Knives with different types and shapes of blades are available for sale. Their construction determines their purpose, enabling a number of tasks – from cutting and slicing to chopping or filleting. A correctly chosen knife shape will translate into the dynamics of its use, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of work. So how to choose the right solution for your needs?
Straight Blade
A straight knife is a classic type of tool. It is considered one of the most frequently used and eagerly chosen due to its universality. A straight knife has a gently rounded edge, which increases the length of its blade. Such a model works well when skinning and slicing meat. For this reason, it is particularly often used by hunters, as well as chefs specializing in processing beef, lamb, and venison.
Universal Blade
A universal knife will be useful in every kitchen. It is an intermediate model that will be indispensable in many different tasks. Its blade is characterized by a universal length and thickness. It is narrower and shorter than a chef’s knife, and at the same time wider and longer than a typical peeler. You can use it when preparing semi-finished products or more demanding tasks, such as, for example, carving. A short model will also allow you to conveniently peel fruits and vegetables, while a longer one – to precisely portion meat.
Filleting Blade
A filleting knife is a model useful when filleting and skinning. It has a long and thin blade, often gently curved upwards. Its large belly allows for quick, precise cuts – thanks to which the work goes smoothly. The length of the blade affects the thickness and degree of curvature. The shorter it is, the thinner and more flexible it is. Due to a longer bevel than in the case of most other blades, a filleting knife is characterized by excellent sharpness, and at the same time slightly less durability.
Bread Blade
A specific type of blade is the one intended for bread. It is serrated along its entire length. It has small, sharp teeth or slightly gentler ones, shaped like a wave. Such a structure means that the bread knife handles both the hard, baked crust and the soft interior well – without crushing or flattening it. Such a tool will also be useful when slicing large and hard fruits, such as pineapple.
Meat Cleaver Blade
An equally original type of edge can be observed in a meat cleaver. It has a rectangular or arched blade. Sometimes the blade is equipped with a hole at the end of the spine, allowing the tool to be hung. Its cutting edge is usually led out at a larger angle and is not sharpened to a razor edge, which affects its durability and lack of susceptibility to chipping. A solid cleaver will allow you to cut meat – on its own or with a bone, as well as chop thicker bones.
Chinese Cleaver Blade
The Chinese cleaver has a slightly different type of blade, dedicated to processing vegetables. Although it is very similar to the meat model, its purpose is different. The straight cutting edge has no arches, and at the same time it is quite delicate and highly hardened. This guarantees great results when slicing and chopping vegetables and fruits – both softer and harder ones. A Chinese cleaver is not suitable for dividing and chopping meat and bones, as this threatens to cause bulges or a broken cutting edge.
Boning Blade
If you often carve pieces of meat from bones, a boning knife should be in your kitchen. It has a narrow and not very long blade, which can be flexible or semi-flexible – but slightly more rigid than in filleting models. Its narrow blade is usually arched, enabling cuts in the most difficult-to-reach places – at the skin or along the spine. Individual models can be sharpened asymmetrically, which allows for a thinner and much sharper cutting edge.
Do you want to buy a new kitchen knife? Be sure to pay attention to the shape of its edge. The construction of the blade directly affects the purpose of the tool and the purpose for which it is dedicated. It also matters for the dynamics of cutting and the efficiency and effectiveness of the action. For this reason, the choice of a knife should not be hasty and random, but carefully thought out. Thanks to this, you will gain confidence that it will effectively satisfy your needs, making it easier to carry out the planned work in the kitchen.
