Advice & Tips
Kitchen knives encyclopedia

When looking for a new knife, you will come across many different models. Below you can read all about the different types of knives and steels. If you have any questions we would love to hear from you.
The different kinds of knives
Cook's knife
The chef's knife is the most versatile knife. It is long and has a wide blade. A 20 cm chef's knife is the best knife for use at home. Chefs like to work with a blade length of between 20 and 26 cm.
The slight curve means that you can not only use it to cut but also to wield (for example for herbs) and to do precision work with the tip (for example to pre-cut onions).
The knife has a wide blade, which allows you to easily move cut food, protects your fingers while cutting and your knuckles do not touch the cutting board while cutting. This allows you to keep cutting in one fluid motion. In short, the most important knife in your collection.
Fun fact: chef's knives longer than 26 cm are also called Batters.
Gyoto / Gyutoh / Gyutou
The Gyuto is the japanese version of the european chef knives. Compared to the European cook's knife the blade is narrower and has less of a curve. Japanese knives are usually made from harder and thinner steel. This gives less friction while cutting and makes it possible to sharpen the knife at an acuter angle. Japanese knives cut preciser and retain their sharp edge for a much longer time than European knives.
Santoku
Santoku is Japanese for "three purposes" (San= three, Toku= purposes). This is an excellent description for this knife: you can use it to cut vegetables, meat and fish. This knife is very popular among Japanese and is the most used knife in Asian cuisine.
Santoku knives are 14 to 18 cm long and comparatively shorter, lighter and thinner than a chef's knife. Also, the blade of the knife is straighter with less rounding than a chef's knife. It looks like a combination of a chopping axe and a chef's knife. The knife was designed to make one knife out of two knives (the Deba and the Usuba).
Utility knife / vegetable knife
A small knife measuring 9 to 12 cm, specially made for cutting pears, apples and other fruit and vegetables. The knife is thin, does not bend and has a pointed tip. This makes the knife perfect for cutting difficult corners.
View all Petty and Utility Knives
Petty Knife
Although the English translation of Petty means 'petty', this knife is certainly not that. This Japanese knife resembles a European paring knife. The knife is made to clean and cut fruits and vegetables.
This knife is most commonly used in Japan as a small vegetable and fruit knife, which is why we like to call it a P(r)etty Knife.
Carving knife / Trimmer knife
Unlike the cook's knife (which is thicker at the back) the blade of the carving knife is almost as thin from the bottom to the top; this makes it much easier to cut evenly sized slices. The best cuts of poultry and meat are made with a meat knife in one hand and a meat fork in the other. Another name for this is tranching meat.
Tomato knife / Sausage knife
A serrated knife measuring 10 to 13 cm in length; this is a tomato knife (also known as a sausage knife). A good tomato knife has a serrated edge that does not tear the vegetable or fruit during cutting but cuts it nicely. The serrations provide a good grip when cutting vegetables with a smooth surface (tomato, pepper, etc.)
As you might have guessed, the knife is more versatile than its name suggests, so cutting (salami) sausages is not a problem either. The serrations keep the knife sharp for a long time. For convenience, there is also a tomato knife with a fork at the end.
Fillet knife
A fillet knife has a flexible blade, allowing you to cut thin slices with precision. It is the perfect knife for cutting just under the skin of a fish. The knife is available in various types (often between 14 and 18 cm long), from a narrow blade to a blade as wide as a meat knife.
Boning knife
This knife is specially designed to cut precisely between the meat and the bone in order to boning as well as possible (hence the name). The knife has a narrow blade and is between 14 and 20 cm in length. The appearance of the knife is reminiscent of a fillet knife, but the blade is not flexible.
Bread knife
The bread knife is an integral part of the Dutch breakfast table. It is a serrated knife that measures from 18 to 26 cm. The serrations on the blade ensure a good grip and allow you to cut through hard (bread) crusts without damaging the soft interior. The serrated knife is not only suitable for bread, but also for cutting larger vegetables.
Superslicer
The super slicer is one of the most popular knives in the catering industry. It can be compared to a bread knife but is longer (on average between 23 and 32 cm), has a slightly wider blade and often has a rounded tip. The knife is suitable for meat, large vegetables such as cabbage but also cakes and other pastries can be cut or sliced with the super slicer.
Salmon knife / Ham knife
Unlike a fillet knife, the salmon knife is longer - on average 30 cm - and is suitable for filleting larger fish (such as salmon). The knife is also very economical: the blade is very flexible, allowing you to cut precisely under the skin of the fish, so that as little as possible needs to be thrown away. The knife is also available as a ham knife. This one has no hollows and has a narrower blade.
View all salmon knives / ham knives
Sashimi Knife or Yanagiba Knife
(Yanagi ba= narrow, long knife). As the name suggests, this knife is mainly used for cutting sushi and sashimi (a Japanese dish with thin slices of raw fish and shellfish). What also makes this knife special is that it is sharpened on one side, so it stays sharp longer and cuts more precisely. The knife has an edge in the blade so that the food is pushed aside when cutting and does not stick.
Tako Yanagiba
This is a variation of the Yanagiba with a flattened tip and is used especially for preparing octopus (Tako= octopus).
Nakiri
The Nakiri is a small vegetable axe that is sharpened on two sides. This knife requires a different way of cutting than how one normally cuts. So you cut with a Nakiri with more of a chop or a light forward movement (push-cut). This allows you to cut very thin and is perfect for vegetables and herbs.
Chopping axe
A chopping axe is a large angled knife which is sharpened to a wide angle. This knife is specially made for chopping bones and large pieces of meat.
Vegetable axe
Compared to the chopping axe, the vegetable axe is thinner and sharper. The blade is specially made for chopping/slicing vegetables. The thin blade also makes it possible to quickly chop up vegetables. In Asian countries it is also often used to peel fruit and vegetables very thinly.
Utility knife or butcher's knife
A block knife or butcher's knife is a long, thin knife with a rounded tip at the top of the blade. The straight blade enables the butcher to cut clean, straight slices of meat in one go.
Cheese knife
As the name suggests, this knife is specially designed for cutting cheese. There are also cheese knives with holes in the blade. The holes in the blade ensure that the slices of young and mature cheese stick less to the blade.
Steak Knives
A knife with a narrow, thin blade that cuts through meat effortlessly. Especially for cutting meat while dining. The cheap models are often serrated although a real steak knife should have a smooth blade. This allows you to cut through the meat and not tear up the structure.
Deba
This Japanese knife is mainly used to fillet and scale fish. Deba is a single-edged knife that resembles a Gyuto/cook's knife, but has a thicker back. The back is used to scale and clean the fish.
Usuba Bocho
A Usuba Bocho is a professional Japanese vegetable knife with a square blade. Compared to the Nakiri the Usuba is sharpened with a different technique and on one side. Using this knife takes some practice.
The Japanese use it to cut wafer-thin slices of Japanese radish (Daikon) and spirals of lemon and lime. The hollow back prevents the cut food from sticking to the knife.
Kuna Usuba
The difference between a Kuna Usuba and a Usuba Bocho is that the Kuna Usuba has a rounded tip at the end of the blade.
The different steels
Stainless or rustproof
There is often talk about stainless and rustproof but what is the difference?
As mentioned before stainless steel is not really suitable for making knives. The addition of carbon makes the knife harder. As a result the knife is no longer stainless. The addition of chromium makes the knife stainless. This means that the knife will not tend to rust.
With normal use the knife will be as good as rust free and some European knives can even be put in the dishwasher.
Chromium-Molybdenum-Vanadium (German) Steel
There is a lot of experimentation going on with new or improved steel. Still there are a few classics with which 90% of all knives are made.
The most used type of steel is Molybdenum Vanadium steel. This type of steel is used in almost all European chef knives. This type of steel is easy to maintain and can be hardened up to 58 Rockwell. It is as good as rust free and very affordable, which means that the knives can be offered at a lower price.
VG-10 (Japanese) steel
VG-10 can be called the Japanese counterpart of the European Molybdenum Vanadium steel. Not that the steel is the same but it is by far the most used steel in Japanese knives.
VG-10 is a hard steel that can be hardened between 59 and 62 Rockwell. This allows them to make the knives thinner and give them a sharper fold. This allows the knife to effortlessly cut very thin.
The VG-10 steel is a lot more brittle than Molybdenum Vanadium steel though. There is a chance it will break. Therefore the VG-10 steel is often protected by "damask" layers. Several layers of softer steel are folded over the hard core to make it less sensitive.
These layers are seen on the blade in an ornamental pattern.

Japanese steel with damask
Powder steel (High speed steel, R2, SG2) (Japanese) steel
Powder steel is a purer type of steel that can be made harder than VG10. It is less brittle (when at the same hardness), can be sharpened reasonably well and can be made much harder (up to 66 Rockwell).
The disadvantage is that powder steel is more difficult to produce and to harden. This makes it more expensive and less knives are available compared to VG-10 steel.
Ceramic
Ceramic knives are much harder than steel knives (between 70 and 80 Rockwell). These knives stay sharp for a long time but they are very brittle. Thus they can break easily and there can also be bites in the cutting edge. Ceramic knives are actually only suitable for vegetables and fruit.
You cannot sharpen a ceramic knife yourself. Special tools must be used for this purpose.
Carbon steel / Stainless steel
Carbon steel is not stainless steel. In fact, even with proper maintenance the steel will still get a discoloration. This bluish glow is called a patina layer and is a characteristic of the steel.
The higher the quality of finish of the steel the more resistant the knife is to rust, but it can still rust a bit.
With carbon steel it is important to dry the knife regularly. Preferably also while cutting. It is also advisable to rinse the knife after cutting acidic products (lemon, lime, etc.) to prevent the acid from working into the steel.
Why would you choose carbon steel?
Carbon steel is more pure than stainless steel. Therefore it can be made harder and will stay sharper longer. Carbon steel is also easier to sharpen, so you can enjoy your razor-sharp knife faster and longer.
Do you want to read more about the properties of steel? Check out the websiteZknives.com.
The basis of a good knife
Every knife consists of sharpened steel and a handle. There is a big difference in the quality of steel and this determines the price.
Normal stainless steel is the cheapest and as the name implies stainless. But a knife of only stainless steel is worth nothing. It is too soft to keep its sharpness. After 1 or 2 cuts the knife will already feel blunt.
To make the steel harder carbon is added to it.
Carbon makes the knife harder and stronger. The carbon however makes the knife less corrosion resistant. To prevent that chrome is added to the steel.
Vanadium and Molybdenum can also be added to make the knife tougher and less prone to rust.
Hardening of steel
Besides the ingredients of the steel, the hardening process also determines the quality of the knife.
Even when using the same steel the hardening process can make a huge difference between 2 knives.
But how is the hardening of a knife done?
The steel (in combination with carbon) is heated until it has a red color (around 800 degrees); this changes the molecular composition.
The steel becomes harder but also more brittle. By cooling down the steel quickly (tempering) to below 200 degrees, the molecular composition is rearranged and it becomes less brittle.
The tempering process is a labor-intensive process that must be carried out very precisely. The hardness is determined by the height of the temperature; the time the steel is heated; the various additives used in the steel and the cooling process. For a simple explanation see wikihow.
Production of a Global knife
Production of a Japanese knife
What determines the price of a knife?
Why does one knife cost € 20,- and another € 400,-?
That has everything to do with the material used and the amount of workmanship.
Some knives are made of a unique kind of steel with a special handle (for instance ivory) and need up to 100 operations before they are ready for use.
The most expensive knife of Nesmuk (€ 4950,-)
The operations of a Wusthof knife
2. Rockwell Hardness
Rockwell C (abbreviation HRC) is a way to indicate the hardness of steel.
The higher the Rockwell number the harder the steel is. A good kitchen knife should be at least 54 Rockwell but at 56-58 HRC they get really interesting.
Japanese knives are generally harder than European models and have a hardness usually between 58 and 66 Rockwell.
The Rockwell of a knife is tested by tapping the steel with a diamond point. The resistance determines how high the Rockwell level is.
Cheap knives: Between 50 and 55
Good quality:Between 56 and 58
High quality:Between 59 and 67
3. Handle
A good handle is almost as important as the right steel.
A knife should feel good in your hand and have a good balance. By designing and shaping a knife ergonomically you will be able to cut longer with your knife without being bothered by it.
There are many different kinds of handles; for instance several kinds of wood. Wood often looks better, but it needs to be maintained with a neutral oil.
Of course knives with wooden handles should never be put in the dishwasher. This dries out the wood and may cause it to crack or even break.
The most popular handles
Plastic / Pom: Most handles are made of a type of plastic. These handles can go into the dishwasher by themselves and do not require any maintenance. POM is an extra hard plastic that has less tendency to crack.
Pakka wood
Pakka wood is especially popular for Japanese knives. It is made by compressing hardwood and resin together under high pressure. It has the design of wood but the properties of plastic (can resist water and is not porous).
Micarta
Micarta is a combination of linen and resin. This combination provides a handle that is resistant to water and requires no maintenance.
Wood
Of course there are also handles made of wood. Various types of wood are used, of which olive, juniper and rosewood are the most popular. Wooden handles do require regular maintenance and should definitely not be put in the dishwasher.
4. The length of a knife
Knives are available in many different sizes. There are chef's knives up to 36 cm long. The larger models are used, but the most popular knives are the smaller ones.
The number of cm indicated on a knife is always based on the blade. A chef's knife of 20 cm is a knife with a 20 cm blade. The handle is not included. Such a knife will be 30 cm in total.
- The most popular chef's knives are usually bought in 20 cm lengths (23 cm professional).
- An office knife is usually purchased in a length of 9/10 cm
- A bread knife is usually purchased in a length of 20/23 cm
- A meat knife is usually purchased in a length of 23 cm
Maintenance
Dishwashers and knives have a love-hate relationship.
Some knives you can put in the dishwasher and others you absolutely must not and should even oil regularly.
The reason for this is that the soap used in dishwashers is very aggressive. The acids in the soap attack the knife and may cause it to rust.
Also, the knives in the dishwasher often bump into other hard products. This damages the cutting edge and will cause the knife to become blunt faster.
So for every knife (yes, even the knives of AH / Jumbo etc.) we recommend to wash the knife by hand. Just wipe the blade and handle with a sponge and your knife is clean.
Do you think cleaning your knife, keeping it dry and storing it properly is a lot of hassle? Then you should choose a German knife. These knives stay in good condition with minimal maintenance.
Japanese knives need more love and maintenance. Japanese knives cannot go into the dishwasher and have to be dried properly after use.
The construction of a knife
When you are choosing a knife you will look at the handle: material or shape, the blade: thin/thick, long/short, etc. and the crop: full or half.
Handle / Grip
The handle is the handle of a knife.
A good handle is ergonomically shaped and has no unfilled seams where dirt can collect. The handle can be made of wood, plastic or steel. Some materials, for example special kinds of wood, influence the price of the knife.
The blade
The blade is the part you use to cut.
The shape of the blade depends on the purpose of the knife. A chef's knife, for example, has a wide and long blade whereas a fillet knife has a flexible, thin and narrow blade.
Head
The head is the transition from the blade to the handle.
There are different types of heads. You will usually see a complete head or half a head. The head ensures good balance of the knife, and protects your hand from sliding across the blade. A full head has a thickening in the heel of the blade. It is not sharp and cannot be used to cut.
The disadvantage of a full head is that it gets in the way when sharpening. The newer series of knives nowadays do not have a full throat and you can cut with the full blade.
Blade back
The back of a knife is at the top of the blade.
The thicker it is, the sturdier the knife. Japanese knives have a thinner back so the knife can cut thinner slices but is more fragile as a result. Sometimes the back of the blade is used to scale fish.
Point
The end of a blade ends in a point.
Depending on the type of knife the point can be round, pointed or straight.
Pliers
The tang is the part to which the handle is attached.
With a good knife the blade and handle are in one piece. Often the tang runs through to the end of the handle. With cheap knives this is often not the case.
Cutting edge or fold
The cutting edge is the sharpened part at the bottom of the blade. Its sharpness allows it to cut through food.
Pommel
The pommel is on the back of the handle.
It is placed for balance and provides a luxurious look. With some series the pommel can be used to break up shellfish.