knives

[Ken Gargett]

as anyone who knows a serious chef can attest, they treat their knives with a reverence that plenty don't extend to their families. 

for kitchen cooks, a good knife or set of knives is also pretty important. i do a lot of cooking at home and have a set from Global that have performed well. i use a sharpening stone after every single time i have used any of them, no matter what for. 

recently looked to 'upgrade'.

from Kamikoto in Honshu, Japan, a set of three - Kanpeki (vegie knife, slicing knife and a small utility), plus a 13 inch yanagiba (just need to start catching some big fish). yet to arrive. 

the reports i could find were extremely positive but who knows how genuine some of those things are. 

wondering if anyone familiar with these knives and if so, thoughts? 

and what knives do you guys use? 

[99call]

I find Zwilling Henckels Four Star to be a really good workhorse of a set. Get the 15ys ago and although heavily used, they are in really good shape. Solid and nicely weighted.   In addition to that my brother got me a beautiful Shigegi Tanaka 3D  knife for my Birthday last year. Absolutely love it. And it's a thing of beauty to boot

[RDB]

Well, obviously Japanese steel is the way to go.

I don't know those specific knives Ken. But it is a bit worrying that they don't specify the steel used - 'Honshu' could mean anything! Looks like a single layer stainless of some kind, so not really a high-end design. Call me a sceptic, but I don't like the feel of the site. Big 'discounts', focus on sets, glitzy.

My personal preference is for a three layer knife with a high speed steel core. I like a trad Western design, so a Gyuto for just about everything. Whilst a snazzy appearance (e.g. Damascus) is nice, I would rather pay for other things than the decoration. And you pay the same for tiny artisanal workshop knives as you do for big brands.

My favourite knife at the moment is a 210mm Takamura Gyuto with R2 core: https://www.japaneseknifecompany.com/knives/western-knives/aka-r2-high-speed-collection/aka-r2-gyuto-2-sizes.html

It is insanely sharp and holds its edge exceptionally well. It's a light design with thin blade, so not really suitable for a pro kitchen. But then I'm a hobby cook rather than a professional. It's like having a long hard razor in my hand, and a total pleasure to work with. 

One v important thing is that almost every knife arrives sharp. The question is how well it holds its edge, and how effectively you keep it sharp. For edge retention your chopping block matters (no plastic) and so does storage (no bashing around in a drawer, no metal to metal contact). Whetstone is by far the best sharpening  method - nothing else is close.

I used to use Globals all the time, and have an old set (they subsequently changed the steel) which are still my knock around kitchen knives. Have you had them re-ground to restore the shape and edge? That can really help.

Nerd out on knives!

R

 

[Fuzz]

Ken, please tell me you didn't actually buy those? They are not Japanese made, they are made in China from Japanese steel. Most of the reviews floating around are fake.

For the price they are offering (the RRP they state before the huge discount is bogus), you could get better steel.

[benfica_77]

Get proper Japanese steel Ken! Go with shun with a western style handle for better comfort. I have this set since I do enjoy to cook and it was a great investment. They key is to either have them sharpened by a professional in town or get some wet stones and learn to do it properly yourself. I recommend this 3 knife set. 

https://shun.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/classic-3-piece-starter-set

[prodigy]

I have a yoshimitsu gyuto, but it's not stainless so I rarely use it. Lots of upkeep on carbon.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[RDB]

5 minutes ago, prodigy said:

yoshimitsu

Tasty

[cfc1016]

I'm a Wusthof man, though i admittedly am due for a new set. Moving around a lot has forced me to seriously downsize my collections of anything (except cigars, of course) over the years.

[Colt45]

8 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

i use a sharpening stone after every single time i have used any of them, no matter what for. 

just curious - you sharpen them every time you use them?

[teewinot]

New West Knife Works. 

Awesome knives and gorgeous as well.  All I’ve used for years

[DeskSmkr]

Curious to hear more once they arrive. Will you get on without a standard shape chef knife? Or did I misinterpret?

I looked for your set online and don’t know anything about it, do yours have the single edge grind or are both sides of the edge sharpened? I think for your 13” slicer it would be single side almost certainly.

I’m using a 4” Shun paring made by Kai in Seki city Japan, with VG-10 core - have no interest in changing it out for anything else, save the occasional thought to have the same knife a bit shorter. And this 4” works as a utility knife for me too, so it is two knives in one; the length is usually quite useful.

My 8” chef knife is sentimental and has been in the family since the late 70’s or early 80’s - a reasonably priced professional kitchen chef knife by Russel Green River Works, high carbon (mostly stainless, I did accidentally form a spot of rust once) 8” chef, hard steel. It is a workhorse.  I think the edge needs professional services at this point to thin it  and the wooden handle is cracked and beaten from mistreatment (as received.) This knife gets sharp and stays sharp enough as well. I want to thin the edge though to improve it.

The shun is incredible, it gets so sharp it is surprising every time I use it, and I’ve had it for a few years. It gets used weekly almost every day. (4” paring DM-0716)

I’d like to add a newer chef knife with a taller clearance to the cutting board at a slight angle with the heel raised from parallel, and am also deliberating on trying the next size larger, a 240mm or 9.5” or 10”, or maybe go an entirely different direction with a nakiri.  

I’m testing out a cleaver to mock test a nakiri, and a santoku to see if I warm up to them but the 8” chef and 4” paring are perfect. I dont eat unsliced bread, and I’m not civilized enough to care, I’d just tear it if the need arose. The two knives are adequate, and yes I cook frequently.

The ceramics I’ve tried are very sharp and somehow mine don’t bite into tomatoes and peppers as well as a sharp steel knife.  Perhaps some ceramics are better than others. I also feel like I might break the knife and don't use them to crush garlic, so I shy away from them in favor if steel.

[CaptainQuintero]

  Always tried to support local and there's still a few small firms/workshops in Sheffield who produce high quality carbon/stainless steel who make individual pieces or sets etc that have character opposed to mass produced stuff. Not many but those that have survived/been reborn live up to the reputation 

  It's always nice to have a go to/favourite tool be it for the kitchen/fishing/everyday that has real personality. You can, but you don't always have to break the bank to get quality either

https://www.ferrabyknives.co.uk/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

http://www.s-staniforth.co.uk/hunting-tactical-and-survival-knives/117-british-army-clasp-knife.html#/78-type-3_piece

http://www.s-staniforth.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR0rci9oz6p0CsqfmmNl70AN5K6mXW6Hh-oAgTa1EO__3qgjnjh_hNt_2IE

  I think if you can find something local that has passion put in, you can't loose

 

[Frozen North]

I love to cook. I only use Wusthof knives in my kitchen.

[Wookie]

I've been a hi-end amateur cook for about 29 years. I own A bunch of Japanese knives with the shimmering faces, also the high carbon knives..the ones that require oil after every use,etc. I love them all, but I always gravitate back to my german workhorses...Henkel, wusthof, etc.. They stay sharp, don't chip, havea beautiful hand weight, and require no maintenance other than the stone every few months.  I also stick to the 8" chef knife mostly... my 10" are beautiful but unless you are doing line duty on 50lb potato sacks' onions, etc hey are overkill for home kitchen. Plus they take forever to sharpen. 

[Ken Gargett]

learning lots. 

colt, i do the regular sharpening though often little more than perfunctory especially if the use has been minimal. more an exercise in discipline (years ago, i may have let this slip to the detriment of the knives - not that they were high quality in the first place).

fuzz, fully aware of the china origins. and also of the way the discounts work - some advantage going direct of course, rather than a heap of middlemen - but they start with an arbitrary figure to start with of course. 

these fit in to some 'gaps' in what i have so worth looking at. and i realise at these prices, not getting rolls royce knives, but i do think they'll suit. i'll let you know. 

[The Squiggler]

11 hours ago, benfica_77 said:

Get proper Japanese steel Ken! Go with shun with a western style handle for better comfort. I have this set since I do enjoy to cook and it was a great investment. They key is to either have them sharpened by a professional in town or get some wet stones and learn to do it properly yourself. I recommend this 3 knife set. 

https://shun.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/classic-3-piece-starter-set

I love my Shun knives...

one of the best investments I've made for the kitchen.  Hollow ground santoku will be the next addition... I already have a Henckel santoku so I've been putting it off, but every time I use it I find myself wishing it was a Shun.  I'd also like to acquire a matching sashimi knife, but haven't found one for a reasonable price yet...

[Ken Gargett]

Just now, The Squiggler said:

I love my Shun knives...

one of the best investments I've made for the kitchen.  Hollow ground santoku will be the next addition... I already have a Henckel santoku so I've been putting it off, but every time I use it I find myself wishing it was a Shun.  I'd also like to acquire a matching sashimi knife, but haven't found one for a reasonable price yet...

that is, of course, also key - i would struggle to justify the prices of some of the top end pointy knives. understand you'll get increased performance but as yet, i'm not in the camp that is comfortable with that.

if i transpose it to wines, i fully understand someone paying high prices for what would be, for many, a fractional increase in quality. personally, would not hesitate. similar for spirits. for knives, not yet. but understand those that do. may be these will give me the incentive. 

[The Squiggler]

2 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

that is, of course, also key - i would struggle to justify the prices of some of the top end pointy knives. understand you'll get increased performance but as yet, i'm not in the camp that is comfortable with that.

if i transpose it to wines, i fully understand someone paying high prices for what would be, for many, a fractional increase in quality. personally, would not hesitate. similar for spirits. for knives, not yet. but understand those that do. may be these will give me the incentive. 

Absolutely, whether it's wine or knives or cigars, it's a matter of how much pleasure and/or utility you derive from the extra money spent in every case.  I still like a good bargain though.  I buy most of my knives on eBay when I can find them for 50-60% MSRP

[Colt45]

17 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

i do the regular sharpening though often little more than perfunctory especially if the use has been minimal.

KG, the reason I ask is that sharpening removes a bit of the metal each time, whereas using a steel just straightens the edge.

As an aside, for tomatoes I use a serrated bread knife.

[Ken Gargett]

Just now, Colt45 said:

KG, the reason I ask is that sharpening removes a bit of the metal each time, whereas using a steel just straightens the edge.

As an aside, for tomatoes I use a serrated bread knife.

really interesting idea for the tomatos. definitely giving it a try. 

[Wookie]

Serrated are great for tomatoes but if your chef knives are properly sharp you won't need serrated. In fact, that's the mark of a properly sharpened knife. 

[The Squiggler]

12 hours ago, benfica_77 said:

either have them sharpened by a professional in town or get some wet stones and learn to do it properly yourself.

and yes, this is essential.  You don't want to run knives like these through a grinder.  The steel is very hard so they don't really wear down that much/fast.  I use a 6000 grit whetstone followed by 10000 grit diamond paste on a block-mounted strop and they stay razor sharp. 

[Colt45]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

really interesting idea for the tomatos. definitely giving it a try. 

Nothing fancy - utilitarian, like pots and pans.

[FatherOfPugs]

My first dive into really higher end knives, a Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Santoku. Just got it last week. I had been a big German knife fan, as all my other knives were high end Wusthof, but I wanted to try a Japanese steel knife. Wow, this thing is amazing! Cut veggies so finely and sliced through meat cuts with ease. I will be adding more to my collection as time goes on.

[spicycorona]

My main chefs knife is a Tanaka Ironwood 240mm Gyuto. It's also SG2 powdered steel. I cook all the time at home and its been my workhorse for 7 years. I love the western handle with the Japanese steel. It's perfectly balanced and fits my hand perfectly.

 I also use a Shun boning knife that is ridiculously sharp. I use Shapton Glasstones for sharpening and a ceramic honer for maintenance. Ive been looking for the right pairing knife.