What Is a Cheese Knife? | Built for the Wedge

Most kitchen knives squash or stick to cheese rather than cleanly cutting it. A cheese knife solves this with blade shapes that handle everything from a runny Brie rind to a crystalline Parmesan chunk. If you’re ready to own one, our tested roundup of the best cheese knives helps you pick the right set. Below, we break down what each type does and how to use them.

The Types: Which Cheese Knife Does What

Each cheese category demands a different blade. Using the wrong one makes a mess of the texture and presentation. Here is the match between cheese and tool:

• Soft cheese knife — Thin, narrow blade with holes that prevent sticky cheeses (Brie, Camembert, blue cheese, goat cheese) from clinging to the metal.
• Cheese spreader — Short, rounded, blunt blade for soft, spreadable cheeses like Mascarpone, Labneh, pimiento cheese, or rillettes.
• Pronged knife — Forked tip at the end of the blade lifts cut slices of semi-soft cheeses without breaking them.
• Flat or chisel knife — A straight, vertical blade pushed downward to shave thin slices off aged Gouda, Cheddar, or aged Provolone.
• Hard cheese knife — Large, wide blade similar to a mini cleaver, designed to crack through dense Cheddar, Gruyère, Comté, or Manchego.
• Parmesan spade — Pointed, wedge-shaped edge that breaks off chunks from granular, crystalline cheeses without crumbling them.
• Cheese wire or bow — A thin wire stretched across a bow handle, used for cutting very delicate soft cheeses that a blade would squash.
• Cheese plane — A plane-like mechanism with a cutting slot that shaves paper-thin slices from semi-hard or hard cheeses.

Most cheese knives use stainless steel blades with wooden, hollow, or composite handles. The right tool keeps the cheese’s interior intact and makes a board look deliberate rather than mangled.

How To Properly Cut Cheese

Cutting a wheel or wedge follows a few simple rules. For a round wheel, slice it in half first if it is large, then cut radially from the center toward the rind to create even triangles. For a wedge, cut parallel to the rind or at a slight angle so every piece has some rind and some interior. Switch to a cheese wire for fragile soft-ripened cheeses like Brie or Camembert — the thin wire slides through without collapsing the pâte.

Keep your serving board separate from the prep board to avoid cross-contaminating flavors if you reuse the board for other foods.

Caring For Your Cheese Knife

Cheese knives need hand washing, not the dishwasher. Wash with dish soap and warm water, then dry immediately — especially if the handle is wood, which can split if left wet. Do not soak the knife, and never put it in the dishwasher; the heat and detergent damage the blade edge and the handle material.

Store cheese knives on a magnetic strip or with individual blade covers. Loose in a drawer risks nicking the edge and cutting yourself when you reach in. If you use a block, make sure the blade fits without forcing it.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Three errors ruin most cheese board attempts. The first is using one knife for every cheese on the board — each cheese type should get its own knife so flavors and textures do not transfer. The second is using the wrong knife for the cheese’s hardness; a soft cheese knife on a wedge of aged Gouda bends or snaps, while a hard cheese knife on Brie crushes it flat. The third is temperature:

FAQs

Can I use a regular chef’s knife to cut cheese?

You can, but it often sticks to the blade, squishes soft cheeses, and creates uneven slices. A chef’s knife also lacks the prongs or holes that make serving self-contained — you still need a fork for each slice.

Do I need a different knife for each cheese type?

For a proper board, yes. A soft cheese knife on hard cheese bends the blade; a hard cheese knife on Brie flattens it. Separate knives for soft, semi-soft, and hard cheeses keep each slice intact.

Why does my cheese knife have holes in the blade?

The holes reduce surface contact so sticky cheeses like Brie and blue cheese release from the blade instead of clinging to it. A solid blade would drag through the paste and ruin the shape.