The Complete Handbook of Table Knives

Chapter 1: Understanding Table Knives

A table knife is a cutting instrument used to portion food at the dining surface. It is distinct from a chef's knife or a paring knife, which are used for preparation in the kitchen, and it is distinct from a steak knife in its general-purpose design, though many of the same technical principles apply to all of them. The table knife sits on a fully set table, often placed to the right of the plate, edge facing inward. It is used to cut, spread, or push food items that have already been cooked and plated. While this sounds simple, the engineering required to make a knife that performs this task efficiently, safely, and for a long service life is more complex than the casual observer might assume.

To understand a table knife, you must first separate it into its functional components: the blade, the edge, the bolster, and the handle. The blade is the flat piece of metal that provides rigidity and the shape of the tool. The edge is the working surface — a deliberately ground, tapered intersection of two planes of metal. The bolster is the thick junction between the blade and the handle, common on Western-style knives, that provides a finger guard and adds forward weight. The handle is the grip portion, which can be made of wood, plastic, metal, or composite. In the simplest terms, a table knife is a lever with a concentrated point of high pressure at its edge.