Forged and stamped kitchen knives each have benefits and drawbacks. They can be difficult to distinguish from each other by just looking at pictures of them on a computer. The features of each type aren’t exactly common knowledge, either. In an effort to clear up some questions about the two, I’d like to cover a few of those issues in this article. I’ll primarily address the differences between each type as well as why someone would want one over the other.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Forged Knives
Forging makes steel stronger. The shaping of the steel molecules during the forging process results in a blade that is less flexible. As a result, these knives keep an edge for longer.
In addition to that, the forging process enables manufacturers to create a bolster for each knife. A bolster is the mound of metal between the handle and the blade. It protects your hand and gives you a safe place to rest your fingers while you’re using the knife. A bolster is one way that you can identify a forged knife with certainty. Any knife that has a bolster is certainly forged.
Finally, forged cutlery is easy to sharpen because it’s not very flexible. The blade doesn’t twist while you’re trying to hold it firmly against a whetstone or a sharpening steel. However, their lack of flexibility can actually be a drawback in some cases. Let’s say that you want a knife that’s super flexible to fillet a delicious red snapper; you’re probably better off with a stamped knife.
As for other drawbacks of forged cutlery, there are few. There’s really only one significant drawback, and that’s the price. Forged knives aren’t cheap, but they’re definitely worth the investment because they’ll last for a lifetime.
Creating Stamped Knives
Stamped blades are made from large, continuous sheets of stainless steel. A machine comes along and stamps out the shape of a knife, similar to a cookie cutter. The handle is then added and the knife is sharpened and polished.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Stamped Knives
Stamped cutlery doesn’t have a great reputation. People generally think “forged is better,” and chef’s and cooks are constantly debating which is better and whether it is a question of fact or preference. However, one thing is for sure – stamped knives definitely have their advantages.
Firstly, stamped cutlery is inexpensive when compared to forged cutlery, which is great if you’re on a budget. It’s also made with the same type of steel a comparable forged cutlery. If you need an arsenal of kitchen knives for many different uses at a low price, stamped knives are definitely the way to go.
However, the first drawback of stamped knives is that they don’t go through the forging process that makes forged knives super strong. As a result, they are more flexible and tend to keep an edge for a shorter amount of time.
Second, stamped knives have no bolster. This is one possible way that you can distinguish a stamped knife, although there are some forged knives that do not have bolsters, like most Japanese knives. The drawback of no bolster is that you might cut yourself while you’re using the knife if you’re not careful. However, many people prefer knives without bolsters, so it’s somewhat a matter of preference.
Stamped knives can also be a difficult to sharpen on a whetstone because a lot of times they’re too flexible. It’s certainly possible, but slightly more difficult. However, on an electric sharpener, stamped or forged makes almost no difference. We sharpened a stamped chef’s knife here a few days ago with this Chef’s Choice electric knife sharpener and it turned out razor-sharp.
There are definitely ways that you can maximize the benefits of stamped knives and minimize their disadvantages. First off, if you need a knife that’s flexible, it’s probably a good idea to go with a stamped knife because they’re usually flexible by design. Boning knives and fillet knives are a good example of this. Some people like a hard, forged boning knife, but flexible ones also work well.
As I mentioned before, stamped knives are also a good choice if you need a lot of affordable knives for different purposes. If you think you can do everything with a chef’s knife, though, it may be a good idea to just invest in a single high-quality forged chef’s knife. You’ll probably be washing it a lot, though.
Extra Credit: Modern Forging vs. Hot-Drop Forging
Hot-drop forging is what most of us think of as the traditional method of forging. Sometimes, in old samurai movies, you see scenes with a blacksmith pulling a sword from a blazing furnace and beating it into shape with a hammer. That’s essentially hot-drop forging. Shaping the hot steel is an important part of forging because it strengthens the metal by aligning the molecules into a useful shape. One thing is definitely certain about forged knives – they are strong. Nowadays, very little cutlery is hot drop forged. However, at MetroKitchen we carry the Global Forged Series which is.
Zwilling’s hot-drop forged TWIN Cuisine series is a no longer manufactured, but here’s a look at the manufacturing process:
Let’s compare this method with the modern forging method used by Zwilling J.A. Henckels for their other lines of cutlery, like Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro S.
As you can see, with this modern forging method, the forged blank doesn’t exactly resemble a knife before it is cut into shape in the fourth step. However, the benefits of forged steel are still present in this type of forging process because the metal blank is heated and hammered by machines before the shape of the knife is cut, strengthening the steel and rearranging its molecules.
Conclusion
I hope that I’ve clearly outlined the uses of each type of knife and how they’re different. I can sum it up here in short:
Forged knives – Strong, sturdy, and dependable knives that will last a lifetime and are easy to sharpen.
Stamped knives – Affordable knives for someone who needs cutlery on a budget. Normally flexible and have no bolster. Consider buying an electric sharpener for sharpening.
There you have it, plain and simple. Check out our sales on kitchen knives from manufacturers like Shun, Wusthof, Henckels, Global, and others. If you have any questions about stamped or forged knives, we’re happy to answer them for you. Visit MetroKitchen.com for more details.