I need advice for a good kitchen knife and butcher block set for my wife.

[flyer1]

I am looking for a good kitchen knife and butcher block set. It will be a Christmas gift for my wife. We do not have a good set now. I would like this to be the last ones we buy. Of course we can't break the bank. Something under 300 bucks. Is this possible or am I dreaming? Like everything else quality is important.

Thanks

[Houndog]

Smokey Mountain Knife Works has a set of Henkels (sp?) twins Pro S professional knives with a block on sale for $199.00 through Christmas. You won't find a knife set of better quality anywhere, and the price is RIGHT! They do mail order and they ship.

[Chihuahua Floyd]

You sir, are a brave man. Giving a woman kitchen knives for Christmas.
CF

[oneokie]

Ontario Knife Co.

[opos]

Henckels...the professional grade...absolutely nothing like them...have a full set that is over 30 years old...sharpen like a fine razor and last and last and last...no dishwasher for the handles however...be like putting a fine revolver with high quality grips in the dishwasher. If you buy Hendkels you will never buy another knife.

a link to one vendor...should be someone local to you or Amazon, etc.

http://www.knifecenter.com/brand/186/Zwilling-J.A.-Henckels

[flyer1]

The knives are not the only gift. I have a strand of green/black pearls as well. She has put up with a set of knives that were not cared for by my ex. Never complained. She is simply fantastic. She will care for these knives. And they will make life a bit easier.

[flyer1]

Handles.... Wood or zytel? I am not sure what zytel is.

Thanks.

[opos]

Handles.... Wood or zytel? I am not sure what zytel is.

Thanks.

The set of Henckels 5 star I bought years ago have wood handles (black) with 3 rivets in them....I wash them by hand and dry them...blades and handles look like new....You may not be able to find any of the 5 star around these days...they were killer expensive and mostly for the professional market (and obsessive cooks like me)..the 4 star are wonderful knives and make a great addition to any kitchen..you can pick and choose something like 6 or 7 knives and fit them to a ready made block. Again, with the wood handles I'd not figure them for the dishwasher but any quality knife will suffer from the dishwashing and become dull...Lots of info and reviews on Google and Duckduckago for Henckels.

[flyer1]

I am looking at the twin pro s with zytelhandles for 199.99. It is 7 pieces. Good choice? Or would you recommend a different one?

[MaryB]

I use Forshner knives http://www.cutleryandmore.com/victorinox-forschner-fibrox/deluxe-knife-block-set-p13570

[Artful]

Many, Many companies make good knives - most sets have at least 3-4 knives you will use and you'll buy 3-5 more that you'll seldom use...

research first...
http://www.wikihow.com/Select-Quality-Kitchen-Knives
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/kitchen-knives/buying-guide.htm
http://housewares.about.com/od/cutleryknives/bb/knivesbuyingtips.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZhJaqcJQJw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec3O9BQS6-U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9I_OOPpqqc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gZ2hFBXyiY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQI3T6xAnoQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPyhS2LX_Co

[smoked turkey]

We purchased a small set of Wustof Classic (German I think) at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. The wife is VERY happy with them. Exceptional quality.

[flyer1]

Wow, ya,ll are great. I thought this was going to be easy. This is going to take a bit longer than I figured. Please, keep the ideas flowing.

Thanks very much.

[MaryB]

My Forschner set is pushing 15 years old, 10 years it spent riding around all summer to BBQ catering events. Sharpen about once a year otherwise just steel it.

[MBTcustom]

The best quality for the money that I have found is Cutco knives.
Made in the USA, lifetime warranty, and very very well made. I used to make knives, and I'm a pretty demanding customer, but I can tell you that Cutco get's the MBT stamp of approval.
I have the big chefs knife, a carving knife, some paring knives, and a spatula. All are absolutely superb.
The chefs knife is my very favorite. If your wife doesn't feel like sharpening them, then she can send them back to be sharpened for free.
Personally, I have a very nice 18" steel and the Cutco's take to that like a duck takes to water. They are easy to sharpen, but hold that edge like gambler holds a bad deal of cards!

I've used most of the top brands, but Cutco is the best for the money. If you want to save a little on cost, buy a used set on ebay and send them back to be sharpened. My mom has made many a christmas gift of resharpened Cutco knives over the years since I told her about them, and she has acquired a pretty impressive collection herself.

[BNE]

I am looking at the twin pro s with zytelhandles for 199.99. It is 7 pieces. Good choice? Or would you recommend a different one?


Sounds like the set I bought for my wife a 7+ years ago. Still work great. I bought one of the motorized sharpeners for the fancy kitchen knifes and it returns them to the original sharpness in no time. You can get that for her later, but don't expect her to appreciatethe sharpener as much as the knives!;-)

[LUBEDUDE]

The best quality for the money that I have found is Cutco knives.
Made in the USA, lifetime warranty, and very very well made. I used to make knives, and I'm a pretty demanding customer, but I can tell you that Cutco get's the MBT stamp of approval.
I have the big chefs knife, a carving knife, some paring knives, and a spatula. All are absolutely superb.
The chefs knife is my very favorite. If your wife doesn't feel like sharpening them, then she can send them back to be sharpened for free.
Personally, I have a very nice 18" steel and the Cutco's take to that like a duck takes to water. They are easy to sharpen, but hold that edge like gambler holds a bad deal of cards!

I've used most of the top brands, but Cutco is the best for the money. If you want to save a little on cost, buy a used set on ebay and send them back to be sharpened. My mom has made many a christmas gift of resharpened Cutco knives over the years since I told her about them, and she has acquired a pretty impressive collection herself.

Can't believe it took so long for CutCo to pop up!

Must be the sleeper. They have my vote.

I have a set used daily for 40 years still going strong!

[Mk42gunner]

Mom has a set of Cutco knives and kitchen utensils that she bought about 1960 or 61. I haven't found anything I like better, so one of these years I will buy a set for myself (my brother has already spoken for these).

Robert

[flyer1]

Thanks folks. I have never heard of these brands. I think I will need to have my wife try the different brands to see what she likes best. I am doing the research that Artful provided. That was extremely helpful. I had no idea that this info could be found on line. Just never occurred to me to look for it. We are going to Bed,Bath and beyond today. We will look and handle some different brands. Cutco might be difficult to find locally. Getting a good set of knives, I am finding, is like finding a good set of molds. I will keep you posted. Thanks again.

[gew98]

I am looking for a good kitchen knife and butcher block set. It will be a Christmas gift for my wife. We do not have a good set now. I would like this to be the last ones we buy. Of course we can't break the bank. Something under 300 bucks. Is this possible or am I dreaming? Like everything else quality is important.
Thanks
I could not begin to advise you on knives...but a local to me custom woodshop makes beautiful cutting blocks with different woods - glued/laminated together than polished up for $20 each..

[captbligh]

I've had a set of the Wusthof wooden handled riveted style for almost 40 years and they're great, but America's Test Kitchen on PBS tests lots of equipment and Victorinox Forschner (Yes, the ones who make swiss army knives) always does really well in their tests and are way cheaper than the German Trident or Wusthof.

[montana_charlie]

We have a set of knives from Chicago Cutlery that have served us well for twenty-odd years, or more ... but I'll tell you a quick story.

It was 1976 when my wife and I bought our first real house (no more mobile homes). We dealt with a little old widow lady, who left behind a smattering of odd and ends. In a shed out back, I found and old worn-out butcher's steel and a wide bladed chef's knife.
The knife obviously had a lot of age on it, even back in '76.

That is the best knife we have ever owned. It has wood slab handle scales and on one it says Dexter 48910.
It sure is good steel.

This one (found on eBay) looks just like it.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Dexter-48910-Steel-Chefs-Knife-9-3-4-Blade-15-total-length-/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/z/r5IAAMXQfvlShU2T/$_3.JPG

CM

[AnthroHunter]

I've been a big fan of the Dexter Russell 8" Chinese chef's knife in carbon steel for years now. It is cheap, holds an edge well, sharpens easy and is a very versatile kitchen tool - seriously it grates, slices, dices, chops, scoops and more. I gave 4 out to friends' wives the other year and it is always funny to see the $20 Dexter Chinese knife getting the use while the expensive fine German steel $200 dollar European chef's knife sits in the block.

Also +1 for the Ontario knives. The Old Hickory line isn't the prettiest but take a great edge and are easy to keep sharp.

[flyer1]

Update: went Bed Bath and Beyond. Got her Calphalon Katana series 18 piece cutlery set. 450 with 20% off coupon, 50 dollar gift card and free cheese board and knife set. It got great reviews and looked and felt as good as the Wustof or the German knife. Have a Chicago Cutlery set that the ex ruined putting in the dishwasher. She also kept the block. Thanks for all the help and advise. Hope I did ok.

[Artful]

You did fine - now for the edification of the group - keep track of which knives are used most all the time.

[flyer1]

Ok I will keep track. Is that so I can get more of the same? Or to keep those sharp?

[dragon813gt]

For the kitchen there is only one brand to consider: Cutco. Grandmother has her original set she bought in the sixites. Mother has the original set she bought on the late seventies. And I have my set that I bought over a decade ago. They are worth the money.

[MBTcustom]

We have a set of knives from Chicago Cutlery that have served us well for twenty-odd years, or more ... but I'll tell you a quick story.

It was 1976 when my wife and I bought our first real house (no more mobile homes). We dealt with a little old widow lady, who left behind a smattering of odd and ends. In a shed out back, I found and old worn-out butcher's steel and a wide bladed chef's knife.
The knife obviously had a lot of age on it, even back in '76.

That is the best knife we have ever owned. It has wood slab handle scales and on one it says Dexter 48910.
It sure is good steel.

This one (found on eBay) looks just like it.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Dexter-48910-Steel-Chefs-Knife-9-3-4-Blade-15-total-length-/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/z/r5IAAMXQfvlShU2T/$_3.JPG

CM

That's a good lookin knife there MC.
Dost mine eye's deceive, or is that an old LL Bean?

[montana_charlie]

That's a good lookin knife there MC.
Dost mine eye's deceive, or is that an old LL Bean?
Nope.
It, too, is a Dexter 48910.

The temper on the blade allows it to be very flexible (almost like a filet knife) but it never 'bends'.
That is, it always comes back to 'straight'.

CM

[GabbyM]

The best quality for the money that I have found is Cutco knives.
Made in the USA, lifetime warranty, and very very well made. I used to make knives, and I'm a pretty demanding customer, but I can tell you that Cutco get's the MBT stamp of approval.
I have the big chefs knife, a carving knife, some paring knives, and a spatula. All are absolutely superb.
The chefs knife is my very favorite. If your wife doesn't feel like sharpening them, then she can send them back to be sharpened for free.
Personally, I have a very nice 18" steel and the Cutco's take to that like a duck takes to water. They are easy to sharpen, but hold that edge like gambler holds a bad deal of cards!

I've used most of the top brands, but Cutco is the best for the money. If you want to save a little on cost, buy a used set on ebay and send them back to be sharpened. My mom has made many a christmas gift of resharpened Cutco knives over the years since I told her about them, and she has acquired a pretty impressive collection herself.

I'll add my endorsement to Cutco.
Most of the butchers I've known use them.
Another good American company is Lamson & Goodnow. They makes a good little blade touch up tool also.
That actually works.

http://www.lamsonsharp.com/store/pg/8-About-Us.html

I've a full set of the Lamsonsharp in a block that's about twelve years old and still looks like new. They cost a lot more money now. About like guns they've doubled in twelve years. BTW Case still makes pocket knives in America and they are as good or better than ever.

[MBTcustom]

Gotta love those old carbon steel chef knives. It might just be my imagination, but I swear carbon steel cuts better than stainless. It just has more "bite".
Course, that's one thing I love about Cutco. They are obviously SS, but they sharpen and cut just like a good carbon steel blade.
Strange.

[MaryB]

For sharpening I stay away from anything motorized, it takes way to much metal off the blades. use this for sharpening http://www.edgeproinc.com/Apex-Model-Edge-Pro-System/Apex-2-kit-p5.html repeatable angle, I added the 1,000 grit stone to really put a razor edge on a knife.

[GabbyM]

Link below is to the six dollar knife sharpener I mentioned in post above. They actually work guys. I only use the ceramic sticks unless it's something very dull. It carries along on a hunt too.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/136665/lansky-quick-fix-tungsten-carbide-and-ceramic-knife-sharpener?cm_vc=sugv13407139054

Case Trapper pocket knife for yourself..lol.. Hey honey its' on sale. Blades on the Trapper are about the same size as your typical kitchen paring knife. I call mine the road kill special. Put one in your pocket and you're always ready to butcher. Sale on these ends tonight. I prefer the chrome vanadium steel.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/3407139054/case-trapper-folding-knife-clip-and-spey-blades


Amazon dot com is usually is a good place to mail order stuff like this also.

[Garyshome]

Warther Knives. Dover Ohio. The best of the best.

[smoked turkey]

GabbyM thanks for that link to the $6 sharpener. It looks like a great stocking stuffer for this Christmas!

[gmsharps]

CLASSIC Peeling knife - 4062 / 7 cm (2 ¾")



This particular shape is ideally suited for peeling, cleaning or shaping any fruit or vegetable with a rounded surface.
Quality - Made in Solingen / Germany.


Blade length 7 cm (2 ¾")

This is a Wustof knife that is really good for peeling . It will make a great stocking stuffer and you will be surprized at how much you will use it.

gmsharps

[Norbrat]

I broke the handle on my Wusthof chef's knife after 25 plus years of use. Looking closely at the break, you could see corrosion, probably because of too many years leaving it lying on a wet draining board, so basically my fault.

I had bought this knife from a salesman doing the rounds at the restaurant I was workng at the time, so had no receipt or any proof of purchase after all this time. But I took it in to a knife shop anyway, and a couple of weeks later got a call to come in and pick up my replacement knife, no charge! :D

I certainly didn't expect to get it replaced for free; I would have been happy with a small discount on a new one.

So as you can imagine, I cannot say enough good things about Wusthof's guarantee.

Pay once, cry once. ;)

[Artful]

Ok I will keep track. Is that so I can get more of the same? Or to keep those sharp?
Both, because if you are truly infected with knifeitis you will find 5-6 that are daily users and you'll want to find one that's "just right".

Example you will discover that a large bladed Chef's knife will become a favorite, then you will find that you wish for the blade to be
a little longer or a little better balanced or hold an edge a little longer or want the handle a little farther from the cutting board.
And you'll go to a shop that has knives and you'll be looking to see if they have one that meets your idea. It might be Bed, Bath and Beyond or a cutlery shop or a yard/estate sale. But you will eventually wind up with two or three of the same favorite knives.

http://chadwrites.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Modern-Chefs-Knives-WEB.jpg

[Dryball]

You can buy a lot of good knife sets but if you want the very best go with Cutco! I used to work there and they are second to none in quality and customer service. The up front cost is a tad high but not when you consider that they have a free lifetime service. They will repair, service, replace and sharpen for free...just like Zippo.

[Echo]

The best quality for the money that I have found is Cutco knives.
Made in the USA, lifetime warranty, and very very well made. I used to make knives, and I'm a pretty demanding customer, but I can tell you that Cutco get's the MBT stamp of approval.
I have the big chefs knife, a carving knife, some paring knives, and a spatula. All are absolutely superb.
The chefs knife is my very favorite. If your wife doesn't feel like sharpening them, then she can send them back to be sharpened for free.
Personally, I have a very nice 18" steel and the Cutco's take to that like a duck takes to water. They are easy to sharpen, but hold that edge like gambler holds a bad deal of cards!

I've used most of the top brands, but Cutco is the best for the money. If you want to save a little on cost, buy a used set on ebay and send them back to be sharpened. My mom has made many a christmas gift of resharpened Cutco knives over the years since I told her about them, and she has acquired a pretty impressive collection herself.

+1. I am very happy with my Cutco set, including killer steak knives.

[flyer1]

I think I have found a new hobby?/expense? This one will be for the wife. After she gets the gift I will show her this thread. I am sure this new hobby/expense will keep her engaged for a while. Thanks to all. I have learned a lot.

Mike

[jaysouth]

Just to chime in a bit late here, Buy a magnetic bar and mount on the wall in a convenient location. After a couple of months, she will probably settle on using daily a 8 inch chef knife, a 6 inch utility knife and a parer. If you get a serrated knife, do not use it except for bread. They are too hard to sharpen. Used only for bread, you probably will not ever have to sharpen it. Store these on the bar and leave the rest of them in the block. Put a good steel on the bar.

In 30 years working as a chef, I developed the habit of picking up a knife and hitting it with the steel a couple of strokes. When putting it away, I wiped it with a sanitizer soaked rag and hit it a couple of strokes with the steel and put it back on the bar. Once a year, I had each knife sharpened on a slack belt.

Do not let others handle YOUR knives. My kitchen help knew that a good asschewing would promptly ensue if I say any of them using my knives.

A quick note about blocks. They are not allowed in restaurants because they are too hard to sanitize and breed germs.

This is my favorite knife in the kitchen. It has replaced all my French and German shaped chef knives for general use.
http://www.knifemerchant.com/product.asp?productID=3232

When I first started in a kitchen, I had a complete set of the French made Sabatier carbon steel knives. They are generally sharper than stainless knives but require hourly care to keep from rusting. You cannot keep them from staining.
http://www.sabatier-shop.com/kitchen-knives_15_au-carbone---vintage_.html

[GabbyM]

GabbyM thanks for that link to the $6 sharpener. It looks like a great stocking stuffer for this Christmas!

you are welcome smoked Turkey:

I'm giving both my son in laws one of the Case Trapper pocket knives and the little sharpener for Christmas. They both hunt, fish and camp along with my daughters they married. Those trappers are like having a fold up paring knife with two blades. Old Uncle Henry knives I used to have when I was a kid are all made in China now and total junk. the blades will bend and not hold an edge btw. Case is still made in the USA and owned now by Zippo.
As a side note. Still in my possession is the first ever real pocket knife I ever had. My grandmother gave it to me when I was about eight years old. Along with a five minute lesson on how to use a "real knife".

I checked and noted Midway is sold out. Wonder if that's because of my link? Lots of places to buy knives. One is Smokey Mountain Knife Works. They have a bunch of them at competitive every day prices. Here's the link so no one gets spammed. http://www.smkw.com/ There's always sites like Amazon dot com but SMKW has about every knife Case makes. I like the scrimshaw art on the bone handles even though it's done with a lazer. Never bought one though as I'm tight. Plus I've lost a lot of pocket knives to theft.

SMKW sells some neat little two dollar or so ceramic sharpening sticks. They are all I use to sharpen kitchen knives in general. Unless I have to use a stone first. But my daughters seam to be able to break one in a week. I've used the same one for twelve years. I finish My Lamson knives on a canvases razor strop with buffing compound. As long as some uninitiated type doesn't get a hold of one then drag it across a cutting board like a shovel it will cut for a couple hours through bushels of cucumbers and such. They aren't as dangerous as a chain saw but you do cut at the board not your hand. What I leave laying around are some Old Hickory knives which are excellent. I don't sharpen them past what the ceramic stick will do because I hate mopping up other peoples blood. Even the fine stainless Lamson's won't hold that fine razor edge in the block for more than a couple weeks as corrosion will dull it. That's just how fine the edge is! What I'm really getting at. From a few bad experiences. I can recommend talking it over with your spouse as to just how sharp she wants these knives. Mentioning the hazards. They need to know haw sharp they are because a surprise here isn't a good thing.

[MaryB]

A dull knife is dangerous and more likely to cause a cut than a sharp one!

[GabbyM]

A dull knife is dangerous and more likely to cause a cut than a sharp one!

That's true to a point. However if you really work one to a razor edge they are very dangerous. Not many people in this vast world whom have ever actually worked with a truly sharp knife. I'm talking about sharper than those cheep plastic shaving blades you use to shave your face in the morning. That's exactly the problem I've had communicating to the others in my kitchen. They seriously do not have a concept of what a sharp knife is. The dull knife will cut you concept is simplified as pressure required to make a cut makes a break through pass with the knife. With a truly sharp knife. If you just bump your finger with the edge it will go almost to the bone. Dull knife wont' do that. I'm 58 years old and can't recall myself cutting myself bad since I was in my twenties. That is because the experience is very memorable. Then as a machinist I've been cut and nicked to pieces for decades on the job. My mind has developed a serious aversion to being bodily cut up. Just writing about it makes me feel creepy. I seriously hate being cut. Kitchen knives are however completely under control. Not like chips flying of a lathe that will get you once a month or so.
With a sharp kitchen knife. Just don't put your meat in front on the blade.

[Artful]

I'm talking about sharper than those cheep plastic shaving blades you use to shave your face in the morning.

I'm not sure that applies to MaryB!

Several Thanksgivings ago I took my knives over to the in-laws and after the mean, my brother-in-law was going to do the clean up - he put my knives in the sink with the silverware
and tried playing blind man's bluff in the soapy/suddsy water and found out why you don't do that with a sharp knive in the water. Nasty deep cut but it wasn't ragged. :roll:

[Hogtamer]

I work as a chef as well and the Henkel set first mentioned is great quality at a very good package price. Your grandkids will think so too.

[DougGuy]

flyer this is a real cool knife block, we have two of them and they beat the slotted blocks by a long shot:

It's called the Kapoosh and you can get them at a lot of places or online.

https://www.google.com/search?q=kapoosh&client=firefox-a&hs=sj0&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=07KUUpPLL7bJsQSp4YCoAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1807&bih=935&dpr=0.9

[MaryB]

I warn anyone in my kitchen that my knives will take a finger off if they brush against them. I demonstrate by dropping a ripe tomato on the blade. It falls in half.

I hate those cheap plastic razors for leg shaving, in a pinch yes but I buy better. Thankfully it is winter again and leg fur is warm :mrgreen: advantages to being over 50...

[bandit7.5]

W R CASE and Son makes a great wood handled kitchen set it comes in one of those block stands with the case brand on it

[jonp]

A dull knife is dangerous and more likely to cause a cut than a sharp one!

Just like an axe or chainsaw

[jonp]

I warn anyone in my kitchen that my knives will take a finger off if they brush against them. I demonstrate by dropping a ripe tomato on the blade. It falls in half.

I hate those cheap plastic razors for leg shaving, in a pinch yes but I buy better. Thankfully it is winter again and leg fur is warm :mrgreen: advantages to being over 50...
Are you sure your not related to my wife? ;)

[alamogunr]

Nearly 50 years ago I bought two kitchen knives from the old Alaska Sleeping Bag Co. They were described as "boning" knives. One was more flexible than the other. I got married shortly after and those 2 knives got more use than all the cheap gift knives put together.

About 10-12 years ago, I bought 3 Henckels knives. A utility model, a boning knife and a parer. Followed that up with another brand(but equal) slicer and a Santuko(sp?). All get fairly heavy usage except the Santuko. I don't sharpen any of them to the ultimate razor edge since my wife is the primary user. I just keep them reasonably share(my definition) and it seems to be good enough.

Browse around the net for "chefs" knives and you will find a lot of very expensive Japanese knives that serve mainly to satisfy the egos of would be chefs. I guess real chefs can make use of them and get their money's worth but I don't think most of us can justify them. Just my opinion and worth every penny you paid for it.

[kenyerian]

+1 on Cutco.!!!

[StrawHat]

Interesting thread and amny good recommendations. As a knife sharpener,I handle many knives every day so I have some opinions about what makes a good knife. When asked what is a good knife, my response is "...the one that feels best in your hand...". If it doesn't fit your hand or style of use, it will just stay in the drawer. For some, it is Cutco, others prefer Victorinox, and some prefer Wustoff. They all make good knives.

Not trying to argue with any of the chefs, but the magnetic bar makes your blade want to carry the small bits of grind along to your food. For anyone looking to buy a new knife, or several, try out knives your friends or family have. If you find something you like, buy that knife for your set. Handles do not need to match, so you can mix brands to get your set. I find the three knives that get the most use in my kitchen are the 8 - 10 inch chefs knife, a 10 or 12 inch serrated bread knife and a paring knife. The boning and filet knives only get seasonal use in my kitchen, same with the 12 inch slicer.

Keep them sharp and they will serve you well.

[Artful]

Well stated StrawHat

[MaryB]

Hey legs are hidden all winter so why shave, also good for the skin to give it a break from shaving, especially as dry as it gets in my house. My skin gets so dry that the skin on my finger tips cracks...

[fecmech]

My skin gets so dry that the skin on my finger tips cracks...
As a mechanic mine do that all the time in the winter. Tried something last year and it worked great. When I get a crack I put a small drop of super glue in it and push it together till the glue holds. Hurts like He## but only for a minute then they don't hurt anymore and heal way better. Don't use liquid soaps!!
Sorry for the Hijack
I like the Wustof knives and have 3. There back on topic.

[geargnasher]

If you buy J.A. Henkel knives, don't buy the cheap ones, they're garbage same as all the other cheap SS kitchen blades available. A $400 Ziess scope is still a $400 scope.

I use a bead-blasted spark plug to sharpen most of my stuff. +1 on carbon steel being generally better than stainless for consumer-grade blades.

Gear

[montana_charlie]

My skin gets so dry that the skin on my finger tips cracks...
A small can of udder balm will cure that ... works well as patch lube, and makes a pretty decent mini-ball grease.

[William Yanda]

Old thread but I want to express thanks for the knowledge shared. I support my hobby by reselling yard sale/thriftshop/etc finds. Knowledge gained here has expanded my specialties from cookware to cutlery. Recently sold 4 Salvation Army finds for mucho dinero. The only downside is that my wife saw one of the knives-Henckles 5 star with label- and feels bad because I sold it. Of course that's the one that sold for the highest price.

[MaryB]

Get her a Forschner Fibrox 10" chefs knife. Holds a decent edge when used on a proper cutting board(mine gets used daily!), the handles do not require any special treatment and can be washed and dried with no worries of a wood handle being damaged. http://www.cutleryandmore.com/victorinox-fibrox/chefs-knife-p1755 or if she has smaller hands the 8" (this set is a bargain, the bread knife is super sharp and I use mine a lot!) http://www.cutleryandmore.com/victorinox-forschner-fibrox/starter-knife-set-p113726

[bullet maker 57]

I have Henkels and Cutco. Cutco stays sharp forever. I have the Henkel steel. It puts a very sharp edge on any knife I have used it on. I like both brands. Each has it's place in the kitchen.

[Love Life]

A sharp knife has no friends, lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[David2011]

Update: went Bed Bath and Beyond. Got her Calphalon Katana series 18 piece cutlery set. 450 with 20% off coupon, 50 dollar gift card and free cheese board and knife set. It got great reviews and looked and felt as good as the Wustof or the German knife. Have a Chicago Cutlery set that the ex ruined putting in the dishwasher. She also kept the block. Thanks for all the help and advise. Hope I did ok.

Just read the whole thread. SWMBO and I decided to buy ourselves some better knives 2 or 3 years ago. We went with the Calphalon Katanas as well on the advice of a friend that's a professional chef. They're well balanced and as the name implies they're folded steel. They're reasonably easy to sharp for stainless blades. I touch them up with a ceramic stick every time I use them. She doesn't. I have never resharpened them. We decided on an 8" chef's knife and a 7" Santoku and have been very happy with them. They may not be as good as CutCo, Wusthof or Henckle but they are a vast improvement over the cheap knives we had used for years. The cost was close to CutCo so I may buy one of them if we think we need another knife.

When I have game meat to carve up or any large meat like a roast that's going to become chili I still like to get an old large carbon steel chef's knife out and put a good edge on it. She doesn't like to put the effort required into taking care of carbon steel so they're seldom used. It's hard to get rid of the drawer full of little used knives even though we only use 6 or 8 that are kept on the counter. Bed Bath and Beyond had a block that has fine nylon rods instead of being all wood. We got one of them and it's gentle on the blade edges.

[Bert2368]

What you will like is very dependant on what you have previously experienced. Your skills in both using & maintaining blades have a great deal to do with brand preferences.

I have owned, sharpened and used Henckles, Forschner, Sabatier, Ontario knife works, Shapeley's, Old Hickory, Victorinox, Chicaco cutlery plus others that escape me at the moment.

I've still got 3 of my Henckles 4 star knives from around 1984, they have held up well, I can't complain. But I mostly buy Japanese knives now. Many of the Japanese brands are just amazing, if you understand how to use and can maintain them.

For an introduction, you could do worse than the Tojiro/Fujitora DP Cobalt knives. VG 10 cores laminated to highly rust resistant, softer "stainless". These knives cutting edges are HARD, RHC 60 - 61. They are thiner bladed, lighter and sharpened to a narrower angle when compared to most European knives.

Ballance and feel, you have to experience to understand. Going from my good old Henckels 10" chef knife to a Japanese 270mm gyuto is like switching from operating a Kenworth tractor on I-80 to driving a porsche down the Pacific coast highway and "enjoying" the curves. They'll both get you there, but which would you prefer on a nice day?

[jaysouth]

I was a working chef for may years in various restaurants that I owned. My all time favorite knives are 7" santukos by Wusthoff or Messermeister and an 8" chef knife from Wusthoff. You could start off with a 6" utility knife and an 8" chef knife, either from wusthoff or messermeister. Can the butcher block, it is only good for spreading e. coli and other germs. Mount a magnetic bar on the wall in your kitchen. I am convinced that knives kept long term on a magnetic bar are easier to sharpen. Make sure you have a butcher steel to go with the knives. In my kitchen, I picked up the steel and hit it a time or two before any cutting. When putting the knife away, I dipped it in hot water, wiped it down and hit the steel a couple of times.

For paring knives, I lose so many that I buy cheap ones and expect to go through them. Forschner and Dexter russell make good one under $10. A serrated bread knife is handy for bread, but is not needed for anyother chores.

[EDG]

https://youtu.be/Okv6N7KfR6A

[David2011]

Update to my previous post. We’ve been using the Katana knives for 2 years now, fully satisfied with them. I’ve learned that they sharpen best for me using a white Arkansas stone wet with soapy water. I still touch them up with a Lansky ceramic stick and they stay very sharp. We wash them with hot soapy water and dry them promptly after each use. We also have a Henckel 5” and a Kamoto 8” (iirc) single bevel chef’s knife. I like the Kamoto but sharpening it is very different from conventional double beveled edges and the techniques are not interchangeable. I prefer the double beveled (normal, typical edges) for veggies and anything firm. The Kamoto is awesome for meat and chopping smaller vegetables but I don’t like to cut large onions with it because it’s hard for me to control in large ones. The conventional knives cut straighter for me in onions.

[10x]

Victorinox knives

Got a set as a wedding gift over 45 years ago. Used daily for 45 years.
Only ever used a steel to keep the edge.
Wife broke the filleting knife coring a cabbage.
Still sharp enough to slice a ripe tomato with only a slide across the steel

Been used to butcher deer, lamb, beef.

[Elkins45]

Victorinox. You’re going to pay 4x more to get the same quality. Or maybe Kershaw.

I own a gazillion knives but in the kitchen the Victorinox and Forschner (sp?) are the ones I use.

[10x]

Victorinox. You’re going to pay 4x more to get the same quality. Or maybe Kershaw.

I own a gazillion knives but in the kitchen the Victorinox and Forschner (sp?) are the ones I use.

+ 1 on Victorinox - 45 years with the same set of knives and they cut like they are brand new.

[Rubino1988]

I could not begin to advise you on knives...but a local to me custom woodshop makes beautiful cutting blocks with different woods - glued/laminated together than polished up for $20 each.. cutting boards for 20 sounds too good to be true

[StrawHat]

I hand sharpen knives, for a living. I recommend you buy the knife that is most comfortable in the hand of the user. You don’t need a whole block of knives. Those are built to sell at a price point. You need a good paring knife and a good chef’s knife. After that, what fits your lifestyle? Do a lot of baking? Then you need a good serrated bread knife at least 10” long. Hunt and fish, a good filet and/or boning knife. Build your set to fit what you need. I dislike serrated steak knives so we have a set of straight edges for that duty. In our block we have two chef’s knives, one for Herself and the one that fits best for me. Same with the paring knife.

As a sharpener I tell folks every day, I can sharpen any blade you bring me. I can not change the handle to make it comfortable in your hand.

Brands, I like made in USA. This limits your options but LampsonSharp (Mass), Cutco (NY) and Warther (Ohio) are all very good with forever warranties.

Outside of USA, Victorinox, Wusthof, Sabatier, and Shun are all excellent.

The most important thing is make sure the knife is comfortable in your (or her) hand.

Kevin