Knives can be classified according to their functionality. The shapes and the styles of the knives determine the kind of task they perform. Knives can be primarily categorized as chopping, slicing and striking knifes. Slicers can again be divided into those that are used against a cutting board and those that are not.

Chef Knife
The Chef Knife is popularly called the ‘work horse’ of the kitchen. It has a broad blade can range in length from six to twelve inches. The eight inch chef knife is the most common. The Chinese Cleaver is an Asian version of the original French Chef Knife. The Japanese version comes with a less broad blade called Usuba which most westerners find easier to handle. The Chef Knife is usually attached to a cutting board. It is rocked on its gently curving edge using the tip as a stationary pivot. The back of the Chef Knife is used to break the bones of chicken and scrape foods from boards. The flat side is used for crushing garlic.

Kitchen Knife