Basic Training: How to Make the Cut
Still using the same old Ginsu set you purchased online years ago? If so, it’s time to upgrade to some serious steel. Here’s what you need to know to bring your knife block up to par.
Slicing Knife
Also known as a carving knife, it's thin and long (10 inches) so it can make clean slices through cooked turkey, ham and roast beef.
Wusthof Classic Hollow-Edge Super Slicer, $120, SurLaTable.com
Chef's Knife
This 7-incher is used for chopping, mincing and dicing vegetables and meats.
Miyabi Birchwood Santoku, $250, SurLaTable.com
Utility Knife
At 4 to 6 inches long, it's longer than a paring knife but shorter than a chef's knife, and used for cutting open large fruits and vegetables as well as for breads and sandwich meats.
Shun U2 Ultimate Utility Knife, $100, Amazon.com
Serrated Knife
This 7-to-11 incher, also called a bread knife, is used to cut anything with a hard exterior and soft interior, including some veggies, like tomatoes, sandwiches and hard cakes.
Global Bread Knife, $93, BroadwayPanhandler.com
Boning Knife
This short (about 6 inches long), thin blade is designed to debone and remove membranes from cuts of meat.
Forschner by Victorinox Flex Boning Knife, $20, SurLaTable.com
Blade Materials
High-Carbon Steel
Pro: It produces extremely sharp edges and is ideal for precision cutting.
Con: It's not stain-resistant and can discolor over time.
Stainless Steel
Pro: Less carbon and more chromium means it's resistant to stains and rusting.
Con: It doesn't keep its edge well.
High-Carbon Stainless Steel
Pro: Dubbed "super steel," this is the best of both worlds. It has a high level of carbon for toughness and chromium for rust-resistance.
Con: It's thick and difficult to sharpen.
Titanium
Pro: Titanium is lighter than steel and more wear-resistant.
Con: The blade tends to dull quickly. And production is limited, which means these suckers are expensive.
Ceramic
Pro: The zirconium oxide helps it stay sharp, and it doesn't rust or stain.
Con: Ceramic is prone to chipping.
-- Camille Hunt