A steak knife is a table knife designed for cutting cooked meat cleanly at the table. It is shorter and sharper than a standard dinner knife, with either a finely honed straight edge or a serrated edge that saws through seared crusts and gristle. Good steak knives balance in the hand, have comfortable handles, and hold an edge through repeated use; cheap serrated versions tear rather than cut and cannot be resharpened easily. They are served as part of the place setting whenever steak, chops, or other firm meats are on the menu, and in steakhouses a personal set is part of the ritual. The right knife matters because struggling with a blunt blade ruins the eating experience.