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.

簡而言之，答案無分對與錯，您的選擇應該是您覺得拿握時最舒適的刀具，無論是精緻的 Grand Maître 刀具、舒適耐用的 Swiss Classic 系列或外形及手感符合人體工學的 Swiss Modern，我們皆建議您前往附近的 Victorinox 商店，在作出決定前親自嘗試每一款刀。我們透過測試設計出適合各種手型的曲線和外型，不論大小、纖巧或壯健，定能滿足每個人的需求。

您很好奇我們為甚麼提供兩種牛排刀嗎？ 答案非常簡單：直刃可順滑、俐落地切肉，不會撕開或拉扯，這款刀刃備受肉類行家喜愛，適合用作裁切新鮮的嫩肉。如果要切較堅硬的肉，波浪形刀刃是理想之選，這種特別的刀刃可說是全能刀具，薄餅、餡餅、糕點等都能一一處理。

您可能對我們的三德刀有同樣的疑問，為甚麼同一把刀要提供坑槽刀刃及直刃？ 我們偏好坑槽刀刃的原因是坑槽在食材與刀刃之間保留空間，您要切的食材較小機會黏住刀刃，讓您砍切時更流暢、更快捷、更方便。有些廚師喜歡三德刀較筆直的日本式外形，但覺得坑槽在他們砍切或切片時無帶來任何影響。

如果您頻繁使用刀具，並需要經常磨刀，直刃就是較好的選擇。如果太常磨刀，令坑槽被磨平，會妨礙刀刃的效用，但這情況可能只會出現在專業廚師長年累月使用後的刀刃。

我們一般較常推薦坑槽刀刃，亦有提供配備坑槽刀刃的切肉刀，因為肉比較不會黏在刀刃上。

我們通常會提供不同長度的同款刀刃，您又應該如何選擇呢？ 我們有 16 厘米及 20 厘米的切片刀，基本原則是刀刃應該比您要處理的魚長大約 5 厘米。切肉刀則比較複雜，因為我們提供的刀身長度由 15 至 25 厘米不等，較小的刀片更靈活敏捷，但如果要切西瓜、南瓜等較大型的食材，刀刃就越大越好，充裕的長度有助減少滑走或卡住的機會，並降低受傷的風險。

我們的切肉刀亦提供普通或特闊兩種闊度，特闊款式尤其適合切割烤牛肉或火雞等關節較大的肉類，因為刀刃更精準和更受力，可確保切肉時保持順滑。

我們的專業貼士：您亦應該配合刀刃與砧板的長度，如果太短，則很難一刀切開較大件的水果、蔬菜、肉類，甚至麵包，不僅需要更多工序，您更可能因此而受傷。