CON PADERNO

COLTELLI
KNIVES
A BRIEF HISTORY
Experts consider knives to be one of the first survival tools ever designed
by mankind. The first blades were made of flint or obsidian, chipped or
smoothed on one side, and sometimes fitted with a handle. With the development
of smelting and metallurgy, blades were replaced by copper first,
then by bronze, later by iron and lastly by steel. Though the materials have
changed over time, the basic shape has always been the same. Together
with the fork and spoon, the knife has been a popular utensil ever since the
Middle Ages.
MATERIAL
The blades of kitchen knives are normally made from hardened steal which
is produced by quenching very hot steel in cold water. At these temperatures,
steel is given an austenitic crystalline structure and, following quenching,
it becomes martensitic, very hard but fragile. To reduce this fragility,
the blades are tempered. This process involves heating them again at a
temperature lower than the hardening temperature and cooling them less
violently.
THE PERFECT CUTTING TECHNIQUE
The technique must obviously be adapted to the type of food being cut, even
though the basic steps are always the same. It is important to use a specific
and well-sharpened knife and to work on a very stable table and chopping
board (it is best to place a cloth under the chopping board in order to
keep it in place). Hold the blade vertically or slightly inclined so as to form
a slightly acute angle between the chopping board, the blade and the food.
Use the thumb, ring finger and little finger of the hand that is not gripping
the blade to hold the food, and the index and middle fingers to support for
the knife blade and adjust the thickness of the cut.
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