I'm Just Here for the Food_ Version 2.0 - Alton Brown [110]
SUPER STEELS
More and more knife manufacturers are utilizing very complex and relatively expensive steel recipes called super steels, such as V610 and GS2. These metals seem to embody the best of all worlds: they can take an edge, keep an edge through rigorous use, and are stain-resistant.
KNIFE-BUYING TIPS
• Steer clear of sets. They may save you a buck or two but they’re rarely worth the savings. Besides, they usually come with knife blocks, which take up space and are impossible to clean. Even if you like blocks, don’t buy a set. You’re better off buying your blades one at a time so that you get exactly what you need.
• Shop around, prices vary widely.
• Never buy a knife that you haven’t tried out on a cutting board. If the clerk gives you flack about this, walk away.
HALF A DOZEN GOOD KNIFE RULES
1. Stand comfortably when you’re using a knife.
2. Hold the knife in such a way as to gain optimum control with minimum stress.
3. Steer cutting not with the hand holding the knife, but with your other hand.
4. Keep your thumb on your steering hand tucked back and feed the food into the knife with your knuckles. Or else.
5. Always slice pushing forward.
6. Whenever possible, work with the tip of your knife on your cutting board in order to stabilize a cut.
Construction
There are three ways to make a blade: forging, stamping or cutting, or separate-component technology (SCT). This is the arena where cutlery marketing departments duke it out. It’s also where you’ll find the greatest delineation in performance and price.
The best knives in the world are hot-drop forged. A steel blank is heated to 2000° F, dropped into a mold, and shaped via blows from a hammer wielded by either man or machine. The stresses of forging actually alter the molecular structure of the metal, making it denser and more resilient. Forged blades are then hardened and tempered (a process of heating and cooling in oil) for strength, then shaped, and handles are attached. This requires dozens of individual steps involving many skilled technicians, a fact reflected in the selling price. Once upon a time, all Wusthof-Trident, J. A. Henckel, Sabatier, Lamson, and Chef’s Choice knives were fully forged, but today most of these labels offer more economical stamped-blade lines too. If you’re looking to make a friend for life, full tang, forged knives are the only way to go. Of course, some friendships can be rewarding even if they don’t last forever.
A single forged piece of metal running from point to end of handle
Stamped, die-cut, and laser-cut knives have long been seen as inferior to forged blades. The blade and partial tang is stamped like a gingerbread man out of cold-rolled sheet steel. A handle is affixed, and away you go. Cost is the advantage here; the bad news is, without a bolster or full tang, heft, balance, and the molecular advantage of full forging are nowhere to be seen. However, because they’re quite thin, many chefs often prefer stamped blades for fish and boning knives, which are usually employed in such a way that heft and balance don’t really matter.
Separate-component technology is a new way for knife makers to get that great drop-forged look without going to all the trouble. SCT knives are pieced together from three separate parts. The blade and partial tang are stamped, then the bolster is formed from metal powder injected into a mold. SCT manufacturers claim this lets them use the perfect metal for each part rather than settling on one steel for the entire knife. The way I see it, even if the thing actually hangs together and even if the balance and weight are great, there’s still no way a stamped blade’s ever going to dice through the decades like a forged blade—it just doesn’t have the molecular muscle. These imposters are tough to spot, so you’ll have to find knowledgeable salespeople.
Maintenance
Most cooks