At a glance
- A chef's knife or santoku does about 80% of kitchen cutting.
- Japanese-style knives are usually thinner and harder than Western ones.
- Serrated knives saw through crust and skins that would skid a plain edge.
- Single-bevel knives such as the yanagiba are traditional Japanese specialist tools.
The main kitchen knives
| Knife | Typical blade | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Chef's knife (Western) | 20–25 cm | General chopping, slicing and rocking cuts |
| Gyuto | 21–24 cm | The Japanese chef's knife: thinner, flatter, harder |
| Santoku | 16.5–18 cm | All-purpose; push cuts and chopping vegetables |
| Nakiri | 16.5–18 cm | Vegetables: a flat, rectangular blade for straight chopping |
| Petty or utility | 12–15 cm | Small slicing, trimming, fruit |
| Paring | 7–10 cm | Peeling and fine work in the hand |
| Bread knife | 20–25 cm | Serrated, for crusty bread and soft tomatoes |
| Boning | 12–15 cm | Narrow and stiff, for cutting around bones |
| Filleting | 15–20 cm | Narrow and flexible, for fish |
| Carving or slicer (sujihiki) | 20–30 cm | Long, narrow, for slicing cooked meat |
| Cleaver | 15–20 cm | Heavy; chopping through small bones |
| Yanagiba | 24–30 cm | Japanese single-bevel slicer for raw fish |
| Deba | 15–18 cm | Japanese single-bevel, thick, for breaking down fish |
Lengths are typical ranges; makers vary.
Western vs Japanese kitchen knives
Western chef's knives, such as the classic German and French patterns, have a curved belly for rocking, a thicker blade and a softer, tougher steel at around 56–58 HRC. Edges were traditionally sharpened at about 20° per side, though many modern German knives now come at about 15°.
Japanese-style knives are thinner, with a flatter profile, and are usually harder, often 60 HRC or more. That allows a more acute edge of about 15° per side, which cuts more cleanly but can chip if twisted or used on bone. Traditional Japanese knives such as the yanagiba and deba are single-bevel: sharpened on one side only.
Which kitchen knife should you make?
Most kitchen knife courses make a chef's knife, gyuto, petty or santoku. A petty or utility knife is a good first choice: it's quicker to grind and you'll use it every day. A full-size chef's knife takes longer because the grind is long and thin. Ask the forge whether you'll use carbon steel, which needs drying and oiling, or stainless.
Looking after kitchen knives
Hand wash and dry straight away; dishwashers dull and damage knives. Cut on wood or plastic, not glass or stone. Store them in a block, on a magnetic strip or in a guard, not loose in a drawer. Hone often and sharpen on a whetstone when honing stops working.
Questions people ask
What are the three essential kitchen knives?
A chef's knife (or santoku), a petty or paring knife, and a serrated bread knife. Between them they handle almost every job in a home kitchen.
Is a santoku better than a chef's knife?
Neither is better. A santoku is shorter, with a flatter edge, and suits push cuts and chopping vegetables. A chef's knife is longer, with more belly, and suits rocking cuts and bigger jobs.
What is a petty knife?
A petty knife is a small Japanese-style utility knife, usually 12–15 cm long, used for trimming, small slicing and fruit. It sits between a paring knife and a chef's knife.
What steel is best for a kitchen knife?
Fine-grained steels that take a very sharp edge: stainless AEB-L and 14C28N for easy care, or carbon steels such as 52100 and O1 if you're happy to dry and oil the knife.
Learn to make one
27 UK forges teach this. Book directly with the forge.
A D Price Metalcraft (ADPriceMetalcraft)
from £190
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Alex Pole Ironwork
from £245
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Alfie (Wecandoo kitchen knife workshop)
from £350
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Related pages
Sources
- Nozaki, H. (2009) Japanese Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques and Recipes. Kodansha International
- Knife Steel Nerds (Larrin Thomas): kitchen knife steels