CHOOSE KITCHEN KNIVES WISELY!

[chief38]

There are a plethora of kitchen knives floating around out there! Researching a top quality set of kitchen knives can be confusing, frustrating and not a lot of fun for someone who is not really into it.

Let me just throw this out here before discussing any one particular brand..... IMHO, I'd personally rather have a top notch, high quality set of 6 or so kitchen knives than a mediocre or cheap set of 30! Truth be told...... all you truly need in a kitchen is a small paring knife, a medium vegetable knife, a 8"-10" "Chef's Knife", a carving knife and a serrated bread knife. If you are really a Gourmet - maybe a Santoku knife also. If you have these and they are excellent quality - that is pretty much all you're gonna need unless you are really a true Chef or Baker.

When I purchased my 23 piece Wusthof Classic series block set (30 years ago) I was working, making a very nice income and price didn't concern me much. It came with a meat cleaver (which I only use on rare occasion), 8 steak knives which are fantastic but a set of steak knives don't need to be top top quality, two serrated bread knives (one would have done just fine), a carving fork (any carving fork would suffice), a fillet knife which I rarely use, and a few others that I do use but could live with out if cost was an object. Oh, it also came with a pair of Chef's shears which my wife uses to open sealed plastic packages in the kitchen.

If you are hindered by the cost, I would recommend buying a smaller quantity block set, the best quality you can afford and make SURE it is a name brand that has been around for a while and comes with a lifetime, no BS warranty. Within a brand also comes different quality. For instance, I am familiar with Wusthof since that is what I have. I have the Classic series which is full tang, drop forged blades and have triple riveted Delron handles I believe. I personally would not buy their less expensive sets made with stamped out blades or models with only a partial tang. Their "Ikon" line is their top of the line basically because they have fancy contoured handles - but same forged steel, full tank blades.

I have sharpened some Zwilling and Henckels brands and their top of the line is nice as well, but again, I would stick to the forged full tang versions and not the less expensive stamped out, partial tang versions made in Asia, Spain, etc. Once again, make sure they come with a no BS lifetime warranty!

About 5 years ago I sharpened a 10 year old full set of Wusthof's for a good friend and while the blades themselves were fine, I noticed every single rivet on every knife had split marks all around them on the handle material. He called Wustof and they replaced the entire set - no questions asked. Now that's service!

I have been sharpening more and more these days (with much appreciated help and advise from Strawhat here, I am thinking of doing it professionally on a part time level) and have done a bunch of Chicago Cutlery, Cutco, SAK, and a bunch of "el cheapo" Amazon, Flea Market and department store brands. It made me appreciate the top quality German and Japanese knives ever so much more. While I can get a good edge on less expensive knives, they never seem as sharp or to last as long. When I see a shinny high Chromium content blade I know it's gonna take a little extra.

So my point here is to not be dazzled by a huge 25 or 30 knife set, look at the quality over quantity. If you can afford 6 or 8 steak knives in the set - then go for it, but remember, steak knives can always be added later and they don't need to be of the highest quality - unless your steaks come out like rubber - lol!!

All my life (even as far as collecting os concerned) I have always gone for quality over quantity. You can always add-on as you go and money becomes available. I know this all seems like common sense, but I can not tell you how many just buy a large knife set because it comes with a gazillion knives and looks neat. I'd also stay away from buying knives sight unseen on the TV shopping channels - they make everything look and seem great - not! As long as you know exactly what you are buying and verify they are genuine (not Chinese knock-offs) I'd also shy away from Amazon until you do all the research.

So I wanted to post this in hopes I can help a few here. Like I said, I have been getting into sharpening lately(more than usual) and have learned a lot about knives. I'm sure there are other excellent brands out there, but for most of us the top quality German knives seem to be the best bang for the buck and their top tier lines come with a lifetime warranty should you ever need it. While there are some awesome Japanese knives available also, they are usually more costly, harder to find and warranty, and sometimes harder to sharpen due to their harder steel blades. BTW, high quality knives last pretty much forever with minimal care.

 

[T44spl]

As Bob the Chief mentions above buy top branded knives made in Germany usually of Solingen steel Wusthof, or Zwilling JA Henckels. Stay away from the lower tier knives from these brands as they make varying grades of knives. Buy only the German made blades. Stay away from any made in Spain or Brazil knives, the steel just Doesn't compare.
I have molded handle Henckel knives that have held up very well without delaminating & Only hand washed never seen a DW. It is also my belief that we rarely fully utilize a set to it's full capacity, so while buying a set may seem more cost effective in the begining you have to look at the practicality of use first.
My best buy was a brand new 8" chef knife by Wusthof their Trident series made in Solingen, Germany for $10 at a Gun Show years ago. The guy had a salesman sample glued to a board that he promptly removed and sold to me. The hardest part was scraping the dried up glue off.
That's a $100 knife for $10, give me all you have; I'll take them.

 

[H Richard]

Along those same lines is the reason I have collected S&W revolvers. Quality. (I quit collecting about 20 years ago).

 

[505Gibbs]

Buy smart and well and only cry once!

 

[colt_saa]

But Ginsu Knives can cut through a beer can and then still slice a tomato. Not to mention a full set with the block is only 50 bucks

Image courtesy of Amazon
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[6518John]

To heck with those Germans! I would rather help folks in Oregon than in Germany.

I bit the bullet and got the station knife, and the 3 knife set. I genuinely believe Benchmade is the Randall of today. Benchmadecutlery.com

Benchmadecutlery.com

A sleeper in the kitchen knife area is Tops knives with the the two knife set—Frog Market Special. I have the small one and find it to be my go-to kitchen knife much of the time.

Frog Market Special Combo Knife - TOPS Knives Tactical OPS USA

The Tops folks are in Idaho.

 

[URIT]

A top-of-the-line knife set makes a wonderful wedding present.

Buying a quality set was out of my budget when I started giving "sharp" wedding presents, so I'd get the couple a 8" Chef, a steel, and a paring knife.

I always got a thank you from the couple months later, and they'd comment how they used my present daily. Some had added to the set.

 

[Eric300]

Keep your knives (or any high-quality kitchen utensils for that matter) out of the dishwasher. It's the extreme heat from the drying element that will ruin them, particularly wooden handles, as well as plastic/synthetic items.

 

[Autonomous]

To heck with those krauts! I would rather help folks in Oregon than in Germany.

x 100!
A few years ago, I got a set of Case made in USA kitchen knives.
They take and hold an edge better than the old Chicago Cutlery knives they replaced. Note: Chicago Cutlery is now made in China.
The Case handles weren't finished that well, so I took some sandpaper to ease the corners and used heat to work paste wax into the wood.

 

[clang444]

As much as I like my forged knives, nothing beats my MAC UK-80 utility knife for cutting fruits and veggies. Very easy to sharpen too. Once you use one you will never go back:

Original Series 7 1/2" Utility Knife (UK-80)






– MAC Knife

For meats, the MAC works well, but I prefer older Sabatier knives. There are several manufacturers that use the Sabatier name, so it's hard to figure out which are the best ones.

 

[hardluk1]

We have a 4 knifes from japan , 2 are of Shun classic and 2 are there sura a lower cost sora Damascus covering a vg-max core knives These bladed slice vegetables like no other. They are amassing for both holding edge and being very durable too .

But the knives we use the most are my moms vintage old hickory and a couple unmarked knives but hold an edge like the old hickory . I always remember Mom being using them going back some 60 years. There easy to touch up the edge on a steel that was moms too.

I have a couple guys we built homes for the own higher end restaurant's that only use japan made Damascus knifes and advise from both were to buy the shun and sora knives , save some money with the sora yet get a high quality knife .

 

[rustythread]

Only slightly askew from the thread--my grandmother lived with us and did most of the cooking. She had several knives with worn-down blades she'd inherited from her grandma--we're looiking at early to mid 19th century. You could cut yourself just looking at them from across the kitchen. Only sharpening I ever saw her do was a swipe each way across the top edge of a ceramic bowl. All of her old bowls had unglazed rims, and were worn down from a hundred years or so of blade whetting.

 

[oink]

I mostly agree with chief38 but I'm a bit more liberal I guess.

I have a Wustoff 10+" chef I bought in 72 or 73 when I doing restaurant work. I bought it along with Wustoff paring and utility knives. I still have the big chef knife but the others wandered off. The big chef got a lot of use back in the day. However for most home use it's really too big.

I also have a cheaper stamped German steel chef knife 8". I think it's a Henckle but the name is worn off now. It's the one my wife ruined in the sink and dishwasher. I crudely replaced the handle with some scrap teak I had and it gets used more than the 10". Being thin stamped steel it sharpens easily and for many users that is an advantage. I can almost always bring it back to life with a steel.

The kitchen knife that gets the most use is Japanese knife I bought at a Japanese department store in Honolulu also in the early 70s. It's a chef style with what was probably a 7" stamped blade. It's a little shorter now. It's always sharpened easily and holds an edge well. It's been in steady use by me, my wife or my mother for over 50 years. For most home use it's a very handy size for 90% of tasks. I don't know the brand but the blade is etched or stamped New stain T 60 along with some flower and fan designs. My ex even used it when she worked in restaurants in the 70s.

I also have a 6+ inch stamped blade utility knife that I've found to be good. I think I got it in a thrift store. It says Hoffritz by LamsonSharp USA. It's a good knife.

When you can find them Wustoff makes cheap stamped, molded on plastic handled paring/utility knives that are modestly priced. They hold an edge well and sharpen easily. They are very handy to have around. I don't consider them disposable but are more like brake pads. You eventually use the up. I need to find some more. It's good to have several around. They double as steak knives if you aren't trying to look fancy. I bought my son and DIL fancy Wustoff steak knives but for me I don't care.

I do appreciate good knives. I do have a fairly substantial set of Wustoff Classics with block and bought my son a similar set along with a very nice set of stones appropriately sized for the larger kitchen knives. I think he's finally learned how to use the stones properly.

But I use the cheap repaired stamped Henckel and the New stain Japanese knife I've had for 50 years and the plastic handled stamped Wustoff paring knives way more than my fancy set.

When I need a cleaver I reach for my chinese cleaver. It's one piece handle and blade. I think it was forged or perhaps just stamped out while soft or maybe even cast. What little I can read that's in English says Made in Hong Kong. It works well and holds an edge well cutting through bone and frozen stuff even though it's fairly thin. If left unoiled it will darn near flash rust. I was the chef in a place in Wailuku for a very short time that was previously a Chinese Restaurant. I found it wedged in some timbers of the single wall structure kitchen. It works.

I do appreciate good German steel but that's not all there is that works well.

 

[StrawHat]

My take on knives may be a little different from some. The steel used in the blade is of very little concern to me as long as the knife is made by a reputable firm. If it takes me more than 2-3 minutes to put an edge on a kitchen knife, it was blunt, not dull!

I tell my customers, the most important part of any knife is NOT the blade. It is the handle. If you pick up a knife and is not comfortable in your hand, put it down. You will not use it well and you will never “get used to it”!

That is why companies have a variety of handle shapes, sizes and materials. To allow customers to find what fits them best.

Wusthof knives are still excellent. Henckels is still trying to catch Wusthof but the Henckels International knives that were made in Spain are excellent.

Sabatier knives are great, if you find the right ones. There are websites devoted to explaining the offenses between the various Sabatier companies.

Shun, Global and even Milano produce fine knives.

In this country, I often recommend Lampson Sharp. They offer many styles of handles. CutCo and Warther are popular but the handles don’t work in my hand.

It all boils down to the handle which is why it is difficult to buy knives for someone else.

Kevin

Forgot to mention Victorinox! They now have a line of black handled, three rivet knives that rival the Germans for quality but at less cost.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Occasionally we buy Kitchen Knives as Wedding Presents if the couple asks for it. So we buy what they want on their Wish List.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I use this for just about everything except carving a turkey. Have always been partial to a smaller blade-what people used to call a bird/trout knife. I can make do with one of these and a 6" flexible filet knife.

SANI-SAFE(R) 41/2” Cut and Gut Knife, Blade and Spoon S133-4PCP W/SPOON | Dexter Russell – Dexter-Russell
Hell, a pair of cheap game shears and a SAK is all I use for ducks

 

[pawngal]

Only slightly askew from the thread--my grandmother lived with us and did most of the cooking. She had several knives with worn-down blades she'd inherited from her grandma--we're looiking at early to mid 19th century. You could cut yourself just looking at them from across the kitchen. Only sharpening I ever saw her do was a swipe each way across the top edge of a ceramic bowl. All of her old bowls had unglazed rims, and were worn down from a hundred years or so of blade whetting.

My Mother and grandmother did the same. I have my mother's old butcher knife and my grandmother's crock bowl. Old school still works!

 

[80sgyrene]

I have had nothing but good experiences with my Mercers, and they are very reasonably priced.

 

[DWalt]

The entire time we have been married we have owned only a motley assortment of mid-range and cheap unmatched kitchen knives of various designs and blade lengths. Around 15 of them. Never had need for anything better. My personal kitchen favorite for general slicing and cutting is a 5" blade Buck hunting knife with a molded rubber handle. Not a typical kitchen knife but I like it. My wife's favorite is a commercial butcher knife with a plain but wicked-looking 12" carbon steel blade and wood scale grips. Could have easily come from a butcher shop. It really holds a sharp edge and will slice through anything. I believe it came from a yard sale many years ago.

 

[Road Rat]

I notice no one mentioned CUTCO. I have used them for years. They are easy to keep sharpe with the ceramic sticks. Serrated are sent in annually for free rebuild at the factory.