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Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 3:38:53 AM   
LafayetteLady


Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Northern New Jersey
Status: offline 		I have never had, and always wanted some good knives. I have a second hand Henckel (sp?) steak knife that I use for basically all cutting right now. But I want a couple decent knives. I certainly can't afford a whole block of really good knives (no matter how much I want them, lol), so I figure I need at least a good chef's knife but not sure what other types.

So....anyone have any advice?
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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 5:31:06 AM   
Hillwilliam


Posts: 19394
Joined: 8/27/2008
Status: offline 		Look into getting good quality Cinese style cleaver. http://www.metrokitchen.com/product/KE-DM0712 They're very multipurpose. cut veggies, debone, chop, peel garlic, you name it.
Another possibility as a great knife a well as conversation piece is an ulu. http://ulu.com/

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 8:58:21 AM   
jlf1961


Posts: 14840
Joined: 6/10/2008
From: Somewhere Texas
Status: offline 		I have a F. Dick 11 Piece Chef Knife Set from my days as a professional cook. They run about 400 bucks, but they are great knives.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 10:23:22 AM   
SeekingTrinity


Posts: 1834
Joined: 5/29/2012
From: The 'burbs of Portland, OR
Status: offline 		~FRing it~

Skip the block. I invested in 5 high quality knives that take care of every need I have in the kitchen: chef's knife (I prefer at least an 8" blade), serrated knife, cleaver, filet knife, and paring knife. If you dont do a lot of fileting or detail work, you can skip the filet and paring knives on the list. Pick up a good pair of kitchen shears and you are good to go.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 10:41:26 AM   
DomKen


Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline 		The 2 really necessary knives for kitchen use are a chef's knife and a paring knife. The secret to get them at a good price is buy them at a restaurant supply shop (most are open to the public and prices are much ower than other retail sources). You will be better off with a full tang forged blade over a stamped one.

Also kitchen shears are a great and inexpensive addition. Get a pair that comes apart for ease of cleaning.

for instance
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/victorinox-8-chef-knife-w-fibrox-handle/35340520.html

< Message edited by DomKen -- 4/19/2013 10:44:02 AM >

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 10:41:55 AM   
MasterCaneman


Posts: 3842
Joined: 3/21/2013
Status: offline 		Go to the Cutco website. US made, and probably the best knives out there for the price. My mom bought a set in 1964 and they're still going strong, plus if they ever need sharpening, you can send them back to the factory and they'll bring 'em back to OEM sharpness.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 11:33:37 AM   
ARIES83


Posts: 3648
Status: offline 		Hill,
I like the Ulu!

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 2:16:30 PM   
DesFIP


Posts: 25191
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline 		Personally I like a block because when I reach into a drawer full of sharp objects, my natural klutziness comes to the fore.

However, find a restaurant supply house in your area and try out what they have for balance in your hand.

Mostly I use a chef's knife and a paring. But after that is a cleaver primarily used for sweet potatoes, and then a good bread knife.

Mine are going on forty years now and are Wusthofs. Just make sure they fit your hand and that their carbon steel so you can sharpen them or get them sharpened. Stainless can't be sharpened.

And remember, you're more likely to hurt yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 3:18:07 PM   
DomKen


Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: DesFIP

Personally I like a block because when I reach into a drawer full of sharp objects, my natural klutziness comes to the fore.

I don't like blocks and never put knives in a drawer. I got a magnetic strip, from a restaurant supply shop, and put it up on the wall. All my knives are in easy reach, the points never bang against anything, and I don't risk my fingers.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 3:53:32 PM   
FrostedFlake


Posts: 3084
Joined: 3/4/2009
From: Centralia, Washington
Status: offline 		Beware the hollow grind.

My sister has a hollow ground french knife. I used it to dice potatoes last time I was there. I could not believe how difficult that knife made this very simple job. That it was razor sharp just made things worse. I had to literally peel bits of spud off the knife, because the hollow surface caused a suction cup like sticktion. I feel lucky to have gotten away with all my fingers, fiddling with it that much. She didn't know what I was talking about, considered the problem 'normal'. My french knife has flat sides. Potatoes don't stick to it.

The proper way to USE a french knife is probably worth mention. You keep the edge in contact with the board. You lift the rear, slide the veggie under, then bring it down sharply. The idea is to get a rhythmic rocking motion. The curve of the blade has to be smooth, else the rock won't roll. If that happens, get rid of the knife. It will never work right. The grip on the veggie is very important. You arrange your fingers so that the nails are what the blade hits, if the blade hits anything. This way, you don't get bloody bits in your dinner.

Here is Gordon showing what I meant.

Here is Chris with a quick tutorial about using Shears to Butterfly a Chicken.

Here is Martin showing how to debone a chicken using a cleaver. He does not chop even once.

Here is something you should never, ever do with a knife, unless you are really, very, good.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 6:19:43 PM   
littlewonder


Posts: 15659
Status: offline 		My daughter loves to cook and she has some really expensive knives. She has taken chef classes at her college for awhile and learned all about knives and such. Let me ask her what she feels are the best and I'll get back to you. She needs to let me know anyway so I can start making a list for her birthday and Christmas gifts.


ETA: Ok, she just said that her favorite are Kyocera knives. Apparently they are a ceramic knife, light but yet extremely strong and sharp. The only downside though is that you have to sharpen them with a a diamond wheel. Or you can send the knives to Kyocera for sharpening.



< Message edited by littlewonder -- 4/19/2013 6:42:06 PM >

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/19/2013 7:58:06 PM   
LafayetteLady


Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Northern New Jersey
Status: offline 		Thanks lw, that would be great.

I know some of the better names in knives. I also know they are out of my price range. I'm very familiar with Cutco knives, but not terribly impressed with them. Might be the hard sell of their representatives, though.

I do really like the Henckel steak knife I have been using for everything, but not sure if I can really afford a whole set of those.

Des, I have no room on my counter top for the block. I literally have about 18" on either side of my sink, with the fridge at one end and the stove at the other. I have a galley kitchen. Actually, my whole place is small, but it has a comfortable living room and bedroom, so I "forgive" it for the kitchen, lol. Anyway, so no block for me.

I'm actually planning on using some gift cards that I have for Kohl's to get the knives. These are the ones I have been looking at:

J.A. Henckels International Eversharp 3 pc. Knife Set
Obviously, the Henckel that is working for me now (although a steak knife) is what drew me to these.

Another 3 Piece set

I really like this set, but that whole "Food Network" brand makes me wonder about quality.

The only carbon steel they had

Ok, now these are carbon steel, but with a non stick coating (which I find weird) and of course, they are by Paula Deen, so again, I wonder about the whole brand quality thing.

Page of Knives I'm looking at

They have a Ginsu block set that is affordable, and another of carbon steel coated ones that have a holder.

I just don't know, damn it! Some are only available on line, so I can't even go to the store and check them out.



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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 7:39:16 AM   
DomKen


Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline 		Stainless steel knives can be sharpedned the edge just does not last as long.

Blades that claim they never need sharpening are serrated which is pretty much the worst thing you can have for most tasks.

Of the knife sets on that page this is the one I'd recommend
http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-868786/chicago-cutlery-metropolitan-3-pc-knife-set.jsp
Chicago Cutlery has a good reputation


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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 8:17:57 AM   
LafayetteLady


Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Northern New Jersey
Status: offline 		Thanks!

That's actually very affordable, and I hadn't even looked at that set for some reason. I knew I didn't want serrated knives, I've had them in the past, and they suck unless you are cutting bread.

Soo....are all sharpeners the same?

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 8:57:01 AM   
DomKen


Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: LafayetteLady
Soo....are all sharpeners the same?

There are a lot of things called sharpeners.

The tool you'll want at first is a honing steel like this:
http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1189849/presto-8-in-diamond-sharpening-steel.jsp

That will keep your knife edge "sharp" for quite a while. Simply use it before every time you use the knife (video). When that stops working you'll need to actually sharpen the knife which, IMO, is best done by a professional. At least around here farmer's markets usually have a guy who sharpens knives.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 11:28:42 AM   
MercTech


Posts: 3706
Joined: 7/4/2006
Status: offline 		Chicago Cutlery makes a decent line of knives and very affordable.
Henkels makes the high end of the cutlery spectrum.

Beware of serrated knives as they require specialty tools to sharpen. The only serrated one I own is a bread knife.
A good butcher's steel is a godsend for keeping knives sharp. The diamond ones require cleaning but the steel ones just need wiping down with oil on a rag to prevent rust. (Yes, use edible oils on knives.. think about it.)

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 2:40:05 PM   
shallowdeep


Posts: 343
Joined: 9/1/2006
From: California
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: littlewonder
Ok, she just said that her favorite are Kyocera knives. Apparently they are a ceramic knife, light but yet extremely strong and sharp. The only downside though is that you have to sharpen them with a a diamond wheel. Or you can send the knives to Kyocera for sharpening.

I have a couple of ceramic Kyocera knives. I'm pretty happy with them, but they do have downsides beyond the difficulty in resharpening. While the ceramic is "strong" in the sense of being resistant to compression, its not flexible in the same way steel can be, meaning it's easier to chip or break the knife blade. As a result, you can't use them to cut hard objects - frozen foods, meat with bones, even hard bread crusts are all off limits, so they aren't as versatile. You also need to avoid prying or twisting and probably shouldn't throw them into a drawer without a protective sheath. That said, they do have an extremely sharp edge that they retain for a long time and they are great for things like vegetables. I wouldn't call it a downside, but the sharp edge does mean you need to exercise a bit more care when using them than with most knives as it takes almost no pressure to cut yourself.

Like Hillwilliam, I like Chinese chef's knives. They're versatile, and the big blade is convenient for quickly scooping mounds of chopped stuff up from the board into a pan or wherever else you need it. Quite possibly atypical, so take it for the single data point that it is, but my one experience owning a Chicago Cutlery knife was mediocre.

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 4:29:33 PM   
angelikaJ


Posts: 8641
Joined: 6/22/2007
Status: offline 		For Christmas this year I got my brother a very nice Henckel's chef knife.

I purchased it at my local Marshall's

It cost $20.00.

Don't forget that type of store for things like knives and pans.



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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 7:39:55 PM   
LafayetteLady


Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Northern New Jersey
Status: offline 		I knew that about Henckels, which was why I was looking at those to begin with.

As I said earlier, I HATE serrated knifes for anything but slicing bread, rolls, english muffins and the like.

I used to have a butcher's steel (my dad was a butcher), but lost it in one of many moves. I loved watching him whip the knife back and forth on Thanksgiving. Took me years to learn how to do it, since if you do it incorrectly, you can dull the blade rather than sharpen it. I'll never be able to go that fast, but I can at least do it correctly.

So that is better than one of those sharpeners on your counter top?

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RE: Knife Advice - 4/20/2013 7:41:52 PM   
LafayetteLady


Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Northern New Jersey
Status: offline 		Yea, my life really isn't conducive to a *breakable* knife, and I thought they might have some limitations. Of course, according to my son, I shouldn't be allowed near sharp objects since I'm a bit clumsy with them, but as they say, it is easier to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one.

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