How to choose a bread knife?

A knife is a must-have item for kitchen use that is used to cut food. For cutting bread using special tools. They have distinctive features of form, design and material. Choosing the right bread knife ensures its beautiful cutting. In order to know how to choose the best model you need to understand the difference between the models for bread.

Bread knives differ from others not only in appearance, but also in design. They perfectly cut any crust and flesh, without crushing them without turning the flesh into crumb.

• The lack of a tip on the blade. Instead of the point on the tip of the bread knife, there is a rounded or pointed edge, since this part is not used when cutting.
• Uniform blade thickness over the entire length.
• Big size. A loaf of bread or a loaf is much more malleable for a large blade than for a small one.
• Wavy or jagged edge. To obtain an aesthetic cut, the bread product is recommended to be cut by sawing with the help of knives.

All the variety of bread-cutting knives is divided into three main groups: kalak and bakery, electric and laser.

Traditional types of knives are previously popular. bakery and roll. The bakery was used to divide the loaf into two or four parts and had a short blade. Kalchatsky cut the bread into thin slices.

The modern version of these knives is a model with a wave-like (serrated) sharpening. Sharpening can be, both from one, and from two parties. In the second case, the device is suitable for both right-handed and left-handed operation.

Despite this, the serrated model also need to restore the cutting ability. In the absence of the necessary skills and tools, knives for cutting bread are recommended to be handed over for honing to specialized workshops.

There are industrial and household electro-blades. In the handle of such devices are small electric motors that set the knife translational-rotational motion. Such models can be wired and wireless. Wired models require a wire and a power supply to function, and wireless ones are powered by batteries and rechargeable batteries. In most cases electric knives replace bread slicer.

Laser knives are a modern innovative development. They are of two types.

• Laser Guided Instruments. In addition to the usual blade, such models are equipped with a laser beam. He gives a projection on the cut surface and divides the product into perfect pieces.
• Instruments with a laser blade. Instead of the usual blade such a knife produces a laser beam, cutting the baked goods into pieces.

For the manufacture of bread knives, select those materials that provide high-quality cutting devices and correspond to their functionality.

This is one of the most popular and inexpensive materials. Stainless steel has moisture resistance and excellent anti-corrosion properties. The blade of this material has a smooth texture and good sharpening.In cheap models used single-layer steel. It is thin, so with a knife from such steel it is difficult to cut bread with a loose crumb. More expensive models are made of multi-layer Damascus steel. The knife from such material will serve for a very long time, coping with a crispy crust and any crumb qualitatively.

The blade of ceramic knives is thicker, since a thin ceramic blade is quite fragile. It is worth noting that Ceramic knives are very rarely chosen by professionals. Basically, pottery is valued by housewives for its beautiful appearance and unusual design. The color of the product depends on the color of the impurities that are added to the material.

Ceramic knives are not subject to corrosion, do not absorb odors and do not scratch. However, they cannot be washed in a dishwasher, and they require careful handling.

Most often bread knives are made with metal, plastic, silicone and wooden handles.

Metal pens are considered universal. They look solid, perfectly cleaned, but much heavier than the arms of other materials.

Plastic is very often used for the manufacture of handles. It is fairly easy to clean, but at the same time fragile and sensitive to temperature changes.

Silicone is one of the most optimal options for making the handles of bread knives. It is light, modern, unpretentious and easy to maintain.

Wood is one of the natural materials used for the manufacture of handles. Wood does not require special care, however, swells under the action of moisture. Such a handle must be protected from excessive exposure to liquids.

The handle plays an important role in the work. Convenience and performance depend on its shape.

The most common are the following forms of knife handles for bread:

• Straight lines This form is considered convenient, but with it increases the likelihood of the instrument slipping out of your hand.
• Cone The model has an extension or contraction to the blade. Handles with narrowing forward are considered the most convenient.
• Concave. The shape of such handles is very convenient, since it reduces the amplitude of movements during the cutting of bread products.
• Anatomical. This is the most convenient form of the handle in terms of ergonomics. It repeats the bends of the palms and takes into account the size of the hand.

For high-quality cutting of bread products a knife with a long blade is necessary. An ordinary kitchen knife will cut bread or a loaf more difficult. The best option for this purpose is for models with a cutting length from 19 to 30 cm. The blade length must always be longer than the length of the product being cut.

Before buying a knife for bread, be sure to pay attention to the bolster - it is a thickening where the handle and the blade are joined. The quality of the performance of this part depends on the strength of the device as a whole. Some models have an antibacterial bolster with silver to prevent the spread of bacteria. It is also necessary to inspect the knife for the absence of chips and scratches, both on the blade and on the handle. The handle itself is better to hold in your hand and appreciate the convenience during operation.

In the next video, you can learn about using a kitchen knife with serrated sharpening, also referred to as bread knife from chef Jim Shiebler.