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Mastering the Art of Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques and Tips

By William Henry August 28, 2023
Navigating the culinary world with a kitchen knife is an art that not everyone has mastered. If the acrobatics of Iron Chefs or the swift precision of Chopped contestants have ever piqued your interest, perhaps it is time to step up your game. This guide will transform your relationship with kitchen knives, helping you carve your way to becoming a pro in your own kitchen. Properly Grip Your Knife Proper grip on your knife is the foundation of culinary prowess. The traditional handle grip, where the entire handle is encased in your fist, might seem instinctive. However, professional chefs often opt for a more nuanced technique that offers better control over the blade. Imagine your kitchen knife as an extension of your hand. The middle, ring, and pinky fingers grip the handle while your thumb and index finger pinch the spine of the blade. This might feel awkward initially, especially if you're used to clutching the handle tightly, but practice will soon make this approach feel natural. Adopting this grip technique enables you to guide your blade with precision. Your cuts will become more consistent, and you'll find it easier to make thinner, more delicate slices. This grip is also effective when using serrated knives to cut bread or other soft foods, ensuring that your slices remain straight from start to finish. How to Safely Hold Your Food While Cutting Proper knife skills aren't just about how you hold your knife, but also how you grip the food being prepared. An incorrect hold can lead to painful accidents. A safe, firm grip, often referred to as the “claw,” not only keeps your fingers safe but also improves the precision of your cuts. Let's take slicing a carrot as an example. Place your non-dominant hand on top of the carrot, fingers slightly curled towards your palm, forming a claw-like shape. This position keeps your fingers away from the knife's path. As you cut, use your claw hand to guide the knife, ensuring that the blade meets the knuckles instead of the fingertips. This technique also allows for even slices at your desired thickness. Here are some additional tips: Experiment with extending your middle or index finger beyond the rest of your hand to guide the blade if you find it more comfortable. If you're unsure about the right grip, start by making a tight “C” with your hand and adjust from there. The most important aspect is to keep your food secure and your fingers safe. Mastering Different Cutting Techniques Once you've mastered the grip and the claw, you're ready to dive deeper into the sea of culinary cuts. Understanding different cutting techniques not only enhances your kitchen flair but also improves the quality of your dishes. Three essential cuts that every aspiring chef should master are: Slice: The most basic cut, where you apply firm, steady pressure to cut the food into slices. This technique might feel a little different now that you've improved your grip, but it's the same old slice you've always known. Dice: Dicing involves slicing the food both vertically and horizontally to create small cubes. Achieving uniformly sized cubes takes some practice, so take your time. Here's a tip for dicing onions: cut the onion in half from top to bottom, make vertical slits from the top half, stopping just before the root, then slice perpendicular to these slits for perfectly diced onions. Mince: Mincing is for ingredients like ginger and garlic that need to be cut into very small pieces. Dice the food first, then use the rocking motion of your chef's knife to mince it further. If you want to take it a step further and reduce the minced ingredients into a paste, sprinkle a little salt on it and scrape it with the edge of your knife. The salt acts as an abrasive and helps break down the food further. However, be careful not to scrape too hard as it can dull your blade. Advanced Cutting Techniques Once you've mastered the basic cuts and can do them confidently, you can move on to more advanced techniques. These include: Julienne: This involves cutting vegetables into thin, precise strips. Chiffonade: This technique is used for cutting herbs into thin, ribbon-like strips. Using the Whole Knife The flat end of your knife has a purpose too. It can be used to crush ingredients, which can release flavors, start the chopping process, or simply save time. For instance, if you need to crush garlic, place the clove under the flat of your blade and press down with your free hand. This works well with unpeeled garlic, making it easier to remove the peel. Maintaining Your Kitchen Knives A true mark of mastery in kitchen knife skills is the ability to maintain your knives properly. Keeping your knives clean, sharp, and dry will prolong their lifespan and ensure they serve you well. Just like any tool, your kitchen knives require care and attention to perform at their best. Of course, you do not have to worry as much about maintenance if you buy the right type of knife to begin with. William Henry kitchen knives are made from forged stainless Damascus steel - designed for durability and longevity. Our blades are not only incredibly sharp but also resistant to rust and corrosion. The handles are made from premium materials like exotic hardwoods, carbon fiber, or titanium, providing a comfortable grip and an elegant appearance. These knives are also forged using traditional techniques, which adds to their strength and sharpness. William Henry takes pride in their craftsmanship, ensuring each knife is perfectly balanced and honed to a razor-sharp edge. We offer a range of kitchen knives to suit different culinary needs.
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Knives Every Home Cook Needs in Their Collection

By William Henry August 14, 2023
As the realms of culinary arts and knife making progress with modern innovations, a plethora of specialized kitchen knives have emerged to cater to every conceivable need. However, for the everyday home chef, many of these knives are optional and not mandatory. To effortlessly prepare a wide variety of dishes in your kitchen, you only require three indispensable kitchen knives. Chef's Knife The undisputed powerhouse of your collection is an exceptional chef's knife. You likely visualized it as soon as you thought of "kitchen knives." As the most prevalent kitchen knives globally, both in professional and home settings, chef's knives are your ultimate multitasking tool, potentially lasting a lifetime. As with anything worth purchasing, prioritize investing in this indispensable knife. When selecting the perfect chef's knife, several factors should be considered to ensure it meets your culinary needs and preferences. First and foremost, consider the knife's size – an 8-inch blade is a popular choice, offering versatility and ease of use for most tasks. Next, evaluate the blade material; Damascus steel is an incredibly durable and reliable option. The knife's balance is also crucial, as it impacts your comfort and control while using it. Make sure the weight distribution between the handle and the blade feels comfortable in your hand. Don't overlook the handle's design and material, as they contribute to the knife's overall ergonomics and grip. Selecting from these options often boils down to personal preference, but two versions of this knife stand out as the most popular: German Style The quintessential style of chef's knife is the German version, pioneered in 1731 by Peter Henckels. Regarded by many as the finest chef's knife, the German iteration is the original design that we recognize today. These kitchen knives boast a curved edge, robust and weighty steel blades, and pack considerable power within a single blade. The "rocker," the curved portion of the edge between the knife's tip and the straighter section near the handle, is ideal for swiftly chopping or mincing ingredients, significantly speeding up food preparation. Thanks to their thickness, German chef's knives excel at heavy-duty tasks. The blade is more resilient than other styles with thinner blades, and the broad part of the spine allows the user to exert extra force when chopping with their free hand. The German chef's knife effortlessly handles vegetables, meats, and poultry, and even simplifies cutting through bones. Japanese Style Though not as popular as the German variant, Japanese chef's knives are steadily gaining prominence in both home and professional kitchens. This adaptation of the original German-style knife was initially introduced in Japan to facilitate Western cooking, and it has since become a staple in kitchens nationwide. While the German blade is renowned for its strength and weight, the Japanese version is a refined work of art. These knives are significantly lighter than their Western counterparts and feature much thinner blades. To compensate for this, they are crafted from harder steel. The Japanese chef's knife also showcases a straighter blade, making it less suited for "rocking." However, its razor-sharp edge is perfect for achieving precise, wafer-thin slices. It is particularly well-suited for working with vegetables, owing to its capacity for delicate cuts. Paring Knife The compact paring knife serves as the chef's trusty companion and is a staple in every professional kitchen and knife set. Although not as versatile as the larger chef's blade, a paring knife can still effectively chop, mince, debone, and do much more. Like the Japanese chef's knife, paring knives are incredibly useful for precision tasks. Paring knives excel at peeling potatoes, beets, apples, and various other ingredients. They can perform nearly every task a chef's knife can, albeit less efficiently for larger jobs. However, paring knives outshine their bigger counterparts in areas like trimming fat, coring fruits such as apples and cherries, and preparing seafood like shrimp and fish for cooking. Serrated Knife Almost every quality knife set includes a bread knife, but beyond its primary purpose of slicing bread, it's essential to have a serrated knife in your collection. As the name implies, a serrated knife features a serrated (wavy) edge, resembling a saw blade. Unlike straight or curved edge blades designed for chopping, cleaving, and mincing, serrated edges excel with foods that have tough exteriors and soft interiors. Although a standard straight-edge knife can cut through a loaf of bread or a tomato, it's likely to crush the food in the process. Serrated knives, like saw blades, effortlessly glide back and forth in a sawing motion on the food's surface, deepening the cut with every movement without applying downward force. Smaller serrated knives, similar in size to butter knives, are ideal for dining purposes, as they delicately cut foods like steak without tearing. Remember that, unlike straight-edged knives, serrated knives cannot be maintained with a standard knife sharpener or honing steel. In most cases, your best option is professional sharpening or replacing the knife entirely – both are preferable to working with a dull blade. Take It Slow With these three knives, you will be well-equipped for a lifetime of sharing amazing dishes with your loved ones. Go slow, with an eye toward quality and style. The three knives listed in this article are a great place to start, and the rest of your set can expand as your skills evolve. As you become familiar with your preferences, you can refine your choices and purchase what you truly need for daily use. Invest in a knife sharpener or, preferably, a honing steel to easily care for your knives, maintain a sharp edge, and ensure their longevity.
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How to Choose the Perfect Kitchen Knife

By William Henry April 6, 2023
Whether you truly enjoy spending time in the kitchen and experimenting with new recipes or are just looking to get some of the bare necessities, shopping for new kitchen knives can be a great time. A well-made knife is a beauty to behold and just feels at home in your hand, and you can find great kitchen knives at any price range. While knives are a bit more straightforward to shop for in comparison to some other home goods, it can be overwhelming when you just do not know what makes a great kitchen knife. There are many knives that are ultimately far more expensive than they are worth, as well as cheaper knives that seem alright, but ultimately need to be replaced more quickly. This guide will walk you through some basic information about kitchen knives and let you know what to look for when you are buying them. The Essential Kitchen Knives While there are many different kinds of knives, some specialized for particular uses, you can still do just about anything you need to in the kitchen with these common options. The Chef’s Knife If you could only choose one knife to purchase, a chef’s knife would be your best bet. It can do the job for just about all purposes, and is large and hardy enough to work with heavier foods that might need some extra force to be cut properly. A chef’s knife can work wonders for chopping and mincing vegetables and herbs, slicing meats, breaking down fish and poultry, and practically anything else you might need to do in the kitchen. The chef’s knife is by far the most versatile, and earned its name for that very reason. These knives often come with a 5 to 10 inch blade, with the longer knives being more balanced. The size you choose to buy ultimately should come down to whatever you are most comfortable with. The Paring Knife Also called a utility knife, the paring knife is almost like the little sibling to a chef’s knife. While a chef’s knife can also be used for precise work, these smaller knives with 2 to 4 inch blades are ideal for cutting and mincing smaller vegetables and herbs. Paring knives are also great for trimming larger cuts of meat without as much waste. The Serrated Knife While less versatile than the chef’s knife or paring knife, serrated blades play a very important role in the kitchen. While straight and curved-edge knives are great for chopping and slicing harder materials, they can oftentimes crush softer foods like bread loaves or tomatoes. The serrated edge allows you to smoothly cut back and forth without putting direct weight onto the food. It certainly is not as useful across the board as a chef’s knife, but the serrated blade is more replaceable since they are difficult to sharpen at home. As such, choosing a cheaper option is not a bad choice in this case. Honorable Mention: The Honing Steel Not a kitchen knife, but something you are sure to have seen in almost every kitchen is the honing steel. Often incorrectly referred to as knife sharpeners, honing steels are thin metal rods that can be used to correct a blade’s edge when it starts to dull. Unlike knife sharpeners, which shave away bits of material from the edge of the blade to make a sharp point, honing steels simply press the blade back into the right shape. These are inexpensive, easy to use, and will keep your knives in great shape without having to replace them as often. The Anatomy of a Knife Once you know the kind of knife or knives you are looking to buy, it is good to bear in mind the different parts that make up your kitchen knives, and eventually to consider the materials they are made of. The Tip With a self-explanatory name, the tip of a knife is the smallest part of the blade’s edge, and includes the point of the blade and first inch or two of the cutting edge. The tip is the best part to use for finer and more precise work like slicing small vegetables thinly. Be aware that as the most narrow part of the blade, the tip is a bit more fragile and could snap or chip when dropped or used to pry open containers or open cans. The Bolster The thickest part of the blade is the bolster, at the end of the blade opposite the point and leading into the handle or grip. The weight of this part of the blade makes the knife more balanced and overall easier to use. In general, this is the part of your kitchen knife that you should be gripping onto, placing it between your thumb and forefinger for better control and precision. Holding the knife properly helps to avoid dropping the knife or having it slip, which can lead to injury or damage. The Edge The cutting end of the blade from the point to its bolster is the edge. The different length and shape of the edge is usually the biggest indicator of what kind of knife you are dealing with, but for this example we will be describing the edge of a chef’s knife. The thinner, curved end of the blade, the front half or so including the tip leading up to the point, is called the rocker. This end is used for quicker and finer work. Despite the name, it should be used to rock back and forth, but pushed forward with pressure coming from behind. The thicker end of the blade is called the heel, and it is ideal for cutting through thicker vegetables or even through bone and cartilage. Due to its heft, you are able to bear down on the bolster with your free palm to push the heel through whatever food you are working with. The Handle When looking at blade handles, the ideal design is simply whichever is most comfortable for you to handle and work with regularly. Some may appear aesthetically pleasing, but ultimately be less easy to grip. Knife handles that have grooves shaped in for your fingers are often, counterintuitively, not the best option across a wider array of uses. Generally speaking, wood and metal handles are more popular and reliable, while some plastic or rubber handles can get slippery and tough to control. The Spine Opposite of the edge is the spine, the not sharp top of the blade. Many knives, like a chef’s knife, will have a flatter or wider spine so that you can put some weight on it with your free hand. Knives intended for more precise work like a serrated blade or filet knife will usually have thinner spines. The Tang The end of the blade that is sealed within the handle is called the tang. Knives with what is called a “full tang” will have this piece of metal (or other material) visible along the edge of the handle, though many are made with the tang entirely hidden. Forged and Stamped Knives Another aspect to consider when shopping for your ideal kitchen knife is whether the blade is forged or stamped. The more common preference for professional chefs is a forged knife. As the name suggests, forged knives are made from solid pieces of molten metal, which are molded and beaten into shape. Forged knives tend to be more balanced and durable, though often at a higher price. Stamped knives are essentially punched out of a sheet of flattened steel, and then sharpened. Stamped knives are considered lower quality and are thinner and more flexible. This is not usually ideal for multi-purpose chef’s knives, but can occasionally be advantageous for fileting or deboning. Materials Used One of the most important variables to consider when choosing your kitchen knife is the material it is made of, especially for the blade. Stainless Steel The most common by far, stainless steel blades are affordable, rust and corrosion resistant, and are reliable for cooks of all levels. Stainless steel blades are slightly softer than some other alternatives, so they need to be honed or sharpened more often, but their consistent quality has made them a classic for a reason. Carbon Steel More popular each year, carbon steel kitchen knives are becoming almost as popular as stainless steel in professional kitchens. The addition of carbon into the steel makes the knife’s blade much harder, helping it to keep a sharp edge for longer than the alternatives. This does come with a direct downside however, as the addition of carbon makes the steel less rust-resistant, though proper care and maintenance can offset this negative. Ceramic Another popular blade material is ceramic, as these knives tend to be inexpensive, strong, and lightweight. They are, of course, rust proof, and hold a sharp edge very well. The greater risk here is that they are far more likely to chip and break if not handled properly, but they are a great option for most home cooks. Damascus Steel Aside from more premium pricing, Damascus steel knives are a great meeting place between the benefits of carbon steel and stainless. With a carbon core placed inside of hand forged steel, these knives are strong, durable, hold a sharp edge very well, and are still more flexible and rust resistant than carbon steel. It can almost go without saying that Damascus steel is just about the most stunning option to look at. Feel It Out At the end of the day, the right knife for you is whichever feels right in your hands. Choose a few options based on your budget, materials and the blade types that fit your lifestyle best. Once you have those in mind, pick it up and see if the weight of the knife and contours of the handle suit you and your needs. William Henry has a stunning selection of Damascus steel chef’s knives and full knife sets to suit your every need, click here to learn more.
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The History of Kitchen Knives

By William Henry April 1, 2023
From Ancient Times to Modern Day Nowadays, the kitchen knife is an essential for anyone working in the kitchen. Without them, the task of chopping up and cooking just about any food would be incredibly toilsome. In spite of that, kitchen knives as we know them have not been around for most of human history. The way knives have evolved and developed over the years is fascinating, and they have changed tremendously from the first stone knives with massive improvements to their design and utility. The Evolution of Cutting Tools Origins As important as knives are for us in the modern era, cutting tools have been crucial to our species survival since the beginning, millions of years ago. Discovered in the 1930’s in modern day Ethiopia are the Oldowan knives and stone tools, flints and other stones that were broken and shaped into cutting and crushing utensils. These are among the oldest known tools of their kind, used by hominins (early humans), and were found to be over two million years old. Other primitive blades in our more “recent” history have been found from the Neolithic era, between 4300 and 2000 BCE, about 6,000 years ago. Unlike the crude stone tools found in the Oldowan sites, these knives show the clear development of a somewhat more refined knife shape, at least as we imagine them now. These knives were made with stone blades, fitted and tied into wooden handles. Once the use of fire was commonplace, knives as we know them today started to appear in 3000 BCE, forged from metals and bound with a bolster and tang. These knives were at first made from copper, a more common metal, but eventually were impacted by the invention of smelting copper with other metals such as tin, to strengthen them. From this development, the age of bronze sprung forth. Bronze Age Around 1500 BCE, the bronze age came about. Metal tools and utensils became far more commonplace, knives among them. While knives were great for grooming, cutting cord, and endless other household and outdoor purposes, copper was too weak and susceptible to rust and corrosion than stone tools. Knives at this time were still more commonly used as hardware tools and weapons, though there would soon be developments to raise them up a notch. Iron Age About 500 years later, closer to 1000 BCE, iron became a far more popular material. Knives and tools forged from iron quickly overtook bronze utensils in Europe, and eventually the trend spread throughout the world. These iron knives were far more successful in finding their place in the kitchen than bronze tools ever were. Iron blades were more durable and resistant to dulling for much longer, and did not corrode in the same way that bronze did. The Middle Ages Throughout the middle ages, which spanned from the fall of Rome just before 500 CE until the 14th century, knives continued to improve. The discovery of steel, which took place during this era, led to the production of knives, spears, armor, and other tools and implements made from steel. While steel knives were the new “top-of-the-line” option, only the wealthiest could afford tools and kitchen knives made from steel. Carrying around a steel knife and using one for eating was somewhat of a status symbol. These knives also opened the door to new cooking techniques used today. Finely chopping ingredients, paring, and an easier deboning process were suddenly all within the realm of possibility. The Beginning of the Kitchen Knife In the 1600s-1700s, the kitchen knife was widespread and common in many different parts of the world. As a result of a law passed by King Louis XIV of France in the 1660s, which banned knives with sharp tips to reduce violence, domestic kitchen knives and table knives were developed and reached affordability for the common person. During Japan’s Edo period, a new material called “hagane” steel, stronger than the standard, was created. It shortly became the preferred material for the style of kitchen knives in Japan. These metal knives featured a curved-edge blade, far more similar to what we use today. Around the same period in Germany, in 1731, Peter Henckels developed what is now referred to as the German chef’s knife, the most common design for chef’s knives worldwide today. Modern Kitchen Knives Stainless steel was invented in 1913 and quickly became the most popular material for kitchen knives and most cooking utensils, far surpassing standard steel. Stainless steel was resistant to rust and maintained their structure through rough usage. At present, knives made of stainless steel are still the most popular worldwide and are even more durable, corrosion-resistant, and effective than ever before. Of the many different styles of kitchen knives around today, the two most popular are German and Japanese knives. Japanese Knives vs. German Knives Most kitchen knives nowadays, especially chef’s knives, tend to fall to the side of either the German-style knife developed by Henckels or the Japanese-style knives that originated in Seki. Both are incredibly effective, so the division merely comes down to personal preference. The more heavy-duty and stronger of the two are the German variety. These blades are thicker, and can be used with much more force. Unlike Japanese knives, German knives have a bolster, the thick part of the blade’s spine, that can be pushed down with additional force from the user’s free hand. Their edges are more rounded than the Japanese chef’s knives, and the curve of the edge makes chopping in a rocking motion far easier. Despite their significant strength and durability, German-style knives are less ideal for getting thinner, more exact cuts. Far better for precise and delicate slicing and chopping are the Japanese-style kitchen knives. These have thinner blades than the “fat” German knife, and thus have sharper edges. As a result of the thinner blade, these knives are lighter and can be easier to handle and control for many cutting jobs. The downside here is that without the thicker blade and bolster, these knives are not as well-suited for chopping requiring more force. They also are more fragile and susceptible to chipping or breaking. Common Modern Knife Materials Stainless steel is still the most accessible and affordable material for kitchen knives in modern times, but with new advancements come new alternatives. Today, kitchen knives made of ceramic materials, carbon steel, titanium, and many more are widely available, providing affordability and variety to the masses for every knife style around. Ceramic Knives Developed in the late ‘90s in Japan, a nano-material called “zirconium oxide” was molded under 300 tons of pressure and polished into the first ceramic knife. Ceramic knives are lighter, sharper, more temperature resistant, and rustproof than stainless steel and most other alternatives. The only downside is that, being ceramic, these knives are more fragile and likely to break if dropped or misused. Carbon Steel Knives Knives made with different forms of carbon steel have been forged throughout history. However, after the invention of stainless steel by Harry Brearley in 1913, carbon steel fell out of vogue for cooks. In recent decades, however, knives made from carbon steel (which are made with a carbon core inside of stainless steel), have made a comeback and are used by many more professional chefs around the world. Titanium Knives Titanium became more popular as a material for knives in the ‘90s, as titanium blades are lighter and more resilient than most other materials. With that said, they are far less common than stainless steel as titanium is a softer metal, and thus cannot hold a sharp edge for as long without maintenance. William Henry If you are looking for a gorgeous and powerful chef’s knife, or even a full set of eye-catching kitchen knives, look no further. William Henry has a unique selection of luxury Damascus steel blades available for your perusal. Take a look here and see if any make the cut.
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Six Tips for Increasing the Longevity of Your Kitchen Knives

By William Henry March 25, 2023
A great set of kitchen knives is not something that you should have to replace often. To get the most out of your knives for as long as possible, proper care is priority number one. Maintaining a kitchen knife does not take much effort, only a little bit of persistence and consistency. If you stick to these basic tenets for knife care, you will be able to count on them for years to come. 1. Keep Your Knives Clean and Dry Most kitchen knives available are made of stainless steel, which is a rust and corrosion-resistant material. Even so, neglecting your stainless steel knives may lead them to rust along the side of the blade and knife edge. This is especially true for carbon steel knives. Since the stainless steel in it is diluted by carbon, a carbon steel knife is more vulnerable to corrosion and rust despite being a stronger material. Knives are especially likely to corrode over time after being used on acidic foods like citrus, tomatoes, onions, and other common kitchen staples. Especially in the case of working with acidic foods, and a best practice after working with any others, cleaning your knives immediately after use is highly recommended. Clean your knives as soon as you can after using them to avoid wear. Wash with mild soap and hot water, and if you are not going to wash your knife immediately, make sure not to leave it soaking in the meantime, as this can cause bacteria to build up in the handle. After washing your knives, dry them immediately with a clean towel, as letting them air dry will make them more likely to rust. Tip: You should not be washing your kitchen knife in the dishwasher, especially if the handle is made from wood or resin. The length of time in high temperature water is not good for most kitchen knives, especially the handles. Like soaking knives in the sink, the dishwasher is more likely to damage the blade and cause bacteria to build up in the handle. 2. Oil Your Blades If you have a knife set that you would like to keep for life, a great way to increase the knives’ longevity is by oiling them on occasion. Every so often after cleaning and drying your knives, very carefully wipe the blades with a neutral or mineral oil and a towel. Make sure not to leave behind any sticky oily residue; after wiping the blades the oil should not be visible. 3. Maintain the Edges of Your Knives When it comes to maintaining sharp blades, there are two common methods: using a honing steel (often mistakenly called a sharpening steel) or a knife sharpener. A honing steel is a slender metal rod that, when applied to the dull edge of a blade at the correct angle, flattens any small dings or bumps by pressing them back into a straight, sharp edge. Many knife sets include honing steels, which are highly recommended for blade maintenance. A knife sharpener, on the other hand, shaves away little bits of material from the cutting edge of a blade to leave a sharper edge. This process is usually faster and easier for a new cook to use than a honing rod, but they do result in a shorter overall lifespan for your knives due to the regular shaving of the edge. If the aesthetic suits you, a classic but somewhat demanding process is sharpening with a wet stone. Wet stones are rectangular blocks with coarse surfaces that essentially file the edges of your knife blades. Wet stones can be used with water or mineral oil and the motion of sharpening your knives with them is similar to the process of using a honing rod. No matter your preference, keeping your knives sharp is important not only for ensuring that they cut smoothly and easily, but it also keeps you safer from instances of your knife slipping. Dull knives are more likely to catch on the food they are cutting and then slip and cut the user. Tip: If you have purchased high-end or luxury kitchen knives and are nervous about properly sharpening them yourself, many knife manufacturers and dealers will let you send your knives back for professional sharpening. William Henry offers knife sharpening for any William Henry knife for the cost of shipping. Fill out this form and you will have your sharpened knives back within a few weeks. 4. Revere the Cutting Board There is no debate, you should always use a cutting board. Cutting on a plate can lead to messy and dangerous mishaps, and cutting on your countertops is horrific in itself. If you need a cutting board, there are a few options to consider. Like with many things in the kitchen, decisions need to be made that often lie someplace between aesthetic preference and overall effectiveness. Glass cutting boards and marble cutting boards, for example, are often very pleasant to look at, but can be incredibly damaging to your kitchen knife. The hard, inflexible surface is more likely to dull, or even chip, your knife blade. Next in common aesthetic preferences are wood boards, which also happen to be a great option in almost all regards. Wooden cutting boards are softer than the previous materials mentioned and are better for your knives. The downside is that since wood is more absorbent, these boards cannot be washed in a dishwasher, and often need to be washed immediately to avoid staining and bacteria. Usually the most affordable options are plastic or synthetic cutting boards. These are usually lighter, thinner, easier to store, and can be washed in a dishwasher or left to soak. That is an especially big benefit as you can feel more secure that your cutting boards are sanitized after cutting meats on them. The surfaces are soft enough for your blade to stay sharp, and some options even have an improved grip to avoid slipping. Tip: As tempting as it is, try not to scrape food bits off of your cutting board with the blade of your knife. This is certain to get you to a dull knife faster, and is an all around bad idea. 5. Use Your Knives as Intended It is simple, use your kitchen knives for working in the kitchen. Using your knives for things that are not food related will almost certainly make them go dull faster, potentially get chipped, and ultimately not do the odd job all that well. Knives can surely get your package open quickly and cut loose threads, but activities like these should still be avoided. Using your knives for opening things like jars or cans is a particularly bad idea since they are much more likely to bend or chip, and/or suddenly come loose and get you with a bad cut and dull knife. In addition to using your knives only for food, try to reserve your more specialized blades for their particular purposes. Cut your softer foods like bread and tomatoes with serrated blades, which can slice back and forth without crushing your soft food under a pressing force. In that vein, filet knives should be used for fileting, boning knives for boning, cleavers for cleaving, and so on. Using any of these knives for purposes they are not intended for just increases the chances of them getting damaged, or you getting hurt. 6. Store Your Knives Securely A seemingly simple part of knife maintenance that is often overlooked is storage. Keeping all of your knives loose in a drawer with other utensils is bad for the health of the blade, as well as your safety when reaching into the drawer. The best practice is to get something to hold your knives, be it a knife block or a magnetic strip. A knife block is a nice piece on any counter, and you can buy a knife block with the right amount of slots for the number of knives you have. If you would prefer not to take up counter space with a knife block, a magnet strip is another pleasant option. Magnetic strips can be placed on any wall or surface at your preference. After washing and drying your blades, just stick them onto the magnet strip and they will be out of the way and on display. If you cannot be dissuaded from storing your knives in a drawer, or just have fewer knives and no need for a way to store more, you can purchase individual knife guards or sheaths for your knives. That way, they can safely be stored in a drawer without clashing into other knives or utensils. William Henry has stunning options for luxury Damascus steel kitchen knives, and has a number of resources on kitchen knives and men’s luxury accessories. Click here to explore our catalog today.
Best Ways to Take Care of Your Kitchen Knives

Best Ways to Take Care of Your Kitchen Knives

By William Henry September 21, 2022
When it comes to working in the kitchen, the most important tool that home cooks can have is a knife. While it may be tempting to treat your knives as you would a piece of cutlery, that is just about the worst thing you can do for the condition of your blades. Not to worry though, proper care and maintenance of your knives are straightforward and simple. If you treat your knives well, they will return the favor, and could easily last you a lifetime. Doing this is far from a huge burden, and there are only a few key things to bear in mind. Sharpening Vs. Honing There are two standard options when it comes to keeping your blades sharp, honing steel (often incorrectly referred to as sharpening steel) and a knife sharpener. The honing steel is a thin metal rod that, when pushed against the dull blade’s edge at the correct angle, smooths out any little dents and bumps by pressing them back into a straight sharp edge. These come standard with many knife sets and are definitely worth having. Unlike the honing steel, a knife sharpener does actually shave material away from the blade to create a new, sharp edge. These are often faster and easier to use than a honing steel, which may take some practice to master. That said, since sharpeners do shave down the edges of your knives, they will cause your blades to wear down much faster than a honing steel would. If you prefer, using a sharpening stone, also called a wet stone, with mineral oil can do wonders for your blades. Keep in mind that this will be a more time-consuming process, however, when compared to sharpeners and honing steels. Using some of this oil alone is also incredibly helpful for your knives, both on the blade and handle. These oils help prevent rust, as well as protect against corrosion that occurs from working with acidic fruits and vegetables. Whatever method of sharpening you opt to use, maintaining your knife’s edge is perhaps the most vital part of maintaining your kitchen knives. If you keep your knives sharp, the blades will more easily glide through whatever you are cutting. In addition to keeping your knives in good shape, proper and regular sharpening will keep you safer in the long run, since dull blades often require more force and cause a greater risk of slipping and cutting yourself. If you are not comfortable sharpening your own knives, many knife manufacturers will let you send your knives back for professional sharpening. William Henry offers knife sharpening for any William Henry knives, for only the cost of shipping. Fill out this form and you will have your sharpened knives back in 2-3 weeks. Use Your Knives Properly Another great way to keep your knives in proper shape is simply to use the right knives for the right tasks. A kitchen knife is, by its nature, a versatile tool, but using them for the particular tasks they were designed for will keep them looking as sharp as they are. There are many types of knives, ranging from the standard chef’s knife and paring knife to tools as particular in their intended usage as a tomato knife. That said, the most important thing to keep in mind regarding how to properly use a knife is to use it only for food. Using your kitchen knives on non-food items will drastically reduce their effectiveness. While it may be easy and convenient to grab a knife to open up packages, cut loose threads, and even as a way to pry open stuck containers, it is not worth it. You will wind up with a much more dull blade, potentially bend or chip the knife, or even have it slip out of your grasp and leave you with a nasty gash. The next thing to keep in mind would be the kind of edge that your blade has. For example, if you are looking to slice bread, you should always opt for a knife with a serrated edge blade. This will allow you to more easily and safely glide back and forth through the bread. Using a bread knife to chop veggies will not be as effective as you would like, and chances are that the extra force you will apply will have you damaging the sharp blade once you get through to the cutting board. Another thing to keep in mind is working with foods that require breaking down or cutting through bone. Only a deboning knife and cleavers intended to chop through easily should be used. Using a standard chef’s knife or other nonspecific blades can be dangerous, as well as incredibly damaging for the edges of your knife. If you are new to working in the kitchen, there is no need to splurge and buy every kind of knife under the sun. That said, you will likely want some standard blade types so that you can easily work with the majority of food items. Always Use a Cutting Board It may feel obvious, but always use your knife on a flat surface such as a cutting board. Using your knives on a plate could scratch or chip the plate, as well as lead to slipping and disaster. With so many options commercially available for cutting boards, however, it may be tough to know what to go for. The best options generally are wood boards, plastic boards, and synthetic rubber boards. Wood boards tend to look the nicest, but the harder surface may require more frequent sharpening. Plastic options will usually be the least expensive and are also better for working with meats and poultry as they can be sanitized in the dishwasher. Synthetic chopping boards will be the easiest on the edge of your blade, and can also provide a better grip against whatever surface you are working on. Whatever material you decide is best for you, something very important to avoid is scraping food off of the board with your knife. While this is often incredibly convenient, it drastically dulls the edge of your blade, and can even cause it to begin rolling up. Clean Up While not as exciting as the other aspects of working with a knife, proper knife maintenance and storage of your knives are important for your safety and the longevity of your blades. Properly washing and storing your knives will help avoid nicks and scratches on the blades, which can be hard to get out when sharpening at home, as well as lead to snagging during use. Generally, the best practice would be to try washing and drying a knife by hand as soon as you are done using them. This ensures that they spend as little time as possible covered in moisture and dirt. Use a less abrasive sponge and your knife blade will thank you. Avoid tossing your knife into the kitchen sink and leaving them to bump and scrape against your other dishes. This can be detrimental to their edges and leaves you with a chipped knife, which can be incredibly dangerous to use, not to mention inefficient and frustrating. Not only that, but knives with wooden handles will often absorb a lot of the dirt and bacteria that you can find in the sink. If possible, you should always avoid washing your knives in a dishwasher. The drastic changes in temperature from hot water and steam, and constant moisture will wear down your blades and leave you with water stains and even rust spots. If you do decide to run your knives through the dishwasher for whatever reason, place them inside securely so that they will not shake and bump into other dishes and kitchen utensils, which will scrape and chip your blades. Secure Storage Another way to keep your knives in near-new condition is to store them in a block or, alternatively, attach them to a magnetic strip. Storing your knife loosely in a kitchen drawer like the rest of your cutlery will make them shake around and will certainly have you risking more damage than the alternatives. Knife blocks help you to store full sets securely and safely and frankly look pretty good on a countertop. If you do not have much counter space or do not have enough knives to warrant a full-sized knife block, a magnetic strip is an easy and convenient place to store a knife or two outside of the drawer. William Henry offers a gorgeous selection of classic knife sets with stunning rare wood and mineral handles, and blades of beautifully crafted Damascus steel. Every set comes with a distinctive and attractive knife block that would look good on any counter, as well as blade covers and a professional leather roll. Take a look today to find the last kitchen knife set you will ever need.
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Safety Tips for Your Kitchen Knives

By William Henry August 30, 2022
No matter how much experience you have as a cook, it is vitally important to keep in mind that knives can be incredibly dangerous and harmful if used improperly. Regardless of how confident you are in your knife skills, or how much time you have spent in the kitchen, you are not immune to accidents. There is no way to make working with a tool designed for cutting absolutely, 100% safe, but there are certainly some steps you can take to reduce the risk of a tragic or painful error. Sharpening While it may even seem counterintuitive, the most important thing you can do to stay safe while working with knives is to ensure that they are as sharp as possible. While a blunt knife may sound like it is less likely to cut you, using them requires you to exert far more force than is normal. As a result, it is more likely for a dull knife to slip and cause injury. No matter how dull it may be, a thin piece of steel moving fast can cause serious damage. There are two standard options when it comes to this, those being honing steel (often misnamed as sharpening steel) and a knife sharpener. The honing steel is a thin metal rod that, when pushed against the edge of a blade at the correct angle, corrects any little dents and bumps by pushing them back into a straight edge. These come standard with many kitchen knife sets and are definitely worth having. Unlike the honing steel, a knife sharpener actually shaves steel away from the blade to create a new, sharpened edge. These are often faster and easier to use than honing steel, which may take some practice to master. That said, since sharpeners do in fact shave metal away from your knives, they cause your blades to wear down much faster than honing steel might. Whether you prefer to use a sharpener or honing steel, maintaining sharp edges is perhaps the most vital part of ensuring kitchen knife safety. If you keep your knives sharp, the blades will more easily glide through whatever you are cutting with less risk of sliding off in the wrong direction. If you aren’t comfortable sharpening your own kitchen knives, most knife manufacturers will let you send your knives back for professional sharpening. William Henry offers sharpening for any William Henry knives, for only the cost of shipping. Fill out this form and you will have your sharpened knives back in 2-3 weeks. Surfaces It may feel obvious, but always use your knives on a flat surface such as a cutting board or scratch-resistant counter. Using your kitchen knives on a plate could scratch or chip it, as well as lead to slipping and disaster. Even worse is cutting something directly in your hand. You may have done so successfully in the past, but it simply is not worth the very real risk of injury. Usage Another way to decrease your chances of nicking your fingers or worse is just to use the right knives for the right tasks. Kitchen knives are by their nature versatile tools, but using the right ones will help you avoid accidents or injury. There are many types of kitchen knives ranging from the standard chef’s knife to tools as specified in their intended usage as the tomato knife. That said, there are only a couple of aspects of a sharp knife that generally would be considered crucial for ensuring safe usage of your kitchen knives. First off would be the size of the blade. For example, if you are peeling fruits and vegetables or generally working with small foods, you should avoid using a knife with a large blade-like a chef’s knife or cleaver. A small paring knife would be a safer choice in this situation and would give you more control while you work. The next most important example would be the kind of edge that your blade has. If you are looking to slice bread, you should always opt for a knife with a serrated edge blade. This will allow you to more easily and safely glide back and forth through the bread. A straight edge blade would not only squish the loaf, but possibly lead you to apply too much pressure out of frustration and cause the knife to slip. If you are new to working in the kitchen, there is no need to splurge and buy every kind of knife under the sun. That said, you will want some standard blade types so that you can easily work with most foods in a safe and efficient manner. Most important for any cook is a classic chef’s knife. The blade is firm and curved, making it very useful for chopping and slicing meats and vegetables. If you could only afford to buy yourself one kitchen knife, this would likely be it. That said, there are absolutely a few other knives that you should aim to have even at the start of your culinary journey. The next most handy piece of equipment would be the paring knife. As mentioned above, the paring knife is especially useful when working with fruits and vegetables and for peeling, pitting, and other work that requires precision. Using a larger blade for these tasks is one of the most dangerous positions you can find yourself in when in the kitchen. A serrated knife of some kind is also a great tool to have, and there are many affordable options for you to add it to your set. Using the right knife for whatever you are cutting will not only make the cooking experience smoother and more enjoyable but also safer. As your collection grows, you will pick up more skills and tricks for properly using them. Grip Perhaps more vital than any other aspect of kitchen knife safety is making sure that you hold your sharp knives properly when using them. Proper grip and technique will not only keep you and your fingers safe, but will also make your cutting and chopping far more efficient. Regardless of the type of knife, you are working with, you will almost always want to hold the handle of the knife firmly, with your thumb and pointer finger pinching together at the base of the blade. This will give you far more control over the movements that your knife makes, making it far less likely for you to experience knife slips or a falling knife. Not only does gripping the blade this way afford you better control over the knife, it also allows you to use much more of your arm’s strength without putting added strain on your wrist. Aside from your grip on the knife itself, also be careful to watch your other, “helping,” hand. Using your non-dominant hand, keep your fingers curled to a near fist when gripping your food, cutting alongside your curled digits. Doing so will help deflect any slices from hitting your fingers, as well as help you to make even, consistent slices and cuts. Storage and Cleaning While not as exciting as the other aspects of working with kitchen knives, proper maintenance and storage of your knives is important for your safety and the longevity of your blades. Properly washing and storing your knives will help avoid nicks and scratches on the blades, which can be hard to get out as well as lead to snagging during use. Avoid tossing your knife into the sink and leaving it to bump and scrape against your other dishes. This is detrimental to the edge, and leaves you with a chipped knife, which can be incredibly dangerous to use. If you do decide to run your knives through the dishwasher, place them inside securely in a way that it will not shake and bump into other dishes. Otherwise, try to wash and dry your knives by hand immediately after use. Another way to prevent damage to your knife is to store it in a block or attach it to a magnetic strip. Storing your knives in a kitchen drawer like the rest of your cutlery will make them shake around loosely and will certainly cause more damage than the alternatives. Knife blocks help you to store full sets securely and safely, and frankly look pretty good on a countertop. If you don’t have much counter space, or don’t have enough knives to warrant a full-sized knife block, a magnetic strip is an easy and convenient place to keep a knife or two outside of the drawer. William Henry has gorgeous knife sets perfect for beginners and professional chefs alike. Pick up a set of stunning Damascus steel kitchen knives with beautiful exotic wood handles and stone inlays. All sets come with a professional-grade leather roll with blade covers, as well as an elegant display block.
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Best Types of Knives for Home Cooking

By William Henry August 19, 2022
When you first start collecting tools and cookware for your kitchen, the available selection can often be overwhelming. Nowadays, kitchen knives of every kind and for just about every purpose are fairly easy to access. This seemingly endless supply of options can bog down any home cook, and even the most seasoned professional chefs. The good news is, you do not need to have every kind of knife to get by, and even flourish, in the kitchen. Whatever your level of experience, you can easily cook just about any dish under the sun with just a few standard go-to kitchen knives. Chef’s Knives If you had to pick the only knife in your kitchen, the chef’s knife is your best bet. This classic is used in kitchens around the world, but like most kitchen tools, there are some variations for you to consider. German Knives This western German-style chef’s knife is what would be considered the classic chef’s knife. A German chef’s knife is known for its strength and thicker blade. The edge of the blade is a little curved, which makes it great for quickly rocking back and forth while chopping vegetables. These heavy knives can do the brunt of the labor when preparing just about any dish. German knives’ steel is usually heavier and can handle more difficult tasks. The thick blade ensures that the chef’s knife will last quite a while, and makes the German chef’s knife better equipped for chopping through bone without risking much damage to the blade. Aside from crushing bone, these chef’s knives are generally suited for most kitchen work and can easily help to chop vegetables and break down meats. If there is any essential knife for the American home cook, this chef’s knife is it. Japanese Knives An alternative that is becoming more and more common in the states is the Japanese chef’s knife. The Japanese take on the western-style blade was introduced in Japan so that more people could experiment with western cooking, and it has become a staple in many kitchens since. One such Japanese-style knife is the Santoku, a great general-purpose chef’s knife. This lightweight chef’s knife is often thinner and lighter than its German counterparts but made with harder steel. Not only that, but a Santoku knife, as well as other Japanese chef’s knives, often have a straighter edge than European-style knives. This makes these razor-sharp Japanese knives excellent for precision cutting and thin slices, but less durable when it comes to more labor-intensive cooking. This style of chef’s knife is ideal when you need to do things like chop onions and slice vegetables but still can come in handy in most other scenarios. Serrated Knives Even if you do not plan to regularly cook up a storm, a knife with a serrated-edge blade is practically essential in any kitchen. While they are not ideal for chopping herbs, these knives are useful when working with softer foods that might otherwise be crushed under the pressure of a straight-edged knife. The Bread Knife The most common serrated knife would likely be the bread knife. As most people can attest to, trying to cut an even slice out of a fresh loaf of bread can be nightmarish when using any knife with a straight edge. The result is usually a flattened or crushed loaf with a shallow cut on the top, and it is almost unusable by then. Bread knives help you to make even and consistent slices by using the teeth that rest along the entire blade. Pulling back and forth against the loaf, these teeth easily slice through with far less tearing or general messiness. The Paring Knife Paring knives are the unsung hero of many kitchens and the perfect companion for your chef’s knife. These knives are much smaller than a chef’s knife, usually 4 inches in length at most, and very lightweight. While the chef’s knife should certainly remain the workhorse in your kitchen, you could definitely get by with a solid paring knife. While these smaller knives are not as well equipped for chopping and slicing meats and vegetables, they cannot be beaten when doing precision work. Paring knives are perfect for peeling fruits and vegetables, and can still be used for some chopping and slicing. Where a larger knife might have trouble, the paring knife is perfect for cutting away fat, slicing and coring fruits, and even dirtier work like deveining shrimp. Not only that, but they are great options when it comes to teaching youngsters how to cook without putting heavier, thicker blades in their hands. Care and Maintenance Whatever knives you decide to pick up for yourself, one of the most important things to invest in is proper upkeep. A well-maintained knife can last you a lifetime without ever having to sacrifice quality. There are two more common options when it comes to keeping your blades in good shape, honing steel (often misnamed as sharpening steel) and a knife sharpener. Honing steels are thin metal rods that you will see with most knife sets. By pressing the honing steel to the edge of a blade at the correct angle, you can smooth out any little dents and bumps by pushing them back into place as a straight edge. These rods are very easy to use and certainly worth picking up along with whichever knives meet your preferences. Unlike the honing steel, knife sharpeners shave and strip the steel off of the edge to leave it sharp again. As easy as honing steel is to use, a knife sharpener is even simpler. All it takes is pulling the edge of the blade in the slot of the sharpener, and you will be left with a more even edge. While these are easier to use, sharpeners are less preferable when it comes to the longevity of your knives. Since they do ultimately cut away material from your blades, the edges will wear down much sooner and leave your knife more susceptible to chipping. Whichever sharpening tool you go for, keeping your edges sharp is one of the most important parts of maintaining your kitchen knives. Well-sharpened blades glide more smoothly through whatever you are cutting, making them easier to use, as well as safer since there is less risk of slipping and cutting yourselves. If you are not confident in sharpening your own kitchen knives, many premium knife manufacturers will let you send your knives back to them for professional care. William Henry offers sharpening for any William Henry knives, for only the cost of shipping. Fill out this form and you should get your sharpened knives back in 2-3 weeks. Knife Sets While you can certainly get by in the kitchen with one or two mainstay knives, one of the best choices you can make is to pick up a set of high-quality knives. This keeps your collection more uniform, and most sets usually come with a knife block which is a great option for storage. William Henry has more than one gorgeous knife set to choose from. Take a look at the Kultro Gourmet Chef set, which includes five stunning stainless Damascus steel knives, as well as honing steel. Based on your personal preference, these Japanese-styled kitchen knives come set in either hardwood ebony or ironwood hilts and are paired with beautiful stone and metal rings. All William Henry steak and kitchen knife sets are made up of some of the best knives money can buy. Crafted by skilled artisans, these stunning blades will work wonders for you in the kitchen and look great on your countertop too.
Main Qualities to Look for When Buying Kitchen Knives

Main Qualities to Look for When Buying Kitchen Knives

By William Henry August 1, 2022
When compared to shopping for other home goods, shopping for and trying out some new kitchen knives tends to be relatively fun. Something about a good chef’s knife feels good in the hand, and different blades can be gorgeous to look at. As enjoyable as the process may be, it can also cause a little bit of anxiety if you do not know what you are looking for. This guide will help you to better understand what makes a kitchen knife high quality, and what to keep in mind while you search for one. What is it Made of? Not all chef’s knives are made of the same materials, and you could spend an eternity arguing over which is the best. The truth is that each blade material has different positive and negative qualities to it, and you should definitely consider carefully before committing. Stainless Steel An old standard, stainless steel kitchen knives are about the most common that you can find. Stainless steel is a relatively affordable metal with rust resistant qualities that have made it a classic for chefs and home cooks of all levels. Blades made from this metal are certainly worth considering, they are standard for a reason. With that in mind, stainless steel is a softer metal than some of the alternatives. These knives might need to be sharpened more often and can be more prone to bending and losing their edge. Carbon Steel Quickly becoming more common and revered by home cooks, carbon steel knives are another great option for quality kitchen knives, and professional cooks swear by them. By combining steel with carbon, the blade that comes out will be much stronger and maintain a sharper edge for longer. The extra strength afforded by the added carbon does come with a slight downside, however, which is that the blade will be less protected against rust than a stainless steel knife. This can be avoided with conscientious care and maintenance, but it certainly is not a knife you can afford to leave in the sink. Damascus Steel A sort of happy medium between stainless steel and carbon steel kitchen knives is the Damascus steel blade. Real Damascus steel knives are hand forged with a carbon core that provide additional strength, covered in the signature wave pattern that Damascus steel is known for. These knives maintain their sharpness incredibly well and are still somewhat flexible and rust resistant. There is little in the way of downside for true Damascus blades, with the exception being that they tend to be on the far more expensive side. Ceramic Another option becoming more and more common is ceramic. Ceramic blades are often very affordable, light, and strong. Since they are not metal, there is no fear of rust and corrosion, and they do not need to be sharpened nearly as often due to their reduced flexibility. That said, being made of ceramic comes with a greater risk of chipping and breaking. Forged and Stamped Knives There are generally two ways that a knife is made, at least for metal blades, and those are either forging or stamping. For the layman, forged knives are made by taking a red hot piece of metal and hammering it until it has formed in the desired shape. Stamped blades usually have their shape cut out of a larger sheet of metal before being inserted into a separate handle. More often than not, forged knives are stronger, more durable, and heavier. They do also land on the more expensive end of the range. Stamped blades can also be very high quality, but due to the way forged knives are heat-treated, stamped options usually do not match up in terms of strength. Handling and Comfort The material you decide to go with for your new kitchen knives is a matter of personal preference, and the feel of a knife is no different. There are a couple things that contribute to how a knife handles, and while you can make do with just about anything, finding the knife that perfectly fits you is worth the effort. As simple as it may sound, the most important thing to focus on when shopping for knives is the comfort you feel while holding them. It can be very easy to fall into the trap of buying knives based on the cost, whether it be the least expensive option, or splurging because you assume the quality is higher. Attractive and well-crafted knives will have you daydreaming about how they will look in a block on your counter. While these are things that should factor into your decision, they are meaningless if you do not like the way the knife feels in your hand. Weight and Balance The first is the weight. While there is no set metric for how heavy a knife should be, you want something that you can easily control and use with precision. If you buy a knife that is too light or heavy for you, it is something you will have to put up with every single day. Pick up a few options and really try to get a feel for them. In addition to the overall weight of the knife, the weight of the handle and blade should be balanced as well. If your grip is too heavy, your cuts will be far less effective and you will probably have to work a lot harder to get through every slice. If the blade is too heavy, it will be not only uncomfortable, but far more dangerous as you will have less control in starting and stopping. Grip Another factor to consider regarding the comfort is the feel of the handle. You want a handle that is more ergonomic and fits easily in your hand. Some knives that may be very nice to look at will have small metal handles that can often feel incredibly rigid and cold in the hand. It is important to find what works best for you. Types of Knives Also important to keep in mind is the kind of knife you actually intend to use day-to-day. There are as many kinds of knives as there are things to do with them, so it comes down to your own habits and preferences. With that in mind, there are a few standard knives that every home cook should have on hand. Chef’s Knife The most common and classic of all kitchen knives is the chef’s knife, which is on the larger end and has a curved blade that is excellent for working with meats and chopping vegetables. If you could only have one knife in your kitchen, this would be the best option for you. The standard chef’s knife is also known as a German chef’s knife, which is known for its strength and thicker blade. An alternative that is becoming more common in the states is the Japanese chef’s knife. A Japanese-style chef’s knife is usually lighter than the German version, with a thinner blade as well. This makes it better for fine slicing, but also more susceptible to bending and isn’t as good for heavy duty cutting. Paring Knife The sidekick to a chef’s knife is the paring knife. These are much smaller knives that usually max out at around 4 inches in length. While these are not a great choice for chopping and slicing meats and vegetables, they are fantastic for precision work. Where a larger knife might have trouble, the paring knife is perfect for cutting away fat, slicing and coring fruits, and deveining shrimp. Serrated Knives Another must have for every home cook is a serrated knife. These are far more effective at working with soft foods that would be crushed by the force of a chef’s knife. Knives with serrated blades are perfect for slicing bread, cutting tomatoes, and anything else with a soft inside but harder outside. Quality, Not Quantity As with most consumer products, the cost of your knife does roughly translate to quality. Kitchen knife qualities such as Damascus steel and hard wood carved handles require artisan crafting skills, and those do not come cheap. The least expensive knives you can find might do the job, but you will find yourself constantly sharpening or even replacing your knives. This is not to say that you have to break the bank when you want to buy knives, just that a high-quality knife is an investment, and it is definitely worth it. Bear in mind that you do not need to buy a complete set of quality knives at once. If you cannot afford to purchase a complete set, the best practice would be to buy only the particular knives you will need to get started. The best to have on hand would be a chef’s knife and paring knife to give you a solid way to work with most foods. As time goes on, your collection will grow, with the knives you have already bought actually living to see that day. William Henry has a stunning selection of professional kitchen knife sets made from hand-forged Damascus steel and rare wood and mineral handles. Look through the knife selection today to find the last set of kitchen knives you would ever need.