What are kitchen and table knives made of?

When buying another kitchen knife in the store, we don’t think about what parts it consists of. It seems that its structure is elementary and does not require our attention. However, this is not entirely true; each element has its own characteristics.

Any knife, regardless of purpose, consists of 2 main parts:

• blade;
• handle.

Let's look at them in more detail.

Blade structure

This is the working part, which is a steel (most often) strip. Sometimes blades for kitchen and table knives are made of ceramics or titanium alloys.

The blade consists of the following elements:

1. Blade - the sharpening area on the blade where its sides come together. In the classic version, when it comes to a standard kitchen appliance, it is smooth. This blade is universal, and sharpening is not difficult. It can also be saw-toothed, for example on a meat cleaver. A high-quality blade is not just beautiful and practical, it cuts any food perfectly, however, it cannot be the same along the entire length of the blade, but tapers from the base to the sharp tip.
2. Edge, or the tip of a knife. This is the thinnest part, which can be centered (the blades on both sides of the blade meet at the tip), lowered (the upper part of the blade is rounded, looking down), raised (the blade and edge are raised to the upper part of the blade).
3. Butt - the part opposite the blade. It is not sharpened. In addition, the shape of the butt can be any.
4. Heel - the section of the blade that is adjacent to the handle.It does not sharpen and works to increase the rigidity of the knife, and also makes handling it more convenient.

What is the handle made of?

First of all, how convenient the device will be to use depends on this design part. The handle is made from different materials:

• tree;
• metal;
• plastic;
• rubber plastic;
• birch bark;
• acrylic;
• leather.

There are several types of handles. So, it takes the form:

1. Conical. This handle expands forward or backward. It is considered the most convenient.
2. Oval. The handle of this shape is ideal for kitchen knives. When working with such a tool, the hand does not get tired for a long time.
3. Straight. This shape is also often used in the manufacture of kitchen and table knives. The straight handle is devoid of any additional bends, so the device lies firmly in the hand while working with it.

Based on the type of fastening, a distinction is made between mounted and overhead handles.. If in the first version the metal part is placed inside the handle and fixed there using a pommel or special glue, then the overhead type of fastening is a kind of tail that completely follows the shape of the handle (plates are attached to it on both sides). This is a kind of continuation of the blade.

It is believed that the horse-mounted mount is unreliable, since the blade may fly out of the handle if the fixation is poor. In the same time overhead mount makes the knife heavier, since the metal part is significantly larger in size. However, both options are quite popular among housewives, and you can choose the most suitable one if you try each of them in practice.

By the way! The standard length of the handle is 10–13 cm. The width varies and often depends on the size of the blade.

The handle consists of the following elements:

1. Garda. It cannot be said that this part of the knife strictly refers to the blade or handle. It is an intermediate element between them, protecting the hand. By the way, table knives, especially those with an unusual elegant shape, may not have a guard. Such devices are used only for cutting soft foods.
2. Cheren - the very place where we hold the knife (the lower part of the handle). By the way, it is often called the abdomen.
3. Back – the part opposite to the stem. This is the upper section of the handle, which is in line with the butt of the blade. The back of the table knives is smooth and even.
4. Head, or backplate - the part of the handle farthest from the working body. Often the head is decorated with metal or other materials.

Table and kitchen knives are not edged weapons, but tools for cutting food. They are much simpler than hunting, throwing or tourist ones.

Devices for daily use at home should, first of all, be comfortable for long-term use, so when choosing, you should pay attention not to additional decorative elements, but to the metal of the blade (it must be durable and strong), and the sharpening of the blade.

It is also recommended to thoroughly examine the handle: the shape and material from which it is made. It is important that the knife is not heavy, does not slip in the hand, does not create tension in the hand during operation, and cuts well. Only such a tool will become a real long-liver in any kitchen.