How to choose a knife in 5 steps
The knife has been with man and his ancestors for 2.5 million years. The role of the knife in human life has changed over time, even today the knife has its importance for us.
The knife is still a working tool, a weapon, a hunter’s tool and a practical tool for everyday use. For many people, the knife is a cult object, a piece of jewellery, an expression of personality.
A knife can be a tool worth a few cents, but it can also be an investment item worth tens of thousands. Most of us crave a knife, whether consciously or subconsciously. A knife gives us the confidence to be prepared for the unexpected, gives our hands strength and dexterity, provides us with an aesthetic experience, or is simply a tool we need for our work.
So there are many reasons to own a knife. Likewise, there are many types of knives in a wide variety of designs and price ranges. So how to choose a knife so that we are maximally satisfied with it? The path to the TOP leads through 5 questions that we should answer.
1. Will I use the knife daily for my job?
How to choose a knife for the profession? Certainly the functional aspect will prevail. The shape and size of the blade should exactly match the purpose of the knife. You will probably need several knives, different ones for each type of work.
The blade should hold the edge well so that the knife does not need to be sharpened frequently. But at the same time, sharpening should be easy, it’s about keeping the knife sharp and taking care of it without consuming too much time.
The handle is important. On the one hand, it has to be easy and secure to hold, as the knife will be in our hands for many hours, and on the other hand, it has to be suitable for the working environment in terms of durability. In the catering industry, for example, they must be able to withstand moisture.
In terms of knife construction, we have a choice between a knife with handle attachments and a full tang. Knives with a shortened shank should be excluded because of their low stability. A knife with scales is stronger, but there is a greater risk of moisture getting under the liners than with an arbor knife.
If we take care of the knife, a knife with removable scales is ideal. They can be taken off and the material dried.
2. How to choose a knife by material?
The material of the blade determines the corrosion resistance, but also other properties of the knife. If the knife will be in a wet environment, stainless steel is preferable. It doesn’t matter so much how often we use the knife, even an unused knife will corrode. Some otherwise excellent steels can corrode really quickly.
High quality carbon steels often provide better properties than stainless steels. The chromium contained in the “stainless steel” limits the ability to sharpen the finest edge and also affects the mechanical properties of the material.
In the case of thin and long knives, we should be concerned about the toughness of the material. The long blade must be flexible and must not break when bent. Carbon steel provides maximum performance.
The price of the material can also play a significant role. Corrosion resistant steels are more expensive than carbon steels at the same quality level.
3. How to choose a knife by design?
If we don’t want to save every penny at all costs, we will choose between a “full-tang” knife with attachments and a full hidden tang knife. We have already touched on the practicalities, a knife with liners is stronger, heavier and has a greater risk of moisture damage.
A hidden tang knife does not take such rough handling, is lighter and usually more resistant to water penetration inside the handle.
For some, appearance is also an important consideration. In the case of a hidden tang knife, the handle is not split lengthwise by the extension of the blade, so that the beautiful wood grain can be more clearly seen. The hidden tang design allows virtually unlimited combination of different materials in the longitudinal direction. These knives tend to be more visually attractive than “full-tangs”.
The price of the hidden tang knife is higher, they are more demanding in terms of production.
4. What shape to choose?
Basically, it’s two things. The first is the height of the grind, the second is its geometry. The higher the grind, the lower the blade angle above the cutting edge and the better the blade penetrates the material and cuts better. Ungrinded part of the blade near the spine ensures stability of the knife. It is therefore true that the blade of a low-grind knife will be stronger, but it will be harder to cut.
The most common shape is flat grind. In terms of production, it is the simplest. It represents a happy medium between hollow and lens cut. The hollow shape reduces the cutting angle just above the cutting edge, giving the knife excellent cutting properties. The price for this is a greater susceptibility of the blade to damage.
The lens or convex cut works exactly the opposite. The angle above the bevel is larger compared to a flat grind, so the knife will be more durable, but it will be harder to cut.
The preceding sentences therefore contain the answer to the question of what grind is best. A universal outdoor knife, machete or axe will definitely suit a convex grind. The razor needs a hollow grind. The vast majority of knives have a flat grind.
An important part of the grind is the facet of the cutting edge. Its angle determines the ease with which the blade penetrates the material at the beginning of the cut. The facet angles range from 20° to 35°. The smaller the angle of the facet, the sharper it is, but more susceptible to damage. A larger angle, on the other hand, cuts harder but is more durable. Most knives are ground at an angle of 25°-30°.
I must also mention the Scandinavian type of grind, which has no facet. The cutting angle is therefore equal to the blade angle.
5. What size do I need?
We have to choose the length, height and thickness of the blade. Each of the dimensions affects the utility of the knife.
Let’s start with the thickness of the blade. The thicker the blade, the stronger and more durable it is. The knife is also heavier. The difference in weight between a knife with a 4 mm blade and a knife with a 5 mm blade is a full 25% (full-tang if the effect of the handle is neglected), which for a 400 g knife is 100 g. That’s not a little.
In order to preserve the cutting angle and therefore the cutting properties, we have to make the cut higher for thicker material. Therefore the whole blade must be higher. This brings with it a further increase in the weight of the knife.
Typical blade thicknesses are 3-5 mm. However, there are also knives under 3 mm and knives with a thickness of 6 mm, but these are extremes that bring significant disadvantages. However, even such have their uses.
The height of the blade is closely related to the thickness of the material. The higher the blade, the stronger it is. At the same time, the high blade allows a higher grind at a given thickness and therefore better cutting properties. At the same time, the higher the cut, the less material is left at the knife’s spine and thus the strength is reduced. I have already written about the effect on weight.
Common blade heights are between 30 and 50 mm. There are also narrower and wider ones. The height of the blade significantly influences the aesthetic appearance of the knife. Narrow blades look poisonous, wide ones look clumsy.
Probably the easiest is deciding on the length of the blade. A longer knife makes it easier to cut a larger piece of material, such as bread, but it is harder to store. If you want to keep the knife with you at all times, then a 30 cm knife is probably not the right choice. On the other hand, slicing a slice of bread with a knife with a 7 cm blade requires considerable skill and the result is unlikely to be perfect.
What about the sheath?
We shouldn’t forget about the sheath. Protects the knife from damage and allows transport, whether in luggage or on a belt, in a pocket, on the neck. The options are many, as are the types of sheaths. Knife sheaths are made of either leather or synthetic materials. The choice is a matter of taste.
And how to choose a knife? There are a number of factors to consider if we want a knife to serve us well. The most important thing is what we will mainly use the knife for. There is no ideal knife for all purposes. It will always be a compromise. It is always worth consulting.