Kitchen Knives

[tb-av]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIv-5N0eqFU

Watch some of that guys vids.

Also check out the America's Test Kitchen episode on kitchen knives.

I have some old French knives and they are high carbon an don't hold edge but feel good and sharpen easily.

Well easily for me that is constantly learning how to sharpen a knife.

[hotrodder636]

OP—another question to answer is what is your basic budget? Wanting a “BCM” level of knife set can still set you back quite a bit.

Like others have said, figure out if you want Japanese or Western (German, French, American) style. Then figure out which blades you actually want. I find that I really only use my 7” Santoku and my slicer for just about everything. So you may not need a full ‘set’.

I have and prefer the Wusthof Ikon. The handle feels better, more ergonomic than the classic and I sharpen with my Wicked Edge Pro and they get more than plenty sharp for my uses.

[Adrenaline_6]

Thanks everyone for the insights. Lots of good info to chase down. Just what I was looking for.

On the cutting board side I am not so hip on wood due to cleaning? Can you put them through a dishwasher? Right now I have a lot of those high density molecular weight polymer ones. Are those OK on knife edges? They seem to actually be cut by the blade a little bit, so I assume they are softer than the blade, and not light glass or ceramic cutting boards.

The wood boards that are recommended for knives are called end-grain boards. They cost more and due to design need more maintenance (food grade mineral oil) or they can crack. A couple good options are the Hinoki boards (japanese cypress - I typoed Honyaki board earlier because I had knives on my mind - it is an old Japanese method of making blades - sorry for the confusion) I mentioned earlier or if you like synthetic material, you can use a Hi-Soft board.

Amazon sells both or specialty knife sites like the one I posted above will also sell them.

[Adrenaline_6]

When needed, if you are willing to put up with the sales pitch, you can request an in-home demo and sharpening, or, you can send them back to the factory and have them factory renewed for the cost of return shipping. My dad was a butcher, so he taught me how to use a steel to hone straight-edge knives, I use a Lansky to keep the serrated-edges sharp.

I do agree that it is probably best to put together your own set, rather than buy a pre-packaged one.

Yes, it is like going through a vacuum demo or a water filter demo. Ugh. The thing is they ask you for friends to contact after the fact and I refused to give him one name. I am not doing that to another friend. My friend who referred me thought he was doing me a favor because I am into knives. He isn't so he didn't know better.

I had fun though, they use a rope demo, knowing full well a serrated knife usually does better on rope compared to crappy kitchen knives that most people have. I just sharpened my knives the previous week. They went through that rope like butter...lol.

They also use a grape and use their serrated knife to cut it in fourths to show how sharp it is. I told him hold on, let me see that quarter of a grape, got my Ikkanshi Tadatsuna Wa-Gyoto and proceeded to cut the fourths in to tiny slivers. So much for that demo...sure...it was kind of a dick move, but that was the second unwelcomed demo that I had to go through and I wanted payback...lol.

[themonk]

I used to sell Cutco in college. Its a pyramid scam but you can make some good money once you train the next batch and you get a cut of their commissions. Cutco are not really serrated they just lift the cutting edge at a higher plane than the cutting surface to protect the edge. Works great for people that cut on their granite countertops or on plates and the edge is to touching that surface. They make a Trimmer utility knife that is excellent for wives that don't understand nice Japanese knives and they would chip them otherwise. Randomly their steak knives are also excellent. Their Chefs Knife is garbage.

[Adrenaline_6]

I used to sell Cutco in college. Its a pyramid scam but you can make some good money once you train the next batch and you get a cut of their commissions. Cutco are not really serrated they just lift the cutting edge at a higher plane than the cutting surface to protect the edge. Works great for people that cut on their granite countertops or on plates and the edge is to touching that surface. They make a Trimmer utility knife that is excellent for wives that don't understand nice Japanese knives and they would chip them otherwise. Randomly their steak knives are also excellent. Their Chefs Knife is garbage.

Their shears seem pretty good too. I already had the Shun heavy duty shears with the herb shears already or I would have considered it.

[themonk]

Their shears seem pretty good too. I already had the Shun heavy duty shears with the herb shears already or I would have considered it.

Their shears are probably the best product they make. Pricey but they will stand the test of time. Still using mine from the kit they give you.

[chef8489]

Yes, it is like going through a vacuum demo or a water filter demo. Ugh. The thing is they ask you for friends to contact after the fact and I refused to give him one name. I am not doing that to another friend. My friend who referred me thought he was doing me a favor because I am into knives. He isn't so he didn't know better.

I had fun though, they use a rope demo, knowing full well a serrated knife usually does better on rope compared to crappy kitchen knives that most people have. I just sharpened my knives the previous week. They went through that rope like butter...lol.

They also use a grape and use their serrated knife to cut it in fourths to show how sharp it is. I told him hold on, let me see that quarter of a grape, got my Ikkanshi Tadatsuna Wa-Gyoto and proceeded to cut the fourths in to tiny slivers. So much for that demo...sure...it was kind of a dick move, but that was the second unwelcomed demo that I had to go through and I wanted payback...lol.

Yep cutco knives are crap. The beats of the knife world.

[26 Inf]

The purists are trying not to gag...if you go with entry knives then use whatever you want as they ruin edges fast. High dollar kitchen knives deserve a true chopping block with the cutting surface grain up. They are huge pia to clean by hand & then follow up with board butter from time to time but do the knives well.

This is true. They are a PITA to do right. When I was a youngster I used to tag along and 'help' my dad refinish butcher blocks on weekends. I was trusted to do the paraffin mix treatment on the newly cut blocks.

[Adrenaline_6]

Yep cutco knives are crap. The beats of the knife world.

Yea...or the Bose of the Audiophile world. Great marketing though...I will give those companies that.