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.

En pocas palabras, no hay respuesta correcta o incorrecta aquí. De nuevo, dependerá de lo que sea más cómodo de sostener para ti. Así que, ya sea la refinada sensación de los cuchillos Grand Maître, la comodidad duradera de la colección Swiss Classic o el aspecto de diseño ergonómico de Swiss Modern, te recomendamos que vayas a la tienda de Victorinox más cercana y pruebes cada cuchillo antes de tomar una decisión. Siempre probamos una variedad de curvas y contornos que se adaptan a diferentes tipos de manos. Así que grande o chico, fino o fuerte, hay uno para cada persona.

Vous vous demandez pourquoi nous proposons deux types de couteaux à steak ? La réponse est simple : le tranchant lisse permet de couper en douceur et proprement la viande, sans la déchirer. C’est la lame favorite des connaisseurs et elle est idéale pour savourer une viande parfaitement tendre. Les lames au tranchant denté sont quant à elles recommandées pour couper une viande qui pourrait être plus dure. Ce tranchant particulier fait du couteau un outil particulièrement polyvalent, parfait pour couper les pizzas, les tartes ou les pâtisseries.

Vous devez sans doute vous poser la même question pour nos couteaux Santoku. Pourquoi proposer le même couteau avec une lame alvéolée et un tranchant lisse ? Nous préférons la lame alvéolée car les alvéoles laissent passer l’air entre la nourriture et la lame, ce qui fait que l’aliment colle moins à sa surface et ce qui rend la découpe plus facile, plus rapide et plus efficace. Il existe cependant certains cuisiniers qui aiment la forme japonaise plus droite de la lame Santoku, mais qui ne voient pas la différence que peuvent faire les alvéoles dans leur style particulier de découpe ou de tranchage.

Si vous utilisez intensément vos couteaux et que vous devez également les aiguiser très souvent, nous préconisons alors le tranchant lisse. Et si vous aiguisez la lame jusqu’à atteindre ses alvéoles, le tranchant finira par s’altérer. Mais cela ne devrait probablement arriver qu’aux chefs professionnels qui utilisent leur lame pendant de nombreuses années.

En règle générale, nous recommandons plutôt la lame alvéolée. Nous fabriquons également des couteaux à découper à lame alvéolée, permettant d’éviter que la viande ne colle à la lame.

We often offer the same blade in different lengths – so which should you choose? Our filleting knife comes in both 16 and 20cm versions. The rule of thumb is that the blade should be approximately 5cm bigger than the fish you are filleting. It’s a bit more complex for our carving knives, because we provide anything from 15 to 25cm blade-length. Smaller blades will give you versatility and agility, but if you’re going to be slicing larger items like watermelon or pumpkins, then the bigger the blade the better. Having the necessary length ensures less risk of slipping or getting stuck, and less risk of injury.

Our carving knives also come in two widths – normal or extra-wide. The extra-wide is ideal if you are carving large joints of meat like roast beef or turkey, because it lends the blade more precision and power for smoother slices.

Our pro tip: you should also match the blade length to that of your cutting board. If you use one that’s too small, it’s harder to cut through large fruit, vegetables, meat or even bread in one slice. That’s not only more work: you may also risk injuring yourself.