The Essential Ingredient stocks a large range of knives to suit most budgets and satisfy most cooks whatever their skill level and professional chefs – talk with one of our staff to find out what best suits your requirements.

Types of Knives

There are probably a handful of knives most cooks will require to ensure the safest and quickest method of preparing food.

Firstly, a chef's knife. This is the most versatile knife in a kitchen and will often determine the brand of the other knives if you wish to keep to the same design and style.

Usually the blade is around 20cm or 8” in length although some chefs prefer a longer blade with it’s additional weight. Traditionally the blade is curved to allow a rocking motion when chopping with a minimum of force. It tapers to a point to allow intricate tasks to be performed accurately. Remember, this is the most utilised knife so ensure the weight, balance and handle are correct for you.

Another popular chefs knife is the Santoku or Japanese chefs knife. “Santoku” means ‘3 good things’ – cutting, slicing and mincing. Often available with a Granton (dimpled) blade to prevent food sticking and to allow for more efficient slicing.

Secondly, a utility knife. This is a smaller version of the chefs knife typically 10 – 18cm blade and used for chopping smaller items such as garlic.

Thirdly, a bread knife. A serrated knife with a blade around 25cm which is ideal for slicing bread and pastries. The serrated blade is long and straight to allow for even and precise slicing. Can also be used on soft fruit or vegetables where you want to avoid excessive downward pressure.

Fourthly, a carving knife is a useful addition. It is thinner than a chefs knife, allowing for more accurate and delicate slices.

Finally, a paring knife. Very useful small knife for cleaning and preparing fruit and vegetables.

There are as many knives as applications in addition to the ones mentioned above. Sashimi, filleting, boning, salmon slicing – all requiring a more specific knife with unique characteristics.
In addition to the type of knife there is also a choice of materials for both the blade and the handle with each having their own features and benefits.

Key Features

Blades. The most common material is high carbon Stainless Steel which is the middle option between full carbon steel and stainless steel. It provides strength without being overly heavy and is able to hold an edge and not discolour. Easy to maintain and sharpen. The manufacturer will quote an HRC figure which indicates the ‘strength’ of the steel after it has undergone a Rockwell Hardness test (C is for steel). The higher the number the harder the steel and the longer the blade will maintain it’s edge.

Laminated blades use a combination of hardened and softer steels.

Titanium is a more recent material and offers a lighter more flexible option but is more expensive and thus has a more limited range of styles

Ceramic blades are a serious alternative to metal blades. They maintain their edge for a very long time and are incredibly hard however, they are difficult to sharpen and easy to damage or will break if dropped.

Steel knives can be either forged or stamped. Stamped knives are cut or punched from a sheet of steel and then the edge is ground and sharpened. They lack the hardness associated with forged steel but are no longer considered to be inferior. Forging a blade allows the manufacturer to heat and cool the steel to increase its hardness and add layering.

Handles are an integral part of the knife and is essential to its efficiency as well as its aesthetic appeal. The handle should sit comfortably in the palm of the hand without it feeling too big or too small, as though it was an extension of your arm.

Wooden handles have been the traditional material as they are easy to shape and attach to the knife. The feel and look of wood appeals to most people but because of their porosity they must be correctly dried and maintained.

Stainless steel handles are popular as the knife is made in one piece which makes it stronger and resilient to wear and contamination. To prevent the steel being too slippery when wet, ridges or grips are added. The distribution of the steel in the handle can ensure a well balanced knife.

Composite materials are now being utilised which offer the appearance of wood but with the hygienic qualities of plastic, excellent grip and with no shrinkage.

Knife Tips

There are a couple of key points to always remember and to ensure you gain maximum enjoyment from your investment

Hand clean and dry them thoroughly after use

Store them correctly to minimise dulling the edge and to keep them safe
Never try and catch a knife if you drop it
Never leave in the sink
Do not leave near the edge of work surfaces or hidden under food
Avoid storing loose in a drawer or on a high shelf above eye level

Use the correct knife for the task – do not use a knife to chop bones, use a cleaver!

Keep them sharp at all times – it is safer and makes the task easier

Sharpen the knives either professionally or at home

Keep them honed between sharpening

At home

Honing steel – everyone will be familiar with these and see their local butcher use it before and after using their knife. It maintains the edge rather than sharpening it.

Ceramic Sharpening steel – these are less aggressive and will also give the blade a fine edge. They are more suited for Japanese style blades rather than the German steel.

Diamond sharpening steel – coated in diamonds and will give a very sharp edge but should be limited use for sharpening and not honing.

Whetstones – comes in range of grades similar to glass paper with a 2000 being one of the finest. Needs a lot more practice than a steel but will give superior results.

Brands and Ranges Stocked at The Essential Ingredient

Kanetsune An 800 year old history of making Japanese swords they now make 33 layer Damascus Steel knives suitable for the more discerning cooks. Extremely sharp blades with a HRC 60-61°. A black plywood handle with full tang.

Mcusta A Japanese range featuring many unique ideas such as ergonomically designed handles to reduce fatigue and a seven point screw system. Blade tempered to HRC 60°.

Shun Another range from the Japanese 'sword city' of Seki. Full rod tang with the wooden handles which have an unusual “D” shaped handle – right handed only. HRC 61° and as with similar Japanese knives with a blade angle of 16°.

Mac The Japanese knife favoured by Tetsuya Wakuda and Shannon Bennett. 13° angled tungsten alloy blade and edge tempered to HRC 60° . Lightweight and well balanced for ease of use.

Kasumi. VG high carbon steel from Japan. Blade tempered to HRC 60°. Hand finished for extra sharpness with the distinctive Damascus layered finish

Messermeister from Solingen, Germany. Fully forged and bolsterless using high carbon Molybdenum Vanadium tool steel HRC 55°. 15-20° angle blade. Very sturdy knives.

Wüsthof from the knife capitol Solingen, Germany. High carbon steel HRC 58°. A large comprehensive range of knives including an all-steel handle range plus steels, shears and blocks makes this a popular range. Honed by hand to ensure sharpness.

Henckels, also from Solingen. A comprehensive range of knives and sharpeners for most jobs and budgets. Similar to Wüsthof in weight with a nice solid feel and full tang.

We also stock various ranges of inexpensive knives which are ideal for students or workplaces where knives are shared ( and lost! ).