You don’t need a different knife for every ingredient, but the right blade can make everyday preparation easier. The jobs you do most often are a useful starting point, whether that’s chopping vegetables for dinner, trimming fruit or slicing a ripe tomato.
At Delacey’s, our kitchen knife range includes SCANPAN and Victorinox options. Here’s how to choose a useful starting point.
A chef’s knife for the bigger jobs
A chef’s knife is a versatile option for chopping vegetables, slicing meat and preparing herbs. The SCANPAN Spectrum Chef’s Knife 20cm gives you a longer blade for those everyday preparation tasks and comes with a protective blade cover.
How it feels in your hand matters just as much as its length. A larger blade gives you more cutting length, but comfort and control should guide your choice. A stable chopping board and a blade suited to the task help make preparation safer.
A paring knife for smaller work
For peeling, trimming and working with smaller fruit and vegetables, a shorter blade can be easier to control. The Victorinox Straight Edge Paring Knife 8cm is a compact option for those detail jobs.
It makes a useful companion to a chef’s knife: one for larger preparation, the other for smaller tasks. The most useful blade is one you’re comfortable handling.
A wavy edge for tomatoes and table use
The Victorinox Swiss Classic Steak & Tomato Knife 11cm has a wavy edge that helps grip smooth skins and cut through soft produce. It also doubles as a table knife.
If a tomato tends to flatten under your knife before the skin breaks, the blade type and condition are worth checking. A wavy edge is a practical option for this kind of ingredient.
Does my knife need honing or sharpening?
A knife that crushes a tomato instead of slicing cleanly may need attention, rather than replacing. Honing helps realign an edge; sharpening removes material to restore it. If appropriate honing no longer improves the cut, sharpening may be needed.
The straight-edge chef’s and paring knives and the Victorinox wavy-edge tomato knife need different care. You should never assume one pull-through sharpener suits every blade. Victorinox recommends professional sharpening for wavy edges for most users. The maintenance tool needs to suit the blade you own; the knives in your drawer may need different care.
Further reading: Victorinox’s honing and sharpening guide.
A few useful knives for everyday cooking
A good knife deserves a little care between meals. Following its cleaning instructions, drying it after washing and protecting the edge in storage help keep it ready for the next job. Loose blades in a drawer can catch someone reaching in, so protected storage matters.
Kitchen knives at Delacey’s
Browse our Kitchen & Bakeware range to compare sizes, colours and blade styles. The featured kitchen knives are local pickup items.
Need a hand choosing? Email sales@bowenbirite.com.au with what you’re looking for, or visit Delacey’s at 40B George Street, Bowen.