Chef Knife anatomy | Kitchen knives materials |Types of knives handle | Parts of chefs knife

A knife is the most important tool in the kitchen and preparing food is easier, faster, and safer when you have the right tools, but with so many different types of knives on the market, finding the one that suits your needs can be tricky. Without the right knowledge, so we offer guidance on how to select a knife set and how to properly care for your knives It’s all too easy to buy a selection of specialist knives you hardly ever use — meaning you end up with a selection of unused knives languishing at the back of your utensil drawer. You’ll gain respect for how important a sharp blade is to your overall success in the kitchen.

I am going to explain the chef’s knife anatomy, type of materials use in knife making, best knife materials. What is the knife Handel materials used nowadays, which is best out of it by professional chef choice? Which type of professional knifes chefs used in a professional kitchen and their description?

Kitchen knives materials:-

Carbon steel:-made of iron and carbon, Carbon steel is normally easier to reshape than many stainless sheets of steel but is vulnerable to rust and stains. The blades should be cleaned, dried, and lubricated after each use. New carbon-steel knives may impart a metallic or "iron" flavour to acidic foods, though over time.

Stainless steel: - It is an alloy of iron, with only a small amount of carbon. Stainless steel may be softer than carbon steel, but this makes it easier to sharpen. Stainless steel knives resist rust and corrosion better than carbon steel knives.

Laminated: - The hard steel is sandwiched (laminated) and protected between layers of the tougher steel. The hard steel forms the edge of the knife; it will take a more acute grind than less hard steel and will stay sharp longer.

Titanium: - It is lighter and more wear-resistant, but not harder than steel. However, it is more flexible than steel. Titanium does not impart any flavour to food. It is typically expensive and not well suited to cutlery.

Ceramic knives: - It is very hard, made from sintered zirconium dioxide, and retains their sharp edge for a long time. They are light in weight, do not impart any taste to food and do not corrode. Suitable for slicing fruit, vegetables and boneless meat. Ceramic knives are best used as a specialist kitchen utensil.

Plastic this knife blades are usually not very sharp and are mainly used to cut through vegetables without causing discolouration.

Kitchen knives Handle:-

The kitchen knives handles can be made several materials, all materials have advantages and disadvantages.

Wood:- Wooden handles give a good grip to the knife, and they consider most attractive. But they are difficult to care for as this do not resist water well and will crack or warp with continued exposure to water.

Plastic:- plastic handles have easily cared than wooden handles. And it is hygienically good as it’s not absorbing microorganisms in it. But plastics, not resistant ultraviolet ray which caused damage and becomes brittle.

Composite: - composite knives handles are made from laminated wood composites impregnated with plastic resin. These handles are preferred by many chefs to be the best choice because they are as easy to care for and hygienic as plastic.

Stainless steel:- stainless steel handles knives are the most durable of all handles, and they are hygienically very good.

Anatomy of the chef knife...

Most of you use a knife without ever learning what about the different parts, but we think that understanding a little about how a knife is constructed will help you become a better chef. The knife has mainly 2 parts. First is the blade and second part is handled. Then again this two parts divided into others sub-parts...

THE CUTTING EDGE

The cutting edge is the long, sharp part of the blade that does most of your cutting, whether you're using a chef's knife, paring knife, boning knife, or any other kinds. The cutting edge is used to slice, dice, mince, chop, or do just about any other standard kitchen cutting job.

The blade shape may vary; the edge is almost universally the most important part of the knife. Different knives use their blades differently: For example, a bread knife is better than a chef's knife on food with a tough outside due to its serrated edges. However, both knives rely on their edge to get their job done.

Knife blade's sharpness is determined by its beveling: the angle at which the knife is ground down to the sharp edge.

The tip & point

The tip of the knife is just what it sounds like: the sharp, pointy end. This end of the blade is used for delicate cutting tasks that require great detail, like making garnishes or very small cuts. The point is useful for making holes in things: like poking small holes in a roast to insert garlic cloves.

THE SPINE

The the spine is the unsharpened portion of the blade opposite side of the edge. It's the thickest part of the knife, far thicker than the blade and it gives the knife its strength.

A thick spine knife will be able to take a lot of tension compared to a thin spine knife.

THE HEEL

The the heel is the part of the knife closest to your hand. This is where the blade ends and the knife turns upwards into the handle. The back end of the heel will be unsharpened, similar to the spine since you don't want to cut your hand on it.

Most kitchen knives will have a pronounced heel. So you don't injure yourself, they put some space between your hand and the blade. Other knives, like steak knives or pocket knives, may not have a heel at all.

PARTS OF THE HANDLE

You want a sturdy handle you can easily grip. Now we've examined the other indispensable part of a knife - the handle.

THE TANG

The most important parts of the handle are its connection to the blade: whether it's a full tang or partial tang.

The tang is the unsharpened part of the blade that leads into the knife handle. A full tang knife has its metal part extend all the way to the end of the handle and is generally much stronger than a partial tang knife. Because the metal goes all the way through the handle, the knife has a much lower risk of being damaged during heavy use. For kitchen knives or any heavy-duty knife, a full tang knife is the sturdiest.

A full-tang knifes metal goes at the end of the knife handle. The spine should run through the handle all the way to the back of the knife. A partial tang knife will not have metal visible through the handle.

THE RIVETS

The rivets are the small crucial connections that keep the blade and the handle together. Rivets may come in many styles, but their function is the same: They keep your knife together.

THE BOLSTER

The bolster sits where the blade meets the handle as a strengthening element for the entire knife. The knife bolster can sometimes serve as a spacer between the blade and the handle. Traditional Japanese-style knives don’t have a bolster, though some brands are now adding them and redesigning bolster shapes to create a hybrid of Japanese-style and Western-style knife designs.

A bolster allows you to apply lots of pressure on the blade with your hand without endangering yourself or the integrity of the knife. The word “bolster” as a verb means to strengthen. So, it strengthens kitchen knives as well.

Many knives come with a full bolster; a sloped bolster provides some serious advantages. Notably, it allows for a more effective grip, It calls the pinch grip. The pinch grip allows for greater precision when cutting since your hand gets closer to the business end of the knife rather than holding on clumsily to the handle. To accomplish the pinch grip, simply put your thumb and the first knuckle of your index finger on the bolster and you'll have much greater control over your cuts.

THE Butt

The ⁠butt also is known as the pommel of the knife⁠. ⁠It is the opposite end of the knife from the point. It can come in many shapes and isn't used all that often in cooking, though in general, you want it to be sturdy. The butt will stick out towards the end to allow for extra grip.