Kitchen Knife

This is a knife used in the kitchen, and was also called sikkal or sikdo. It was mainly used for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables. A smaller version was called changkal and used for harvesting wild herbs in spring and there were various other sizes. This kitchen knife was mostly made of cast iron. It usually had a single-edged blade with a much thicker spine than the blade, and the blade and spine were gradually curved toward the tip. The handle was made of pinewood, which was cut to a length of 10 to 12 cm to an appropriate thickness for one-handed gripping. The handle was rimmed with metal to prevent damage. The blade was generally sharpened on a whetstone. However, when in a rush, the blade would be rubbed several times against the mouth of an earthenware bowl instead. A knife is one of the most essential tools in everyday lives. In Korea, stainless steel knives have entered into widespread use in the modern era, and are used alongside traditional knives.