Which Knife to Buy:
Tips and Advice on What to Consider When Buying a Knife

Forged blades are knives which are made from a single piece of metal so there’s a seamless transition from blade to handle with a built-up section, called a bolster. Stamped knives are cut out from a sheet of steel and the handle of the knife is attached separately. Both stamped and forged knives have their own unique advantages, so it’s very much a matter of personal preference.

The forged blade of a Victorinox knife contains more carbon, which makes the steel harder and helps it stay sharper longer. Since it is forged from a single piece, it’s more difficult for your hand to slip from the handle onto the blade. In addition, forged knives tend to be heavier, giving a great weight and balance in the hand. And beautiful styling expresses its excellent quality. A good forged chef’s knife is prestigious, inspirational. It reflects the joy felt by people who love to cook with just the right tools.

Forged blades may stay sharper longer, but they are also more difficult to sharpen and must be sharpened with a diamond or ceramic honing tool. This is because the tool has to be harder than the blade it’s honing.

Our innovative stamped blade is lighter than a forged one. Which makes these kinds of knives easier to work with over long periods of time. They are easy on wrists and hands, so it’s no surprise that professional chefs really like them. And because the steel has a slightly lower level of hardness, they are simple to resharpen. When you consider years of daily work in a kitchen, these blades offer the best value for money.

At Victorinox, we offer a choice of handles on our kitchen knives and utensils. Broadly speaking, the basic choice comes down to synthetic or wood. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?

Knives with synthetic handles are dishwasher safe, making them easy to clean. They also tend to be lighter, so they’re easier to use over longer periods of time. We offer a variety of synthetic handles – from the joyful colors of the Swiss Modern collection made from Polypropylen Copolymere (PPC), to the Swiss Classic collection with its highly durable handles made of Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE). Our Grand Maître collection now comes with Polyoxymethylen (POM) handles that feel extra-smooth.

Wood-handled knives should never go in the dishwasher; the heat and chemicals cause the wood to get too hot, dry out or even crack. But a wooden handle has a warm, natural grip that feels good in your hand, so it’s worth washing the knife manually and using a conventional cooking oil like linseed oil to keep it refreshed and looking like new. For fans of forged knives, we offer the superb Grand Maître knives with modified maple handles. The Wood Collection also has handles in modified maple for stamped knives. The Swiss Modern collection provides it all: walnut handles with both an ergonomic handle and an eye-catching modern design.

There is one caveat: as knife experts, we don’t really recommend putting your knives in the dishwasher, at least not the larger ones. See our tips on how to clean your knife for more information on this topic.

In the end, your choice of handle material boils down to what feels best in your hand.

Hier gibt es keine richtigen oder falschen Antworten. Bei der Griffart kommt es wieder ganz darauf an, was sich für Sie am besten anfühlt. Das edle Gefühl unserer Grand Maître Messer, der langlebige Komfort unserer Swiss Classic Kollektion oder das ergonomische Design unserer Swiss Modern Messer … Am besten besuchen Sie Ihren Victorinox Store und probieren die Messer aus, bevor Sie sich entscheiden. Wir testen verschiedene Kurven und Konturen für verschiedenste Hände. Ob gross oder klein, ob zart oder stark – hier ist für jeden etwas dabei.

Confused as to why we offer two types of steak knives? The answer is simple: the straight edge is designed to cut smoothly and cleanly through the meat, without tearing or ripping. This is the blade preferred by meat connoisseurs and is ideal for perfectly tender meat. The wavy edge blades are ideal if you need to cut through meat that might be tougher. This particular edge also makes the knife a great all-rounder – it’s ideal for cutting pizza, pies or pastries, too.

You might also ask yourself the same question for our Santoku knives. Why offer the same knife with both a fluted edge and a straight edge? We prefer the fluted edge because the flutes let air between food and blade, making what you’re cutting less likely to stick to the blade. Which makes chopping smoother, faster and more efficient. And then there are some cooks who love the straighter Japanese shape of the Santoku blade, but find the flutes don’t make a difference for their own particular style of chopping or slicing.

If you are a heavy user of your knives and need to sharpen them a lot, the straight edge would be a better choice. If you sharpen so much that you get down to the flutes of the fluted edge blade, it will eventually interfere with your slicing edge. But this will probably only happen to professional chefs using the blade over a number of years.

Overall, we tend to recommend the fluted edge. We also have carving knives with a fluted edge because it makes the meat less likely to stick to the blade.

Bei uns gibt es die gleiche Klinge oft in verschiedenen Längen – da fällt die Auswahl schwer. Unser Filetiermesser zum Beispiel ist in 16- und 20-cm-Versionen erhältlich. Als Faustregel gilt, dass die Klinge rund 5 cm länger sein sollte als der Fisch, den Sie filetieren. Bei Tranchiermessern wird es etwas schwieriger, weil hier die Klingenlänge von 15 bis 25 cm reicht. Kürzere Klingen sind vielseitiger und wendiger, aber bei grossen Lebensmitteln (wie Wassermelonen oder Kürbissen) sind längere Klingen angesagt. Durch die praktische Länge verringert sich das Risiko des Abrutschens und Steckenbleibens und es kommt seltener zu Verletzungen.

Unsere Tranchiermesser gibt es ausserdem in zwei Breiten: normal und extra breit. Extra breite Klingen sind ideal beim Tranchieren grosser Fleischstücke, wie Rinderbraten oder Truthahn. Sie geben Ihnen mehr Präzision und Kraft an die Hand, um gleichmässigere Stücke schneiden zu können.

Unser Profitipp: Die Klingenlänge sollte der Länge des Schneidebretts entsprechen. Sind beide zu klein, werden Sie Schwierigkeiten haben, grosse Früchte, Gemüse, Fleisch oder sogar Brot mit einem Schnitt durchzuschneiden. Das ist nicht nur mehr Arbeit, sondern birgt auch mehr Verletzungsgefahr.