The GRAEF Knife Guide
Which knife is the right one for my GRAEF universal cutter?
Different types of food require different types of blades. For this purpose, the GREAF universal slicer series is equipped with different blades (included in delivery). We generally offer universal serrated blades or blades with a smooth cutting edge for our universal slicers. Depending on the machine type and price range, these differ in terms of material and mounting type/blade holder.
Knife types – which knife for which use?
For universal use – serrated knives
GRAEF serrated knives have a wavy blade and are ideal for all types of bread. They also cut through hard crusts with ease. They also achieve the best cutting results with cold cuts, cheese, fruit, and vegetables when cutting thicker slices. Serrated knives can be resharpened by our factory service for a small fee. Please contact our service department for more information.
For wafer-thin slices – smooth knives
Smooth knives, on the other hand, achieve the finest results when cutting wafer-thin slices, such as ham or (vegetable) carpaccio. This allows ham, for example, to be sliced wafer-thin without damaging the fibers of the meat. Soft bread can also be cut very well with a smooth knife. Smooth knives can be resharpened at home using a suitable knife sharpener, which is placed on the carriage of the universal cutter.
knife material
Solid steel knife with hollow grind
The high-quality GRAEF solid steel knives are turned from a solid piece of special stainless steel, are hard chrome-plated, and have a hollow grind. The hollow grind of the knife ensures that the food being cut has only brief contact with the knife. The cutting edge of the knife has a slight radius, and the resulting “hollow throat” means that the food being cut is not first scraped off the motor body, but directly at the cutting edge.
In addition, our solid steel blades are generally designed so that their blade gear is directly connected to the motor screw. This allows the full power of the motor to be transferred to the blade without any loss of power – for perfect cutting results.
Thanks to its hollow grind and blade lock, the blade meets GRAEF professional quality standards and is also used commercially in larger diameters in our ProfessionalKitchen range. GRAEF solid steel blades are used in the top universal slicer series Master, SKS700, SKS850, and SKS900.
Stainless steel blades
GRAEF stainless steel blades are our everyday heroes and are stamped from high-quality stainless steel. Compared to solid steel blades, they are thinner in terms of material structure, but still very robust. These blades are usually equipped with the GRAEF safety lock and a blade cover plate (except Classic): This allows the knife to be removed quickly and, above all, safely, e.g., for easy cleaning or to replace the knife (smooth - serrated). GRAEF stainless steel knives are used in many universal cutter series, e.g., the SKS100, SKS320, Classic, or SKS500.
Care & cleaning of your knife
To ensure that your GRAEF knife stays sharp and retains its value for a long time, we recommend cleaning it regularly, especially after cutting cured meat or ham. These contain salts which, if left on the surface of the knife for a long time, can form so-called “flash rust” (even on “stainless” stainless steel).
Even when cutting foods that contain a lot of water, such as tomatoes or cucumbers, rust can form on the knife surface if it is not cleaned properly or is cleaned incorrectly (too “wet”).
We therefore recommend cleaning the knife immediately after use with a damp cloth and, if necessary, a little washing-up liquid, and then drying it.
If you feel that your knife is no longer as sharp as it should be, we offer two options:
- You can have your knife sharpened at our main factory at a reasonable price. To do so, please contact our customer service (+49 (0)29 32 / 97 03 - 677 ; email: service@graef.de) and send it in for sharpening or bring the knife directly to us.
- If it is no longer worthwhile to have the knife resharpened, you can order a new knife from our online shop for GRAEF accessories, quoting the device type number. Here you can also order an additional smooth or serrated blade to match your universal cutter. We also offer replacement blades for many older GRAEF universal cutter models.