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How to choose the right knife. Metal or ceramic? Overview of the best camping knives

For almost every housewife, the kitchen is a bottomless and endless field for creativity. Here you can find a lot of necessary and useful things, from furniture to kitchen knives. Yes, yes, without a knife, even the most modern kitchen will be inferior, its absence will be immediately noticeable, since this sharp object is used most often: it is cleaned, cut, crushed, and so on. But how well this will be done depends on the sharpness of the object, as well as on the material used to make it. Today we will talk about how to choose the right kitchen knife and where to buy it.

Essential knives

All chefs and confectioners know what a “big trio” is, but do housewives know this? If not, then you need to talk about it. These are three knives that are indispensable in the kitchen, because they can do almost everything. Firstly, it is a large kitchen knife made of damask steel with a blade length of thirty to forty-five centimeters. With it, they do a lot of work in the kitchen, for example, cut meat or chop fruits and vegetables.

Second, you need a knife middle length(up to thirty centimeters). It is used for certain types of cooking. Thirdly, it is a small knife up to twenty centimeters long. Useful where others can't handle. for the kitchen - these are mandatory items that should be in the house of every housewife.

All three of these items are designed for processing products with a dense structure, so their cutting surface is rounded towards the end.

Thus, the big trio is three powerful knives, differing in size from each other. Every professional chef or culinary specialist has them.

Auxiliary knives

Before choosing a kitchen knife, you need to know what other knives are needed in the kitchen. Almost every housewife in the arsenal has a knife for cutting bread. It has a wavy long blade with a cut and non-pointed tip, which helps to do an excellent job of slicing bread and other baked goods, as it easily cuts through the crust and cuts through the flesh.

There is also a knife for peeling vegetables (fruits). They come in several types: with a simple blade, as well as with a blade with special hole. Their working surface is quite short and has a pointed tip.

There are also those with which it is customary to butcher and cut meat, to separate it from the bone. They have a short narrow blade that expands at the base and bends towards the end. This is done so that the meat does not stick to the blade.

Another frequent guest in the kitchen is a knife for cutting (sausage, cheese, and so on). It should be with a long blade of medium width and flat surface. For fish, a serrated kitchen knife is provided. It is necessary to choose it so that it has a long flexible blade.

Exist a large number of auxiliary knives that can be used to process various products, such as cheese, mushrooms and so on. But it is not necessary to have them all in your arsenal, the most important copies will be enough. In any case, the choice is always with the hostess.

Blade

In order to know how to choose the right kitchen knife, you need to pay attention to its blade. Forged products are considered to be the best, but they can not always be found in stores. Alternatively, knives are used of stainless steel, in which chromium is added, which makes the product very durable. Molybdenum and vanadium can also be added to stainless steel, they are safe for health. Colour working surface knives should be uniform, this gives confidence that the alloy used is of very high quality. There should be no chips or nicks on the sharpening line.

sharpening

To know how to choose a kitchen knife, you need to pay attention to the quality of its cutting surface. To do this, look at the knife from the side. The surface should not have dents, chips, scrapings and other things. A person should see a continuous pushing line of the same thickness. The cutting surface must not expand towards the point or be undulating. different shapes. The best option in this case would be a blade in which the cutting part cannot be distinguished. This will mean that the knife is well sharpened.

Ideally, today there will be a laser-sharpened knife in the kitchen. Such an item is capable of self-sharpening during operation. You can check the quality of such a knife by looking at it from the side; dull marks should be visible on the cutting surface.

Pen

Good kitchen knives should have a handle that fits comfortably in your hand. Today they are made from various materials A: steel, plastic, wood and so on. Here Special attention you need to pay attention to the fact that the wooden handle can wear out over time and change its original shape. Cracks appear in it. Plastic in this case will last longer, but you need to look at whether the knife blade reaches the end of the handle, since many manufacturers save on steel. The most practical knives are those that have a steel handle. The only drawback in this case is their large weight.

Whatever material the handle is made of, it should be comfortable and practical, the blade should not loosen over time.

Ceramics

Before choosing a kitchen knife, you should pay attention to ceramics. Ceramic knives have recently appeared in the kitchen, but they do not need sharpening, as they remain sharp for a long time. Made such a piece of kitchen utensils from special composition to which zirconium dioxide has been added. This gives the object a black tint, and most importantly, strength.

There are, of course, some downsides to using a ceramic knife. First, he has high cost, and secondly, it breaks or chips off under strong mechanical stress (impact).

Where can I buy?

Before choosing a knife for the kitchen, you need to know where to do it. Modern shops offer huge selection kitchen utensils, but not always the price corresponds to the quality. Very often, manufacturers indicate incorrect information about the composition of knife alloys or about their sharpening, which misleads the consumer. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase knives for working in the kitchen in trusted places or from reputable companies. For example, a high quality ceramic knife will have a fairly large cost, and a high quality steel product is almost eternal. Japanese and Swiss are considered good.

Results

In order for the tool to serve for a long time, it must be used for its intended purpose. The main thing is that it is out of the reach of children, since a professional knife is a dangerous thing, since it has an exceptionally sharp blade. This kitchen tool is used only for its intended purpose, it should not be used to cut frozen meat and bones, and it is also not recommended to bend the blade to test it for flexibility.

Now we know how to choose a good knife. It is not necessary to have tools in the arsenal for all occasions. Experienced culinary specialists recommend acquiring only specimens from the so-called "big trio", but they must be of high quality, only then they can last a long time. And if a person has a desire to feel like a professional in the culinary arts, then you can buy many different good knives. The main thing is that you need to cut carefully so that your health does not suffer.

The knife is one of the most important tools of man. It has evolved from a silicon variant to a modern high-strength steel knife. The knife is used in a wide range of areas - from cooking to excellent remedy self defense in skillful hands. When choosing a knife, it is important to clearly understand what it is for. We will try to give you recommendations and advice on choosing exactly the knife that you need.

The article contains the following items:

Types and features of knives

It is immediately necessary to indicate that there are no knives “just like that”, for everything. Each type is strictly functional and adapted to achieve certain goals.

Depending on the purpose, all knives can be divided into the following types:

1. Sports knives. This category of knives includes training and throwing varieties. As a rule, they do not withstand sharpening quite well. These knives are made from composite materials, plastic, wood and metal. With a strong desire, such a knife can be cut, but it will be inefficient and inconvenient for you. Throwing knives are not hardened. They do not have a handle, as it can be damaged when thrown. The handle can be replaced by a rope wrapped around the blunt part of the knife. The main characteristics of such knives are their balance and weight. The more the knife is balanced, the more accurately it rushes to the target. Special Forces training uses imitation combat knives. They repeat the combat originals in everything, with the exception of piercing and cutting parts that can cause injury during training. The cost of such copies is close to the cost of the original.

2. Knives with a fixed blade. Such knives differ from each other in the shape and length of the blades, the material of the handle.

The shape of the knife affects the comfort of handling it and the possibility of carrying out certain manipulations with it.

The depth of the cut and the cutting properties of the knife (together with the weight of the blade) depend on the length of the blade. Short blades are suitable for more precise knife operations. And long ones allow you to cut voluminous and soft foods well - bread, cheese, watermelon, melon and others.

Also important for the depth and length of the incision and the length cutting edge. It depends on the shape of the blade.

The width of the blade allows you to adjust the cutting control. The wide blade perfectly cuts off product fragments in a straight line. Narrow - on the contrary, allows you to perfectly maneuver during the cutting process, easily changing the direction of movement. Such a blade will come in handy if you need to beautifully cut a piece of the product.

The thickness of the blade determines the degree of its rigidity and strength. The thicker the blade, the stronger the knife and the less likely it is to bend or break. However, a knife with a thick blade is difficult to pass through the product, encountering significant resistance. A thin blade easily slides through the thickness of the product, but is less durable and can bend. The angle at which the edges converge to the cutting edge means a lot.

3. Tourist knives. This type of knives includes all knives used in field conditions: for the extraction of food, the preparation of firewood, the construction of shelter from the weather, and so on. They can range from relatively universal to highly specialized (for example, a machete). These include hunting and fishing knives. They are distinguished by the strength and quality of hardening, providing them with a sufficient degree of reliability during operation.

4. Hunting knives. Such knives are widely used in hunting for finishing game, skinning it, butchering carcasses. Also, these knives can be used when organizing an overnight stay - to cut pegs for, posts for a bowler hat, cut branches for a fire and flooring in a tent. Such knives have increased strength as a result of excellent hardening of steel, they are slightly subject to blunting and breakage. Used for freshening special knives- skinners with a short blade. They require a minimum of maintenance and are as practical as possible.

5. Fishing knives. Such knives are used for straightening fishing equipment, putting on sinkers, cutting fish out of the mouth, and a deeply swallowed hook.

6. Folding knives. These knives are convenient because they do not require a special case to carry. It is enough to fold the blade, and it becomes no more dangerous than a fountain pen.

They have a wide range for cutting a wide variety of products.

Choosing a kitchen knife

In principle, you only need three knives for comfortable food management in the kitchen - small (25-30 cm), medium (30-35 cm), large (35-40 cm).

If you are not comfortable, you can add to the household:

knife for cutting vegetables (serrated) (has small teeth that make cutting easier);

fresh bread (same form as for vegetables);

cheese knife (has a wavy cutting edge and a Teflon coating that protects against cheese sticking to the blade);

fillet knife (due to the sharpness and special grooves on the blade, it makes it easy to fillet the fish, cutting it into thin slices).

pizza knife (with teeth and in the form of a handle with a sharply sharpened rotating disk).

You should pay attention to such parameters as:

Material. The kitchen knife must be made of high quality hardened steel resistant to blunting. To do this, knives can be coated with a layer of molybdenum, vanadium, titanium. The most expensive, but also the highest quality knives are made of multilayer Damascus steel. Ceramic knives are just as good. Their blades retain excellent sharpness for a long time. However, the disadvantage of such knives is their fragility upon impact. If you drop it on the floor or place it poorly, the blade can easily break or shatter into pieces.

Sharpening method. The most optimal knives with laser sharpening. Such knives are sharpened as a result of active use. The more you cut, the sharper such a knife becomes. The disadvantage of a laser sharpened knife is its high cost.

Blade width. The wide blade is suitable for cutting meat. Blades of medium-sized knives are universal. Narrower blades work great fine work and slicing fruits and vegetables.

Handle. It can be made of various materials - metal, plastic, wood. The metal handle is strong and comfortable, but it significantly increases the weight of the knife. The tree is exposed to moisture and temperature changes, which relatively quickly makes it unusable. The best option in terms of weight and strength are plastic handles. They are not afraid of dampness and are lightweight.

Hunting knives and their features

The knife is necessary element hunter equipment. They are for finishing off game, skinning skinner, camp knife and others.

The knife should be versatile and not heavy. Optimal length blades should not be more than 20 cm, the width should be approximately 3.5 cm, and the thickness should not exceed 3-4 mm. The blade must have both hardness and elasticity in order to avoid breakage in extreme situations. The steel of the knife should not need frequent sharpening. The normal weight for a hunting knife is no more than 250 gr. However, if you are comfortable with a heavier knife, you can ignore this rule.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the handle of a hunting knife. It is desirable that it be made of natural materials - wood or birch bark. However, this material is not very durable, so you can stop at the options - a rubber or bone handle. The knife should lie confidently and firmly in your hand and not slip.

Also note the scabbard. They should be comfortable, lightweight and functional. Consider the most comfortable and safe option for attaching the scabbard. Most often they are made of leather.

After hunting, wash and dry the knife blade, lubricate it with machine oil if you do not plan to use it in the near future. The wooden handle can be treated with linseed oil.

What should be a folding knife?

Folding knives are comfortable to carry and use. However, the presence of numerous small and moving parts make them less reliable than other knife options.
When buying a folding knife, pay attention to the following points:

1. Knife blade locking mechanism.

Line lock. With such a system, there is a recess in the carrier plate of the knife handle and its part is bent inward. In the open blade position, it supports the blade tang. To close, you need to move the plate outward, allowing the blade to release.

lock-back. With this mechanism, the blade has a hook that clings to a lever equipped with a spring. When opened, such a lever catches the blade and holds it in open state. If you press the lever, the blade can be folded freely.

Slip-joint. This model does not have a fixed blade. A spring protects it from spontaneous closing. To close the blade requires only a small force on the butt.

Determine which of the mechanisms is more comfortable and preferable for you, and only after that purchase a knife.

2. Ease of blade opening. Everyone remembers Soviet folding knives, which had to be opened with anything but your fingers. So a normal folding knife should open with a flick of the fingers. At the same time, the blade should not dangle or move along the lateral plane.

3. Multifunctionality. Modern folding knives, in particular the Swiss military, in addition to the knife, they also have a lot of other devices in the set: a screwdriver, scissors, an opener, a hexagon and much more. When buying, pay attention to the fact that from the proposed set of tools it will be useful to you, because such knives are very expensive.

When buying knives, do not fall for the calls of sellers and do not buy sets of knives. Especially if these knives are sold to you at a decent price. You will very quickly realize that for everyday use you need one or two knives. The rest will lie unnecessary burden. It is better to buy knives that you really need and not waste money.

Do not buy knives from "wandering" merchants, on the streets, markets and fairs. Most likely, they will slip you a low-quality product there, which costs a penny, but it will be sold to you at exorbitant prices. It is best to purchase knives in company stores.

Try to prioritize famous brands which are worth a lot of money. This will serve as a guarantee of buying really high-quality knives that will serve you for decades.

Learn the rules for sharpening knives, because improper or careless sharpening can ruin a beautiful blade.

Do not use knives for extraneous purposes - unscrewing bolts, cutting hard objects that can chip or deform the blade.

Successful purchases!

Now let's focus on how to choose a knife. As a matter of fact, this topic consists of two large sections - how to choose a good knife, and how to choose a knife specifically for self-defense.

How to choose a good knife is the beginning, basic knowledge. Which, by the way, is not very practical to use before reading the next article. An article about choosing a knife for self-defense - in a separate article "How to choose a knife for self-defense".

Choosing a good knife

Choice good knife occurs in several ways. Among them are the material of the blade, and the material of the handle, and the features of fixing the knife. This section is based on materials http://quappe.narod.ru/steel.html.

What are the requirements for a knife? The knife must cut. Sometimes it is convenient to pierce something with a blade, pick it off. The knife should NOT: chop, saw, work with a poker and a jack - this is not its scope. Accordingly, we expect good cutting properties from a knife (easiness of cut, sharpness and “so that it does not dull for a long time”), strength.

What makes a knife cut? The knife cuts due to its geometry. Not due to sharpness and good steel, but due to the shape of the blade, the angle of sharpening and other characteristics that ensure easy penetration and destruction of the material being cut. Respectively, blade geometry- this is the first thing you need to pay attention to.

The thinner the knife, the better it cuts, all other things being equal. It is generally accepted that a thin blade works best, in cross section it is thin isosceles triangle(wedge). The closer the blade section to such a figure, the better knife will cut bread, vegetables and everything else. However, the strength of such a blade is low, and when cutting hard materials or chopping something, a knife with such a section of the blade will become dull rather quickly.

Therefore, quite often a slightly different section is used - a wedge with a supply. It looks like the same wedge, but the cutting edge is sharpened at a more obtuse angle, about 30-40 degrees. This solution allows to increase the thickness of the cutting edge and increase its strength, while maintaining good cutting properties of the blade.

The sharpening angle depends on the quality of the steel: the more brittle the steel, the more obtuse the sharpening angle should be. The quality of steel depends on two conditions: hardening and chemical composition. It is almost impossible to check the hardening of a knife when buying. But here is the brand of steel ...

Steel grades in the process of selecting a good knife

steel grade- her chemical composition- is responsible for such characteristics of the knife as stainless steel, flexibility, strength, softness and rigidity. Accordingly, knowing the main steel grades, it is possible to predict the general behavior of the knife:

Of domestic steels, the most common for knives is steel 65X13. The letter "ha" means chrome and indicates that the steel is stainless. Medical scalpels and other instruments are most commonly made from this steel, which is why it is often referred to significantly as "surgical" or "medical" steel. This is a fairly soft steel, the knife from it is easily sharpened, but also quickly becomes dull. The only thing indisputable dignity this steel - it really never rusts. In general, we can say that this is steel for an inexpensive working knife.
The closest analogue of the domestic 65X13 can be considered the American steel grade 425mod.

Steel 65G- This is a "rusting" spring-spring steel, popular for both mass-produced and artisanal knives. Most of the so-called " throwing knives”, and quite rarely carving knives. Steel rusts a lot, has an unpleasant feature of bursting under loads, or being strongly released (or underheated) and bending very easily. The tendency to rust in the factory is often tried to be neutralized by various polymer coatings blade or oxidation / bluing, but any coating is ever erased and in any case does not provide 100% protection against corrosion.

Steel 40X12- very soft steel. Cheap domestic kitchen knives and souvenir blades are made from it. Steel is difficult to harden, so the products are very easily bent, the knives quickly become dull. However, in the kitchen, such knives are acceptable, since they do not rust under any conditions, they sharpen very easily and do not require additional care. The foreign analogue of this steel is considered to be the popular 420 steel. Almost all Chinese knives are made from it. good producers to ensure the normal qualities of such steel, they make the knives thicker - which leads to some problems when cutting. 420 steel knives are not always marked accordingly. If there is no inscription on a knife from an unknown manufacturer, or it simply says “Inox”, “Stainless”, “Stainless Steel”, “Rostfrei” (actually the word “stainless steel” in various languages), “Super-steel” and so on, then most likely this is exactly 420th steel with all the ensuing consequences.

Steel 95X18- good domestic stainless steel. Reputable manufacturers have high hardness, while being flexible and strong enough. A knife made of this material is not as easy to sharpen as a regular kitchen knife, but the blade will keep its sharpness for quite a long time. With prolonged contact with moisture, and even more so with salt, corrosion may occur slightly. Despite all this, one of best steels domestic knife-making, with which both large manufacturers and respected private masters work. The imported analogue is considered steel 440V.

Steel 50X14MF used by a number of major manufacturers. With high-quality heat treatment, hard and durable blades are obtained from it, which hold sharpening well. In general, a good universal steel, although occasionally it can corrode during prolonged contact with moisture, its properties are close to domestic steel 65X13.

So, when choosing a knife for self-defense, you need to pay attention to the steel grade. If the brand is unknown to you, then it is better to go home and google it - than to repent later.

Another important component of a knife is the handle. Here everyone chooses for himself, for his needs and his hands. A knife cannot be chosen by the picture or just by looking at the display case - you have to hold the knife in your hands, try what it would be like to work with him in warm gloves, if it is not a kitchen knife. It is important that there are no sharp corners and numerous notches on the handle; they can dent the hand during operation. The decorated handles of gift knives very often turn out to be inconvenient precisely because of the abundance of protrusions, as well as handles that are round in cross section, due to which the knife can turn in the hand.

Knife blade fixing method

The method of fixing the knife, or rather, how to attach the blade to the handle, is also important. Especially if you choose a folding knife. General recommendation: check how well the knife blade is fixed in the handle by wobbling the blade. If you feel that the blade “walks” at hand, or the handle is somehow not like that, then it is better not to take this knife.

When choosing a knife, you should definitely consider how and where you will carry it. A clumsy one should have a comfortable sheath that securely holds the knife - there is nothing more offensive than losing your favorite knife. When buying a folding one, you should try to put it in your pocket, attach it to a belt, try to remove it, quickly get it - check how comfortable the knife is not only to use, but also to wear.

The general consensus is that thick heavy folding knives with protruding parts in the pocket are not convenient to carry. Now most folders are made light, relatively “flat” and with a special clip that allows you to attach a knife to a belt or pocket. Treat this springy detail with distrust: carrying a knife on an unreliable "clothespin" is the easiest way to lose it. The clip should not be too thick, hard or too soft, otherwise it will not hold the knife or, on the contrary, will hold it too tightly.

Olga Nikitina

Reading time: 12 minutes

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No kitchen is complete without knives. Even the most modern And even with the top ten food processors. But in order for the knives to serve for a long time, their choice should be approached carefully and competently.

We choose kitchen knives wisely and buy them profitably in the online hypermarket of kitchen knives vposude.ru

Types of kitchen knives you always need

One kitchen knife is not enough. On a hike, you can get by with one penknife, and in the kitchen for each "ritual" action - your own knife. We understand their purpose - what knives are useful in the kitchen?

Bread/loaf knife: a long blade (serrated, wavy), the width is equal throughout its length, a large handle.
Kitchen trio: long knives (from 25 to 45 cm), wide blades, sharp tip, always rounded cutting surface. Purpose - cutting products with a strong structure.
shortened blade, sharp tip, only a flat cutting surface, large comfortable handle. Or a knife with a blade between 2 holders with a hole in the “body” (for potatoes, carrots, etc.).

Knife for cutting meat from the bone: narrow, medium length, the blade is bent to the tip, expanded at the base, the cutting surface has no serrations - smooth.
Knife for cutting sausages and cheese: long blade (wide enough), cutting surface without bends.
flexible blade of equal width in all areas, long, notched.

Table knives (for butter, pate): blade of medium length, wide, rounded tip.
Mushroom knife: shortened, plastic, hard brush on the handle for cleaning hats.
for cutting meat, chopping bones. Wide blade, strong handle.

Metal or ceramic knives?

Ceramic and metal knives are not interchangeable. In spite of general purpose, the difference in knives is significant. Everyone knows about the pros / cons of metal knives, so we understand the features of ceramic ...

Advantages:

The composition of the ceramic blade– zirconium dioxide (very hard material). If the sharpness of a metal knife lasts for a month after sharpening, then for a ceramic knife this period can be safely multiplied by 10. Although sharpening is not needed at all for a properly operated knife.
The ceramic material is not porous. Accordingly, the taste of one product is not transferred to another. After cutting, for example, hot pepper and garlic, just rinse the blade and you can continue to work.
Density of ceramic knife structure and minimal porosity ensures the instrument is hygienic and easy to clean.
A ceramic knife is lighter than a metal one. Accordingly, the load on the arm and shoulder is lower.
Ceramic knife will not rust, does not oxidize, does not magnetize and is scratch resistant.

Disadvantages:

Fragility. You cannot cut bones and frozen meat with a ceramic knife - it is simply not intended for such purposes. When dropped on the floor, a metal knife can bend, while the tip of a ceramic one breaks off.
Ceramic knife is not universal(it is only suitable for certain actions in the kitchen).
The cost of a ceramic knife is higher than the price to metal.
It is not recommended to sharpen ceramic knives yourself..

When choosing knives for the kitchen, pay attention to the following points:

Blade quality. The best chef's knives are made from stainless steel, adding chromium for hardness. Or they use chromium alloyed with vanadium and molybdenum to reduce brittleness. Forged blades are the best and most durable.

Sharpening (efficiency of the cutting edge of the knife). If, when looking at the knife from the side, you notice that its cutting surface resembles traveling waves (the exception is a bread knife) and is slightly expanded towards the tip, then you can safely return the device to the store shelf. There should not be any dents / chips on the cutting surface. The best option is a shiny continuous line from the handle to the very tip. Ideally, if the cutting part cannot be distinguished at all. And one more nuance: the cutting surface of the highest quality knife will always be double-sided.
Lever. Wooden: comfortable for the hand, does not heat up, but eventually loses its appearance- wears out and "acquires" cracks, which, in turn, are clogged with fat. The habit of leaving such a knife in the sink also does not contribute to extending its service life. Plastic handle: durable and durable material, does not deteriorate during prolonged contact with water, but, alas, it is impossible to determine the hidden length of the steel sheet. And the canvas (note) should reach the very end of the handle, otherwise it will loosen over time and just fall out. Metal handle - perfect option: strong, will not loosen, will not break or crack.

Blade surface. It should be free of scratches, stains, various roughness and notches. That is, the composition of the material must be homogeneous.
Blade sharpening method. Laser sharpening (matt risks-notches - hallmark) – best option. More expensive, but not requiring sharpening and durable. The blade of such a knife is a hardened metal with ordinary metal inside (when grinding the hardened areas, ordinary metal is exposed, and the self-sharpening effect can be observed).
Blade attachment. The blade of the knife must necessarily pass along the entire length of the handle - not half and not 2/3 of the handle. The sanded rivets on the handle should be firmly attached to the base and not stick out of the grooves. cast plastic handles without rivets - a bad option.
Price. The price of a quality knife cannot be cheap. It is naive to hope for the durability and super-properties of a knife bought for the price of a loaf of bread.

Knife access. A high-quality knife can always be pulled out of the package, twisted in your hands and evaluated by touch. It is not recommended to purchase a knife in a package that cannot be opened.
Convenience. Check the heaviness of the knife and the comfort in the hand - does the handle outweigh the blade itself, is the knife too heavy, how comfortable is the thickness of the handle for the palm.
Blade sharpness. If you are told that this wonderful knife can be sharpened at home for yourself, then feel free to look for another device. Cutting properties will depend on the angle of sharpening. Branded quality knives are sharpened on professional equipment, and it is simply impossible to do this at home.

Rating of the best knife manufacturers

It is clear that a knife, for example, "Solingen" will always be better than any knife of an unknown brand of local spill, bought on the street around the corner. Therefore, the focus is on the manufacturer. And we will advise you knives of which companies are recognized as the best.

. Japanese design and technology, the ideal geometry of the hand-sharpened blade allows you to achieve razor sharpness for many months of use, excellent value for money.

Top quality hardened carbon steel, hand sharpened bottom edge, metal corrosion resistant.

High strength blade, hand sharpened, absolute resistance to corrosion, blade made from a single piece of steel.

Victorinox, Schwyz, Switzerland. Steel with carbon, silicon, chromium, manganese and molybdenum, does not rust, hardness RC 56.
High quality steel, fine handle, round base.

Dick, Deizisau, Germany. High quality stainless steel.
GLOBAL, Japan. Molybdenum-vanadium steel CROMOVA. Cold hardening. Corrosion resistance. Long service life.
Arcos, Spain. High quality, long service life, beautiful appearance.
High quality stainless steel, hand-finished, precious wood handles, chic design.

Evercut, France. Exquisite design, high quality, strong and durable, style.

How to store knives in the kitchen correctly?

Experience is the son of difficult mistakes. Not all housewives know that following the rules for storing knives can significantly extend both their lifespan and cutting properties. We remember ...

Store knives for magnetic holder or on a special stand.
Keep blades from rubbing/bumping against each other and other metal objects.
Do not use cutting boards their glass and stone, the ideal option is boards made of wood and plastic.
Ceramic knives are stored only in paper cases and hidden from the sun.
Never leave knives in water - wipe dry immediately after washing. Especially after cutting the lemon and onion.
Wash professional knives manually using dishwasher Kitchen knives dull much faster.
Do not use hot water to clean carbon steel knives.
Do not heat the knives.
Regularly correct soft knives with musat.
Use knives only for their intended purpose.

And last tip Don't skimp on knives. A good knife is not only quick work in the kitchen, but also the pleasure of this work.

What knives do you use in the kitchen?

Instruction

Determine the quality of the blade The main thing in a knife is its cutting surface. To make working in the kitchen not annoying, choose a sharp and durable tool. Blades for knives are made of multilayer forged steel, stainless steel and ceramics. High-quality metal has a uniform color and a sharpening line of the blade without nicks. Look at knives with laser sharpening - they do not blunt when used. Check the method of such processing: if matte risks are visible on the cutting surface, feel free to buy this knife. Ceramic products are sharp and also do not require sharpening, but they are fragile and break when dropped. If you don't mind high price, purchase a knife with a forged steel blade. These products have perfect sharpness, strength and durability.

Choose a handle materialA comfortable, lightweight handle is important for a kitchen knife, which is made of various materials: wood, metal and plastic. The metal handle is durable and hygienic, but the hand gets tired quickly from such a knife - it is heavy. The wooden handle is strong and light, but loses its shape during use and begins to slip in the hand. The exception is gift models of tools, where expensive varieties of wood are used for manufacturing. Choose a knife with a handle for working in the kitchen: it is comfortable to hold, it is easy to follow, and it is more durable than wood.

Pay attention to build quality Details of the knife: the blade and the handle must be carefully adjacent to each other. If they are connected with rivets, the blade must fill the entire space of the handle. Carefully inspect the rivets themselves: there should be no cracks or chips near them. Be sure to hold the knife in your hand before buying. If the model you like has a package that cannot be opened without damaging it, then you have a fake.

Choose different knives It is not possible to purchase one utility knife. For the convenience of working with products of various shapes and sizes, there are many knives: meat, vegetable, cheese, bread and other products. First, pick up 4 main knives for the kitchen: large, medium, small and bread. big knife with a blade length of 30-45 cm is indispensable for cutting meat and fish. A medium-length knife (30 cm) is also capable of chopping food, and a small one (20 cm) is convenient when cutting fruit. Choose a quality bread knife - it will not break the crispy dense crust and cut the soft middle beautifully. Please note that this knife is suitable for cutting and melon.

note

Do not buy knives at market stalls - such a sale is typical for low-grade goods.

Helpful advice

Buy sharpened knives - it is impossible to process the cutting edge at the right angle on your own.

There are some tips on how to choose a quality kitchen. They will help you buy a truly worthy product. There are manufacturers whose instrument quality is impeccable.

Instruction

The presence in the house of a hatchet for cutting meat and chopping bones allows you to carry out all these operations quickly and efficiently. This tool is useful not only in the kitchen, but also on a hike. When choosing a hatchet, first of all, you should pay attention to its price. More expensive is different high quality steel, therefore, its sharpening will not be required so often. Metal quality can be checked in a simple way: you need to click on the hatchet with your fingernail and listen to the sound it makes. If it is sonorous, then this product is made of a decent alloy, if it is deaf, you need to look for another instrument.

Next, you need to carefully inspect the blade. It is better if it is wide enough and thick. With such a tool, the center of gravity is shifted forward and it will be much easier for them to work. With the same effort, cutting meat or fish will be easier and faster than with a hatchet, which has a thin, elegant blade.

The next detail to pay attention to is the handle. Plastic ones are considered more durable. It is desirable that its surface is not too smooth: this will slip in wet palms. It is comfortable to work with a hatchet with a wooden handle. It is very comfortable, but with frequent use of the tool wears out pretty quickly. Steel handles are durable, but inconvenient due to their massiveness.

The shape of the handle is also important. When choosing a hatchet, you must definitely take it in your hand and make sure that it is comfortable to hold it. The handle should not be too massive, otherwise it will be inconvenient to work with the tool. A long handle will result in more effort than required when cutting products. You should also pay attention to how the handle is fastened. In a quality product, the rivets are almost invisible, and the hatchet itself looks like a monolith. Such a detail as an “ear” for hanging the tool is not necessary, but makes it more convenient to use.

One of the best instruments is Germanic. These are hatchets from Zwilling J.A. Henckels and Wusthof. The most successful series of these products is considered "TWIN Four Star". Experienced chefs took part in its development, and hatchets turned out to be as convenient and reliable as possible. The design of the products is well thought out, they are equipped with high-quality propylene handles and perfectly balanced. Such a hatchet long years will please its owner. Quality products are produced by Japanese manufacturers. The most unreliable hatchets are made in China.

Why does it become important where, and most importantly, how knives are stored in the house?

A kitchen carving knife is not cutlery, but a device for cooking, moreover, one that has certain requirements. The knife must be:

· Acute;

· Made of good metal;

· No signs of rust;

· Stored in a safe place;

· Be available during food preparation.

That is why it is unacceptable to store a knife in a table drawer, being among spoons and forks, it becomes accessible to children. From the kitchen cabinet, even 2-year-old children can easily get an object dangerous to them. Therefore, a special device is required for storing knives. So special device become knife stands. They are installed on the table, directly in the cooking area, near the sink or next to the stove, and allow you to quickly use any required knife if necessary.

What types of stands are there?

Currently, you can choose any stands for knives, in stores there are options in the form of a cube with slots, in the form of a fan with narrow holes, a box filled with sticks (rods) and others. Some craftsmen even offer a variant of knife stands, which you can make yourself using dry spaghetti.

Wooden, plastic and even glass - everything can be found on sale, but before you make a purchase, make sure that the stand you choose has:

1. Stable construction.

2. Knives do not come into contact with the walls and bottom of the stand.

3. Knives can dry quickly, will not be stored wet.

4. Optimal dimensions, it does not take up much space in the kitchen.

5. No extra effort required to insert and withdraw the knife.

When choosing stands for knives, be guided by the material of the product, it is better to prefer natural, eco-friendly products made from various woods such as noble beech, pine or cedar. Well-crafted wood will fit perfectly into any kitchen interior design. If the kitchen is predominantly made of plastic, then you can prefer the option made of plastic, in this case you need to make sure that the wet knife will not slide in the stand.

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