Exploring the Anatomy of the Best Cooking Knives

1. Blog 2 Exploring the Anatomy of the Best Cooking Knives When looking for the best cooking knives to buy, it is important to begin by trying to understand the anatomy of the knives so that you know exactly what to look for as you compare different knives. This involves more than just going out and trying to buy sharp kitchen knives- you have to consider each of the parts and make sure that they are of the highest quality before you eventually decide to buy the knife. With that in mind, here are the most important components of the best cooking knives that should be taken into close consideration. The handle- this is the part that you will hold when using the knife and it is important to make sure that it is totally safe for you and comfortable to use. Think about the material out of which the handle is made. Metal handles, for instance, may look beautiful and may be hardy but they are not good if you will be using the knife to cut through hot things. Some knives have molds on the handles that make them more comfortable and also give users a better hold when they use them. The bolster- this is the thick metal portion found where the handle and the blade meet. Some knives have bolsters while others either have partial bolsters or none at all. The Japanese knives, such as those available at Samura, mostly do not have bolsters and this is an advantage that allows users to sharpen the full length of the blade. The heel- the heel is a broad, thick part of the edge that gives the knife more weight which can be a good or bad thing depending on the purpose for which you want to use the knife. Most Japanese knives do not have heels which makes them light and easy to use. The blade- this is the main cutting part of the knife and here you want to find a blade made of durable material, such as carbon or stainless steel which does not rust or blunt easily.