There are literally hundreds of manufacturers of Kitchen Cutlery throughout the world. Some specialise in the creation of one type of knife and others who produce and distribute entire lines of knives in many different styles and levels of quality. Not all knives are created equal and quality varies widely depending on the manufacturer and the processes they use
On the right you’ll find links to all of the different manufacturers with an explanation of who they are and the kind of cutlery they produce. Each of those pages includes listings of all the cutlery available from that manufacturer at this time.
Materials Used in Making Knives
Blades are made from a variety of materials, each having distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Carbon steel is commonly used for making blades and is inexpensive, can be highly sharpened, holds an edge well and is easily resharpened. The disadvantage is that it is susceptible to rust and staining and takes a fairly high amount of maintenance cleaning and lubricating after each use.
Stainless Steel is often used in low end cheap kitchen knives because it is very inexpensive and resistant to staining and rust. These knives are difficult to sharpen and so are often made with serrations to slow dulling.
High carbon stainless steel blades won’t discolor or stain, and maintain a good edge. It is more expensive to manufacture and thus prices are typically higher.
Laminated blades have tried to use the best of both worlds by layering a sandwich of different steel together. Typically called Damascus Steel in the West laminated blades are best known from the high quality Japanese blades that are produced using this method. They are also more expensive because of the highly skilled labor required to produce them.
There are knives on the market with blades made from titanum which is lighter and more flexible than steel but it doesn’t take as sharp an edge. The big downside is the cost as titanium is very expensive.
Ceramic blades, pioneered by Kyocera, are so hard that they will keep a sharp edge for months or years. But because they are so hard they are very brittle and will chip if used against hard items such as bone, improperly sharpened or simply stored incorrectly. They are also very expensive and will snap if used to pry materials apart.
Steel blades are either stamped or forged. Forging is an multiple step process that requires skilled labor. They are typically thicker and heavier than stamped blades which is an advantage in some situations. Forging is considered to create a blade superior to a stamped blades and are usually preferred by professional chefs. On the other hand stamped blades are cut to shape, heat treated for strength, ground, polished and sharpened. Though cheaper to produce they often perform very well for most cooks.
Knife edges are sharpened in different ways with differing results. Flat ground blades that look like a thin triangle when viewed in cross section and are usually heavier and tougher than hollow ground blads. Hollow ground blades are concave in order to provide better cutting at the expense of being lighter and less durable. Serrated blades are ideal for cutting things that have hard outsides and soft insides like bread, tomatoes and fibery food like celery and cabbage. While they may do a better job cutting they can’t be sharpened without specialized equipment. The popular Granton edge really isn’t referrring to the knife edge but to the blade itself where hollow scallops are machined into one or both sides in the attempt to improve cutting of meats, cheese and vegetables.
At the very back end of the knife is the part we hold…the handle. Handles are generally made from wood which is usually riveted to the tang of the blade. Wood handles have to be maintained and can’t handle long immersion in water so they should always be hand washed, dried and put away. While plastic may be simpler to care for than wooden handles they are subject to ultraviolet damage and will become brittle over time and can crack. Plastic is also slippery and because of its lighteness may not balance well. The most popular laminates are wood composites…most commonly Pakkawood or Staminawood. Easy to maintain and sanitary, they appear to be wood and have a consistent wight and grip. Some higher end knives are made with stainless steel handles which, while durable and sanitary, can also be slippery and the weight can affect the balance of the knife.
