Professor Lis Von Uhl
Writing for Engineering
Edison Tian
March 13, 2021

Table of Contents
Introduction Page 3
History Page 3
Design Page 4
Material Page 5
Handle Page 6
Conclusion Page 7
Bibliography Page 8-9

Introduction
It is sharp, versatile, and most of all, it is reliable. The humble stainless steel chef’s knife is arguably the most important tool in the kitchen. It is also the most versatile, meaning it can do most cutting tasks done by other knives. Without it, breaking down large pieces of meat or tough vegetables will never be possible, and every home kitchen would be forced to accommodate large and expensive knife sets that will not see much action. There is a lot more to a knife than just being a sharp tool. From its history to its design, the work and innovation that went into making this tool has a greater impact in the kitchen than most would assume.

History
A sharp tool is arguably one of the major reasons why humans have succeeded in dominating this world. In the earliest records of human activity dating back over 2.5 million years ago, many things separate them from other animals (Bransfield 2018). One of these traits include their proficiency in tool use. Using tools compensated for their lack of strength, speed, and defense (Diro 2013). But most of all, it significantly increased their caloric and energetic returns. They no longer had to waste time and
energy using their hands to forage for food or strip out meat. That meant more time and energy left for nurturing young, defending families, and most of all, developing intelligence. This is an idea that exists in the field of anthropology known as the “cooking hypothesis”. While our paleolithic ancestors had different lifestyles compared to us, the idea mostly focuses on the fact that eating meat and cooking with heat vastly increased caloric and nutritional output from foods which resulted in our increased intelligence
and evolutionary breakthrough (Ham 2017). If increasing caloric output is the conclusion of the “cooking hypothesis”, then that implies that hunting and preparing for food with a sharp edge like a spear or a knife also falls under that label. But whether knives were for hunting or cutting food, those functions have barely changed no matter how much the technology and design have advanced.

Figure 1. “Stone Knives” (Chi)

Figure 2. Cave painting of hunters found in the Cave of
Altamira dating from the Upper Paleolithic period. (Universal
History Archive / UIG via Getty Images)

Design
Blade design is also a key factor in a knife’s usefulness, specifically both blade shape and edge geometry. Blade shape is important since it determines the way you cut. For example, the two most prominent forms of chef knives in the west are both German and Japanese styles
(Bransfield 2018). The German style is the standard pointed and curved edge most westerners think of when mentioning a chef knife. This is
good for the rocking motion when cutting (rocking knife up and down to cut). Japanese style blades on the other hand usually have their tips

Figure 3. “Wustof Classic Chef’s Knife 1” (Williams
Sonoma)5

pointed downward and contain a less curved putting edge. This means the user must use push cuts to effectively cut food. Edge Geometry is important since it determines how your food gets cut. For example, a concave edge is found in many knives since it is cheaper and extremely sharp. However, due to it being acutely narrow, the sides will need to be mechanically ground down to get a fresh cutting edge. However, while a blunt edge is strong, it is not very sharp and could leave uneven cuts in the food (Cutting Edge 2020). Overall, different physical traits determine how effectively each blade can be utilized.

Figure 4. “Gyuto” (Andrea, 2018)

overnight will oxidize some of the iron content which leads to rusting. Also, the many different grades of steel can change these properties. But most importantly, this makes a stainless-steel knife more durable and versatile. Take a carbon steel blade for example. Despite its superior edge retention and finer edge, it is more prone to corrosion, especially from cutting acidic foods like tomatoes (America’s Test Kitchen 2014). If it does not get wiped after cutting acidic foods, it can form a brown patina. If it is not dried properly, it can rust very quickly which will result in a useless
blade. This means more effort must be put into maintaining the knife’s dexterity. Overall, stainless steel made the chef knife more useful and versatile than it already is.
Handle
Besides the blade of the knife, the handle also determines if a knife is used
properly. Construction, material, the shape matters too. A good handle determines whether the user can use the knife comfortably, efficiently, and safely. This may seem subjective at first, but when taken into consideration that everyone’s hand is different and may need a tailored handle. Some prefer a handle with more grip to combat greasy or slippery working conditions. Others may want an ergonomic grip that is comfortable to use for hours (Johnson 2020). In other words, a knife is only good if it is utilized by the right person for safety and ease of use.

Material
The material also matters since different combinations are used to get an ideal knife. Stainless steel is a 20th century invention, itself a combination of both steel (already a mixture of iron and carbon) and chromium. This paved way for major development in the last three industrial revolutions since stainless steel is the backbone for manufacturing, long term food
storage, and sterile tools. Before stainless steel, carbon steel and iron were the most common materials for most utilities. The only problem with them is that it could not stand up to the elements. In other words, they rust easily. Stainless steel curbs that problem by adding nickel or chromium. In addition to its usefulness, it is also the most common form of steel in the 21st century making it the most cost-effective form of steel in the market. This means lower cost for both retailer and consumers (Newman 2020). However, a stainless steel is not completely rust proof. The more accurate name would be “rust resistant”. For example, leaving a spoon in water

Conclusion
Despite the countless advancements in technology and shifting lifestyles, a knife’s role in our lives has not changed. The humble chef’s knife is an essential tool in the kitchen. Most kitchens have one which means it is a familiar tool for many. But most do not appreciate the years of work put into developing the modern stainless-steel knife. Its use and development dates back all the way into the Stone Age. And because this accumulation of innovation, cooking has never
been so easy.

References
Ham, J. R. (2017, April 27). Cooking to be modern but eating to be Healthy: The role Of Dawa-Dawa in Contemporary Ghanaian Foodways. Retrieved March 13, 2021, from tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15528014.2017.1305827

Diro, Dora (2013, November 19), Tool Use as Adaptation, The Royal Society Publishing. Retrieved March 13, 2021, from, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027410 https://www.mpg.de/research/oldest-evidence-human-stone-tool-us

Dansfield, Brand, (2018, June 8), Knife Cycle, Taste, Recieved March 13, 2021, from, tastecooking.com/knife-cycle/

BLOGSCS, (2020, July 11), Cutting Edge, I saw the Science, Received March 13, 2021, google.com/urlsa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjS0N
OnybPvAhWFTd8KHdpgBwIQFjAAegQIBBAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.science.e
du.sg%2F2020%2F07%2F11%2Fcuttingedge%2F&usg=AOvVaw2NI7fc3m7Khw4zmMfRHitb

Newman, Mark, (2020, January 24), A Short History on the Origin and Development of Stainless Steel, Sanvik, Received March 31, 2021 materials.sandvik/en-us/materials-center/expertcolumns/archive/2020/01/a-short-history-on-the-origin-and-development-of-stainlesssteel/9

Johnson, Emily, (2020, October 21), The Best Chefs Knives Of 2020, Epicurious, Received March 13, 2021, epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-chefs-knife-article

(2020, November 1), Carbon Steel Knives, America’s Test Kitchen, Received March 13, 2021,
americastestkitchen.com/equipment_reviews/1558-carbon-steel-knives

Sam, Chi, “Stone Knives”, Received March 20, 2021, hilofarmersmarket.com/samchiflknar.html

“Cave painting of hunters found in the Cave of Altamira dating from the Upper Paleolithic period.” , Received March 20, 2021, Universal History Archive / UIG via Getty Images.

thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/how-bioarchaeology-reveals-evolution-disease/

“Wustof classic chef knife”, Williams Sonoma, Received March 20, 2021, williamssonoma.com/products/wusthof-classic- chefs-knife/

“Gyuto”, chefknivestogoforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=5658
“Patina on Carbon Steel”, Vicky Wassick, Received March 20, 2021,
seriouseats.com/2014/12/why-buy-carbon-steel- knives-best-kitchen-tools.htm