quality, knives are largely a matter of personal taste. Do you
need to spend $300 to get a decent knife? Absolutely not.
Are you likely to find a good knife under $35 or so?
Probably not. But no matter what knife you choose, these
are the qualities to keep an eye out for:
- A full tang. The tang is the extension of the blade into the
handle. In a good knife, the tang should extend all the
way to the end of the handle. This provides maximum
durability and balance. - A forged, not stamped, blade. Forged blades are made by
pouring metal into a mold, pounding it, trimming it,
sharpening it, and polishing it by hand. This creates a very
strong, very versatile blade from edge to heel. A stamped
blade is cut out of a single sheet of metal and sharpened
on one edge. Stamped blades usually bear a telltale sign of
parallel stripes (caused by the rollers used to flatten the
metal) when you reflect light off it into your eyes.
Stamped blades are generally unbalanced and flimsy. The
lower-end knives of most major manufacturers are
stamped. - A balanced handle and a comfortable grip. When you
hold a knife, it should feel balanced in your hand, neither
heavy nor light on the blade end. It should also fit
effortlessly in your grip. Remember—a knife should be an
extension of your hand. As such, it should feel completely
natural.
THE CORE: THE 6½ KNIVES