knifeopedia

Types of Blades and Usage

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Knives come in a wide variety of blade shapes and sizes, which can make choosing the right one a bit overwhelming. Before diving into the specifics of different blade types, here’s some shared wisdom:

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Professional Chef’s prefer longer blades

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The reason is simple: the longer the blade, the more food can be cut with a single stroke. For professional chefs, especially during intense prep sessions, blade length becomes a key factor in productivity. 

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Go for quality instead of quantity

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When it comes to knives, quality matters more than quantity. Very few chefs—whether professional or home cooks—require a large variety of knives. Most kitchen tasks can be handled by a surprisingly small selection of high-quality blades. So, when setting a budget for a knife set, it’s always wiser to invest in fewer, higher-quality knives than to buy a large block set full of blades that might rarely be used.

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When discussing blade shapes, it's important to understand that there are three major knife cultures around the world, each with its own unique cutting style and corresponding blade designs: the Western, Japanese and Chinese knife culture, with Western being the predominant one.

 

In the past twenty years, Japanese knife culture has made its way into Western kitchens, particularly dominating the high-end market due to the superior cutting performance of Japanese knives. Blades like the Santoku have become staples in many Western kitchens, while more specialized Japanese blades, like single-bevel knives, remain rare outside Japan.

 

Chinese knife culture is beginning to gain traction globally, with some consumers appreciating the wide blade of the Chinese Chef’s knife. However, despite this growing interest, Chinese blades are still primarily used by Chinese users, and their popularity outside of China remains relatively niche.

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