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 .

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 )

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 .

Henckels Twin Pollux 7 ” / 180mm Santoku Knife Harts Price : £ 46.46

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

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

Damascus 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 .

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