Quick Answer. Most professional chefs prefer an 8-inch chef's knife as their go-to tool, as it offers the perfect balance of versatility and control. While 6-inch knives work well for detailed tasks and 10-inch blades excel at larger cuts, the 8-inch length is the sweet spot for most kitchen tasks.
Petty knife characteristics
The most common blade lengths for a Petty knife are between 80-90mm, or 120-150mm. A 80-90mm Petty knife is ideal for peeling smaller fruits and vegetables in the hand or for fine and delicate tip work on the chopping board.
The superb craftsmanship of this 5" kitchen knife provides you with the perfect shape for chopping, dicing, slicing, dicing meats, vegetables, and a variety of everyday cooking activities.
The average blade length of a paring knife is namely between 7 and 11 cm. And that of a chef's knife between 17 and 18 cm. With exceptions of 20 cm and sometimes even 30 cm long. With an average blade length of between 13 and 15 cm a utility knife falls nicely in between.
The most popular length of a chef knife is 6-8'' (15-20 cm) long, which is perfect for 99% of your knife duties and is easier to maneuver and control. Professional chefs prefer 10-12'' (25-30cm) because they can handle more food prep at a time but they are heavier and harder to use for the untrained user.
A utility knife is generally six inches long and works well for slicing fruit, tender pieces of meat, or sandwiches. As the “knife of all trades,” it's a handy go-to for the everyday chef.
California. In California, it is legal to carry knives of any blade size openly, and most knives, except for illegal types like switchblades over 2 inches, allow for concealment.
The Master Utility combines the nimbleness of a utility knife with the do-it-all capabilities of a chef's knife. The blade is slightly longer and wider, so you can easily accomplish a wide range of tasks with a compact knife.
Historically, the blades on utility knives were narrow and relatively long; those on petty knives were and remain more triangular in shape. Today, however, distinctions between the two types of knives have become somewhat blurred, at least if the models we tested are any indication.
Blade Length
The shorter the blade, the more you'll have to saw, but a long blade can also be unwieldy when maneuvering around bone. This is why carving knives tend to average around 8 inches, while slicers tend to be 11 inches or longer.
For most people, medium-sized EDC knives in the 2.5" to 3.5" blade range offer the best balance of portability and capability. This size range is large enough to tackle more demanding cuts while still remaining unobtrusive in the pocket.
Carbon steel blades are also well-known for having high wear resistance, which enables them to keep their edges sharp for longer than stainless.
Chefs Knife
The chef's knife is the most versatile and essential knife in any kitchen. This all-purpose knife can handle a variety of tasks, from chopping and dicing vegetables to slicing meats and fish.
In the United States, there is NO legal limit for pocket knife size. In some stated, counties and cities there may be size limits. In these places, 2.5″ is a fairly common size limit, but it's wise to check out YOUR local laws to see if there is a limit and if so, what it is.
Butterfly knives, also known as balisong or fan knives, are considered switchblades under California Penal Code sections 21510 and 17235 PC. These knives have blades concealed inside handles that are secured by a latch and can be flicked open with one hand.
The blade must be longer than 12 inches, and it must be an item or “instrument” designed for the purpose of offense or defense. In other words, for the knife to be a “weapon,” it must have a blade longer than one foot.
A dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger. Historically, it gained its name from the Highland dirk (Scottish Gaelic dearg) where it was a personal weapon of officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail as well as the personal sidearm of Highlanders.
This 7" Santoku knife is perfect for precision cutting, making it ideal for deboning fish and slicing and dicing meat and vegetables. This versatile Japanese style knife is shorter than a Chef's Knife, and offers easy maneuverability and handling.
The blade is generally 5 to 6 inches, which is shorter than the average bread knife, but the serrated utility knife is still a great choice for small loaves. The sharp teeth slice through baguettes and bagels—as well as tender fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, peaches and summer squash—without crushing them.
While depending on the amount of scraping and planing, a larger knife is more difficult to control and might actually do more damage than intended.
The 8" Classic Chef's Knife is an excellent place to start for home cooks, giving you enough blade length to handle all the slicing, dicing, and chopping tasks required in the kitchen. For chefs who spend hours a day prepping ingredients or breaking down large cuts of meat, an 8-10 inch blade is likely a better fit.