No matter what level you consider your cooking to be, if you're getting into the kitchen, you've got to get really familiar with holding and using a kitchen knife. But, if you're first starting out, here are some words to the wise: steer clear of carbon steel knives. Despite being extremely popular among professional chefs, there's a good reason why carbon steel knives aren't exactly beginner-friendly.
Stainless steel 1.4542, known for its exceptional strength and moderate corrosion resistance, stands out due to its capability of being heat-treated for varying strength levels without significant distortion.