TYPES OF KNIVES

TYPES OF KNIVES

One of the most basic, but important hand tools for any commercial
kitchen is the knife. With so many different types of knives, it can
sometimes be difficult to decide which knife is best. A quality knife that's
matched to the task at hand can increase productivity in your kitchen and
provide better results. We offer a great selection of commercial kitchen
knives to match any task and budget!
THE ANATOMY OF A KNIFE
 THE ANATOMY OF A KNIFE
Bolster The bolster is only found on forged knives. It is a thick band of steel between the heel and
the handle that helps balance the knife and prevents the user's hand from slipping across the blade.
Butt The butt is the end of the knife handle.
Edge The edge is the sharpened part of the knife blade that extends from the heel to the tip.
Maintaining a sharp edge is crucial for user safety and maximum effectiveness.
Handle Also known as the scales, the handle provides the knife's gripping surface.
Heel The heel is the rear portion of the blade and is most often used to cut thick or tough
products where more force is required.
Point This functions as the piercing tool of the blade.
Spine The spine is the top of the blade opposite the edge.
Tang The tang is the part of the blade that extends into the handle and helps provide balance.
Full tang blades are considered superior in balance and durability.
Tip The tip is the front quarter of the blade that does most of the cutting and separating. Pointed
tips are ideal for piercing and cutting small portions. Rounded tips are ideal for cutting or slicing thin
portions.
 FORGED OR STAMPED
Every piece of commercial cutlery is constructed using one of two methods, forging or stamping.

Forged blade knives are formed when heated bar steel is roughly shaped under a drop hammer, which compresses the steel under immense pressure. After the
basic knife shape is formed, the blade goes through a grinding and honing process to form its final shape and edge.

Forged Knives:

Have a thicker and heavier blade than stamped knives

Have a bolster between the heel and handle
Are usually stronger and better balanced than stamped knives
Are usually more expensive than stamped knives

Stamped blade knives are formed when a hydraulic press, or die, cuts the desired blade shape out of a flat sheet of steel, like a cookie cutter. Next, the blade
blanks are sharpened through a multi-step grinding and honing process.

Stamped Knives:

Have a thinner and lighter blade than forged knives

Do not have a bolster between the heel and handle
Are not usually as balanced as forged knives
Are less expensive than forged knives
TYPES OF STEEL
VG-10 Stainless Steel

VG-10 steel is a high-carbon stainless steel that features superior edge-retention, making it
very popular in commercial kitchen knives, especially Asian or Japanese knives. This type of
steel meets high-quality standards for its durability, sharpness, and stain-resistance, and it is
favored by many chefs.
420HC and 440C Stainless Steel

High-carbon stainless steel that is commonly known as German steel is usually made of
420HC or 440C stainless steel. Both of these steels are sharp, durable, and excellent at
resisting stains and corrosion, making them prevalent in many western knives, especially
forged knives. One of the biggest differences is that 440C stainless steel is stronger than
420HC, making it slightly better at holding an edge.
TYPES OF KNIFE HANDLES
Wood Handles

Wood handled cutlery used to be very common, but has fallen out of favor with health inspectors due to food safety
concerns. While very attractive and comfortable to use, wood handled knives are not as durable and can trap bacteria.

Stainless Steel Handles

Stainless steel handles are virtually maintenance-free. They are extremely durable and easy to clean. A very large or
heavy knife with a stainless steel blade will likely be better balanced than a similarly sized wood or plastic handled
knife. However, stainless steel handles do not provide a very good "grip" and can become slippery when wet.

Plastic Handles

Plastic handles are now the most popular type of handle. They are often very easy to clean and hold up well, but can
occasionally crack over time or when exposed to extreme temperature changes. Several types of plastic handled
knives are available on our site:
Fibrox- RH Forschner Fibrox handled knives are NSF Listed, dishwasher-safe, and slip-resistant.
Nylon- Nylon handled knives are durable, easy-to-clean, and economical.
Proflex- Proflex poly resin handles provide a safe, no-slip grip, and are NSF Listed.
Resin- Resin handles are lightweight and comfortable to hold.
Styrene- Styrene handles are light weight, sturdy, and comfortable.
White Polypropylene- Knives with white polypropylene handles usually have a textured grip, and are easy to clean.
Riveted POM (Polyoxyethylene)- POM (Polyoxymethelene) handles are more durable than polypropylene and are
easy to clean.
Dexter-Russell V-Lo- Dexter-Russell V-Lo handles are durable, easy to clean, and feature an incredibly comfortable,
"soft-touch" grip.

Santoprene Handles

Santoprene handles are a blend of synthetic rubber and polypropylene. This provides added slip resistance while
increasing the durability of the knife. Mercer offers three collections of knives that feature a Santoprene handle
(Millennia, Millennia Primary 4, and Genesis).
TYPES OF KNIFE EDGES
Straight Edge

Sometimes called flat ground, a straight edge is the most common, and is formed by grinding the blade in a
straight line so it tapers to form a razor sharp edge.

Granton Edge

Granton edge knives feature hollowed out sections running along both sides of the blade. When slicing meat,
the grooves create a small air space between the product being cut and the knife to ease slicing. Granton edge
knives are often preferred when slicing thin portions of poultry, roasts, or ham.

Serrated Edge

Serrated edge knives may also be referred to as wavy or scalloped edge. Serrated edge knives feature teeth
along the blade edge, which easily penetrate the tough outer crust or skin of the product being cut while
protecting the soft inner part from tearing. Serrated edge knives are ideal for cutting bread and fruit.

Hollow Ground Edge

Hollow ground edges are created by grinding from just below the midpoint of the blade to form concave sides
that come to a very thin cutting edge. Since this edge is so thin, it is more brittle and easily dulled. Hollow
ground edges are not preferable for heavy cutting tasks, but are ideal for fine cutting such as skinning,
preparing sushi, or peeling and slicing fruits.
THE RIGHT KNIFE FOR THE JOB
Meat Carving Knife

Though there are many meat cutting knives, a meat carving knife is used to slice thin cuts of meat,
including poultry, roasts, hams, and other large cooked meats. Carving knives are much thinner than a
chef's knives, enabling them to carve thinner, more precise slices. Additionally, the pointed tip is perfect for
cutting along a board, and it can be utilized in more ways than rounded blades.

Boning Knives

Boning knives, another type of meat knife, are available with flexible, semi-fleixble (semi-stiff), or stiff
blades ranging from 3" to 8" in length and are used to separate meat from bone. Flexible blades are great
for shaping, denuding, and seaming and are typically used by experienced butchers for boning roasts,
whole hams, lamb legs, veal legs, and filleting fish. Semi-flexible or semi-stiff blades allow for enough bend
to keep the edge close to the bone or table and are great for jointing. Stiff blades are perfect for making
precise, straight cuts without fear of wandering and are also great for jointing.
Bread Knives

Bread knives are available in a variety of sizes from 7" to 10". Some feature an offset handle design to prevent the
users' knuckles from hitting the cutting board. Bread knives may have a straight or slightly curved blade with a serrated
edge that's ideal for bread and hard rind fruits.

Butcher Knife

Butcher knives usually have heavy, wide, and slightly curved blades that are useful for cutting, sectioning, and
trimming large pieces of meat.
Breaking Knife

Breaking knives are similar to butcher knives and are primarily used to break down large pieces of meat into
smaller cuts. Their blades are usually around 10 and are curved to create leverage to break through tough
skin, cartilage, and small bones. They are also excellent knives for trimming fat off of meat.

Chef's Knife

A chef's knife, or "cook's knife" is one of the most commonly used knives in a commercial kitchen. Available in
sizes ranging from 6" to 14" (8" to 12" is most popular), the chef's knife features a wide blade with symmetrical
sides that taper to a point. It is suitable for a wide range of tasks such as chopping, slicing, and mincing.
Cimeter

A cimeter (or scimitar) knife is a cousin of the classic butcher knife. Its upward curving blade makes it
well suited for cutting and trimming steaks.

Cleaver

A cleaver features a long, wide blade that is used to chop and cut through thick meat and bone.
Cleavers are also ideal for opening lobsters.
Deba Knife

Often used as a light to medium duty cleaver, the Deba knife is ideal for cutting fish, meat, and hard
vegetables, as well as for chopping.

Flank and Shoulder Knife

Flank and shoulder knives are a type of boning knife that are excellent for creating flank steaks. Their
straight, stiff blades are perfect for generating precise cuts while boning, trimming, and jointing.
Gyuto Knife

Similar to a chef's knife, the Gyuto knife is a multi-purpose blade. However, there are several key
differences between a Gyuto knife and western-style chef knife: A Gyuto knife is lighter and thinner
than a western-style chef knife and also has a much flatter edge. This allows the knife to have faster
push-cutting abilities and makes it easier to handle.

Nakiri Knife

Nakiri knives enable you to cut vegetables paper-thin in just seconds! Its razor sharp taper edges are
best for seedless vegetables.
OYSTER KNIVES
New Haven:
- The New Haven oyster knife features a comfortable, pear-shaped handle and a short wide blade with a
curved tip. It is ideal for use on small to medium sized oysters for half shell consumption. The unique,
curved tip offers two major advantages:

- It provides excellent leverage for opening the oysters

- The curved tip tends to travel high inside the oyster, above and away from the tender meat of the oyster,
which avoids damaging the oyster meat. This allows you to easily spoon the oyster out of its shell to remove
as much meat as possible.

Providence:

Features a shorter, wide, straight blade. This serves the same function as the New Haven style, but does not
have a curved tip. Thanks to its blades edge, the style is great for shucking any sized oyster from its shell,
though is ideal for removing medium oysters. Plus, the contoured handle features an easy-to-hold design, as
the end is thicker than the front.
Boston:

The Boston style oyster knife features a long, narrow blade and is extremely versatile and very effective
at opening just about any type or size of oyster with a variety of shucking methods. Narrowing to a
rounded, flat tip, the blade is moderately sharp, but perfectly effective.

It features a comfortable handle shaped like a pear with a narrow front and a wide, round backend.
Topped-off with a small, front bulge, the handle promotes a secure, stable grip while also providing a
convenient resting surface for the hands palm.

Galveston:

With its long, wide blade that narrows to a point, the Galveston style oyster knife is excellent for
commercial use. This style is often used in processing medium and large Eastern oysters for meat gain
and features the Boston handle for optimal comfort and maneuverability.
Frenchman:

The Frenchman features a short, wide blade that

utilizes a sharp edge that is perfect for finding the
crease between oyster shells.
PAIRING KNIFE
Paring Knife
Paring knives rate second in versatility after a chef's knife in a commercial kitchen. There are several
common styles:

Spear point paring knives are great for removing corn from the cob, breaking up heads of lettuce,
peeling fruits and vegetables, cutting beans, and other similar tasks.

Bird's beak or curved paring knives, also referred to as tourne knives, feature a downward arching
blade that makes peeling round fruit and garnishing a breeze.

Sheep's foot paring knives feature a rounded tip with a straight edge. These knives are perfect for
chopping and julienning fruits and vegetables on a cutting board.
Petty Knife

Comparable to a utility knife, the petty knife's thin, light construction allows for ultimate precision
while dicing, slicing, or cutting small items, particularly softer fruits and vegetables.

Santoku Knife

A Santoku knife is an all purpose knife best suited for slicing, dicing, and mincing. This knife can be
used for the same functions as a chef knife.
Sashimi Knife

Equivalent to a western slicer, the Sashimi knife is perfect for everyday slicing and for
cutting large pieces of fish.

Slicing Knife

The meat slicing knife features a long, straight blade that's designed for slicing cooked
meats, sushi, and sashimi, as well as, breaking down large fish. Slicers are generally
longer than a carving knife and often feature a Granton Edge and a round blunt tip. Ham
slicers feature a narrower, more flexible blade that makes cutting cold meat more
efficient. A slicer should be long enough to permit smooth slicing action.
Usuba Knife

This knife is designed to quickly slice produce paper-thin, especially vegetables without hard
seeds. Try aproduce knifefor similar peeling and cutting tasks.

Utility Knife

Utility knives often have a scalloped edge, and can be considered a cross between a paring knife
and a slicing knife. A sharp utility knife is very efficient for slicing softer fruits and vegetables,
such as tomatoes or squash. Utility knives are also great for cutting large melon rings, cutting
heads of lettuce into wedges, preparing cabbage for shredding, and halving citrus fruits.
Thats all folks!