WHICH KNIFE IS RIGHT FOR ME?
We've created this guide to help you choose the right knife for your needs.
Many people tell us they want “a knife for fish, meat and vegetables''. What they probably mean is that they want a knife that does all the day-to-day work in the kitchen, and usually one they can work with on the cutting board. What they are looking for is a utility knife.
1. UTILITY KNIVES FOR THE CUTTING BOARD
Our most popular knives - the Florentine Chef and the Kedma Gyuto - used for all kinds of chopping, slicing and dicing on the work surface, for most kinds of produce.
2. SMALLER UTILITY KNIVES
Our Florentine Paring knife, Kedma Paring knife and *Kedma Petty knife are all knives that are used for small and accurate jobs, either in your hands or on the cutting board.
*The Kedma Petty knife is an exception to the rule of Specialised or Utility knives. It is a special utility knife, good for almost anything thanks to its unique size and shape. It’s a great knife to have around the house if you are cooking for a small family or yourself and is also a great, agile service knife for professionals. Keep in mind it's not an ideal knife for large prepping work.
If you are looking for a specialty knife, as yourself which specific task am I looking to get done (e.g. eating, slicing, chopping, fileting)?
3. SPECIALTY KNIVES
a. Table Knives
We currently make four types of table knives, two in the Florentine collection and two in the Kedma collection.
b. Kedma Nakiri
Mainly designed for cutting herbs and vegetables, it has a wide angled tip and a tall blade profile. To put it in simple terms - it’s a chopper.
c. The Florentine Bread and Kedma Pankiri
We offer two bread knives, with slight differences between them. The Pankiri is shorter and thinner, which gives it more knuckle clearance and makes it more agile. The Florentine Bread knife is longer and will cut through larger breads.
d. The Florentine Slicer and Kedma Sujihiki
We also make two slicing knives, which differ in blade height and flexibility and of course the overall design and handle shape.
WHICH STEEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
The biggest factor to consider when choosing a blade steel for the home cook is maintenance. Most home cooks will try to avoid Carbon steels, as they will develop rust if not well taken care off, always kept clean and dry. Ask yourself if you are willing to baby your knives each and every time you use them?
Another factor to consider when choosing steels is the hardness and edge retention of the blade. It’s a common perception (which is sometimes but not always true) that Carbon steels keep their edge better and are more brittle than Stainless Steel blades. In the case of our blades, we work with Carbon and Stainless steels that perform quite similarly in these areas, so the choice is more down to maintenance and aesthetics.
How do i care for my knife?
1. Never ever put our knives in the dishwasher.
2. Use a light detergent when washing your knife, preferably with a sponge. do not use any strong chemical solutions.
3. Wiping off is always better than rubbing. do not soak your knife in water.
4. Keep your knife dry when not in use. drying well after cleaning is very important, especially in those hard to reach places.
5. If you won’t be using your knives for a while, oil the blade and handle with mineral or camellia oil. Just a few drops on a piece of fabric will do the job. If you have time to do so more often, please do. Linseed or Mineral oil is highly recommended for handles that contain wood or leather.
6. We recommend sharpening with whetstones or a water cooled stone sharpening system. We use the Tormek sharpening system, which is also available to purchase through us.
7. Use a steel/ceramic honing rod to align the edges and prolong the time between sharpening sessions.
Finally, sharpening our knives is free for life. You are welcome to arrange for your knife to be delivered to us for a tune-up, we only ask you get in touch beforehand.
TORMEK SHARPENING SYSTEM
The Tormek knife jigs enable you to restore the knife blade to its original and optimal edge angle. You do not just sharpen or hone at the very tip of the edge, which only temporarily increase the sharpness – you create an even, durable bevel along the full knife blade.
In this sharpening class, Wolfgang and Sèbastian from Tormek talk about different techniques for knife sharpening. You get to see the sharpening of a regular kitchen knife, a filleting knife and a skinner knife with a big belly. They also answer the most common questions and give their own tips and recommendations.