Cutlery

[KC//CRIMSON]

Getting ready to take some Chef's grade cooking classes this summer and need a solid set of knives.

I've seen a few sets that I like, but not sure on the overall quality compared to other brands. Which do you like and/or use?

My main blades are going to need to be the Santoku and Chef's knife.

The one's I've looked at extensively are Calphalon, J. A. Henckels, and Henckels International.

Rachel Ray and Farberware are out of the question.:D

[silverwheels]

I like J.A. Henckels. They maintain their edge pretty well.

[Turd_Ferguson]

I have Cutco, and they've filleted me a few times.

[r5TPsooner]

A good set is expensive and great set is very expensive. I purchased a set of Chicago Cutlery knives that were on sale for $169.99 and supposedly dishwasher safe. After the 1st washing the damned things were rusting and I was ****ed. I took them back and exchanged them for a nice (not great) set of J.A. Henckels. They have a built in knife sharpener in the block and have been a good set of knives w/o problems with rusting due to washing. I think I purchased them on sale for $199.99 at Bed, Bath and Beyond. If if I were cooking for guests on a regular basis, I would have stepped up to the "next level" of knives.

Good luck.

[Civicus_Sooner]

Ginsu

[SoonerAtKU]

If you have access to a restaurant supply store, go there. Find a friend or relative or friend of a friend who is in the restaurant or catering business if you need someone to get you in. They have knives there that are cheap, strong and fast. I believe most industry chefs swear by the $20-30 Globals with the plastic handles. I personally have a set of Henckels which I love, but they were a wedding gift. To get my own, I'd have gone the supply store route.

Also, don't get caught up in buying big blocks with a bunch of knives you'll never use. You know you need a santoku and a chef's, so get those, something serrated or scalloped, and a parer. That should hold most people over for quite a while. When you start getting into stuff you need other knives for, buy them then.

[King Crimson]

Also, don't get caught up in buying big blocks with a bunch of knives you'll never use. You know you need a santoku and a chef's, so get those, something serrated or scalloped, and a parer. That should hold most people over for quite a while. When you start getting into stuff you need other knives for, buy them then.

this is very good advice. i also like global but more the 7 inch santoku that runs about 90$. Henckels makes a line that tries to look like Global. Global doesn't make a line that tries to look like Henckels, dig? and you can get whatever you want on-line once you figure out what that is. for example: http://www.cutleryandmore.com/prodlist.asp?BrandID=1&FamilyID=7&src=Google&cam=Global&sub=Global+Santoku

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21P90F40JHL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

[King Crimson]

Wusthof is another company that isn't one of the new flash in the pan, post Food Channel types. They make quality knives and have for a long time. but, depends what you like and feels good in your hands.

[Jimminy Crimson]

I have a Shun Ken Onion santoku that works for me. It's all about feel. Go to W-S or BB&B and see how they feel to you.

[King Crimson]

this is where i'd go:

http://www.abcutlery.net/Default.aspx?PageID=19

[KC//CRIMSON]

This one just went to the top of the food chain so to speak.

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/img/7182.jpg

Plus, you can actually save around $20 if you buy as part of a two piece set.

[Turd_Ferguson]

What the hell is wrong with my Cutco's Mr. Schmancy Pants:mad:

[Curly Bill]

Wusthof is another company that isn't one of the new flash in the pan, post Food Channel types. They make quality knives and have for a long time. but, depends what you like and feels good in your hands.

Here's another vote for Wusthof. I personally like their Classic series, though the Grand Prix II line is good too. I bought mine through Ebay and in doing so have put together an excellent set of knives at a good price.

...and like someone else mentioned above: by buying mine through Ebay I got only the knives I want and not several I'll never use but they were part of a set. Of course you could do this without going through Ebay too.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

http://bjorn.foxtail.nu/images/jt_katana.jpg

[GottaHavePride]

Try Korin:

http://www.korin.com/knife.php

They have some inexpensive knives and some VERY expensive knives. Sort by type/purpose first and then by price to find ones in the range you want to spend.

Also, http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/

A lot of their knives are not cheap, but they do have some pretty good prices if you look.

And I second the suggestion that if you know you need a chef's knife (aka gyuto on the Japanese sites) and a santoku get those, plus a petty or paring knife and a serrated bread knife. That should be enough to handle damn near anything.

[KC//CRIMSON]

Try Korin:

http://www.korin.com/knife.php

They have some inexpensive knives and some VERY expensive knives. Sort by type/purpose first and then by price to find ones in the range you want to spend.

Also, http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/

A lot of their knives are not cheap, but they do have some pretty good prices if you look.

And I second the suggestion that if you know you need a chef's knife (aka gyuto on the Japanese sites) and a santoku get those, plus a petty or paring knife and a serrated bread knife. That should be enough to handle damn near anything.

Hattori Hanzo steel is expensive and probably way more than I need.

I've got a full set of every knife type in this thread, but most of them are from mixed sets and really old. The Henckel and Global are probably going to be more in my range, but those Japanese brands are uber awesome.

[GottaHavePride]

Seriously, though. Check Korin. They have santokus as low as about $40 right now.

http://www.korin.com/product.php?pid=304&cat=53&subcat=12&subsubcat=&df=knife&catname=Purposes&subcatname=Multipurpose%20Knife%20%28Santoku%29&subsubcatname=&mnum=HFU-F503

and chef's knives for about $45.

http://www.korin.com/product.php?pid=170&cat=53&subcat=9&subsubcat=&df=knife&catname=Purposes&subcatname=Chef%27s%20Knife%20%28Gyutou%29&subsubcatname=&mnum=HFU-F807

[King Crimson]

whatever the brand, you want to get knives that you can USE. you don't want to see them as works of art but as tools that you aren't thinking about how much they cost. after you learn some basic techniques and practice with repetitions (which is the key)...in future you can get fancy.

back when i worked in kitchens my kit was a Forschner knock-off set made by Mundial. hardly anything special. the classic French style 8" Chef's, 10", a paring knife, and a filet/boning knife. they were heavy, not real "nimble" and classic styled for everyday use, several hours a day. the home kitchen has different needs. you don't usually small dice a 50 lb bag of onions 3 times a week at home. they are great for what they are, i used the hell out of them. I'm tremendously attached to them. I work sometimes on the weekends for my buddy who owns his own place and i love pulling those out and getting that "inna day" feeling.

i have a couple Global's i use at home now just to be nifty....but what you want now is something you can use the hell out of and take care of them and they'll last, whatever the brand. Global can do that for sure, my point is just buy something and use it. I've put together a pretty decent collection of All-Clad stuff over the years, mostly odds and ends and stuff on sale. none of it "matches". but, at first, i was intimidated by using the 2qt saute because i paid 200$ for it....and i treated it like art for about 6 months. these things are made to be used not hang off the stylish overhead ceiling rack. use em. work it.

a few years down the road when you are johnny bad a$$, you can spring for something bigtime...

and as far as a set....part of how you learn to use a knife is using different parts of the blade for different things. that's why the santoku is so popular these days because the curve of the blade gives you all kinds of different uses. but, the point is, you can learn a lot just using your chefs at the point for more delicate slicing and the base for chopping and such. making the knife adapt to your needs...not just changing knives. the reality is no one really needs a 10" chef at home and even 8" is kind of oversized unless you have a big cutting board...which of of course is your next purchase, needless to say.
i recommend Boos boards and some large enough to be workable polyurethene number for raw chicken and meat and such.

[BudSooner]

back when i worked in kitchens my kit was a Forschner knock-off set made by Mundial. hardly anything special. the classic French style 8" Chef's, 10", a paring knife, and a filet/boning knife. they were heavy, not real "nimble" and classic styled for everyday use, several hours a day. the home kitchen has different needs. you don't usually small dice a 50 lb bag of onions 3 times a week at home. they are great for what they are, i used the hell out of them. I'm tremendously attached to them. I work sometimes on the weekends for my buddy who owns his own place and i love pulling those out and getting that "inna day" feeling. When I used to be a butcher, all we ever used was Forschner with the exception of the salesman bringing in some other brands as a trial.
Most of the time those also rans had cheaper steel and couldn't hold an edge for days at a time.
Forschner is pretty damned hard to beat, there used to be a company called Chicago Cutlery(may still be, I dunno)that made a set of knives called
the bio-curve signature series....kinda pricey but the handles were engineered to be easier on your wrists. The quality was very good but for some reason we could not get them anymore, kinda sucked because they were very very very good knives.

Forschner linky-
http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/kitchen/victkit.html

Edited:Chicago Cutlery is still around, but the bio curve knives aren't around.

[SoonerInKCMO]

What the hell is wrong with my Cutco's Mr. Schmancy Pants:mad:

You gotta let those creepy Vector Marketing people in your house to buy 'em. :stunned:

[KC//CRIMSON]

Heh, I used to be one of those prep cooks who had to dice fifty pound bags of onions three to four times a week. I prepped at Charlie Mitchells and Chi Chi's for a few summers back in the day. I bet I made a ton or two of gaucamole and salsa by hand over that period of time. So, needless to say this isn't my first go around. I agree about the Chef's knife, you can do a lot with that blade. My knife skills are still pretty good, but I'm a little rusty with speed. I'm sure once I get back in a pro kitchen I can pick it back up again pretty quick.

However, I was making a large amount of Indian/Dot food last weekend, and my left thumb took one for the team. Still has a pretty good divet in it. Ouch.

[BudSooner]

Heh, I used to be one of those prep cooks who had to dice fifty pound bags of onions three to four times a week. I prepped at Charlie Mitchells and Chi Chi's for a few summers back in the day. I bet I made a ton or two of gaucamole and salsa by hand over that period of time. So, needless to say this isn't my first go around. I agree about the Chef's knife, you can do a lot with that blade. My knife skills are still pretty good, but I'm a little rusty with speed. I'm sure once I get back in a pro kitchen I can pick it back up again pretty quick.

However, I was making a large amount of Indian/Dot food last weekend, and my left thumb took one for the team. Still has a pretty good divet in it. Ouch.
Heh, I remember using my butchers steel and seeing the faces of people who walked by thinking "that stupid ****er is gonna lose a finger doing that" minutes later I had a 12" slicer imbedded in my index finger....blood loss is a bitch.
I used 3 steels, one which is actually a hone made by fDick(srsly)one made by Forschner that is a medium coarse grain, and the final steel, again a Forschner in a smooth grade for putting the final smoothness on the knife edge and aids in keeping the edge from rolling over left or right...and should be used with a light touch.

[King Crimson]

cutting yourself is part of the gig. it happens to everyone. you get used to it.

[soonerbrat]

call the school where you're taking the class and ask for a recommendation.

[King Crimson]

nmsoonergirl's hubby is a culinary school guy. she doesn't post much, but she/he might have some insight on state of the art stuff.

[KC//CRIMSON]

Okay. You wanna play rough? Okay. Say hello to my little friends!



Thanks for the recommendation King Crimson, these knives are simply bad *ss.:cool:

[Jimminy Crimson]

Okay. You wanna play rough? Okay. Say hello to my little friends!

http://hm.smugmug.com/photos/317694658_gmr89-M.jpg

Thanks for the recommendation King Crimson, these knives are simply bad *ss.:cool:

Diggin' the cutting board a lot. Nice Globals, too.

[BudSooner]

The grips are one concern when cutting anything where the handles get wet, are they pretty good when it comes to that?
My old butcher knives when I would slice pork or beef would get blood on them and become quite hard to handle, one reason I would wear cotton gloves to improve the grip.

That being said, those are some sick looking knives...nice purchase!

[olevetonahill]

Fags and Yalls fancy knives .
this one is all I need to prep My Vittles:cool:
http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=73469&rendTypeId=4

[King Crimson]

Okay. You wanna play rough? Okay. Say hello to my little friends!

http://hm.smugmug.com/photos/317694658_gmr89-M.jpg

Thanks for the recommendation King Crimson, these knives are simply bad *ss.:cool:

very ****ing nice. my hat is off to your bad*ssness.

[BudSooner]

Fags and Yalls fancy knives .
this one is all I need to clean the **** out from under my Howard Hughes like gangly nasty *** toenails.:cool:
http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=73469&rendTypeId=4



.
;)

[olevetonahill]

.
;)

That to.:D

[KC//CRIMSON]

The grips are one concern when cutting anything where the handles get wet, are they pretty good when it comes to that?
My old butcher knives when I would slice pork or beef would get blood on them and become quite hard to handle, one reason I would wear cotton gloves to improve the grip.

That being said, those are some sick looking knives...nice purchase!


I haven't had any problems with slipping due to my hands being wet. I kind of have big hands so the grip with any knife for me personally has never been a problem. I normally grip the smaller knives by the handle and I grip the Chef's knife by the bolster and blade for most stuff.

Overall I'm really happy with these knives. The balance and factory/right out of the box sharpness are out of this world.:cool:

[olevetonahill]

I haven't had any problems with slipping due to my hands being wet. I kind of have big hands so the grip with any knife for me personally has never been a problem. I normally grip the smaller knives by the handle and I grip the Chef's knife by the bolster and blade for most stuff.

Overall I'm really happy with these knives. The balance and factory/right out of the box sharpness are out of this world.:cool:

Just dont Pull one On me !:mad: