Guides
Is it bad luck to give a knife as a gift?
The short answer: only if you believe the folklore, and the folklore comes with its own fix. The old idea is that a knife given as a gift will cut the friendship. The custom is for the person receiving it to hand back a coin, so the knife has been bought rather than given and nothing is cut. Tuck a coin in with the card and you are covered.
Where the superstition comes from
Versions of the belief turn up in many places, from the British Isles across Europe and into parts of Asia. The thinking is the same everywhere: a blade is for severing, so giving one might sever the bond between giver and receiver. Some versions say it brings an argument; some say it brings bad luck to the household.
The coin is the answer in almost every telling. A penny, a pound, any small coin: the recipient pays for the knife, the exchange becomes a sale, and the friendship is left whole. Some families also say a knife should never be handed over blade first, which is simply good manners with anything sharp.
How to give a knife well
Include the coin. Tape a coin inside the card with a line such as "for you to give back". It turns the superstition into part of the present, and most people enjoy the ritual.
Write why. A knife is a personal gift. Say what you hope they will cook with it.
Hand it over handle first if you are giving it in person, boxed and closed.
Add the means to keep it sharp. A knife that stays sharp is a knife that gets used. A whetstone or a honing steel alongside makes the gift last.
Good knives to give
| Who it is for | Knife | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone who cooks most days | S4 Chef's Knife 21cm | £100 |
| Someone who prefers a shorter, lighter blade | S1 Chef's Knife, 16cm (129g) or 20cm (149g) | £80-£100 |
| A cook who likes fine slicing of vegetables | S4 Santoku 18cm | £100 |
| Setting up a kitchen | S4 3 Piece Knife Set: chef's 21cm, bread 23cm, paring 9cm | £200 |
| The person who carves at the table | S4 Carving Knife | £90 |
The S4 is the one we would give. Its blade is 67 layers of Damascus steel around a 10CR steel core, hardened to 61 HRC and sharpened to a 15 degree edge, with a full tang and a triple-riveted rosewood handle. It comes with a lifetime guarantee and wants washing by hand. The S1 uses Japanese VG-10 steel in 67-layer Damascus with a rosewood and ebony handle, a lighter knife with a more traditional profile, also with a lifetime guarantee.
To go with it, the Season Whetstone with Bamboo Base (£35, 1000 and 6000 grit) and the Knife Sharpening Guide (£6), which clips to the spine and holds the blade at about 15 degrees.
Buying a knife as a gift in the UK
Knives are sold to over-18s only, and ID is checked on delivery. If you are sending a knife straight to someone, they need to be over 18 and able to show ID when it arrives. If that is awkward, have it delivered to yourself and hand it over in person, coin and all.
More ideas
For the full list, see our Christmas gifts for cooks. If you are choosing between blade shapes, read the difference between a chef's knife and a santoku and Japanese or German kitchen knife. For someone just starting out, see what to buy someone who is learning to cook.
Questions people ask
Why do you give a coin with a knife? So the recipient can hand it back. The knife is then bought rather than given, and by tradition it cannot cut the friendship.
What coin should I use? Any small coin. A penny is traditional; a shiny new one looks better in a card.
Is it bad luck to give knives as a wedding present? Same folklore, same fix. Plenty of couples ask for good knives on their list, and a coin in the card settles it.
What is a good first knife to give? A 21cm chef's knife. It does most of the work in a kitchen, from onions to a chicken.
Can I send a knife as a gift by post? Yes, to someone over 18 who can show ID on delivery, as knives are sold to over-18s only.
Cook like it matters.
From the cooks at Season, a London cookshop since 2005.