No matter how skilled you are with standard blades, your knife-buying skills might need to improve when it comes to bread knives. Thanks to these knives’ unique (and weird) shapes and serrations, many beginners find them daunting.
Despite all that, every kitchen requires a bread knife. Not only is it essential to cut bread, but you can also utilize it for other ingredients (many vegetables and fruits, for instance).
This discussion will look at various types of bread knives, the distinctions between them, and which aspects you should prioritize for your purchase.
Why You Need a Bread Knife?
Understanding a knife’s purpose can help you arrange your requirements and make better purchases. So, why is a bread knife mandatory?
Well, cutting bread!
Before you throw a loaf at me, let’s investigate why.
Most of the bread we eat has some form of crust, which is more rigid than the insides. Imagine cutting a loaf of bread with a straight-edged knife.
You’ll have to put a bit of force to get it through the crust. As a result, the insides of the bread would get squished.
And since you need to move the knife with force, you risk creating many crumbs and tears. Additionally, that knife would lose its edge quickly. A bread knife can alleviate this issue.
You’ll notice that a serrated blade comes with gullets and many sharp teeth. These teeth create serrations in the crust and get you through, which would otherwise rely on sheer force.
Secondly, the inner portion of the blade (behind the teeth) is sharpened like a typical blade. Once the teeth create the openings, the internal parts reduce the friction and increase efficiency. This back-and-forth cutting motion ensures a clean cut — without requiring much downward pressure.
Many other ingredients can benefit from a serrated edge as well. You could use your bread knife to cut soft cheese or even tomatoes to prevent squishing ingredients.
Things to Look for In a Bread Knife
Now that you’re convinced of its necessity (hopefully) — let’s look at how you should pick a bread knife for yourself.
The Blade
Let’s take a look at different aspects of the blade. I’ll be talking about the length and width, materials the blade is made of, how the blade is treated (forged or stomped), serrations (if any), and the shape of it all.
Blade Length and Width
The blade has to be longer than the rest in a bread knife. For instance, if you’re cutting a loaf of bread horizontally, you’d want the whole thing to cut through at once. It also helps with the back-and-forth sawing movement we use with these knives.
Most bread knife blades are around 7 to 11 inches, although you certainly can go above that. I’d recommend getting a longer one (around 10 inches) if you prepare large pieces of food. That allows you to cut through the ingredients with one pass.
Otherwise, opt for a moderate-length blade, as handling a larger blade can be tricky if you’re not used to it. Small cakes or bread loaves don’t require exceptionally long knives.
Thickness is a crucial aspect too. A thin blade can naturally be sharper with steeper grind angles. But a thin blade won’t provide the necessary support when cutting a dense loaf of bread.
On the other hand, extra thickness is problematic; the edge can’t be as thin and sharp. Therefore, the thickness should be around 2 mm to provide strength without bulk.
Materials
As with any knife, stainless steel is the most popular material for bread knives. It has a high amount of chromium (sometimes nickel and other elements). It doesn’t rust easily, and you don’t have to spend much time cleaning and maintaining it.
While stainless steel isn’t the best at edge retention, that’s not an issue with bread knives. Since the sharpened portion is behind the blade’s teeth, it doesn’t require sharpening as often as straight-edged knives do. It’s also more flexible than traditional high-carbon steel.
Another alternative is carbon steel. Thanks to the higher amount of carbon, this knife is much tougher on the HRC scale and retains its edge longer than stainless steel. However, you need to be careful about its maintenance, as it’s prone to rust.
High-carbon stainless steel is a comparatively modern material with a higher amount of carbon and chromium simultaneously. That allows the material to be rust-resistant, score higher on the Rockwell scale, and retain its shape and sharpness for longer.
However, bread knives made with this material will cost more. But I recommend investing in a quality bread knife instead of buying cheaper ones at quick successions.
Forged and Stamped Knives
A stamped knife is cut out from a thin metal sheet, whereas forged knives are… forged. They’re slowly beaten and morphed into the shape of the blade we use.
Usually, stamped knives take less effort to produce and cost less than forged knives. There used to be a time when stamped meant inferior — that’s not necessarily the case any longer. With modern heat treatment, stamped knives can be extremely tough and resilient.
Forged knives can be excellent in quality, but ensure that you’re getting quality materials and a solid forging process. Paying more for a sub-par forged blade isn’t worthwhile.
The Serrations
The serrations are what make or break a bread knife. The number of serrations, their angle, sharpness — everything affects the experience.
The sharpness of the Teeth
Usually, a sharper serration will translate into easier cutting. You’ll be able to pierce the ingredients easily with less force. This is beneficial for hard foods like sourdough bread.
However, sharper teeth also increase the chances of crumbling and tearing, as the added sharpness easily cuts everywhere. Comparatively duller serrations can minimize this tendency, but you’ll have to put more force into cutting things.
For softer ingredients like challah bread, a rounded edge can be beneficial. And if your ingredients vary, try to find a middle ground.
The Count and Depth
The number of teeth is vital. You could have smaller, more frequent serrations with lower depth between them or vice versa.
Knives with more serrations may seem more effective, but that’s never the case. I recommend going for a lower teeth count, as you can put more force through each serration.
Another benefit of fewer teeth is that the gullets can be wider. Wider gullets reduce the friction created while cutting, so the chances of making jagged cuts are lower.
Another concern is how the steel flows from the edge to the gullet. While that part is pointy in some blades, others have rounded ones. In my experience, having sharp and spiky notches usually results in clean and efficient cuts.
Blade Shape
You’ll find that a traditionally shaped knife often struggles to cut the bottom portion of a crusty ingredient.
This is why bread knives should be slightly curved throughout their edges. Otherwise, you’ll find that the knife has reached its heel before you finish cutting the bread. The curve doesn’t have to be drastic; even a slight one can do wonders.
The blade should also become wider near its heel if the handle has no bottom clearance. Otherwise, you won’t have sufficient room to grip the knife properly.
The Tang
You’ll often hear the word full tang. That essentially means that the knife’s blade extends into the handle. There are also partial tangs, where the blade won’t go all the way.
A full-tang usually results in a robust and sturdy knife. Given that a bread knife is generally lengthy, it can help balance the blade by adding weight to its rear.
Moreover, it’s more capable of handling a decent amount of force. Hence, I recommend going the full-tang way.
That’s not to say that partial tangs result in inferior products, however. Many modern knives come with that, and they manage to handle any workload without hiccups.
Bread Knife Handles
How you interact with a knife depends on its handle. Let’s discuss the materials, handle designs, shapes, and offsets.
Handles Made with Wood
Wood is the OG material when it comes to handles.
Wooden handles provide excellent grip, no matter if they’re dry or wet. Many chefs prefer their texture over others, and the handling balance is impressive. I hope I won’t have to say how bonkers they look too.
However, these handles require way more maintenance. You’ll have to regularly clean and dry them up, as moisture can potentially make them deform. Cracks are also quite common.
Another drawback is that these handles usually cost more. But if you’re a sucker for the looks and handling experience, you can’t go wrong with wood.
How Good are Plastic Handles?
Plastic is one of the most popular handle materials now. The biggest benefit here is the inexpensiveness — it’s the cheapest you can find.
Additionally, this material is straightforward to clean and maintain, especially compared to wood. Most plastic handles also resist slipperiness exceedingly well. Nevertheless, the handling experience doesn’t come close to wood.
But if you hate how much maintenance and cash wooden handles require, plastic is a viable solution.
What about Handles with Composite Materials?
If plastic seems a bit too bland for you, composites like resin and wood can also be excellent options.
This material is cheaper than wood, yet you can achieve all sorts of appearances with it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t inherit wood’s superb balance or gripping abilities either.
But these don’t require serious maintenance and can last a long time with little care. Given the price, these handles can be a solid option for budget knives.
Stainless Steel Handles, Anyone?
Stainless steel may not be as popular as wood or plastic, but it has its merits. It is one of the most durable materials for knife handles, and it’s not too heavy either. Many users like how stainless steel looks, and there’s no requirement for maintenance.
The drawback for me is the grip — it sometimes gets insanely slippery. And if that’s an issue for you, even plastic is a better option.
Handle Shape and Clearance
The shape of the handle is entirely subjective. A round or oval-shaped handle suits some users well, while some prefer ergonomic designs. This shape is often related to the material too.
Whichever you choose, be sure about your preference before taking the plunge.
Then comes clearance. If the knife’s blade and handle remain at the same height, your hand will struggle for space by the bottom slice. Since most bread knives are slim, grinding your knuckles against the surface is common.
That’s why the handle should have a slight cutout underneath to allow you to cut through the bread without issue. This is known as an offset handle. I recommend getting such handles, regardless of your purposes.
Note: Bread knives are often single bevel, meaning only one side of the blade is sharpened. Therefore, the handle (and the edge) may not be ambidextrous. If that’s the case, ensure you’re getting the correct orientation.
My Last Words!
Bread knives are often the most overlooked cutleries, yet they can save the day in the right situations. Given the variousness of their serrations, blade design, and handling, it’s crucial to know what to look for before buying a bread knife.
Fear not, for the pointers above should guide you to the path of glory!