Knives

If you are squeamish, I advise you to sit on your hands for this section. A sharp knife is a much less dangerous tool than a blunt one. For starters, you need to use more force to cut with a blunt knife, so if an accident is going to happen, it's going to happen with a lot more welly. Now an accident with a sharp knife is far less painful not just because you're using less force, but also because a sharp knife cuts nerves, whereas a blunt one crushes them. Plus the sharp-knife wound heals more quickly. The only exception to this rule is in cases of amputation, where hospital treatment is advised.

Knives generally fall into two categories: Eastern knives and European ones. As a sweeping observation, Oriental knives are made from very very hard steel, and keep their edge for longer. Occidental (not to be confused with Accidental) knives will be made of a softer steel, and will need regular home maintenance. We are talking top quality knives here. There's nothing wrong with spending small sums of money on knives that are cheaply produced but have a decent edge. There is no point at all buying a cheap knife set that hasn't had an edge put on in the manufacturing process, because it is almost certain you will never be able to put an edge on it yourself.

For cheerfully affordable, we like knives by Taylor's Eye Witness (a Sheffield company) and Kuhn Rikon (Swiss). Moving up the price spectrum we get to Oxo Good Grips (American) and Scanpan (Danish). The Cookcraft's top name in cutting edge is Wusthof. These are astonishingly wonderful fully forged German knives. Once you have picked up a Wusthof knife you will understand what balance and craftsmanship truly is. But be prepared to remortgage your house for a down-payment.

I would urge you to visit a shop – any reputable cookshop – to do your knife research. Never buy knives on the internet. If it's not a reputable company, the knife is very likely a cheap copy. If it is a reputable company, it should know better than to sell knives to people without confirming their age. It is illegal to sell knives to anyone under 18.

Primarily it's important to buy a knife in person, because knives are by their nature personal. You can't know if a knife is going to suit you until you have handled it, tested its weight, balance and cutting edge. At the Cookcraft we have a try-before-you-buy policy on knives, and have some vegetables to the ready for that very purpose. You are more than welcome to bring your own vegetables if you prefer.