What is a good steak knife?

We might be exaggerating a little when we state that enjoying a piece of steak is much, much better when we first cut it with a good steak knife. When your knife easily slices through the meat you simply can’t wait to start eating. But that is not all, nicely designed steak knives, with stunning wooden handles will make any set table look even better. It is for a reason that steak knives are also called table knives. You often purchase them in sets, but there are also people who purchase these knives individually and take them with them when they go out for dinner.

What characterizes a good steak knife?

Good steak knives have a slim and narrow blade to make sure you easily glide through the meat. The edge needs to be razor-sharp. The danger of a blade that is too thick and blunt is that you need to apply much pressure to cut through your steak. Before you know it you can slip leaving you with a ‘red sauce’ on your plate.

Steak knives are available with serrated and with plain edges. The general rule of thumb is that steak knives should have a ‘plain edge’. Serrations would only mask a lack of sharpness. This is partially true. Did you only purchase a steak knife (set) to cut your steak, entrecote or tenderloin? If so we recommend a steak knife with a nice plain edge. The downside of a serrated steak knife is that the edge cuts into the meat (like when you cut a loaf of bread, for instance, where this is a good thing), after which you pull your steak apart, as it were, instead of cutting it. This ruins the structure of the meat and unnecessarily removes the juices from the meat.

Steak knives, however, are often universally used. You can also use them to cut sausages or pizzas. That is where the serrated edge can come in handy. As a result the choice for a plain edge or serrated edge primarily depends on what you will use the knife for. Is it a real ‘steak knife’ or do your prefer a table knife?

Serrated Laguiole knives

Finally we would also like to say something about serrated Laguiole knives. Laguiole knives are handmade table and pocket knives from the French Aubrac region. Behind these knives lies a centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship, in which each knife is completely forged by one knife maker. It is therefore not that surprising that these knives are rather expensive.

Characterizing for these knives is the razor-sharp edge. These are knives with a plain edge, so no serrations! They are specifically made to cut meat. The real Laguiole knife-maker knows that this is much more difficult with a serrated knife. In addition, he values a razor-sharp blade. As such, authentic Laguiole knives will never be enhanced with serrations. Unfortunately the market is still overflowing with serrated knives that still carry the (non-protected) Laguiole name. Are you looking for an original handmade Laguiole? If so you will know that if it is enhanced with serrations it isn’t an original.

Want to learn more about Laguiole knives or serrated edges? Why not read the articles below!