Owner Manual

Production
Forged: This is a process, in which metal is treated in steps to enhance its hardness,
density, and flexibility. Forged knives are often heavier and better balanced. The
sharpness is easier to maintain and with the proper care they can last for generations.
You can recognize a forged knife by the presence of a prominent bolster between handle
and blade; however a few do not have a bolster.
Stamped: Such knives are cut or stamped out of flat metal. They do not undergo the
steps associated with forging and are thus lighter in weight. Because the metal is not as
dense as that of forged knives, they do not hold their edge as well. Stamped knives with
high carbon content are usually easier to sharpen and to maintain their sharpness than
less expensive knives made of stainless steel with high chromium content.
Other: Some metals are sintered, that is melted separately and mixed together to form a
stronger alloy or component. Some forged knives have parts that are manufactured
separately and sintered together to form a knife of good quality at a lower cost, but with
blades performing just as well as fully forged blades.
Sometimes the weight and handling of a particular knife outweighs the importance of
other considerations and make a stamped knife a better choice. For most
applications, we generally recommend forged knives, especially chef knives and
straight edge slicers; perhaps complemented by some stamped metal knives such as
steak knives and other serrated edge knives.
Material
The quality of a knife is decisively influenced by the grade of steel used. The most
important characteristics of the steel used to make the blade are corrosion resistance
and hardness. They are achieved by the corresponding chemical composition and
appropriate heat treatment. Different types of steel are used in the cutlery industry in
which stainless steel has become predominant during the last few decades.
Carbon steel (normal steel): carbon steel is the oldest type of steel. It has the
disadvantage of being highly susceptible to corrosion.
Stainless steel: The term “stainless” can be applied to any knife made of stainless steel
(chromium steel). Stainless means that the knife will not rust in a humid atmosphere and
that it will resist the various acids in daily use.
The coarser the surface finish, the more likely it is to corrode. In other words, the more
finely ground or polished the surface of the blade, the more resistant to corrosion it is.
o Leave your knives within sight. Always place the knife on the worktop with
the handle pointing towards you and make sure that it cannot accidentally fall.
Always be conscious that you pass on a knife with the handle first.
o Always use the correct knife. Vegetables, meat, fish, and bread all have a
different texture and size, the reason a knives are specifically designed.
o Always cut with the knife pointing away from your body to avoid injuries.
o Never try to catch a falling knife. This could inflict extremely serious injuries.
o Wash sharp knives separately. Be conscious that you are washing sharp items.
It is best to clean it under running water and dry it directly after use.
o Keep sharp knives away from children.
o Never run your fingers across the cutting edge – not even to test how sharp it
is.
o To avoid damage or burns, never leave your knife near the burner or in direct
contact to any other source of heat.
o Regularly sharpen your knives. A sharp knife is much safer than a blunt one as
you need less strength for cutting. Here at BergHOFF, we have two different
materials to keep your knives staying sharp.
Chromium-plated stainless steel: knife-sharpeners with a chromiumplated,
grooved surface deliver a fine re-sharpened result and are relatively immune to
damage.
Diamond: knife-sharpeners with a diamond coating achieve a
fine result.
How to sharpen your knives
o Put the blade on top of the steel, at an angle of approximately 20*. Make sure
that the blade remains at a 20 degree angle from tip to handle over the
complete length of the blade.
o Draw the knife in a slight curve down towards you. The speed of the process
has no impact on the result.
o Repeat this movement at the back of the steel. Sharpen the other side of the
blade as well.
o Repeat steps 2 and 3 approximately 5 to 10 times, alternately sharpening back
or front of the blade.