Cutlery

Bread knife

A serrated or scalloped blade enables this knife to cut through soft foods without tearing. The semi-rigid, 8- to 10-inch blunt-ended blade works well for slicing breads, pastries and soft vegetables.

Chef's knife

A versatile instrument used for chopping, mincing and slicing, this knife is also known as a French knife. Its 8- to 14-inch rigid blade is thick at the heel (the widest part of the blade) and tapers to a thin point.

Cleaver

A versatile tool, the Chinese cleaver has a heavy, oversized, rectangular blade. It can chop vegetables just as easily as it can cut through bone or cartilage. The dull end of the blade can be used as a pounder to tenderize meats, the flat side is good for crushing garlic and the handle can substitute as a pestle, with a bowl used as a mortar, for grinding spices and other foods.

Kitchen shears

A pair of scissors used for difficult-to-cut foods such as poultry, and for trimming vegetables such as artichokes. A typical pair will be strong, have a slip-proof handle and one serrated blade for gripping and cutting through foods.

Paring knife

A short, pointed knife, typically 2- to 4-inches long, it is used for trimming, peeling and coring produce.

Sharpening steel

Usually made of high-carbon steel, diamond steel or ceramic, this long, thin rod is used to keep knife blades finely honed. Dull knives need to be sharpened on a whetstone first.