Good Kitchen Knives?

[Gameface]

Anyone here know much about kitchen knives?

I have a decent set of knives, sort of mid-range in price (about $80 per knife). They use the high carbon steel, feel good, all that. I try to get them professionally sharpened about once a year, other than that I just use the honing steel between professional sharpening.

Is there anything to be gained by going for even more expensive knives?

What are some good brands? What should I look for in a really good knife.

I'll say, going to the knives I have now vs really cheap knives was amazing. Made a huge difference as far as my enjoyment using them. I cook a lot and cut large amounts of vegetables a lot.

I really would just be looking for a large chef knife, a utility knife and maybe a carving knife.

 

[infection]

I really just need one expensive knife. I ordered one off the amazon flash deals a while ago. They usually have really good knives for cheap. It was a game changer. Not sure on the brand name.

 

[Gameface]

I really just need one expensive knife. I ordered one off the amazon flash deals a while ago. They usually have really good knives for cheap. It was a game changer. Not sure on the brand name.

Yeah, one good chef's knife would do it, but I use my smaller utility knife most often, so I'd want a good one of those, too.

I looked at my knives and they are actually a little more expensive than I remember, about $120 each. I probably just need to get them sharpened more often.

 

[infection]

Yeah, one good chef's knife would do it, but I use my smaller utility knife most often, so I'd want a good one of those, too.

I looked at my knives and they are actually a little more expensive than I remember, about $120 each. I probably just need to get them sharpened more often.

Just spend a lot of money on 1-3 knives where you can get real high quality and forget spending the same on a larger, worse quality set.

 

[gandalfe]

I picked up some ceramic knives a few years ago. They've been wonderful so far.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic_knife

 

[Archie Moses]

"Cuts large amounts of vegetables," he says.
Tell me, does it put the lotion on the skin too?

I have cheap knifes and a knife sharpener. They cut through meat like butter.

 

[Gameface]

"Cuts large amounts of vegetables," he says.
Tell me, does it put the lotion on the skin too?

I have cheap knifes and a knife sharpener. They cut through meat like butter.

Do they also cut through tomatoes like butter? And while we're on the subject, how do they cut through butter?

I like nice things. I enjoy my nice knives. I would never use a home knife sharpener on them. I know I could get the job done with less expensive knives, but these feel good to use. It is very satisfying. And while I probably should get them sharpened more often, these good knives hold an edge WAY better than a cheaper knife.

I don't cook every single day but I cook at least twice a week. Once for my lunches, which I prepare in a large batch and then portion out and again at least once a week I cook a big meal for my family. With the time I spend using them the price of the knives over time is nothing. Might as well enjoy the tools I use.

I'm also pretty well known at work (as a mechanic) for having the most expensive tools. We get a tool allowance and I find it funny when other people say they just can't see spending that much for their tools. I'm like, you have all the tools you really need already, right? So when you get your tool allowance why not buy nice stuff to replace tools that you're not completely happy with? We use these tools every day. Enjoying the buttery smooth clicking sound of my ratchet that also feels really good in my hand makes me happy.

I'm the same way with poker chips and playing cards. I really enjoy the way certain things feel and sound. Like it's actually one of the things I enjoy most about life.

 

[Rubashov]

Made out of Valyrian steel? I like Global Knives

 

[Archie Moses]

Do they also cut through tomatoes like butter? And while we're on the subject, how do they cut through butter?

I like nice things. I enjoy my nice knives. I would never use a home knife sharpener on them. I know I could get the job done with less expensive knives, but these feel good to use. It is very satisfying. And while I probably should get them sharpened more often, these good knives hold an edge WAY better than a cheaper knife.

I don't cook every single day but I cook at least twice a week. Once for my lunches, which I prepare in a large batch and then portion out and again at least once a week I cook a big meal for my family. With the time I spend using them the price of the knives over time is nothing. Might as well enjoy the tools I use.

I'm also pretty well known at work (as a mechanic) for having the most expensive tools. We get a tool allowance and I find it funny when other people say they just can't see spending that much for their tools. I'm like, you have all the tools you really need already, right? So when you get your tool allowance why not buy nice stuff to replace tools that you're not completely happy with? We use these tools every day. Enjoying the buttery smooth clicking sound of my ratchet that also feels really good in my hand makes me happy.

I'm the same way with poker chips and playing cards. I really enjoy the way certain things feel and sound. Like it's actually one of the things I enjoy most about life.

My original post was pretty much just a bad joke.

Anyway, I only use two knifes in my kitchen. My chef knife and my paring knife. I think I paid something like $15 bucks on the chef knife and around the same on my paring knife. I used be a high school recruiter for the world's largest culinary art school and I would do 4 to 5 knife demonstrations a day. I would mostly cut vegetables and make simple, quick dishes to demonstrate knife cuts and knife skills - like bruschetta. I even learned some molecular gastronomy which is super fun and I highly recommend looking into it if you've never tried it. While, I'm certainly no chef or knife expert, I did that job for two years and got pretty quick using my knifes. I used to joke that I was the only one in the world that could walk into high schools and not only would people not ask questions, but welcome me.

I once left my work's knife kit (it was nice, but probably less than a hundred bucks for the whole set.) So I stopped and bought a chef knife from Smiths. It's the same knife I use today. I have a knife sharpener and I use it for about 60 seconds about 1 out of 3 times I use my knife. My knife gets sharp and does the job I want it to do and does it well. I'm sure if you spend more money on expensive knifes, it's going to feel nicer, have upgrades, better steel and stay sharper longer, but they're certainly not necessary. That said, I absolutely get you that you enjoy having cooking and want to use the best tools possible. I'm more wired like that with my toys than I am for tools, knifes, housewares, etc. I'd probably have a lot nicer things around the house if I were though.

 

[LogGrad98]

A hobby I have picked up is amateur bladesmithing. I've made about a dozen knives, including 3 chefs knives. I have some very nice Japanese whetstones for sharpening so I sharpen my own and my friends knives. I've learned a lot about knife and edge geometry, distal taper, balance, etc. My distinctly amateur opinion is get a knife they you can use well, feels good in the hand, and gives you some confidence. The rest, unless you are a professional using it for hours every day, is generally window dressing.

I like the way BP put it. Use what does the job and makes you happy. It doesn't have to be a $400 Shun to cut carrots, but if that brings you joy then go for it.

 

[colton]

A hobby I have picked up is amateur bladesmithing. I've made about a dozen knives, including 3 chefs knives.

Sweet! Fwiw I love the show Forged in Fire.

 

[LogGrad98]

Sweet! Fwiw I love the show Forged in Fire.

That's what got me going. I was always interested in bladed weapons in general. I own several swords including a period set from the 1800's Japan. I did a little blacksmithing with a neighbor of my uncle who lived on a farm but nothing ever serious. I started watching forged in fire and just love it, easily my favorite show (and my 17 year old daughter too). So I had an opportunity to buy a used electric kiln, small, meant for assaying ore samples. But it gets plenty hot enough to quench and temper. Got a bench grinder, a small belt grinder (nothing like the behemoths on FiF), and an angle grinder. All used. Got several different final polishing and sharpening rigs. All told less than $300 for equipment initially. I did spend about $150 for my whetstones though, and that was even pretty cheap because a single 2k grit Japanese Stone can cost 2-300. I buy flat stock and fabricate the blade, use mostly hardwood and natural products for handle material, quench and temper in my little kiln. About the biggest blade I can handle is 12 inches total length, but that's enough to do a pretty big variety. I haven't had the time to get into true forging, although I have been occasionally visiting a guy I met at a Renaissance fair who has a forge and worked with him some. That is hard ****ing work. FiF doesn't show 1/10 of the effort required. And the heat just saps your strength. He helped me make my own hunting knife with my own damscus steel, and we hand-hammered the Damascus. It is about an 8 inch blade, kind of a Bowie style. I couldn't lift my arms for 3 days afterward. But I'd love to do more of that. I find the whole process very zen. You can get lost in the metal. It's very cool.