More About Knives

ABOUT KNIVES

Knives have held a fascination to people through out the ages. They come in all sizes from swords to scalpels though the most commonly used are the Chefs knives both on the domestic scene and commercial.
Today’s knives are made of stainless steel. Earlier years they were made of carbon steel, these were a better cut but highly prone to rust, making them not suitable under our present day health regulations. Ceramic knives though not used as widely are ideal for the extreme allergy sufferer, unfortunately these knives if not handled with great care can shatter if dropped (not a knife for the professional user).

When looking to purchase a knife always know the type of cutting required whether it be for cutting vegetables meat or fish. If you require a utility knife, a filleting knife or chopper. Once the choice is narrowed down it will make your selection easier.

Knives these days are imported from many different countries. Generally the best of them come from Solingen Germany, Japan USA and Brazil with some being produced in Sweden Italy and France. Sweden produces knives for people with problems such as arthritis or mild disabilities. These are used with a sawing action so not to apply pressure to the wrist and the various joints in the hand. The Asian region also produces knives some under license from the more established companies. The difference will be in the components of the metal. Always consider one pays good dollars for quality.

A good Chef’s Knife is made with a bolster. The blade is extended into the handle. The handle is generally made with either wood or ABS plastic. These days knife handles are not riveted as rivets are known to harbour bacteria particularly if the rivets have worked loose due to age or abuse in the care of knives. The blades are of Stainless Steel with the components Chrome, Molybdenum and Vanadium with chrome being the main component that prevents rusting of the metal. If a knife is chosen with an all-metal handle be aware: these knives when being used do become slippery from the fat of the meat being deposited on the handle causing the hand to lose its grip. This has been brought to our attention through the experience of our good customers. These knives look great, just not practical. There is a knife from Solingen in Germany on the market similar design, the difference is tiny rubber inserts placed in the handle giving the user a better grip.

STORAGE of CHEF’S KNIVES
There are several methods of storing Chef’s knives:

Method 1
Use a Magnetic Strip. These can be brought from most retail outlets that sell chef’s knives. When making your purchase check the strength of the magnet. It is advisable to place your heaviest knife or chopper on the magnetic strip to ensure the magnet is strong enough to take the greater weight. Preferably choose a single magnet wide enough to cover the width of the holder. The knives must be held firmly to the magnet to save the knives from falling possibly causing serious damage to oneself. This method is very safe providing a good quality magnet is used. This is the same method we use to display our knives at The Scissor Shop.

Method 2
Use a Knife Block. If the slots are in a vertical position, place the knives in the slot with the back of the knife placed to slide along the edge of the slot, by doing this the cutting edge of the knife will be better protected, avoiding the edge from blunting unnecessarily.

Method 3
A Knife Holder. This is another means of storing knives. The holder is made of PVC plastic. There are eight slots between ten elongated shaped loops approximately 4 cm long acting as a spring action, the knife is then slid into the slots holding the knives very firmly in place. The knife holder is black in colour being supplied with screws to secure firmly to the wall.

Method 4
Knife Edge Guards. These are very handy if you haven’t either of the above. The knife guard is made from plastic, with two sides leaving a narrow slot to slide the knife in. They generally have one side of the corner cut out to allow the user easy access. The Knife Edge Guard comes in various sizes depending on the length and width of the knife. Only with the protection of the Knife Edge Guard is it safe to place them into a draw.

Method 5
Knife Rolls. These are great for the travelling Chef to protect the knives in transport as well as being very lightweight. They are found in outlets supplying the hospitality trade. They come in a choice of three colours with various compartments of differing sizes.

Method 6
Professional Knife Luggage. These can been found in some of the more specialized outlets supplying the hospitality trade. They are made of leather, vinyl or metal casing the latter holding the knives down with magnets. I am not completely familiar with the full range of the Professional Knife Luggage.

Never ever place your treasured knives loosely into a draw. This action will cause the edges to clatter together if only for the opening and closing of the draw not taking into account of other utensils loosely placed in the same draw. This clattering of the knives if only minor will take the edge off your knives. Beyond this the chance of being cut is highly likely.

The dishwasher is another danger area for your knives. The dishwasher uses force to wash the contents. There is also some degree of grit regardless of filters within the machine. The Knife Edge is blasted with the jets of water causing a degree of blunting. The detergents used in a dishwasher will also damage the handle particularly if the handle is of timber and riveted. In time the handle will dry out causing the rivets to loosen and the handle to split away from the bolster. The drying cycle does nothing to help the cause.
Depending on the style of dishwasher whether there are special cutlery trays to separate each piece of cutlery or if the cutlery is placed in a basket. The latter will clatter together again taking the edge off the knife. If your dishwasher has the cutlery tray then place your knives on the tray with the cutting edge facing up this will prove to be gentler on your knives. The down side is not to cut yourself when handling your dishwasher.

To care for your Chef’s knives the best method of cleaning them is simply to run the knife under hot water, dry them off and put them away. Do not leave the handle of the knife to sit in water, in or on top of the sink, this will only add to the general wear and tear of the knife.

THE CHOPPING BOARD used is all part of knife care.

Professional kitchens due to health regulations all use a nylon board. Each board is colour coded to distinguish the various food types avoiding cross contamination. This type of board is very harsh on knife-edges causing premature blunting.

TO CLEAN: Both nylon and wooden boards will show cut marks with use and must regularly be sanitized to avoid bacteria build up, this can be done with a very mild solution of bleach in the water from time to time.
"OR" alternatively if using a nylon board: make a mix of 1 part white vinigar to 2 parts hot water, wash and allow to dry.
For a wooden board: wet the board and sprinkle salt to the surface rubbing all over with a scourer, rinse with cold water and let dry in a well ventilated place.
This will not only sanitize but will remove any odour build-up.

The wooden board is better for the knife giving the advantage of the edge lasting longer between sharpening. Again it is important to have more than one wooden board to avoid cross contamination when cutting. When purchasing your wooden board it is important to oil the board before use. This will not only protect the board from drying out, but will also prevent the strong odour’s of some foods being absorbed.

Each time the board is used, wash under cold plain water and leave to dry thoroughly. Do not use detergents in the water as this will cause the board to not only dry out but it can’t be too good for the general health due to its porous nature. After the board has thoroughly dried, occasionally it will need to be re-oiled to prevent the board from drying out otherwise a splitting of the wood can occur. Use only cooking oil: olive oil is great. You will notice by oiling, the board will darken. Overall this is better than having the board split.

Glass cutting boards though look great will blunt the knives very quickly. Speaking with customers it has been pointed out of problems with the knife slipping on the glass surface causing near accidents. These are better suited as a serving tray?

Never hand your knives out to anyone. The knife is not theirs and will not be given the same respect. Don’t allow people to put you on a spot, say no. This will save you from being placed in an embarrassing position if the knife is returned to you in a worse condition than when you gave it.

Enjoy your time spent in the kitchen the hub of many friendships, the swapping of recipes and the sheer delight given with every creation.

Bon Appetite!