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Best Kitchen Knives-Buy Once, Cry Once budget Login/Join 
Baroque Bloke
Picture of Pipe Smoker
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
<snip>
As far as kitchen knives, you only need 3:
  • 8" to 10" chef's knife, 7" santoku, or 6.5" Nakiri
  • 3" to 4" Paring knife
  • 8" to 10" Serrated Bread knife
    <snip>

  • I’d add a 5 or 6 inch utility/boning knife to that list. I have a US-made Chicago Cutlery 62S that I use more often than any of my other knives.



    Serious about crackers
     
    Posts: 9625 | Location: San Diego | Registered: July 26, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    Picture of 229DAK
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by tatortodd:
    As far as kitchen knives, you only need 3:
  • 8" to 10" chef's knife, 7" santoku, or 6.5" Nakiri
  • 3" to 4" Paring knife
  • 8" to 10" Serrated Bread knife

  • tatertodd's on point. Here's my $0.02 based on working as a cooking school chef's assistant:

    To start, spend your money on a good all-around 8" chef's knife - that is the mainstay of a chef. DON'T get the "hollow-ground" blades. They say that they reduce friction and keep slices from sticking - BS. I have one of these knives and every slice of a potato sticks to the blade. Additionally, if you keep that knife a long time and sharp, you will eventually wear down the blade to the point you get into the hollows, weakening the blade. I have seen a few of these worn down knives at our school.

    Get a decent paring knife, but I wouldn't spend a lot of money on them. They can sometimes get swept away into the trash or lost. Same for the bread knife - look into an offset bread knife to save your knuckles. They can be sharpened with a fine rattail file, if necessary, but you don't need to spend a lot of money on one.

    After that, look into what other needs you have for knives as time goes on.

    My personal favorite is Shun.


    _________________________________________________________________________
    “A man’s treatment of a dog is no indication of the man’s nature, but his treatment of a cat is. It is the crucial test. None but the humane treat a cat well.”
    -- Mark Twain, 1902
     
    Posts: 9355 | Location: Northern Virginia | Registered: November 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by TMats:
    quote:
    Originally posted by Skins2881:
    The only knife you actually need. After that, I'd start here.

    I'm a Henckel fanboy though...

    We don’t have the Santoku knife that Skins recommends, but we’ve had a set of the Henckels Professional “S” series knives for quite a few years now. Quality, cost, edge retention and sharpenability (if that’s a word). Hard to beat


    You have no idea on what you're missing. A 7" Santoku is an awesome knife for a lot of purposes. It blows away a chef's knife with veggies and is on par with a chef's knife for everything else. You really should get one......for Christmas and all!
     
    Posts: 21421 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Move Up or
    Move Over
    posted Hide Post
    I'm with 229DAK, the hollow ground style knives don't work for me. I use a 10" chef knife for 80% of my cutting.

    I'm trying to talk a custom blade maker into building a nice boning knife for me. I use that second most in the kitchen but I do a lot of custom meats and charcuterie.

    Knife #3 is a Dalstrong Shogun 12" slicing knife. It is used for brisket and when I cook a whole tenderloin or rib roast. It stays in my gun safe to prevent anyone from accidentally using it.

    If it can't be done with one of those 3, I don't do it.
     
    Posts: 4954 | Location: middle Tennessee | Registered: October 28, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    Picture of Beanhead
    posted Hide Post
    Cutco. I have had my set since 1990. I send the set every 5 years. They sharpen every knife and even replaced a few over the years. All for free.

    Literally buy once, cry once budget.
     
    Posts: 1371 | Location: Georgia | Registered: May 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    california
    tumbles into the sea
    posted Hide Post
    I keep my Spyderco Z-cut around for the odd steak / prime rib cutting duties. Pointed tip, serrated for me. Great gifts.
     
    Posts: 10665 | Location: NV | Registered: July 04, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    Picture of whododat
    posted Hide Post
    I just ordered a Zwilling J.A. Henckels TWIN Signature 19 Piece Knife Block Set after reading this. I was looking at the smaller set but the wife asked why not get the bigger set. Who am I to argue?
    Looking forward to our first real quality set.


    Because son, it is what you are supposed to do.
     
    Posts: 1866 | Location: Escaped to TN | Registered: October 29, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Telecom Ronin
    Picture of dewhorse
    posted Hide Post
    A lot of great choices mentioned, one that was not mentioned is a small 4-5" fillet knife. I picked a cheap finnish one up in walmart years ago and it is one if my favorites.

    Shun knives are beautiful but a little too delicate for me. I have one of their pairing knives and the handle just fits and it stays razor sharp well but it tends to get divots/chips in the blade easiest.

    I am moving from mostly Heinkels to Victronox (sp). Good steel and I like their fibrox handles.
     
    Posts: 8301 | Location: Back in NE TX ....to stay | Registered: February 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Alea iacta est
    Picture of Beancooker
    posted Hide Post
    My current go to in the kitchen is a Shun Santuko. I almost bought this knife last year when we were in Kirkland. I wish I had. I’ll be ordering it sometime in the near future I hope.

    https://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=93725



    quote:
    Originally posted by sigmonkey:
    I'd fly to Turks and Caicos with live ammo falling out of my pockets before getting within spitting distance of NJ with a firearm.
    The “lol” thread
     
    Posts: 4468 | Location: Staring down at you with disdain, from the spooky mountaintop castle.  | Registered: November 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    member
    Picture of henryaz
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by senza nome:
    Is your wife going to use them? ... If so you're probably wasting your money. Eek

    Yeah, I gave up buying good knives (Wusthoff mostly), couldn't keep them sharp. I have a couple of good ones stashed away for the rare times I need to prepare food. She buys her own now, name brands but cheaper ones, and when they're dull she buys another set.



    When in doubt, mumble
     
    Posts: 10887 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    Picture of myrottiety
    posted Hide Post
    I'm a big fan of my globals. I like they are one piece handle & blade. No seams for bacteria or water to get into. Super hard steel. Light weight and fit my hands well.




    Train how you intend to Fight

    Remember - Training is not sparring. Sparring is not fighting. Fighting is not combat.
     
    Posts: 8965 | Location: Woodstock, GA | Registered: August 04, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Needs a bigger boat
    Picture of CaptainMike
    posted Hide Post
    Shun "Premier"s are my favorite knife line, I use their 7" Santoku for 90% of my cutting, my wife prefers the 5" Santoku, the 7" is fairly hefty for a Japanese blade, I use it for everything but chopping bone, I have an antique butcher's cleaver for that.



    MOO means NO! Be the comet!
     
    Posts: 2769 | Location: The Tidewater. VCOA. | Registered: June 24, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by dewhorse:
    Shun knives are beautiful but a little too delicate for me. I have one of their pairing knives and the handle just fits and it stays razor sharp well but it tends to get divots/chips in the blade easiest.

    You're using your knives incorrectly if you're getting divots & chips. Chopping should be reserved for cleavers and robust chef knives. Shun's are Japanese knives, which have a greater bevel angle in their blades than Western knives, their blades are going to be thinner.
     
    Posts: 15149 | Location: Wine Country | Registered: September 20, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Little ray
    of sunshine
    Picture of jhe888
    posted Hide Post
    The Henckels professional knives are very good.

    The Shuns are good.

    Global makes a nice knife.

    For good at a lower price, Mercer has some good choices.

    There are good Japanese knives, but I am less familiar with them. I generally prefer a western chef to the Japanese shapes, but that is because it is what I am used to, so my technique is built around a western chef.

    The Kramer-licensed knives are good. (A real Kramer is better, but those are out-of-reach expensive.)

    Sorry guys, but Cutco are not good. They have a good guaranty, but the knives themselves are middle of the road, at best, and way overpriced.




    The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything.
     
    Posts: 53368 | Location: Texas | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Lawyers, Guns
    and Money
    Picture of chellim1
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Sorry guys, but Cutco are not good. They have a good guaranty, but the knives themselves are middle of the road, at best, and way overpriced.

    Yeah...
    My Mom bought a Cutco set in 1962, before she was married, and still uses them. She paid a fortune for them, as a percentage of her income at the time. I think she had to make time payments. She still has the receipt. It must have made an impression.
    But I guess she got her money's worth.



    "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible."
    -- Justice Janice Rogers Brown

    "The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth."
    -rduckwor
     
    Posts: 24782 | Location: St. Louis, MO | Registered: April 03, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Big Stack
    posted Hide Post
    I was at Costco yesterday. Cutco or a dealer had a table pitching these, and I handled one of them. It struck me as a cheap stamped knife. No bolster, didn't look forged. And the prices were beyond what good German forged knives go for.

    No thank you.

    quote:
    Originally posted by Beanhead:
    Cutco. I have had my set since 1990. I send the set every 5 years. They sharpen every knife and even replaced a few over the years. All for free.

    Literally buy once, cry once budget.

    This message has been edited. Last edited by: BBMW,
     
    Posts: 21240 | Registered: November 05, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Little ray
    of sunshine
    Picture of jhe888
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by BBMW:
    I was at Costco yesterday. Cutco or a dealer had a table pitching these, and I handled one of them. It struck me as a cheap stamped knife. No bolster, didn't look forged. And the prices were beyond what good German forged knives go for.

    No thank you.

    quote:
    Originally posted by Beanhead:
    Cutco. I have had my set since 1990. I send the set every 5 years. They sharpen every knife and even replaced a few over the years. All for free.

    Literally buy once, cry once budget.


    Cutco are laser cut, and not forged. Forging is a sign of a better knife, but there are good knives made out of bar stock too.

    Cutco doesn't say what kind of steel they use, which is a sign they aren't proud of it. Some think it is 440A, which is the bare minimum for stainless steel knives. I can't say, but it could be 440A - my wife has one or two of them, and they act like 440A.

    Great guaranty, mediocre knives at a high price. You can do much better for less money.




    The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything.
     
    Posts: 53368 | Location: Texas | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Lawyers, Guns
    and Money
    Picture of chellim1
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by jimmy123x:
    quote:
    Originally posted by TMats:
    quote:
    Originally posted by Skins2881:
    The only knife you actually need. After that, I'd start here.

    I'm a Henckel fanboy though...

    We don’t have the Santoku knife that Skins recommends, but we’ve had a set of the Henckels Professional “S” series knives for quite a few years now. Quality, cost, edge retention and sharpenability (if that’s a word). Hard to beat

    You have no idea on what you're missing. A 7" Santoku is an awesome knife for a lot of purposes. It blows away a chef's knife with veggies and is on par with a chef's knife for everything else. You really should get one......for Christmas and all!

    Guess what I bought today?
    For Christmas and all! Smile

    Our "go-to" for most vegetables has been the ZWILLING Professional S 5-inch Serrated Utility Knife, but I'm looking forward to the Santoku!

    https://www.zwilling.com/us/zw...fessional-s#start=10



    "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible."
    -- Justice Janice Rogers Brown

    "The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth."
    -rduckwor
     
    Posts: 24782 | Location: St. Louis, MO | Registered: April 03, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Ammoholic
    Picture of Skins2881
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by chellim1:
    Our "go-to" for most vegetables has been the ZWILLING Professional S 5-inch Serrated Utility Knife, but I'm looking forward to the Santoku!



    7"?

    It's my favorite knife I own. I use it for everything, like 95% of all knife use. The knife is the perfect balance of quality and price. Personally never even use one of the super duper high end ones, but I can't imagine what they could do better.

    Mine is beat to shit at the moment and needs sharpening, but still cuts better than most knives I use at friends and family's.

    Enjoy and Merry Christmas!



    Jesse

    Sic Semper Tyrannis
     
    Posts: 21281 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Lawyers, Guns
    and Money
    Picture of chellim1
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    7"?

    Yes, 7".
    Thanks for the recommendation and Merry Christmas!



    "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible."
    -- Justice Janice Rogers Brown

    "The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth."
    -rduckwor
     
    Posts: 24782 | Location: St. Louis, MO | Registered: April 03, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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