Knife question for any chefs out there

[Osede]

One of my fav type of knife

http://chefknives.files.wordpress.co...hef-knives.jpg

[kuronosan]

Yea I was about to tell you that a Santoku knife is probably the most versatile knife you can buy and is a great addition to any kitchen.

But people already beat me to it.

[Saphirea]

18 Pc Block Set Henckels Blocksets J.A. Henckels Official Site

That's what we got in our registry, I'm assuming that's a pretty good set right? It's got everything we needed.

[Raiko]

Global are over priced pieces of shit with uncomfortable handles, which are annoying if you genuinely do prep a few times a day. The blades are great, handles are shit.

The best knife, most versatile and good quality style of knife as people have said are santoku knives. Most chefs agree they are the most versatile.

Check this range for double bevelled blades. I work with many guys who swear these are just as good as henkels at a fraction of the price.

Tojiro DP Japanese knives from NipponKitchen

The Tojiro DP 18cm chef's knife is prolly the best. I highly doubt you will need any other knife if its only for household prep, except maybe a carver(checkout victorinox). I use that knife for filleting beef, lamb, flat fish, roundfish and any veg. My head chef has one thats 10 years old and he uses it for absolutely everything lol

I swear by it anyway.

[Nystul]

got a Henckel's set for the wedding, I love it. I didn't realize how good I had it until I went to my wife's family for christmas and helped out in the kitchen, used their old knife on their glass cutting board- it made me cringe. Might as well have been cutting with a fucking spoon. Care really is important. No dishwasher, no soaking, no tossing in the sink or drawer.

[Daydreamer]

Global are over priced pieces of shit with uncomfortable handles, which are annoying if you genuinely do prep a few times a day. The blades are great, handles are shit.

The best knife, most versatile and good quality style of knife as people have said are santoku knives. Most chefs agree they are the most versatile.

Check this range for double bevelled blades. I work with many guys who swear these are just as good as henkels at a fraction of the price.

Tojiro DP Japanese knives from NipponKitchen

The Tojiro DP 18cm chef's knife is prolly the best. I highly doubt you will need any other knife if its only for household prep, except maybe a carver(checkout victorinox). I use that knife for filleting beef, lamb, flat fish, roundfish and any veg. My head chef has one thats 10 years old and he uses it for absolutely everything lol

I swear by it anyway.

While I disagree on the Santoku part (sorry, they are mediocre at everything, and great at nothing), I DO agree on the Tojiro line of knives. They preform WAY better than their price indicates. Also, if you live in the states, but from Korin - Fine Japanese Tableware and Chef Knives instead of that other site. It's about the same price, but in USD so you don't pay double in pounds.

[Xfaustx]

Global are over priced pieces of shit with uncomfortable handles, which are annoying if you genuinely do prep a few times a day. The blades are great, handles are shit.

Hate to be the devils advocate here, but Global are very cheap knives, but are some of the most respected, especially for their price range. If you want a good, cheap knife Global is the way to go.

I'd stray away from German brand knives. I own Henckels and Wustoff knives, and theyre a fucking pain in the ass to keep sharp. My friend at my restaurant bought a set of Henckels also, and his knife was chipping within a couple months of buying his. Shun is a good brand, though very over priced. A lot easier to keep sharpened than their German counterparts. The best knives you will ever find though will be made in Japan from small dealers, though will cost you way more than you could ever have thought imagine-able on a kitchen knife, and are a waste unless you know how to use them. And yeah the 3 basic knives you need in your kitchen are a Chef's (which in my opinion you can get away with just owning that one knife), a paring and boning

While it comes to sharpening your knives, I'd always suggest learning on a ceramic block/whetstone. Using those sharpening rods generally end up in ruining your knife, especially if you are one of those show offs who thinks its cool to do it as fast as possible. Which destroys your knife. Never dishwash them, handwash always. Have a safe storage spot. Theres forums you can go to, which debate knives like we debate video games and hot women. It can get intense but you will learn alot.

Elesirdur's post was good and generally covered most of what you should know. And yes Cutco will get you laughed at in a restaurant like Daydreamer said. XD

[Syntex]

Cutco if you can convince them to sell you the DD edge sharpener.

I sold it a while ago, friend of mine hates them because you need the tool to sharpen the serrated edge but honestly they are the best knives on the planet and AMERICAN MADE!

Either way you can buy them in a set or just singles, just google cutco.

[Norellicus]

Cutco if you can convince them to sell you the DD edge sharpener.

I sold it a while ago, friend of mine hates them because you need the tool to sharpen the serrated edge but honestly they are the best knives on the planet and AMERICAN MADE!

Either way you can buy them in a set or just singles, just google cutco.

You don't actually read threads before replying, do you?

Cutco is trash. They're like sawblades, not keen edges, and thus will neither remain sharp (even with regular maintenance) nor cut food cleanly and efficiently. A good chef's knife isn't supposed to cut through a shoe.

[Norelco]

Global makes good knives. Don't buy too many knives, a chef's knife or something similar can do almost anything.

Yep. Was coming here to recommend getting a Global set, or at the very least, just a global Chef's knife.

[Jodwahh]

A good chef's knife isn't supposed to cut through a shoe.

You obviously haven't tasted my girlfriends cooking.

[Raiko]

What kind of global knives do you get cheap? A chopper is like $140 here lol

Still I highly disagree with santoku being hard to learn with, they are easily the most versatile knives around. Watch any chef(Ramsay, Heston etc) on TV, they'll use it for anything. I work in fine dining,(on mains section) and honestly the only other knife I use is a turning knife.

I work with many chefs who used traditional chopping knives and when I bought that little tojiro one, my sous chef(worked in Le Gavroche) instantly asked me to buy him one, in favour of his henkel/global knives. The tojiro ones blades are incredible, buy a decent diamond steel, and you'll never need to get it sharpened professionaly. (Never even heard of professional sharpening)

I do agree though, that everyone is different, obviously each person favours different knives. I disagree with saying that japanese knives are hard to learn with.

[Daydreamer]

What kind of global knives do you get cheap? A chopper is like $140 here lol

Still I highly disagree with santoku being hard to learn with, they are easily the most versatile knives around. Watch any chef(Ramsay, Heston etc) on TV, they'll use it for anything. I work in fine dining,(on mains section) and honestly the only other knife I use is a turning knife.

I work with many chefs who used traditional chopping knives and when I bought that little tojiro one, my sous chef(worked in Le Gavroche) instantly asked me to buy him one, in favour of his henkel/global knives. The tojiro ones blades are incredible, buy a decent diamond steel, and you'll never need to get it sharpened professionaly. (Never even heard of professional sharpening)

I do agree though, that everyone is different, obviously each person favours different knives. I disagree with saying that japanese knives are hard to learn with.

I don't mean it's hard to learn with per se, I just mean that if you're so used to a Chef's/Gyuto style then swapping over and being as fast as you were is just, eh. Ok it's probably just me, I just hate the santoku. As i said earlier, good at everything, great at nothing imo. I will also say though that I really dislike a standard euro Chef's knife. For me the gyuto is the way to go. That being said, you should see what my sushi boss can do with a Yanagi. He's insane with that thing, even on veg. Hell, the reason I agreed to take sushi is not so i can learn to make sushi, but so I could improve my freaken knife skills to be like that.

Edit: I also didn't mean to say japanese knives are hard to learn with, what I really mean is using a japanese knife the way a Japanese person would is hard to learn if you are already used to the western way. Their method of cutting and using those style of knives is very different. Therefore, to get as fast and as accurate as they are with western cutting techniques on a japanese style blade can be nigh impossible.

[Elesirdur]

I should also clarify a statement I made in my previous post about Japanese knives being "difficult" to learn or cut with.

From what I know, traditional Japanese knives are cut with only one beveled edge, whereas European-style knives are double-beveled. Double-bevel edged knives are easier to cut with because you have twice the angles you can cut with, but don't provide the maximum possible precision in the cut. Single-bevel edged knives require you to be much more precise with your cut (needing to keep the blade angle quite straight up and down and not being very forgiving is apparently hard to get used to), but on the up side much less force is required to cut and will reduce the possibility of squishing or shearing the food material while you make your cut.

Now, most Japanese made knives will be double-beveled unless they specify right- or left-hand options when ordering. Getting a single-bevel edged knife is a pretty serious thing and would require some time to train with it. For a home chef, I couldn't really see why you would practically want one, except for the challenge and niche factor. However, if you're preparing traditional Japanese or Asian foods then one specifically made for say, sashimi or sushi, would be cool - if you've got the money to spend.