Knife Buying Guide
kit
T H E
Steel Yourself
You might think that all
knives are made from the
same materials. Wrong!
An expensive knife’s blade
will be constructed from
higher-grade materials
which will have
undergone various
processes to improve its
strength and sharpness.
Stainless Steel
Low carbon stainless steel
is used mainly on everyday
blades. The softer steel
means they need sharpening
more often but are easy to
care for and dishwasher safe.
Best For: Everyday use.
High Carbon
Stainless Steel
The most popular blade
material for high quality
knives. Contain carbon for
toughness and the ability to
hold an edge, and
chromium to make them
stain and rust resistant.
Best For: The chef’s choice.
Damascus
Carving/
Slicing Knife
A long bladed knife for
cutting roasted meats
into thin, even slices.
The pointed tip can
also be used to help
free the meat from
the bone.
I.O.Shen 235mm Carving
Knife
Harts Price: £129.95 (as
part of a carving set)
Santoku Knife Utility Knife
Similar in purpose to
a chef’s knife, it has a
longer spine, rather
than a gradual taper
to the point, offering
more weight in the
blade. Ideal for
chopping, cutting,
dicing and mincing.
Many Santoku knives
have scalloped indents
on the blade to aid
release of thinly sliced
and sticky food, as well
as enhancing the style
of the knife.
A smaller knife that
can be used when a
chef’s knife would be
too cumbersome. This
is the general go-to
small preparation knife,
and ideal for trimming
meat and vegetables.
Kyocera FK Zirconia
Ceramic Utility Knife
Harts Price: £30.00
Paring Knife
Small bladed knife
used for intricate, tricky
tasks such as peeling
fruit and vegetables,
mincing garlic and
trimming herbs. Can
have concave (curved
inwards), convex
(curved outwards), or
lambsfoot (straight
edge) blade options,
depending on personal
preference.
Rocknife 4” / 10cm
Ceramic Knife Black
Harts Price: £24.95
Henckels Twin Pollux 7” /
180mm Santoku Knife
Harts Price: £46.46
45
A combination of low and
high carbon steels. The two
varieties are folded and
forged together. The end
product is extremely tough
yet flexible, and has
excellent edge retention.
Best For: The ultimate
knife material.
Ceramic
Made of zirconium oxide,
the second hardest material
to diamonds. Extremely
lightweight and sharp (can
hold their edge up to 10x
longer than steel blades),
but prone to chipping or
breaking, so should only be
used for slicing rather than
chopping. These knives
should only be sharpened
by a professional.
Best For: Sharpness.