Turning knives: practical for precision tasks in the kitchen

What is a turning knife?

A turning knife is a small kitchen knife with a curved blade, usually with a blade length of 6 to 11 cm. The blade is curved, making it easy to peel round fruits or to carve out stunning decorations from vegetables. There can be a bit of confusion surrounding the term turning knife. It is often confused with a peeling knife or a paring knife. However, these have different blade shapes.

How to choose the best turning knife

Thanks to its small size, a turning knife is very handy for precision work, as you have good control of the knife and can move it around easily.

The unique, curved shape of this knife means it's great for peeling, shaping and difficult cutting movements. When choosing a turning knife, pay close attention to whether the blade has the right shape and size for the work you want to do with it.

The blades are made from stainless steel or carbon steel. While carbon steel is a bit more maintenance, it is harder and can achieve a higher level of sharpness.

Whatever choice you make: take the time to compare different knives before making a decision.

How to maintain your turning knife

To keep your turning knife in tip-top condition, it's important to take good care of it. You can do this by cleaning the knife by hand directly after use. This will prevent food residue from getting stuck on the blade and 'biting' into the steel. The knife should be completely dry before you store it.

Wash your knives by hand

We always recommend washing your kitchen knives by hand, using mild soap and a soft sponge. Heat and harsh detergents in a dishwasher can damage your turning knife.

Sharpening your turning knife

The blade of a turning knife is curved, so you need to take this into account when sharpening the knife. Fortunately, there are some handy tools that can help you with this. You can sharpen a turning knife in three different ways: with a whetstone (can be tricky with a curved blade), with a sharpening steel or with a sharpening system that can handle curved knives. How often you need to sharpen your knife depends on how frequently you use it. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend sharpening once every 3 to 6 months. Of course, the sharpness of your blade is the main indication on when to sharpen it. Does it take more effort to cut through ingredients? Then the knife is probably in need of a sharpening.