French Chef's knife construction and design..

nine9jack9

Active Member
Someone asked me to make a French chef's knife for them. Is there any particular reason why chef's knives hover around 7.5-8" range or is it just tradition? I was thinking to use 1/8" thick stock as a compromise, allowing for a degree of flexibility without sacrificing too much in strength. can i go thinner?
 
Chef knives for the home cook are usually in the 8in range for a few reasons. One is counter space. Most people don't have a dedicated prep space with a large board like a restaurant chef. A 10in knife can be a bit unwieldy in tight spaces.

Most home cooks also feel more comfortable with an 8in knife. It seems to hit the sweet spot for everything except watermelons, whereas as 10in feels like a sword if all you are doing is chopping onions, etc.


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I use AEB-L from Aldo in 3/32" thickness. I buy it 4" wide and 48" long. That gives me a lot of flexibility in laying out numerous knives with less waste and I love working with that thickness.

Wallace
 
Wallace, do you use a bandsaw to cut the profile? Has anyone here used a plasma cutter?


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