Bread Knife

パン切り

Bread knife Bread Slicing 3D Model

A bread knife (パン切り包丁) is a narrow knife with a saw-like or wavy edge, made to cut bread without crushing it. That is how a Japanese dictionary defines it, adding that the shape lets even soft bread cut easily. A Sakai knife maker files it with its double-bevel Western knives and says it is also called a bread slicer.

One knife maker's guide sorts bread knives by edge. A wavy edge, toothed along its length, takes everything from a sandwich loaf to hard crusty bread; coarse waves start hard bread more easily but leave more crumbs. A straight edge cuts soft bread and castella with a smooth face but needs more force to get into a hard crust, and a hybrid puts waves at the tip and a straight edge in the middle. For a sandwich loaf, the guide suggests a blade of about 20cm to 25cm, so fewer strokes finish the cut; for small breads, 15cm to 20cm is enough.

The bread knives we list run from 210mm to 250mm. KAI, whose knives we list, says its bread knives can be resharpened with a sharpener made for wavy edges. The guide's care advice: wash the knife soon after use and wipe it dry, since dirt and water left on it cause rust and damage even on stainless steel, and store it so the edge does not knock against other things.

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Frequently asked questions

Can you sharpen a serrated bread knife?

Yes. A Japanese knife maker says its bread knives can be resharpened with a sharpener made for wavy edges.

The serrated edge is there for a reason: a Japanese dictionary describes the bread knife (パン切り包丁) as narrow, with a saw-like or wavy edge, so it cuts soft bread without crushing it.

Published by K&S Education Desk; staff review pending