NICE and SHARP

Every Blade Deserves a Nice and Sharp Edge

For the average cook, 3 knives are all that are needed to get most jobs done. A chef knife, a paring /utility knife and a serrated slicer can do just about any task and do it well. The other knives are great for specific jobs, and even if you have them, you will find that 90% of the time you will be using one of the 3 knives.

Knives have been divided into 4 general categories. Each category will display the most common knives and give you a short description.

WESTERN TRADITIONAL

These are the basic knives that are characterized smooth or fine edge that have equal bevels on both sides of the blade. Each knife is designed for a specific function such as copping, slicing or pealing.

WESTERN SPECIALTY

These knives are designed for a single purpose. The cutting edge, side of the knife and handle are all designed for with single purpose in mind. These specialized knives make the tasks easier and safer.

JAPANESE TRADITIONAL

These knives are much like the western style specialty knives in that they are designed for a single purpose and are task specific. All are characterized by blade having a single bevel which makes them very sharp and more fragile then western double beveled knives.

JAPANESE WESTERN STYLE

These knives were designed for Japanese chefs creating western style dishes. Western style knives are beveled evenly on both side 50/50 and traditional Japanese knives are beveled 100% on one side. These knives are in between having 60/40 to 80/20 bevels. So, like the traditional knives, there are right and left handed versions. Some of these knives are available in 50/50 bevels.

Last Updated: Dec-07