If you've ever watched one of the competitive cooking shows on TV, every time a contestant is sent home they're told to "pack their knives and go". Obviously knives are a cook's most personal tool, their own set of preferences for getting the job done. We asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino, what do knives mean to a cook? He concurred, saying that knives are a chef's most important tool. However he then said that rather than waste time sharpening knives over and over, some chefs buy cheap knives and toss them when they wear out. Hmm.
As to the type of knives you need here's what we suggest. The basic knife is called a "chef's knife" featuring a broad 8" blade. This is the workhorse, sort of a jack-of-all-trades blade. You can chop, slice, cut up or do just about anything else you want.
Contrary to the chef's knife is the little paring knife, with a 3-4" blade. These are ideal for trimming vegetables, peeling them, or doing any other kind of fine work that is just too small scaled for a larger knife.
I like a long slender slicing knife, which come pointed or blunt. The blade is between 8-10" and it is ideal for making nice even slices off a roast.
A long serrated knife is a must-have, since it can't be beat for cutting bread or other baked goods. Where other knives might tear up a loaf, the serrated makes a smooth even cut. It's super on tomatoes.
Finally, Al prefers a "santoku" style chopping knife for cutting up vegetables.
The end of the knife is a sort of down-curving "drop-point". The blade is broad and sharpened on the bottom side only.
When it comes to keeping your knives sharp, there are many options. The first line of defense is the "honing steel", the long cylindrical piece of steel with a handle. This will hone your blade, i.e., re-dress an already sharpened edge. It will not further sharpen a blade, but it will make a knife regain whatever sharpness it has left.
To actually sharpen a blade, i.e., remove microscopic amounts of metal that have accumulated to the point of dullness, there are several options. It's not hard to find a professional knife sharpening service, but they aren't always cheap, and not always convenient. At home you can use a "whet stone" for a very craftsman-like approach. There are techniques involved. You may want to moisten the stone with water or clear oil. You need to hold the blade on a shallow angle above the stone, and draw it down and across the stone also at an angle. The stone has a coarse side for the initial sharpening, and a fine side to get the blade truly sharp.
You might also buy a sharpening machine of your own, which has pre-figured slots that give you the precise sharpening angle. These machines are not expensive and they will give you years of service.
Finally, it's essential to keep your knives in a proper rack. Do not just toss them in a drawer where they will knock around with other utensils. A good wooden or plastic rack is essential for individual slots for each of your knives.
