I was watching Everyday Italian and noticed that Giada was no longer using the Global Chef’s Knife anymore.  In it’s place was the Shun Ken Onion Chef’s Knife.  For those unfamiliar with Shun, it is recognized as one of the sharpest and top knife brands.  Here’s a bit of detail on how the knives are constructed.

Clad Construction

The wavy pattern on our blades is called a Damascus look; what gives it that pattern are 16 layers of SUS410 High Carbon Stainless Steel pounded to 3/1000th of an inch and then “clad” on each side of the VG10 core. This combination of materials gives the blade strength, stain resistance, and incredible cutting performance.

The Cutting Edge

Shun’s cutting edge is ground to an angle of 16 degrees making them extremely sharp; compare this to the best German knives which are only ground to only 22 degrees. The exotic Japanese steels used in the cutting core of our knives allow them to hold these razor sharp edges without the need for excessive re-sharpening.

VG10 “Super Steel”

VG10 is a new type of stainless steel that has a higher density. This allows the steel to be tempered to a Rockwell hardness of 61, and still have the flexibility and strength to take and keep a perfect edge. VG10’s natural tendency is to remain straight and true, so when it is used, the edge of the blade naturally straightens out and stays sharper longer.

SG-2 Powdered Steel

Shun uses SG-2 as the cutting steel in some of our Elite knives. Our SG-2 is an exotic powdered steel with incredible edge retention capability and hardness, resulting in an exceedingly sharp and smooth edge. It has a much higher density and grain structure with no imperfections or weak points.

Kasumi Method

This is the traditional Japanese style of knife making where you take an extremely hard carbon steel used for the edge, then clad on each side a protective layer of stainless steel like our Shun Classic line. This is actually the process of how samurai swords are made.

Honyaki Method

This style of Japanese knife making is where the blades are made of one piece of steel, like our Shun pro series. In Japan the most prized and expensive kitchen knives are made this way.

The Ken Onion Chef’s knife is one hardcore piece of kitchen artillery.  It’s ergonomically designed and is made with  32 layers of SUS410 stainless steel, compared to the other knives in the line, which are made up of 16 layers.  MSRP for the 8-inch version of this knife is around $250.  Amazon has it for $200.00

Well, you did your research and you bought your knives.  Believe it or not, all that research and shopping around you did was the easy part!

It’s now all about keeping them in prime condition for many years to come.  After all, since you’ve dropped a couple hundred dollars or more into a set of great knives, wouldn’t you want to protect your investment?

High quality knives will lose their durability, longevity, and sharpness rather quickly if they are not properly cared for.  I have put together a list of Do’s and Don’ts, and a few options in keeping your knives sharp to guide you in the right direction.  So let’s get started.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Knife Care

Do’s

• Do use a knife block or magnetic strip to hold the knives
• Do hand wash your knives with warm, soapy water and dry them off immediately
• Do keep them sharp!  If you don’t know how to keep the knives honed, take them to a professional knife sharpener at least twice a year.
• Do only use knives for their intended purpose!  Don’t use it to cut through bone if it wasn’t made to cut bone, don’t use it to cut cardboard…you get the idea.
• Do use a sturdy and level cutting board and chopping block
• Do have easy access to a first aid kit, just in case
• Respect your knives

Don’ts

• Don’t store your knives with the rest of your utensils
• Don’t use your finger to test how sharp the blade is
• Don’t  leave knives in the sink after use
• Don’t put your knives into the dishwasher
• Don’t use a knife unless the blade and handle are completely dry!   You do want to keep your fingers, right?

Knife Sharpening

No how matter what brand or type of knife, the edge will not stay sharp forever.  There are a few options when it comes to sharpening your knives.

Honing Steels – The most common tool to keep knife edges in tip-top shape is the honing steel.  Most knife sets containing 10 pieces or more will most likely include one.

Whetstones – The whetstone is suited for more experienced knife users.  The stones comes in different types of grit, from course to fine.  Whetstones will provide sharper edges than those from honing steels, but takes more skill and patience to use.

Electric Knife Sharpeners – Another route to look into is an electric knife sharpener.  I’m not big on these because the edges on different brands of knives do not conform to a standard specification.

If you’re uneasy about sharpening your own knives, you can always take it to a professional knife sharpener.

How To Sharpen A Knife With A Honing Steel and Whetstone

Don’t forget to buff up on your knife knowledge!  Knife Knowledge 101!

High quality knives will last a lifetime, that is, if they are properly maintained, and used for what they are intended for.  My belief is that, the more familiar you are with a knife, it will eventually become an extension of your arm.  That’s right, imagine having knife hands!  So think about using the same set of knives, over and over again, for many years.  You’ll become a knife-welding pro!

I’ve had my knife set for over a year now, and after occasional honing, they are still as sharp as they were on day one.  I feel like I can throw them across the room ninja style and stick them into the wall!

Here’s a quick anatomy of a typical chef knife courtesy of Wikipedia.  Did you know a knife had this many parts?

A Point: The very end of the knife, which is used for piercing

B Tip: The first third of the blade (approximately), which is used for small or delicate work

C Edge: The cutting surface of the knife, which extends from the point to the heel. The edge may be beveled or symmetric.

D Heel: The rear part of the blade, used for cutting activities that require more force

E Spine: The top, thicker portion of the blade, which adds weight and strength

F Bolster: The thick metal portion joining the handle and the blade, which adds weight and balance and keeps the cook’s hand from slipping

G Finger Guard: The portion of the bolster that keeps the cook’s hand from slipping onto the blade

H Return: The point where the heel meets the bolster

J Tang: The portion of the metal blade that extends into the handle, giving the knife stability and extra weight

K Scales: The two portions of handle material (wood, plastic, composite, etc) that are attached to either side of the tang

L Rivets: The metal pins (usually 3) that hold the scales to the tang

M Handle Guard: The lip below the butt of the handle, which gives the knife a better grip and prevents slipping

N Butt: The terminal end of the handle

With so many different types of knives out there, how does one choose?

Well, the typical home cook tackles slicing, dicing, and chopping most  of the time, so these three types of knives are must haves.

The paring knife – Usually running from 3 to 4 inches, these knives are good for shaping, peeling, and small tasks such as deveining shrimp.  Used when the cook needs to have precise knife control.

The utility knife – Usually running from 5 to 6 inches.  Think of these as a smaller version of chef knives.  They can be used to chop, dice, and slice.  I use my utility knife more than any other knife in the kitchen.

The chef knife – Usually ranges from 8 to 12 inches, but an 8 inch blade will suit most tasks.  I use this to cut larger slabs of meat and whatever my utility knife can’t handle.

Depending on how you prepare your food, you might want to look into cleavers, boning knives, filet knives, cheese knives, bread knives, and even Asian vegetable knives and santokus.

Ok, I know what I want, but what brand should I buy?
The most typical high quality brands can be found in most department stores and kitchen specialty shops.  The German classics such as WÜSTHOF and Henckels will suit most home cooks.  I use the Japanese Global knives because they fit well in my hand and I prefer light-weight knives.  And then there’s Shun.  A Japanese brand that Good Eats host, Alton Brown swears by.  While all of these brands will last a lifetime with proper care, selection will come down to personal preference as the edges on these knives will definitely get the job done.

Here are some things to look for when shopping for a knife.

Blade – Look for high carbon steel, or high carbon stainless steel blades.  They last longer, are more rust
resistant, and hold their edges better.

Handle – Since we’re not all built the same, the handle is just as important as the blade.  It’s all about personal comfort and ergonomics.  Make sure it feels balanced in your hands.  If you have big hands, then you don’t want to use a knife that has a skinny handle, and  vice versa.  A handle that’s incompatible with your hand may cause tiredness and cramps while you’re slicing and dicing away.  Plus it increases the risk of knife injuries.

Tang – The extension of the blade should run all the way to the end of the handle, and should be securely attached to the handle.

Aesthetics -  Again, this is a matter of personal preference.  But if a knife looks really great, but feels odd in
your hand, skip it.  It’s like wearing a cool pair of shoes that you know will hurt your feet.  It might look good, but in the end, you’re hurting yourself.

Go to a department store or kitchen specialty store and try out the knives.  While you probably won’t get to slice or dice anything, it’s good to see how the knife feels in your hand.  Purchase the knives online because you will most likely find a better price.

Buying knives is just as important as taking care of them, check out Knife Knowledge 101: Knife Care!

~ Kin

I was at Bed, Bath, and Beyond in search of a magazine rack.  While I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I did happen to come across a unique product.  It’s called Kapoosh, the universal knife block.  The design is quite innovative and it spawns one of those “wow, that’s so smart! moments.”  Instead of placing the knives into a slot, they go into the Kapoosh freedom rods.  They’re just a bunch of angel-hair size plastic rods that are packed tightly together, with just enough room to slide the knife blades inside.  If you have a lot of different knives, then this is a great product to keep all of them in one place.  The knife block comes in two styles, a wooden block ($30.00), and a larger stainless steel version ($50.00). Genius!

I’m in the market for a new chef knife. Well, it’s not like my chef knife is old. It’s that I don’t even own one, never did. Before I moved out of my old place, I was using my former roommate’s Wustoff knife set. It was a great, but I really want something else besides Wustoff. When I finally got my own place a couple of months ago, I bought a Chinese meat cleaver when I was in Queens. It was supposed to be my one and only all purpose cutting tool. It’s a great cleaver, but, I need something more precise and easier to weld. It’s just not doing it for me anymore. I like to chop fast and evenly, and the cleaver doesn’t always allow me to do that. I’ve narrowed my choices down to the Global Chef Knife and the Shun Chef Knife. Knowing me though, it’s going to take a long time to decide upon the one I want. I spent a year shopping for a flat-panel TV before I decided on the one to purchase. Since I love to cook so much more than to watch television, I hope I don’t take too long to decide.