The heel of a knife serves several important purposes that contribute to the overall functionality and versatility of the blade. Understanding the functions of the heel can help cooks utilize their knives more effectively and get the most out of their cutting tools.
Protecting the Hand
One of the main reasons knife heels exist is to protect the hand during use. When griping a knife to cut foods, the heel provides a safe space to hold the blade without making contact with the sharp edge. The heel creates a barrier between the sharp cutting surface and fingers, acting as a grip. This allows the user to apply pressure and guiding the knife without risking injury to the hand.
Without the heel, gripping and controlling a knife would be very difficult and dangerous. Hands could easily slide down onto the edge resulting in cuts. The heel eliminates this hazard and allows for safe handling.
Applying Pressure
In addition to protecting the hand, the heel is also useful for applying pressure and force when cutting. When slicing dense foods like meat or chopping hard vegetables, force often needs to be exerted straight down through the knife. The heel provides a solid surface that can be used to transfer this vertical pressure directly into the cutting action.
By gripping the heel and handle, and pressing down, the user can efficiently transfer energy and leverage weight to aid in cutting. This makes cutting through tough foods much easier and more effective compared to gripping just the handle. The heel also prevents the blade from twisting or slipping under pressure.
Rocking Motion
Knife heels allow for controlled rocking motions to be used when chopping. With the heel securely positioned against the cutting board, the front tip of the blade can be rotated up and down in a rocking action while maintaining stability. This is a common technique used for mincing herbs, garlic, and other ingredients.
The heel acts as a pivot point during the rocking motion, keeping the knife safely in position. Without the heel’s stability, knives could easily twist, turn, or slide around when trying to rock the blade. The heel’s grounding effect makes the rocking technique possible.
Lifting the Blade
When cooking, it is often necessary to lift the entire knife up off the cutting board while moving food around. The heel provides a safe way to do this without using the sharp edge. By gripping the knife up near the heel, the blade can be elevated and transported over to other areas of the cutting board or counter without risking contact between the sharp edge and fingers.
This ability to grip and lift near the heel gives much more control compared trying to lift a knife by the handle alone. The heel’s leverage allows the entire blade to be moved easily as needed between cutting tasks.
Cutting Technique
Proper cutting technique involves holding a knife with the grip close to the heel, with the index finger extended up the spine of the knife. This gives optimal control and stability during cutting motions. Without the heel providing a safe gripping point close to the front of the blade, using proper finger placement would be impossible.
The heel allows the user’s hand to be choking up closer to the cutting surface for added maneuverability. This position paired with the heel grip results in the best leverage, strength and dexterity when cutting and slicing foods.
Chopping
For chopping techniques where vertical force is applied, the heel is used as a striking surface. A classic way to chop is to hold the knife by the handle pinned between the thumb and fingers, with the heel end elevated off the cutting board. Swift downward strikes are then used to hit the heel against the board and power through dense ingredients.
Striking the heel transfers energy directly to the cutting edge for maximum chopping efficiency. The heel absorbs the impact instead of the delicate blade tip or thin edge which could easily chip under repeated strikes. This technique would not be possible without the heel providing a surface to strike against the board.
Picking Up Food
While not a common practice, the heel of some knives can be used to pick up and transfer sliced food from the cutting board to a pan or plate. When the heel is shaped appropriately, it can be slid under food to scoop and lift it up for transfer.
This requires a heel with a relatively broad flat surface rather than a rounded shape. Paring knives and boning knives often have a heel suited for this purpose. When used properly, the heel provides a convenient way to pick up cut ingredients.
Cutting through Bones
When cutting meat and poultry that contains bones, the heel can provide solid force and impact needed to cut cleanly through. Striking the heel against a bone puts concentrated cutting power directly into the dense material being chopped.
Using the heel in this chopping motion focuses cutting energy to separate bone and cartilage. This allows the cook to cut portion sizes with bones intact instead of needing to slice around bones. A strong heel strike can cut right through.
Crushing Garlic
Garlic can be easily crushed using the heel of a knife. By placing a clove of garlic under the heel, then applying heavy pressure with a rocking motion, the bulb can be smashed and peeled. Using the heel this way quickly crushes garlic by bursting the skin and breaking down the clove into a paste.
A tapered heel shape works best for crushing garlic as it concentrates the force onto a smaller area for maximum crushing impact. The broad flat heel of a chefs knife is ideal. Crushing garlic with the heel is easier and faster than using other crushing methods.
Tenderizing Meat
The heel can be utilized to help tenderize cuts of meat. Using the heel, light pounding motions can be made over the surface of the meat to help break down tough muscle fibers. This can improve tenderness and allow marinades to better penetrate the meat.
Driving the concentrated heel area into the meat acts similarly to a tenderizing mallet. Applying controlled strikes across the meat before cooking can greatly improve texture and flavor when dining on tougher cuts.
Cracking Nut Shells
Nuts in thick hard shells can sometimes be difficult to crack open using only hand strength. Positioning a nut under the heel and applying force with an impacting strike can help split these difficult shells. The focused pressure from the heel is adept at splitting through the shell.
This technique is especially helpful for cracking Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and other nuts in tough shells. The heel provides the perfect shape and solid base to apply targeted pressure. Just be sure to lay down a towel or other barrier first to prevent damaging cutting boards.
Splitting Coconuts
Similarly to cracking nuts, the knife heel can be used to split open coconuts. Hold the coconut in place and use the heel to deliver forceful strikes. The focused impact can break through the coconut’s hard exterior and expose the meat inside.
Look for an area of the coconut shell that is already cracked or damaged, then strike the heel directly into that spot. Repeated blows will eventually pierce through. Be very careful handling coconuts this way to avoid any slips.
Grinding Spices
For those without a mortar and pestle, the heel of a heavy knife can substitute for grinding and mashing spices. Place spices or herbs under the heel and grind in a rotating motion to break them down into a fine texture. Apply added pressure to really work the heel into the spices.
This rudimentary grinding method relies purely on the force from the heel to crush and mash the spices. It provides a quick way to get ground spices when other tools are unavailable. Just be sure to wipe the knife clean afterward.
Hammer Function
In a pinch, the heel can provide hammer-like functionality for situations requiring light pounding. For example, tapping nails into a wall, pounding stakes into dirt, or flattening curved metal
.
Using the heel this way allows for better precision and aim compared to swinging a traditional hammer or mallet. Grip the knife by the handle and use the heel like a hammerhead to deliver lighter taps. Avoid heavy pounding to prevent damage to the knife.
Self Defense
While in no way recommended, some knives can be held by the blade to use the handle and heel as an improvised self defense tool. The heel’s rounded shape provides an effective striking point for inflicting damage if attacked.
Using a knife in this extremely dangerous manner should only be considered in life or death situations as a desperate last resort. It provides reach and impact force but comes with huge risk of self-injury or legal consequences. The heel can inflict harm but knife self defense should be avoided.
Conclusion
The knife heel clearly serves a wide range of helpful purposes that contribute to the full functionality of the blade. It provides a safe grip, protects fingers from the edge, enables rocking motions, aids with chopping force, allows lifting of the blade, and gives leverage for proper cutting technique. Even in some unconventional cases, the heel can assist with crushing, cracking, grinding or light hammering tasks.
Understanding these valuable functions of the knife heel can help cooks improve their cutting skills and take full advantage of their knives’ designed features. With practice, the heel can be used to enhance efficiency, precision, and versatility in the kitchen.
Next time you are chopping vegetables or slicing meat, pay attention to how your grip hand positioned near the heel provides control and power. Or notice how rocking the heel against the board helps mince fresh herbs. The heel may be a small part of the knife, but it has a big impact on performance.
Appreciating the heel’s significance allows cooks to maximize their cutting potential. So remember, that handle extension at the rear of your knife blade is not just material leftover from forging. It serves an integral purpose and can elevate your cutting abilities to expert levels when utilized properly.
| Heel Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Protecting the Hand | Creates a barrier between sharp edge and fingers for safe grip |
| Applying Pressure | Allows force for cutting dense foods when pressed down from heel |
| Rocking Motion | Provides pivot point for controlled rocking chopping technique |
| Lifting the Blade | Allows safe way to pick up knife off cutting board while cooking |
| Cutting Technique | Enables proper finger position and control during cutting motions |
| Chopping | Acts as striking surface for chopping bone, dense foods |
| Crushing Garlic | Wide heel can smash and crush garlic cloves into paste |
| Tenderizing Meat | Pounding heel can help break down tough muscle fibers |
| Cracking Nuts/Coconuts | Focused impact splits through hard shells when struck |
| Grinding Spices | Grinding heel motion crushes spices without mortar and pestle |
In summary, the heel is an indispensable part of the knife design, allowing for proper grip, control, force, and leverage. Cooks should take advantage of the heel when cutting for maximum efficiency and safety.
