Successful cooks put a lot of attention in the choice and maintenance of their knives. Here is a quick overview of some of the dozens of different kinds of knives and an overview of how to care for them. A butcher knife has a long, heavy, curved blade for cutting raw meats. A boning knife has a think, six-inch blade for boning raw meat and poultry.
Some blades are stiff, while others are flexible.
The flexible blades are most often used to bone fish. A cleaver has a heavy, broad blade similar to the blade of an axe and is used to cut through bones. A carving knife has a fine edge designed for slicing and carving meat. All knives must be carefully maintained so that they can be used safely and efficiently. Sharp knives cut better, which saves a cook time and helps to prevent accidents.