straight, concave, convex. The wedge pushes the layers of the material being cut the easier, the smaller the angle of the working edge (that is, the angle of sharpening) it has. Concave edges form a small sharpening angle, and also give the blade elegance and lightness, but at the same time such a knife is less durable and reliable. Blades with convex edges are much stronger, their sharpening angle is thicker, but at the same time, they are also heavier.
Let's analyze the main types of blade profile.
1. Pentagonal profile with connections. Most often found in utility knives of the middle price range. The characteristics of a blade with this profile are perfectly balanced. It is characterized by a uniform force when cutting products and sufficient strength of the cutting edge and the blade itself, which goes well with a high-quality cut. This type of sharpening is used by most craftsmen, as it is very technologically advanced and inexpensive to manufacture.
2. Blade with convex (lenticular) descents. Often used in professional models. The sharpening angle of the cutting edge of such a blade is large, which adversely affects the smoothness of the cut. But such a blade retains strength and sharpening even with prolonged loads and chopping blows. This type of sharpening is carried out exclusively by hand, it is expensive to manufacture, and therefore it is used mainly in expensive blades: high-quality chef's knives, bladed weapons from Japan, author's products.
3. Blade with concave slopes. This shape of the blade is also called a razor blade, as it is used in straight razors. With this form, a good cut and deep penetration of the knife into the material is ensured. True, sometimes this can create certain difficulties when working with large items. Blade with razor slopes cuts and cuts well. Most often used in knives that require a high-quality cut: hunting, skinning, fishing.
4. Straight wedge with leads to the cutting edge. An optimal and quite technological type that provides a good cut with sufficient blade strength. It is often also called the European type.
5. Pentagonal blade profile. The thinning of the blade starts approximately from the middle of the blade. Often found in the knife industry, especially Scandinavian models, so this type is otherwise called "Scandinavian descents". Thanks to its flat descents and small sharpening angle, it is ideal for cutting. Less suitable for cutting due to the low strength of the thin cutting edge. Mainly used for general purpose knives.
6. straight wedge. The decrease in the thickness of the blade starts from the butt and smoothly descends to the blade. When cut, the blade looks like a triangle. This form is very convenient for cutting, reduces the weight of the blade. But the blade, especially the point, is very thin and can deform or break under load. Therefore, a straight wedge is rarely used in modern knives.
7. Chisel profile. The edge of the blade is sharpened only on one side, on the other the blade remains almost flat. Such one-sided sharpening allows you to make the cutting edge as thin and sharp as possible. For knives with a similar one-sided sharpening, special properties and cutting techniques are characteristic: with inept use, the blade begins to divert to the side, so additional efforts and attention are required. It is used in highly specialized tools and Japanese chef's knives, as well as in tanto-type blades.
Depending on the geometric profile of the knife, the sharpening angle of the blade is formed.
Common sharpening angles for knives different type are considered:
- up to 10 degrees: razor blades, blades for thin sections, surgical instruments;
- from 10 to 20 degrees: a cutting tool designed for a delicate cut on a fairly soft material (vegetable, fillet knives);
- from 20 to 25 degrees: chef's knives of various functions;
- from 22 to 30 degrees: hunting and universal knives (tourist, cutting);
- from 25 to 40 degrees: knives for universal and heavy work.
Blade cutting edge type
According to the type of cutting edge, or sharpening, all knives can be divided into 3 groups: smooth, serrated, combined edge.
1. Smooth cutting edge. The most common type of sharpening and the most versatile. It is suitable for working with the widest range of materials. The main factor affecting the quality of the cut is the sharpening angle of the cutting edge. The large angle is ideal for splitting or chopping hard materials. A small angle allows the tool to effectively cut softer materials, but cuts fibrous and compacted tissues worse.
2. Serrated sharpening. The type of such a blade and the principle of its operation is very similar to a saw. Sharpened teeth, as a rule, have an unequal shape and size, but after a certain interval, a series of teeth repeats again and again. This blade structure significantly increases the coefficient useful action blade, while the applied forces are reduced due to the increase in the length of the cutting edge compared to the length of the blade itself. The serrator is ideally suited for cutting fibrous materials, viscous fabrics such as ropes, ropes, wood, cardboard, leather. True, the cut at the same time turns out to be uneven and it is difficult to perform household work with such a knife. Compared to a smooth cutting edge, such a knife retains its sharpness for a long time, dulls only after a very long period of use and requires special sharpening tools to sharpen it.
3. Combo, or combined sharpening. It is a combination of the two previous types. It began to be used in order to increase the versatility of the knife when working with various materials. For hunters, fishermen, tourists, extreme athletes, it is important to have tools at hand that perform a wide range of work. Therefore, knives with a combo cutting edge are very popular among these categories of users, as well as among the military, rescuers, and police.
Sometimes on the butt of the blade you can see large sharpened teeth. These are the so-called shock teeth. They are designed to inflict lacerations on the enemy. They used to be used in combat knives, but are now rare. A variation of such a knife is a hunting knife, which has a skinning hook on the butt for skinning animals.
point
The tip (toe) determines the punching and penetrating qualities of the blade. These properties, although similar, have differences. When punching, they hit hard with a knife, the hardness of the tip to break is important here. Tanto-type blades are well suited for such strikes. With a penetrating cut, it is the sharpness of the tip of the knife that is important, as with drop-point and bowie blades.
Despite the name, the point may not be sharp, but may have, for example, a rounded shape. As a rule, the tip is located on an axis passing through the center of the plane of the knife. There are also knives with a raised edge, which allows you to concentrate the effort in a certain place. Less common are knives with a lowered edge. They are used to obtain a neat straight cut on a hard surface.
Doly
If you look at the knife in profile, on many blades you can see longitudinal cuts - valleys. They can be on one or both sides of the blade. These grooves are also called "bloodlines", since there is an opinion that when a penetrating blow is applied with such a knife, blood comes out of the wound through the valleys, which improves the penetration of the blade into the enemy's body. But in fact, their purpose is more prosaic, but more significant for the functionality of the knife. First of all, they lighten the weight of the blade, which is especially important for knives with lenticular slopes and thick butt, and at the same time increase the lateral rigidity. The valleys also prevent sticking (freezing) of the cut product on the blade. Doles can be through. But this is more of a design trick. The mechanical strength of the blade is thus weakened.
On the blades of many knives you can see the logo of the manufacturer, the name of the knife model, the type of steel, the facsimile of the master. On inexpensive knives, inscriptions are usually applied with paint or stamping. On expensive models, engraving or etching is used.
Combination various elements described in the article defines a huge variety of types and models of knives. Features of their design have developed either on the basis of the centuries-old experience of peoples different countries, or were the result of the development of knife masters and designers, taking into account the use of modern technologies.
A knife, like any other tool, requires maintenance, in addition, its cutting part needs to be updated from time to time. No wonder there is an opinion that you can cut your hand only with a blunt blade. Usually, this comes from the fact that the blunt blade breaks off the cut off part, and as the saw tears the skin on the holding hand.
In order to avoid such injuries, the knife blade must be periodically updated. Sharpen at a certain angle, which depends on the purpose of the blade and varies from 15 to 45 degrees from the center.
The main materials for the manufacture of the blade are metal alloys. The method of their manufacture can be different, from forging to stamping, they are united by one thing - metal. The metal of the blade has hardness, in addition, it must be elastic so as not to break the knife blade with a slight misalignment.
Also in the characteristics of the metal importance has wear resistance, or a tendency to retain sharpening. At the same time, the excessive fragility of the blade, which is noted when increased hardness, often results in chipping of part of the cutting edge on impact.
Most often for the manufacture of knives use:
The hardness of steel is one of the main characteristics when choosing a sharpening angle, but not a determining one.
In addition to the hardness of the metal, it is necessary to take into account the shape of the cutting part that was originally present on the blade. Modern knives can have the following sections:
Depending on the hardness of the steel and the cross-sectional shape of the blade, the angle of the edges is selected. In addition to these, there are other types of knife sharpening, but they are less common.
It is worth noting that, despite the existing table of sharpening angles, it is selected by a person independently, for the most convenient operation of the blade.
Despite the apparent simplicity of sharpening the blade, in fact the shape of the cutting edge looks quite complicated. The sharpening angle creates only common edges of the cutting edge, the edge itself is formed by supply lines, narrow strips of the blade, which constitute the edge that cuts the material.
In order to bring out the cutting edge of the blade, it is necessary to process the slopes with an abrasive, creating a wedge.
Choosing an abrasive is not an easy task, in modern world widely used various kinds synthetic grinding materials such as electrocorundum or bonded diamond stones.
But, as before, professional sharpeners believe that the best result is achieved only when using abrasive stones of natural origin: novaculite or Arkansas, Japanese water stones.
Sharpening of knives is carried out with the obligatory use of oil or water. This allows you to wash out dirt from under the blade with solid particles of abrasive, which would otherwise scratch the blade, in addition, the presence of lubricant will save the surface of the stone from ingrained dirt and metal chips.
It should be noted that the surface of the grinding stone must be perfectly flat, otherwise the cutting edge will be wavy, which will ambiguously affect the quality of sharpening.
You need to be especially careful when sharpening the knife one and a half, in this case there is a risk of cutting your hand when editing on the sharp edges of the blade.
For ideal sharpening, it is necessary to alternately change the grit of the bar, moving from coarse grain, whose task is to create a rough edge and descents, and ending with polishing, which polishes the descents and creates supplies.
The grain size of the abrasive is determined by the size of its particles, the larger the particle size, the rougher the processing of the edges of the blade.
It is optimal to have 2-3 bars with different meaning. The first one is for rough sharpening, the second one is for edging and the third one is for grinding. Although the final editing can be done with a polished piece of steel, a leather belt or a ceramic bar.
As you can see, the sharpening angle determines not only the sharpness of the blade, but also the resistance of its cutting edge to blunting. If professional kitchen knives are undermined almost constantly during operation, then home knives, as a rule, have a large angle, and, consequently, increased resistance to blunting.
Blades designed for felling have a sharpening angle of 35 degrees or more. This guarantees a greater resistance of the cutting edge against chipping of the cutting edge during impacts.
It should be noted that each tool has its own sharpening angle.
It makes no sense to sharpen the razor at 45 degrees, it will keep its sharpness for a long time, but at the same time it will not cut the hair, at the same time when editing hunting knife at 25 degrees it will cut beautifully and evenly for only the first five minutes, and then the blade will become dull.
Optimum sharpening with a curved cutting edge. Such a section withstands shock loads for a long time and does not blunt.
Separately in this row is a surgical and medical instrument, there are completely different rules for sharpening knives, a different hardness of steel and a different section shape.
Correct sharpening of knives is carried out in the following order:
During editing, it is worth monitoring the observance of the sharpening angle, it is for this reason that it is recommended to use limiters.
They will help to initially maintain the angle, and in the future, with experience gained, it will be possible to sharpen the blade “by eye”.
This knife sharpening technique requires some preparation to use, unlike Arkansas or synthetics, sharpening a knife on such stones necessarily requires the use of water.
Sharpening with such tools is actually a ritual, but it is worth noting that knives sharpened in this way keep sharpening very well and perfectly cut everything that is needed.
The simplest, but at the same time the most dangerous way for the tool. It is enough to overexpose the blade a little in one place, as heat release the steel and weaken it. But at the same time, it is the electric grinder that will help you quickly adjust the blade to the required sharpness.
Therefore, when using such a dressing tool, it is worth keeping a container of water on hand, where you periodically lower the blade. to cool the steel.
There are situations in our life when a sharp knife is required in the absence of any sharpening tool.
In nature, for example, or in the mountains. How to proceed in this case?
In this case, first of all, you can think about ceramics, if ceramic dishes are available, then its broken edge will allow you to correct the cutting edge without much labor. If not, then any stone will help.
Ideally, of course, pick up sandstone, but in such a case, any stone with a flat surface is suitable, river pebbles, for example. Pay attention to the surface of the stone, a large number of pores or a granular structure already indicate that the stone is a good abrasive.
Then it all depends on your ability to work. Modern steels do not lend themselves well to abrasive natural minerals. With improvised means, you can also fix the knife if necessary. The final finishing of the edge is done with a piece of leather or polished on a piece of smooth stone.
The main problem when dressing such blades is the uneven production of abrasive when sharpening the blade, in these blades layers of hard and soft steel alternate, and if they are chaotic in Damascus, then Japanese welded steel has a hard cutting edge, so it is important to maintain the required angle.
Use for these knives is either water stones or synthetics, such as diamond. Arkansas will quickly work out without bringing a tangible effect.
Threading Damascus blades is more difficult than high carbon or alloy steels.
The difference between Damascus and carbon steel is its hardness and the presence of a multi-layered cutting edge, which plays into the hands when cutting or chopping with this blade, but is imperceptible when dressing.
Sharpening a blade is quite difficult, especially for a beginner, the difficulty is fixing the angle of sharpening, the appearance of scratches on the blade and a wavy cutting edge. You can avoid these problems to the maximum, it is worth practicing on cheap kitchen knives, and only then proceed to straightening knives made of high-quality steel. Don't forget about lubrication.
Do not forget about the parameters for choosing the angle of sharpening and abrasive: the hardness of the steel and the purpose of the blade are the defining parameters. In addition, do not forget about the care of stones and a knife after removing the edge. The metal must be thoroughly wiped from moisture. Rinse and dry the stones, remember to level their surface.
One of the main elements of work in the kitchen is a kitchen knife. It would seem, what could be easier? But not every housewife knows what they are and why to use one or another type.
Especially for you, we have prepared a selection of the main types kitchen knives and their appointments with photos and brief characteristics. Let's try to figure out which of them are really needed in the kitchen, and which are useful only occasionally and just take up extra space.
Despite all the diversity, three knives are rightfully considered the main chef's trio, without which the cooking process seems extremely difficult and labor-intensive. Consider each of the knives in more detail.
Chef's knife. A versatile tool that can replace most other knives - except perhaps the bread knife. However, many cooks manage only with them - a matter of technology. A fairly large heavy knife, despite its size, is easy to use. Shredding vegetables, slicing meat, peeling fruit... All this is easy to do with a chef's knife.
A wide blade eighteen to twenty-five centimeters long should be perfectly sharpened and strong enough. Strength is essential for handling frozen foods.
Considering that the highest requirements have always been put forward for the quality of this knife, we have prepared for you.
Another important component of the "big three" is a bread knife with a serrated blade. The length of such a knife is about twenty-one centimeters. His salient feature- a blade similar to a saw-hacksaw, processed by the serrated sharpening method. The specially serrated blade easily cuts the bread pulp without crushing it.
The last required tool is a small one. vegetable peeler, with a blade about seven to eight centimeters. The small size allows you to comfortably hold it in your hand and thoroughly peel potatoes, zucchini and other vegetables or fruits - something that is difficult to handle with larger knives.
Of course, these are not all types of knives for use in the kitchen. If you go to a special chef's shop, the variety of knives will amaze you. We offer to study in more detail those of them that can be a good addition to the main cook three.
Perhaps at the top of this list should be utility knife,
which is found in almost every home. The classic-shaped blade usually reaches fifteen centimeters. This knife is suitable for both meat and vegetables. It is easy to use and does not require special skills.
However, with soft or, conversely, too hard products, such a knife will not cope.
Few people know that the potato peeler available in almost every home is actually also a kind of knife. A vegetable peeler, if you use the official terminology, thanks to two blades turned towards each other, is very convenient for peeling vegetables and fruits. Floating blades provide additional ergonomics - the hand gets tired of such a knife much less than if you were trying to peel potatoes or apples with a regular knife.
Another useful knife kitchen hatchet. A wide square blade up to eighteen centimeters long is indispensable for chopping meat. Due to its high strength, it allows you to easily cut through large pieces of meat, including frozen.
Its peculiarity is also interesting: if most knives need to be cut along the product, such an ax should be lowered deeper.
Important: if you decide to purchase a kitchen hatchet, pay attention to the handle! It should be comfortable and not slip in your hand - otherwise you may be injured.
For a non-professional home kitchen, it will not be superfluous to purchase a small sandwich knife with a slightly rounded blade. Who among us does not like to make a couple of sandwiches for breakfast or afternoon tea?
The peculiar shape of such a knife will allow you to conveniently spread butter and other soft products on bread: pates, melted cheese, soft cottage cheese or mousse, jam ...
The 8 cm wide blade makes it much easier to make sandwiches.
A fillet knife with a narrow and long blade of twenty centimeters will also come in handy in the kitchen. The shape of the knife and the raised tip make it easy to fillet the fish, separating the fillet from the bone, and cut the meat into thin slices. But be careful: such a knife is not suitable for solid foods, so avoid cutting frozen meat or fish.
The Japanese santoku knife is not very popular with us. Oddly enough, this handy wide twenty-centimeter knife is not very famous. But the Americans have long appreciated it - many professional chefs switch from chef's knives to santoku. And in almost every house you can find such a model.
Thanks to the lowered tip, the knife is more ergonomic than its chef counterpart. It is convenient when chopping meat or shredding. The tip allows you to filigree cut even the most capricious products, including bread.
Another less popular knife will come in handy for many cheese lovers. That's what it's called - cheese. It is better to use it for soft varieties - with hard ones you can handle a universal or chef's knife. The indentations or holes on the blade of the knife allow you to cut soft cheese, avoiding its deformation and sticking. A nice bonus - at the tip of such a knife is often a small fork, for neatly transferring cheese to a plate.
If you really like to cook without being afraid of experiments and non-standard dishes, you should be interested in the following types of knives. They are not often used in the home kitchen, but they can make life much easier for the enthusiast cook.
For lovers of stuffed vegetables, no doubt it will come in handy. cavity cutting knife. The oval shape of the blade looks unusual, but once you take it in your hands, you will understand all the convenience. The pointed edge allows you to quickly remove the pulp from zucchini, eggplant and other vegetables. If you wish, you can even prepare pieces of meat for stuffing - but for this it will be more convenient to slightly freeze them.
Another interesting model is a cucumber knife. However, with its help, you can quickly cut any hard vegetables or fruits into thin, neat slices. Seven parallel blades provide a sharp and precise line, so your plate of fruit or vegetable cuts will look perfect.
The so-called chopping knife is also interesting to use. The semicircular blade is crowned with two handles at once. It is proposed to work with him with two hands. This knife is suitable for cooking chopped steaks, quick shredding a large number meat or vegetables and so on.
The knife is often used in professional kitchens, but amateurs are afraid of it. And in vain. Yes, working with chopped products requires certain skills - but after spending a couple of hours on training, you will notice how much easier it has become to work with chopped products.
The popularity of Japanese cuisine could not but affect the market of kitchen appliances in Russia. If you love sushi bars, why not try preparing their menu at home? Thanks to its flexible long blade (about twenty centimeters), a kitchen sashimi knife will allow you to cut salmon and any other fish into thin, almost transparent slices. Your sushi will look perfect!
The eternal competitor of sushi is pizza. Fans of hot cakes with cheese are familiar with attempts to cut a hot product, only from the oven. The cheese stretches unaesthetically, sometimes falls along with the filling ... To avoid such troubles, purchase round pizza cutter. A rotating blade with fine teeth allows you to quickly cut pizza into neat, aesthetic slices.
Of course, we could not describe all types of knives - experts number up to two hundred. However, we hope that the selection will help you decide on the necessary minimum, which will greatly facilitate the cooking process and make work in the kitchen quick and enjoyable.
Why is it bad to call the parts of the knife the way you are used to (albeit incorrectly)? Well, at least by the fact that they won’t understand you on forums and tips, or they will misunderstand you, or they will still understand, but they will stick an offensive label on you as a noob.
So, we consider the diagram, read the explanations and remember.
Dol is what schoolchildren love to call a bloodstream. Naturally, the dol does not have such functions, but rather, it is intended to lighten the weight of the blade, while maintaining its longitudinal rigidity.
As a bonus, we also offer a Nepalese kukri scheme: European knife you will definitely not find, for example, "Shiva's tooth".
