What’s all the excitement about carving knives – after all, a knife’s a knife. That statement’s just like saying a human is a human. While it sounds true in the general sense, it’s not exactly true when we get down to the specifics.
Man has evolved, and with this evolution, man has perfected different arts, all aimed at creating greater efficiency and functionality. There was a time when no human bothered about cooking their meat. They simply killed an animal and straight away started feasting on the flesh, much like the animals they killed feasted on them whenever they could.
Fire was discovered and then we started roasting our meat, after which we proceeded to devour it with the help of our teeth and our natural forks of which each person was generously blessed with two. Those were the good old days, when no one had to worry about washing up after anyone. Each person was responsible for washing his or her natural forks with their natural dishwasher – the tongue. Every finger was licked and sucked dry and then wiped dry on the head or on the face as a natural moisturizer!
Now, back to reality. Though seeing some people eat gives one the impression that those days are indeed missed by some, we like to believe most of us have indeed moved past that part of our history and can appreciate the finer things in life like washing plates and knives and proper drying our hands with hand towels and the like.
Wow, was this all just to say that all knives are not the same? Sorry for the digression. Back to where we were. All knives are not the same. In fact, even carving knives are not all the same – after all, there is the
electric carving knife which is different from the regular carving knife by being powered and noisy!
We have different knives for different tasks. There is the
chef knife, which is ideal for chopping and slicing ingredients, there is the
bread knife for cutting bread, and many others.
A carving knife allows you to carve and serve your meat with ease and efficiency. Those who you consider as professionals who can serve those perfectly thin slices of meat don’t use just any knife. They use the best carving knives. In this guide, we will help you find the best carving knife for your personal or professional use. We will show things you need to look for so you can choose right and begin to carve and slice like those professionals. Join us as we explore the world of carving knives.
Price
A carving knife is something that anyone who loves BBQ has to invest in. What you spend buying your knife will depend on any number of factors ranging from the quality of the knife, the material used, whether it is an individual knife or a set etc. Certainly, a set of knives is sure to cost more than an individual knife.
From our research, we found that with between $25 and $200 you can get a good carving knife. Like we already stated above, those that come in pairs or as part of a set are likely to cost more. Whether they come as a set or as single knives, with this budget, you will get something good. You may even aim at more professional ones that may cost much more but whatever you do, do not go for cheap carving knives as you may end up regretting that choice.
Features
Choosing a carving knife is much easier after certain important factors have been properly considered. Considering these factors will help you know exactly what to look out for, making your choice easier. Some of these important factors include:
- Material
- Size
- Blade thickness
- Blade type
- Flexibility
- Type of tip
- Handle
- Balance
- Care
Let’s take a closer look at these.
Construction and Design
The first thing anyone will notice about a carving knife they want to buy is the blade. Most if not all knives today are made of steel. This ensures the knife is not just strong but also stays rust free. If you want to get the strongest and most reliable carving knife, go for those made of high-carbon or forged steel. These offer some of the strongest blades.
After looking at the blade and what it is made of, another thing that will be obvious is the handle. The handle of your carving knife is really important to the efficient use of the knife. It’s not just a safe place to put your hand while cutting. It can be the difference between smooth and fatigue-free cutting and a tiring jagged one.
Your carving knife’s handle should offer good grip even when wet. It should feel comfortable when you hold it so your hand doesn’t get tired after a short while cutting. The handle does not achieve all these in isolation. It works with the blade to create that perfect balance that makes cutting easy.
For carving knives, you should go for a full tang blade. This tends to provide more balance in conjunction with the handle since the blade runs from the tip through the handle. It also gives the blade more strength since it is a single piece of metal. A strong blade is particularly important because carving knife blades are usually very slim and flexible. If they do not have the necessary strength, it will be easy for them to break.
The tip of your knife is something important though many may not know this. In fact, what people know as slicing and carving knives are differentiated by the kind of tip they have. The carving knife has a pointed tip which is useful for getting around joints when carving your birds and those roasts with bones. The slicing knife on the other hand has a snub tip and is perfect for slicing those thin pieces we all love.
In both cases, the blades are thin and long with the slicing knife having longer blades in most cases. Now for many, these two are one and the same. We just felt you should know this difference in case it is something that can influence your choice.
Performance and Ease of Use
To say the blade is one of the most important parts of the carving knife is simply stating the obvious – after all, there are only two parts. How easily you can cut through any meat will be determined by different factors around the blade. The first is how sharp it is. A very sharp blade is critical here. It’s best to get a knife that comes already sharpened and is also easy to sharpen on your own.
To make cutting even easier, some blades have indentations along the sides. These indentations capture air or liquid pockets, making it difficult for the meat or whatever is being cut to stick to the blade. These, combined with the slimness of the blade and its sharpness, make it easy to cut those really thin slices of meat.
When looking at a carving knife, always confirm the size. When a knife is given as 10 inches, in most cases it is referring to the blade size. Some make the mistake of thinking it is the length of the entire knife from blade to handle. Be sure the size you’re getting is right for your needs. You do not want to get one that is too big or too small.
We’ve already mentioned the handle above. The wrong handle can cause repetitive motion injuries which can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. You need your knife’s handle to be comfortable even after a long while of use. You may also want to consider those handles that have anti-bacterial features. Anything that makes the food we eat healthier or safer is surely worth considering.
Finally, caring for your carving knife is very important. A lot of carving knives are classified as being dishwasher safe, which many will love. It is, however, instructive to note that many of these manufacturers still recommend you hand wash your knife, even though it’s classified as dishwasher safe. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so you may be better off hand washing your carving knife.
From what you have read so far you know there are certain differences among carving knives. The one perfect for you might not be perfect for another. Look at the factors and features we have listed above and determine which of these are important to you. Once you make this decision, it’ll be easier for you to pick out the carving knife that’s right for you from the models reviewed below.
It’s been an interesting trip through the world of carving knives. We do hope you got all the information you needed to help you choose a carving knife. Now it’s time to place that order and get cooking!.
