Chefs Knife A modern chef's knife (also known as a Cook's Knife) is a utility knife designed to perform well at many differing kitchen tasks, rather than excelling at any one in particular. It can be used for mincing, slicing, chopping vegetables, slicing meat, or even jointing large cuts of beef or ham. In order to improve the chef's knife's multi-purpose abilities, some owners employ differential sharpening along the length of the blade.
The fine tip, used for precision work such as mincing, might be ground with a very sharp, acute cutting bevel; the mid-section or belly of the blade receives a moderately sharp edge for general cutting, chopping and slicing, while the heavy heel or back of the cutting edge is given a strong, thick edge for heavy-duty tasks.
There are two types of blade shape, French and German. The far more common German design features a pronounced curve towards the tip of the blade which allows the knife to be rocked up and down, chopping the food with the belly and heel of the blade. The French design is more triangular, with much less curve at the tip and a longer straight section of blade; it is designed to be pulled towards the user, slicing the food instead. Chef's knives are most commonly available between 15 cm and 30 cm (6 and 12 inches), though 20 cm (8 inches) is the most common size. Most chefs recommend using the largest chef's knife that is comfortable in the cook's hands.
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Bread Knife Bread knives are a type of serrated knife, Bread knives are usually between 15 cm and 25 cm (6 and 10 inches), with 20 cm (8 inches) being a common length. The serrations on the blade make it ideal for cutting bread (and other foods with hard/soft composition).
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Offset Serrated Knife

Similar to a bread knife an offset serrated knife has a serrated blade and an offset handle that ensures the cook's knuckles will not touch the cutting surface when the blade has cut all of the way through the food. These knives are particularly popular with chefs and some manufacturers refer to them as Deli Knives.

Paring Knife A paring knife is a small knife with a plain edge blade that is ideal for peeling and other small or intricate work (such as de-veining a shrimp or cutting small garnishes). It is designed to be an all-purpose knife, similar to a chef's knife, except smaller. Paring knives are usually between 6 cm and 10 cm (2½ and 4 inches), as anything larger than about 10 cm or 12 cm (4 or 5 inches) is typically considered a utility knife, though the distinction is somewhat vague.
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Utility Knife A utility knife is a medium-size knife of conventional pattern intended for a myriad of cutting duties. Whilst being too short and thin for heavier cutting tasks many home cooks appreciate a multipurpose knife that covers a variety of tasks. Utility knives can either have a plain edge blade or a serrated blade, some of which are considered tomato knives. They are usually between about 10 cm and 18 cm (4 and 7 inches) in length.
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Steak Knife A steak knife is used at the table (as opposed to the kitchen) to cut through especially tough foods, such as meat. It is somewhat like a serrated utility knife, though its purpose is different. A steak knife is usually about 10 cm to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) long and usually serrated, though some are not. Most are also decorative, since they are set on the table with the silverware!
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Meat Knives

Carving Knife A carving knife is a large knife (between 20 cm and 38 cm (8 and 15 inches)) that is used to slice thin cuts of meat, including poultry, roasts, hams, and other large cooked meats. A carving knife is much thinner than a chef's knife (particularly at the spine), enabling it to carve thinner, and more precise slices. They are generally shorter and wider than slicing knives.
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Slicing Knife

A slicing knife serves a similar function to a carving knife, although it is generally longer and narrower. Slicers may have plain or serrated edges. Such knives often incorporate blunted or rounded tips, and feature Granton edge (scalloped blades) to improve meat separation. Slicers are designed to precisely cut smaller and thinner slices of meat, and are normally more flexible in order to accomplish this task. As such, many cooks find them better suited to slicing ham, roasts, fish, or barbecued beef and pork.

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Cleaver

A meat cleaver is a large, rectangular knife that is used in cutting meat. The blade, approximately 15 cm (6 inches) long, is very heavy, with a thick spine, enabling the knife to chop through bone and joints with relative ease. Many cleavers have a hole in the end to allow them to be easily stored on a rack. Cleavers are an essential tool for any restaurant that prepares its own meat.
The so-called 'Chinese Cleaver' or Chinese chef's knife is actually a form of general-purpose cleaver, most varieties being much thinner in cross-section than the Western meat cleaver. Despite the increased popularity of Chinese cleavers in the West, most home meat preparation is still undertaken with a boning knife.

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Boning Knife A boning knife has a sharp point and narrow blade. It is used for removing the bones of poultry, meat, and fish. Generally 12 cm to 17 cm (5 to 6 ½ inches) in length, it features a very narrow blade. A stiff boning knife is good for boning beef and pork, but a very flexible boning knife is preferred for poultry and fish.
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Fillet Knife A fillet knife is like a very flexible boning knife that is used to fillet and prepare fish. They have a blade that is about 15 cm to 28 cm (6 to 11 inches) long, allowing them to move easily along the backbone and under the skin of fish.
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Ham Slicer

A ham slicer is a special type of slicer, with a long blade and rounded tip that is offered by some manufacturers. They are specially tailored to cutting ham, as they are generally thinner and more flexible.

Small Knives

Peeling Knife

Also known as a Tourne Knife or Bird's Beak Knife, a peeling knife has a pointed tip that curves downward (towards the blade). They are often used for many of the same tasks as paring knives. They can be used to cut decorative garnishes (such as rosettes or fluted mushrooms), slice soft fruits, or peel skins or blemishes. They are also used to make a cut known as a tournée cut in vegetables such as carrots.

Trimming Knife

Usually about 5 cm to 8 cm (2 to 3 inches) long, a trimming knife has a small, curved blade that is shaped somewhat like a boning knife. Trimming knives are ideal for small tasks such as decorating and peeling.

Fluting Knife

Usually about 5 cm to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) long, a fluting knife has a small blade that is very straight. Fluting knives are ideal for small tasks such as decorating and peeling.

Cheese Knives

Cheese knives are designed for soft,hard and parmesan cheeses:Soft cheese knives are specially designed for slicing soft cheese often having holes in the blade to prevent the cheese from sticking.Hard cheese knives are sharp, so they can cut exact slices, and often have a forked tip, allowing them to be used as a serving utensil as well.Parmesan cheese knives are specially designed for slicing very hard cheeses and have very short, thick blades that allow the user to put pressure into the cut.
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Japanese Knives

There are a number of different types of Japanese kitchen knives. The most commonly used types are the deba (kitchen cleaver), the santoku (all-purpose utility knife), the usuba (Japanese vegetable knives), and sashimi slicers (used for raw fish preparation).(Our Japanese Knife Guide sets out in detail the full range of Japanese knives)

Santoku Knives

The Santoku knife has been called an Asian chef's knife in deference to its general utility at a variety of cutting tasks. The santoku has a straighter edge than a chef's knife, with a blunted blade and a thinner spine, particularly near the point. From 12 cm to 18 cm (5 to 7 inches) long, a true Japanese santoku is well-balanced, normally flat-ground, and generally lighter and thinner than its Western counterparts, often using superior blade steels to provide a blade with exceptional hardness and an acute cutting angle. This construction allows the knife to more easily slice thin-boned and boneless meats, fish, and vegetables. Many subsequent Western and Asian copies of the Japanese santoku do not always incorporate these features, resulting in reduced cutting ability.

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Sashimi Knives Sashimi knives are frequently made of high-carbon steel, and are used to prepare sashimi (raw fish used in sushi). They are very long and slender, with 18 cm to 38 cm (7 to 15 inch) blades. There are two styles of sashimi knives: in Tokyo, the blunt-tipped Takobiki is used, whereas the pointed Yanagiba is used in Osaka and somewhat resembles a European carving knife.
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Usuba Knives

Usuba knives are Japanese knives used primarily for chopping vegetables. Both the spine and edge are straight, making them resemble cleavers, although they are much lighter.

Deba Knives Deba knives are Japanese knives used primarily for cutting fish. They have blades that are 18 cm to 30 cm (7 to 12 inches) long, have a curved spine, and are surprisingly heavy.
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Chinese Cleaver

A Chinese cleaver, or Chinese chef's knife, is traditionally used in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and many other Asian countries to prepare a variety of meats, fish, and vegetables. They are increasingly popular in Japan, where several manufacturers have begun producing cleavers fabricated with high-end carbon and stainless steel alloys. Despite the imposing appearance, most Chinese cleavers are relatively thin-bladed general-purpose knives designed for slicing, chopping, and mincing vegetables, fish, and boneless meats. However, heavier so-called 'bone' cleavers are also produced, and are used much like Western-type meat cleavers to prepare large sides of beef, pork, and other boned meats.
The average Chinese home uses some variation of a rectangular-bladed cleaver, usually around 18 cm to 28 cm (7-11 inches) in length, with a full tang, wooden handle, and blade of ordinary high-carbon (non-stainless) steel. The cleaver edge is normally ground with some curvature or rocker along the length of the cutting surface, improving the cleaver's ability to chop and mince meats and vegetables. The broad rectangular blade comes in a variety of weights and sizes, and can even be used to scoop up chopped food for transport to the wok or bowl.
Some Chinese chefs are so proficient with this large cleaver that they even use it for fine work normally accomplished with a paring knife, such as slicing ginger root.

Speciality Knives

Tomato Knife

A tomato knife is a small knife with a serrated blade. Typically about the size of a utility knife, tomato knives are ideal for cutting through the tough skin and soft flesh of tomatoes.

Oyster Knife

An oyster knife (also known as a clam knife) has a short, thick blade that is used to pry open oysters and separate their meat from the shell. Some models have a shield built into the handle that prevents the knife (and hand) from slipping and going too far into the shell.

Grapefruit Knife

A grapefruit knife has a long, fat, dull blade that is used to separate the flesh of a grapefruit from the peel and inner membranes. The blade is usually serrated, with a blunt tip, and some knives even have a different blade style on each end of the handle.

Mincing Knife

Also known as a Mezzaluna (Italian: "half moon"), a mincing knife is a uniquely designed knife comprised of a semicircular blade within a similarly shaped handle. Because they have a highly curved blade, they make a good rocking motion and are ideal for mincing. Many mincing knives come with a wooden cutting board with a circular bowl-shaped indentation that matches the curvature of the knife. Some models have two blades that are parallel to each other to increase their mincing power.

Accessories

Cutting Board

Cutting or Chopping boards provide a flat surface, generally made of either wood or plastic, on which to cut food and which protects counter tops and knives from damage. Plastic boards are often colour coded:red for raw meat,white for dairy,blue for raw fish,yellow for cooked meats,brown for vegetables and green for fruit & salads.There are also chopping boards made of glass, steel marble or corian -which are easier to clean than wooden or plastic, but tend to damage knives.Butchers blocks have also recently become popular for home use.

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Sharpening Steel

A steel is a maintenance tool for straight bladed knives. Despite its name a metal steel will not sharpen a dull blade. Rather than removing metal to sharpen, its purpose is to straighten the edge of the blade, which dulls with the pressure and friction of normal use.
Diamond and ceramic steels will do a much better job in sharpening a dull edge, but care must be taken to not overuse them, since they remove metal with every stroke.

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Kitchen Shears

A good pair of kitchen shears will be made of stainless steel, to prevent corrosion, and the blades should come apart, for cleaning. They are handy for mincing, chopping herbs and, if equipped with a notch and a serrated blade, for cutting small bones and the skin of poultry or fish.


	Knives are only for sale to persons aged 18 and over. By placing an order for any knife, you declare that you are 18 years of age or over. Knives must be used responsibly and appropriately.

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Types of Kitchen Knife

General Knives

Chefs Knife

Bread Knife