The Blue Collar Kitchen

Photo © Danilo Alfaro

 

In order to develop your knife skills in the kitchen, you must first understand the parts of a knive and how to correctly handle them. 

1. The blade - the best blades are made from high carbon stainless steel.  This allows them to keep their edge for a long time.

2. The handle - if used correctly, this is the part of the knife you will have the most contact with.  Make sure handle fits in your hand correctly and comfortably. Make sure the knife feels balanced.

3. The heel - the widest part of the knife.  This section is used for chopping hard items like nuts and hard vegetables.  This area of the knife generates the greatest cutting force.

4. The tang - a good high quality knife is made from one piece of steel.  The tang is the part of the blade that is used to make the handle. The tang is what gives a knife its balanced feel.

5. The bolster - this is the thick part of steel behind the blade.  This allows you to grip the knife without gripping the actual blade preventing slippage. The thicker the bolster the better.

Knife Handling Tips:

1. Never let a knife become dull.  A dull knife will cause you to use more pressure, resulting in accidents.

2. Never try to catch a falling knife.  Many people get cut in the kitchen trying to catch a falling knife instead of letting it fall.

3. Knives should be in only on of two places.  A knife should always be kept in storage until it is being used.  Knives left laying around are problems waiting to happen.

4. Always wash knives by hand.  This will help the knives last longer and stay sharper.  Machine washing and harsh chemicals can damage a good knife.

5. Learn Knife Techniques.  It sound stupid....anyone can use a knife. Believe it or not, there is a correct way to use a knife.  Knife techniques should be learned by every kitchen chef.  You will be greatly rewarded in the kitchen by learning the proper knife techniques.  Check out part 3 for an overview and videos of knife techniques. In just a few weeks, you will be impressing your friends and family with your chef like knife techniques.