Chef's knife

The chef's knife, also known as the chef's knife, is probably the most versatile of all kitchen knives, designed for a variety of cutting tasks - a real all-rounder. It is one of the most frequently used knives in the kitchen and is highly valued by professional chefs and amateur cooks alike.

Blade:
A chef's knife can perform a variety of cutting tasks, making it the most important knife in the kitchen.

The blade length of a chef's knife typically varies between 15 and 30 cm, with a length of around 20 cm being the most common. This length offers a good balance between control and versatility.

The blade is wide and has a slightly curved, smooth edge that allows for rocking back and forth, which is especially useful when chopping.

Chef's knives usually have a sturdy but not too thick blade so that it can handle a variety of cutting tasks.

The wide blade can also be used as a spatula to push the cut ingredients into the pan or pot.

Usage:
Slicing and dicing vegetables and fruit, chopping herbs, nuts or garlic, cutting meat and fish, chopping ingredients such as onions, carrots and celery.

Sharpening:
Pay attention to the correct sharpening angle. Most chef's knives have a grinding angle of approx. 20 degrees.

Due to the simplicity of the blade, nothing else needs to be considered, except that the blade is drawn through the knife sharpener in an arc due to the slightly curved blade.

All purpose knife / office knife / larding knife

An all-purpose knife, also known as an office knife or larding knife, is a very versatile kitchen knife that can be used for a variety of smaller cutting tasks. It is a practical tool between a paring knife and chef's knife, das sich durch Handlichkeit und Präzision auszeichnet und in nahezu jeder Küche zu finden ist.

Blade:
The blade length typically varies between 10 and 15 cm. The blade is narrow and straight or slightly curved upwards. It is slightly thicker than that of a paring knife.

Usage:
Ideal for jobs that are too big for a paring knife but too small for a chef's knife. It can be used for peeling and cutting small foods such as herbs, but also for removing fat or tendons from meat and for preparing small pieces of meat.

It is also often used to lard meat with spices or garlic.

Sharpening:
Utility knives often have a grinding angle of around 15 to 20 degrees.

As all-purpose knives have smaller and sharper blades, the sharpening process must be carried out more carefully and with more control so as not to damage the fine edge.

Bread knife

A bread knife is a special kitchen knife that is mainly used for cutting bread and other baked goods. It is characterised by a particularly long serrated blade, which makes it possible to cut through hard crusts without crushing the soft inside.

Blade:
Bread knives usually have a blade length of 20 to 30 cm. With this length, large loaves of bread and other baked goods can often be sliced through with a single clean cut.

The blade of a bread knife is always straight, has a serrated edge, is relatively strong and is usually the longest of all kitchen knives.

However, it is not suitable for chopping or cutting hard materials such as bones.

Usage:
The serrated edge of the blade makes it possible to cut through hard crusts without crushing or tearing the soft inside.

In addition to bread, the bread knife is also ideal for cutting delicate foods such as tomatoes and cakes, which can be easily crushed by the smooth blade.

Sharpening:
Bread knives usually have a grinding angle of 20 to 25 degrees.

Many pull-through knife sharpeners are not suitable for sharpening serrated blades. However, with our A4 and A4 Elite models and the corresponding ceramic grinding units, it is possible to sharpen bread knives without the professional help of a sharpening service.

Paring knife / Tournier knife

A paring knife, also known as a paring knife, is a small, handy kitchen knife that has been specially developed for the precise cutting and peeling of fruit and vegetables. It is characterised by a short blade and extremely high control.

Blade:
Paring knives usually have a blade length of 6 to 10 cm. The blade is usually concave (‘bird's beak’) and tapered, making it ideal for peeling and slicing fruit and vegetables.

Although the blade is sharp, it is also very thin and therefore not suitable for hard materials such as bones or frozen food.

Usage:
The small, sharp blade is ideal for peeling apples, potatoes, carrots etc. Also ideal for fine work such as removing potato eyes or cutting small pieces of fruit and vegetables.

Tournier knives are also ideal for carving and shaping vegetables and fruit for decorative garnishes.

Sharpening:
Paring knives have a small grinding angle of only 15 to 20 degrees, which is optimised for precise cuts.

The sharpening process must be carried out carefully and in a controlled manner so as not to damage the fine cutting edge. Regular light sharpening is better than infrequent intensive sharpening to keep the blade sharp.

Filleting knife

A filleting knife is mainly used for filleting fish, but also for cutting meat and poultry. It enables precise cutting and removal of skin and bones to obtain clean and even fillets.

Blade:
Filleting knives usually have a blade length of 15 to 30 cm. The length can vary depending on the intended use and the size of the fish or meat to be processed.

The blade is long, narrow and flexible or semi-flexible. This makes it possible to cut close to the bone and remove the skin easily. The blade is relatively thin to enable precise and clean cuts.

Usage:
For clean and precise cutting of fish fillets, removing the skin and working along the bones. In addition to filleting fish, it can also be used for cutting and trimming meat and poultry.

Sharpening:
A typical grinding angle for filleting knives is between 15 and 20 degrees.

As the blade is comparatively thin, it should be sharpened carefully and regularly.

Butcher's cleaver

A cleaver, often called a butcher's cleaver, is a very heavy, extremely robust knife that is mainly used for cutting bones and large pieces of meat. It is an indispensable tool in many kitchens.

Blade:
A cleaver is significantly heavier and more robust than other kitchen knives. This gives it the necessary strength to cut through hard materials.

It is also one of the few knives with a continuously straight blade.

The blade length typically varies between 15 and 20 cm, although some models can be longer.

The blade of a cleaver is almost rectangular and particularly wide. The shape with the straight edge gives the knife its characteristic appearance.

And the heavy weight of the sturdy blade makes it ideal for chopping and cutting through bones and thick pieces of meat.

Usage:
The heavy, robust blade is ideal for cutting through bones and hard pieces of meat. However, it is also ideal for roughly chopping vegetables.

The wide blade also makes it easy to pick up and transport ingredients.

Sharpening:
Cleavers often have a slightly larger grinding angle than other kitchen knives. The usual angle is 25 degrees so that the blade stays sharp for longer when cutting through bones and is not damaged so quickly. The straight edge makes resharpening particularly easy.

Boning knife

A boning knife is a specialised kitchen knife that is mainly used to remove bones from meat, poultry and fish. It is designed for precise cuts in narrow and hard-to-reach areas to cleanly separate meat and bone.

In addition to boning, the knife can also be used to cut meat into smaller pieces.

Blade:
Boning knives usually have a blade length of 12 to 18 cm.

The blade of a boning knife is usually narrow, slightly curved upwards towards the fine tip and relatively thin. This shape makes it possible to work close to the bone and make precise cuts.

However, the blade is strong enough to overcome the resistance when cutting around the bone.

Usage:
It is used for boning meat, poultry and fish. The narrow blade allows a cut close to the bone and a clean separation of the meat.

In addition to boning, it can also be used to cut meat into smaller pieces.

Sharpening:
A typical grinding angle for boning knives is between 15 and 20 degrees.

The transition to the neck of the blade is usually concave. This should be taken into account when sharpening the knife.

(Soft) cheese knife

The soft cheese knife has been specially developed for cutting Brie, Camembert, Roquefort and other softer cheeses. It is designed to cut the cheese cleanly without it sticking to the blade or being crushed too much.

Blade:
Many soft cheese knives have large holes or recesses in the blade. These reduce the contact surface between the cheese and the blade, which should minimise the cheese sticking.

The blade length typically varies between 10 and 15 cm. It is often finely serrated up to the forked tip to make cutting easier. In addition, the blade is usually only sharpened on one side.

Usage:
Ideal for cutting soft to semi-soft cheese, as the special blade shape prevents the cheese from sticking to the blade.

The fork-like tip makes it easy to pick up and serve the sliced pieces of cheese.

Sharpening:
Soft cheese knives usually have a grinding angle of around 20 degrees. Most models are serrated and can be easily sharpened with our ceramic sharpening units. You can find out how to sharpen serrated knives here. However, if the serration is too fine, only a professional knife sharpening service will help.

Steak knife

A steak knife is used to cut steaks and other cuts of meat at the table. It is designed to cut the meat cleanly without tearing or crushing it.

Steak knives often have an elegant design and go well with table settings, making them not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.

Blade:
Steak knives usually have a blade length of 10 to 13 cm. This length provides a good balance between control and efficiency when cutting at the table.

The blade of a steak knife is straight or slightly curved and has a fine point. There are also numerous models with a serrated blade, which are particularly suitable for cutting through the crust of grilled or roasted meat.

The blade is also thin and sharp to cut the meat as easily as possible.

Usage:
Steak knives are ideal for cutting steaks and other cuts of meat at the table. They can also be used for other kitchen tasks during the meal, such as cutting poultry or firm vegetables.

Sharpening:
If the blade is not serrated, only the grinding angle of usually 20 degrees needs to be maintained.

Serrated blades can be sharpened with our ceramic sharpening units as long as the serration is not too fine.

Tomato knife

A tomato knife was specially developed for cutting tomatoes and other soft fruits and vegetables. It is characterised by a usually fine serrated edge, which makes it possible to cut cleanly through the delicate skin of the tomato without crushing the flesh.

Blade:
Tomato knives often have a blade length of around 10 to 15 cm.

The blade is usually slim and has a fine serrated edge along the cutting edge. Some tomato knives also have a forked tip for holding tomato slices.

Usage:
The knife is ideal for cutting the delicate skin of tomatoes cleanly. In addition to tomatoes, the knife is also suitable for cutting other soft foods such as mozzarella, eggs or fruit with a thin skin.

Sharpening:
Grinding angles of 15 to 20 degrees are common here.

Many pull-through knife sharpeners are not suitable for tomato knives. However, with our A4 and A4 Elite models and the corresponding ceramic grinding units, you can sharpen the serrated edge of most tomato knives. For tomato knives with an extremely fine serrated edge, however, only a professional sharpening service will help.

Ham knife / carving knife / meat knife

A ham knife, also known as a carving knife or meat knife, is used to cut large pieces of meat such as ham or roasts. It enables precise and clean cuts to cut the meat into even slices, which is particularly important for presentation and serving.

Blade:
The narrow, usually straight blade is usually between 20 and 35 cm long. It can also be used to cut larger pieces of meat in one go.

The tip is often completely rounded. Some models also have a scalloped edge (small indentations along the cutting edge) to prevent meat slices from sticking to the blade.

The blade is relatively thin to enable clean and precise cuts without tearing the meat.

Usage:
This blade can be used to cut very thin and even slices, typical of ham and many other types of sausage. It is also ideal for carving roasts, poultry and other large pieces of meat.

The knife is used for fine and precise cuts, especially on delicate meats where texture and appearance are important.

Sharpening:
A typical grinding angle for carving knives is between 15 and 20 degrees.

The acute angle and long blade require some care. Otherwise, there is nothing else to consider with this type of knife due to the simplicity of the cutting edge.