After a chef's knife and a paring knife, some cooks say that the knife they cannot live without is their bread knife. If you want a new bread knife, it is a beautiful choice. Don't ruin a fresh loaf of bread by squashing it beneath the blade of a dull knife. Instead, use the wide, serrations of the knife to glide through crusty or tender bread. The undulating serrations provide the power to gently saw through a crusty loaf without tearing and ripping the tender interior. And it works equally well on very soft breads and even pastries.