If you're new to the world of chef's knives, then you might be wondering: why are there are so many different shapes/sizes? And how can they possibly all serve a different purpose? In this guide we will hopefully clear up these common curiosities and in the process, demystify the chef's knife lineup.

Knife anatomy 101

Every knife has the same set of basic features, the size and shape of these features however, vary from knife to knife. For instance, a pairing knife will have a much shorter spine and edge than a carving knife, giving it less strength but far more manoeuvrability. We've detailed what each feature of a knife's anatomy is responsible for below.

Tang

A knife's tang is the bottom portion of its blade that extends down into its handle. In essence, the tang is the backbone of the a knife that provides it with its structural integrity. Stronger knives generally have a full tang.

Butt

The butt of a knife is the downward curving end part of the knife handle. This section of the handle provides improved grip for a precision hold.

Bolster

The bolster is the balancing point between the blade and the handle. This important bridge protects one's fingers from the blade while adding grip comfort. To hold a pinch grip (the cutting grip used by most chefs) one should pinch their index finger and thumb against either side of the knife bolster.

Heel

A knife's heel is the part of its blade furthest away from the tip along the cutting edge. This is the part of the blade you would use for quick, coarse cuts and for any jobs that require more strength or pressure.

Edge

Although seemingly simple a blade's edge actually has quite a few variables. The main two are the length and curve of the blade: these greatly determine cutting style and allow for either more or less rocker. The third main variable is the edge's bevel, which is the surface area that has been ground to form the knife's edge. A bevel is either made on one or both sides of the knife's edge.

Point

The point is the part of the knife where the edge and spine come together. The point is often used for piercing.

Spine

The Spine of a knife is the thickest part of its blade. The spine's thickness will vary on each knife, and will generally affect the strength of the edge and the overall flexibility of the blade.

Handle

The handle of every knife can vary in shape, weight, and material. This part of the knife's weight should, when combined with the weight of tang inside, be balanced with the weight of the blade.

Rivet

When the design warrants it, rivets connect and fasten handles a knife's handle to its tang. Generally when rivets are involved, the more the merrier.

Types Of Knives and When to Use Them

Now that we've covered the basic anatomy of the knife, we'll outline the common types of knives you'll find in a kitchen, what their features look like, and what they are used for.

Chefs Knife

The Chefs knife is a multipurpose kitchen knife with a wide tapering blade usually 8 to 10 inches long. It typically has a mild curve and a full tang construction making it perfect for slicing and chopping. This is the go- to knife for most prep jobs.

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Pairing Knife

The paring knife is a short blade knife with a thin spine. This versatile knife is often used to peel or cut fruit and vegetables into small pieces, or to carry out other similar precision jobs. 

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Utility Knife

The utility knife's blade is longer than a paring knife and narrower than a chef's knife. It is generally six inches long and works well for slicing fruit, tender pieces of meat, or just about any slicing work.

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Boning Knife

The boning knife has a long, thin spine with a flexible blade and a sharp tip. Its profile allows it to easily pierce and cut through ligaments and connective tissue to remove raw meat from the bone.

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Carving Knife

A carving knife has a long, narrow blade that tapers to a sharp point. It's used mainly for carving poultry or bone-in roasts, like a leg of lamb or a ham.

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Cleaver

The thick, heavy blade of the cleaver allows it to effortlessly chop through bone, thick pieces of meat and large root vegetables.

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Santoku

The santoku is a Japanese variation of a traditional chefs knife with a straight cutting edge. This unique profile makes it better suited for chopping than slicing.

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Although there's a specific purpose for each knife, some knives are used far more frequently than others in the kitchen. For instance, most chefs will use a utility knife much more often than they might use a boning knife. It is for this reason that we recommend building out your collection in the order we have listed above. Knife sets are also generally organised in a similar fashion and are thus a great starting point for beginners (excuse the pun).

Head through to our store if you're interested in starting a collection or perhaps adding something new to your existing one!