Kitchen Knife Materials

Kitchen knives are made from several types of materials. Regular steel knives are low cost and available in all sizes and shapes. They form a patina (a surface sheen) over a period of time which will not allow further rusting. They need to be stored dry and require regular honing to keep their edges sharp. High carbon stainless steel which last longer is one of the most expensive and ideally recommended kitchen knife materials. It will not stain and holds a sharp edge longer than other types of knife materials.

Ceramic knives are popular because they do not need sharpening for years if used properly. They have to be used only on a cutting board and never on another ceramic, plastic or glass surface. Ceramic Knives need to be professionally sharpened and must not be honed at home. They are brittle and require care in usage.

Titanium which is a matrix of titanium and carbides is also used for making kitchen knives. Titanium is lighter than steel. Titanium alloy knives can be used for boning and filleting, but not for decorative cuts as they are more flexible than steel.

Kitchen and Knife Safety

Every kitchen should have a set of quality knives. Chef's choose and maintain their knives with great care, because they know that good well maintained knives makes preparing food a pleasure. They also know that if they are not used properly, knives can be very dangerous to everyone in the kitchen, especially children and pets.

Here are some suggestions for knife safety:

• Cut slowly, with the blade point facing away from your body and the knife's edge at a 20 degree angle. Make sure your fingers are curled away from the blade, and have a strong grip on the item you are cutting. Don't use a knife to cut string, bones, metal, or paper.
• Always use a cutting board, keeping it firmly in place by putting a damp towel or paper towel underneath to keep it from moving. Never cut anything in your hand, always use the cutting board.
• Use the correct knife for the job at hand.
• Hand wash all knives and dry thoroughly. Never put knives into the dishwasher or into sudsy dish water, and always hold a knife by its handle.
• Never attempt to catch a falling knife. Step away and let it come to rest before picking it up.
• Store knives in a knife block if possible, but if you must put in a drawer, make sure to keep them in a separate compartment away from other utensils.