Customer Reviews

An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives -- How to Buy Them, Keep Them Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro

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Chad Ward - An Edge in the Kitchen

I own two books on kitchen knives and knife skills, this one and Weinstein's Mastering Knife Skills. Chad Ward's book is the best of the two by its breadth and wealth of information and is objectively a very good book.

Physically, the book is a medium sized hard cover, well edited. There is a number of good B&W pictures through the book to illustrate specific points, and there's a central section of 48 pages of glossy color pictures depicting specific knife techniques (battonets vs. julienne, onion, tomatoes, cutting a chicken, butterflying a piece of meat, skinning salmon, carving a turkey, steeling a knife, several sharpening methods, etc).

The book is organized as follows:
1 - Choosing the right kitchen knife:
This section is about 90 pages, so it's a sizeable part of the book. The author goes through the various knife types, costs, etc. Generally, Chad advocates staying away from knife block & sets, and explains that a home cook can do most everything with 3 knives: 8" to 10" chef, paring, and a serrated (or scalloped) bread knife. So his recommendation is to get the best of those. What is really helpful is that the author gives specific recommendations for all budgets - below $100, $200, or "the sky's the limit". Too many books just say "get what feels best". Chad goes beyond this to give a range of specific endorsements. This part also includes 10+ pages on cutting boards and how to take care of them.

2 - Kitchen knife skills:
This section is about 30 pages but also has most of the color pictures in the center section. This is where the key knife skill concepts are explained, how to hold the blade and the item to be cut, etc. This is similar to other knife skill books, but with one major improvements which is a few recipes to practice the skills. Those recipes are really welcome, and because they are basic recipes that can be used as base for a number of varied dishes, they are great recipes to include in this book.

3 - Knife sharpening:
This section is about 70 pages and covers the theory & science of knife sharpening as well as specific reviews and advices for several methods. Chad reviews the sharpening of Western as well as Japanese style knives, and several sharpeing systems (e.g., Spyderco, EdgePro, etc).

At the end of the book are several pages of resources to buy knives, boards, sharpeners, etc.

In short, I think this is a complete book that covers the key concepts of knife skills, but also addresses knife selection and care. If you buy only one kitchen knives & skill book, I would recommend it.

With a measured dose of wry humor and thoughtful commentary, Chad Ward debunks the myths and dispels the mysteries of the most essential, yet misunderstood, and under appreciated tool in the kitchen, the humble cook's knife. Whether you're a seasoned home cook, a confused beginner, or a professional cook, you'll undoubtedly benefit from Mr. Ward's comprehensive knowledge which he freely shares in an unintimidating, easily understood style. Bridging the chasm between professional culinary texts and the limited information available to the home cook in various cookbooks, he covers all the critical subjects associated with choosing, using, maintaining, sharpening, and even cleaning up after using a good knife. This book will make a fine, if not essential addition to the reference library of your favorite cook, knife enthusiast, or anyone who simply wants to know more about how to use and maintain the knives in his or her kitchen.

You sort of feel almost embarrassed to call a book about kitchen knives a "page turner," but for me that is exactly what this one is. Not only is this work quite informative, but on a certain level, it is also quite entertaining. The author seems to have a writing skill in that causes the reader to get in the "I can't wait to see what is next" mode. What a delightful and informative read this book is!

Having received my first knife at the age of five, an old single blade Barlow (and immediately cutting my finger with it), I became a life long enthusiast as to knives. I have collected, bought, traded and used them for over sixty years now. I also cook. Not as well as my wife by any means, but I am no stranger to the kitchen. For some reason though, I was never really focused on knives of the, and those used in the kitchen until recently when we decided to purchase new ones. I suppose I just have taken them for granted for many years. I suddenly found there was much I did not know. Hey, we are talking a significant financial outlay here and I do not want to make a costly error!

I began doing some research. Enter this wonderful book.

Chad Ward has done a magnificent job of simplifying a rather complicated and mystifying area of knowledge. Make no mistake, choosing the proper cutlery for kitchen use is not a matter of common sense that the ill-informed might think. No, no, no! There is a myriad of questions that need to be answered and a very deep knowledge in several areas is necessary to make the correct choice. This work goes a long way into helping not only the neophyte cook, but also the more advanced. Again, I certainly do not consider my self anywhere near a Master Chief, but on the other hand I did not just fall off the back of a turnip wagon either.

This book begins with a section on selecting the correct knife for the right job and some of the many considerations needed in making that choice. Who will be using the knife and for what! What are the physical properties of a knife and which ones are desirable and which ones should you avoid? There are certain myths concerning knives and what are they? Are knife sets good or should you purchase a mixed set or should you even own or need a set? What do you look for in a good knife? What are good knives made of and how are they made and why are they made like they are? These and many, many other questions are answered before the author addresses cutting boards, quite an important subject, by the way.

The next portion of the work concerns the proper use of the knife and cutting techniques for both meat and vegetables. Having had some small bit and modest bit of training in this area, it was probably of least interest to me but I read it anyway and can attest to the fact that the author gives very sound advice, especially for the beginner. This section was quite well illustrated and overall is a good building block for further learning. You have to learn to walk before you run you know, and the author brings us up to a nice fast jog, at the very least.

Now the last section of the book, and one of the most important for many reasons, deals with keeping your knife sharp...simply that. This may not sound like much, but there are probably more dull knives in drawers in this country than there are dishonest politicians, which make that a whole lot of dull knives! This must have been a rather difficult section for the author to tackle as I am sure he was aware of the controversy surrounding this ancient art...i.e. sharpening a knife. If you take 25 old men, knife men, and put them into a room together and ask them to tell the best way to sharpen a knife, you will get 25 different answers. You could say the same if you put 50 in the room.

I meet periodically, with a group of men (and women) who collect knives and deal with knives on a daily bases. These are passionate hobbyists and professional dealers (in their own way) and they know their business. Hours upon hours have been spent with these people discussing sharpening techniques and I have yet to find one meeting where there was any agreement what-so-ever on the subject. When it comes to the area of sharpening knives, everyone, and I mean everyone, is an absolute expert! Hey, I have been known to pontificate on the subject myself from time to time, and I promise you that I do have strong opinions in this area and have old, mystic family secrets of sharpening that I will take to the grave. Now all of that being said let me assure you that Chad Ward has not given one bit of advice here that is bad. In fact, his dissertation on the subject of sharpening knives is one of the better ones I have had the pleasure of reading. The illustrations are great and he has again explained a very complicated procedure in words that most will be able to easily understand. He has discussed the various methods and has even addressed several of the sharpening systems on the market today. Again, I have first hand experience with many of these very systems and again, the author is spot on as to his commentary, observations and recommendations. I learned much here, which was a nice thing as it pretty well put to bed the old myth that you cannot teach old dogs new tricks. It certainly taught me a few.

As a side bar, I must say I admire the author's bravery in putting in book form for all to read the subject matter discussed here. This is the type of book that will run the drug store cowboys out from behind their tables...you know the kind, they are in ever three booth café in America; the "I done been there and I done did that and this here author don't know enough to...." Well, you know the type. My, this author is daring...I admire that.

Anyway, for the dollar, I do not feel you will be able to find a better book on the subject of kitchen knives anywhere. Goodness knows I have read enough of them recently and this one is absolutely the pick of the litter. Before purchasing your next kitchen knife, or for that matter, your next cook book, give this work a read. I doubt you will be sorry.

As an amateur cook, I appreciate how the book has been written. Easy enough for an amateur to understand and detailed enough to satisfy the most demanding of knife users. I found it to be informative, interesting, a terrific source of information and an insight into how professional knives are used and cared for.

As a professional butcher block builder, I found his detailed information is right on the money and very detailed.

When you buy the book, be prepared to be informed and educated and be ready to laugh out loud at his wit and humor.

If you want a book that will help you improve your knife skills (such as chopping faster, avoiding accidents, or getting a better edge on your knife), An Edge in the Kitchen is best, most readable book on the market, and I've read through several books and websites for information.

There is an in-depth primer to knife honing and sharpening, and well as the standard full-color photos of cutting up all the vegetables and meat you could possibly be expected to encounter in your kitchen adventures.

More importantly, it's also a "knife book" as well as a "knife skills" book for your inner materialist or consumer junkie (like me). If you wondering about (1) what kitchen knives to buy for a first kitchen or a registry, or (2) looking to upgrade your current kitchen, or (3) if you simply appreciate good food/tools/gadget writing, this is the best, most up-to-date source of information out there. Even if shiny, sharp objects scare you, and you're not too handy in the kitchen, this is a fascinating read.

Have you ever seen those beautiful, pricey German or Japanese knives in a specialty store or Williams-Sonoma, but you were afraid to commit to a purchase, because you were unsure how to decipher the jargon (high-carbon stainless? VG10 steel? drop-forged? full-tang?), and how to separate the facts from the sales pitches? This book explains everything you might want to know about knives (and debunks many consumer myths) in an easy-to-understand, engaging way, and arms you with knowledge as a consumer.

A good knife is an extension of a cook's hands. Ideally, buying a good kitchen knife is an investment in a tool that will last a lifetime and that you will use on a near-daily basis. I would recommend this book to anyone who uses knives in a kitchen.

I enjoyed Chad Ward's book immensely. It was easy to follow, had great pictures, is full of good information, and is actually fun to read. He does a good job of covering what you need in a knife and what you may want if you get bitten by the knife bug. He dispels common knife myths and arms you with information so you do not fall for the sales pitch at a fancy knife display in a department store. Knives for all budgets are covered from $50 knives to those in the hundreds and emphasis is on getting the best knife for your dollars. Why spend $100 when you can get a better knife for $50?

There is also a section on sharpening your own knives. Geoff seems to have an issue with that, but many people enjoy the exercise. Many people also enjoy working on their own cars, cutting their own grass, or grinding their own coffee. If you don't then feel free to pay someone to do it or cut with a dull knife. Whatever floats your boat. It is nice to see detailed information about sharpening though in case that is of interest.

No where in this book (and I have read it 3 times) does Ward say to buy a $200 knife, but he does give suggestions if that is what you WANT to do. All in all it is a great guide on how to get a good knife that meets your needs and your budget.

The photo illustrations of common cuts is done well also and I found the section on how to section a chicken useful. This is a great book for anyone who wants to know more about kitchen knives and how to get the right one for their kitchen.

I read this book cover to cover in a single sitting. I found it easy to read and understand as well as a few laughs along the way. This book will become a permanent resource in my kitchen library for a long time. I highly recommend this book to any one with and interest in kitchen cutlery, cutting boards, knife cuts, maintenance of both knives and cutting boards with even a few recipes included. It is also a great resource for suppliers of various related goods and services.

I enjoyed this book. It was a good overview, well written, filled with good information, including the kind of practical detail on sharpening that helps a novice obtain good results. I purchased a Kindle edition, which does not appear to be available anymore for reasons unknown.

A note on sharpening. I sharpen with Japanese waterstones. But whether you use watersontes or some other manual method, please beware that the type of sharpening recommended in this book is a lot of work. Not that its not worth it but prepare yourself for a lot of work.

The reason is that, as the author explains, the factory puts a pretty obtuse edge (read wide) on most kitchen knives, say 40 degrees. Ward recommends you grind that edge down to something thinner, like 15 degrees. But to get an edge down from 40 degrees to 15 degrees requires grinding off a lot of steel. And steel, my friends, is hard. You will be astonished at the amount of grinding you have to do on stone to regrind the edge.

I have taken a knife, an 8" Wusthof classic chef's knife that had already been ground once (more on that in a second) and went to grind it down to a 15 degree edge or so. I spent at least 90 minutes on my coarsest waterstone, a 220 grit. I then spent another hour at least working through my other three stones (1200, 4000, & 8000). Not only does it take a long time to grind away all that steel but it takes a fair amount of effort to polish that large edge as well. I did not do a compound bevel.

I freely admit that I am still a relative novice - I have put maybe a half dozen knives through my waterstones and reground all of them. So for someone more experienced it may go faster.

My recommendation then for waterstones is to make your lowest level stone the absolute coarsest thing you can find. It will take more time to polish out those coarse scratches later but the time you save grinding off steel to make the new edge angle will make up for it.

Second, it is difficult to appreciate how quickly your knives are sharpened by an experienced professional using grinding wheels. I visited Bob Kramer's shop while on vacation. This was before he became a rock star of custom kitchen knives. He is incredibly nice. He went out of his way to show me his entire shop and operation. It was really cool. Back then, he still sharpened as part of his business. I brought along a new, inexpensive chef's knife that I wanted him to sharpen for me so that I could see how he did it. He went in a room, turned on about 6 grinding wheels, ranging from coarse to very fine (the last was a leather strop like contraption). Literally in 90 seconds total, maybe less, he had run the knife freehand over every wheel and it was razor sharp, ridiculously sharp. As in sharper than anything I have ever been able to create in any amount of time. Part of that is 25 years practice and part of that is having the right tool for the job.

Why this story? If you want sharp knives, really sharp knives, and don't want to commit 40 hours to sharpening your whole drawer full, then send them out. The second benefit of this is that once the professional regrinds the blade, it is much easier to keep the edge sharp going forward.

So Ward's book and his methods are sound but don't underestimate the amount of work for a good result.

This is the definitive guide for buying and honing a knife. I personally found the criticism of several reviewer without merit. Following the techniques described in this volume you will have the keenest edge you have ever had, this is sage advice. It also gave me insight into why I have been dissatisfied with the German knives that I have invested in and the prejudice I had in selecting them. The proper use of a chef's knife is an essential skill and An Edge in the Kitchen is your best choice. As an aside, the information on cutting boards is worth noting.

The author is obviously very knowledgeable about knives, and he does a great job of breaking down the myths and providing facts on the different knife styles, shapes, blade hardness, which has given me a check list of things I will definitely look for when I buy my next kitchen knife. I am a little disappointed in the sharpening section and to a similar degree in the "how to tell if a knife is good when you are at the store buying" section. My disappointment is that the descriptions of edge sharpness, edge angles and "looking at the blade by holding it at bla-bla angle to see if bla-bla angle is there" was not always clear to me as a reader. In the few places where he had photos and drawings of his descriptions, the information was great, and very helpful. I wish there were more pictures/illustrations, particularly in the sharpening section. Still, overall the book is helpful and I think could be a benefit to anyone who wants to be more informed about the most important tool in the kitchen.