Bread Knife Blade Tips

How to be Good to your Bread Knife

Bread knives are usually anywhere from 5 to 12 inches in length, with an average length of 8 inches. Bread knives are also serrated, which is something that sets them apart from most other knives (other than steak knives).

Why a Serrated Edge?

You may be wondering why it is best to slice bread with a serrated edge. The main reason is because of the nature of bread: many types of bread have a hard crust, but are soft inside. Using a regular chef's knife on a loaf of bread may puncture the hard crust, but it will inevitably smash or compress the soft middle. A serrated knife, on the other hand, is able to tackle both the hard crust and the delicate inside.

The Difficulties of a Serrated Edge

Although serrated blades tend to last a long time, due to the fact that the primary cutting edge is on the curved part of the serration, they are difficult to sharpen. In fact, only a professional using a special tool has the ability to sharpen a serrated edge, which can be quite costly. Because of this, many opt to invest in lower quality bread knives, since they will need to be replaced.

There are some things that you can do to get the most out of your bread knife and avoid having to replace it often. Here are a few tips:

Choose a bread knife with pointed serrations, rather than wavy ones. Pointed serrations are said to create better control, which can create longer knife life.

Store your bread knife in a knife block when you aren't using it. Not only do knife blocks ensure that your knife won't become dull or dinged by other knives, but they also ensure safety for your hands.

Don't use your bread knife on foods other than bread. There are a few exceptions to this rule, which include tomatoes, cakes, and other foods with a hard outside and soft middle. Using a serrated knife on, say, a piece of chicken, though, will just cause damage to the knife.

Wash bread knives by hand. The harsh chemicals used in dishwashers can cause blades to become dull more quickly. Likewise, don't let your bread knife sit in water, which can cause rust and corrosion.

More information on Bread Knives