... love Old Hickory, love Forschner, love Rapala
I have also collected a few things from as far back as Cousin Merriwether, a few of them with no pedigree.
I have never found a single brand or steel that does it all. I tend to hand hone, but I like the ChefsChoice utility sharpeners. I don't like rods, steels, and electrics.
Picky? Yes, I am, but not exclusive. Performance and price compete, with performance getting a slight (pardon the pun) edge.
Agree on the "trash" - it takes a superb knife to stay and the little buggers only rarely qualify.
I go exclusively wood, but it has to do with microbiology more than cutting surface.
(p.s.: Chicago has been good to me, too.)
Best of fortune to you.
LOL!
I would disown any of my potential heirs if I thought he would run one of my rosewood, hickory, oak, or mahogany handled knives through the dishwasher!
I have been using a chef knife from Brazil. It has a white plastic moulded handle. Not as hard as some German knives but at twenty-some dollars it serves my need. I have cooked and baked professionally and will say the one thing most home cooks need to learn is the habit of running your blade over a decent steel before using it. You will still have to sharpen occasionally but the honing a steel provides is well known. Watch a meat cutter. First thing they do is to run the blade over a steel.
Junk kitchen knives is one of the main reasons I started making my own knives. The main difference between the philosophy of Japanese and German (french) kitchen knives is much more than just shape, it's hardness. Good Japanese knives should never be used on anything with bone with the exception of the cleavers that are designed for such as the high hardness will cause the blade to chip, used properly a Japanese kitchen knife will keep a fine edge for a long time and will only ocassionally need to be stropped (do NOT use a honing steel on a Japanese knife). A German (French) knife is much softer steel and can be used on food with bones without worry about chipping a blade, it will certainly cause the blade to become dull more quickly but they are easy to get sharp again, even if the sharpness will not last like it will on a Japanese knife.
As far as putting them through the dishwasher, the damage to the natural materials in the handles is secondary to the damage to the epoxy, all my kitchen knives are hand washed and dried. When I make a knife for a friend (I do not do it for profit) I make sure they understand the quality and craftsmanship that goes into it and give them specific care instructions. I also will sharpen the knives anytime they need it and I will teach the new owner how to care for the knife and how to sharpen them if they wish to learn.
Just sharpened our set of Wustoffs after over 3 years. Came back nicely. Good steel me thinks.
I use Dexter sharpens up nicely and stays that way.
I have a pairing knife and 8" spear point knife that was hand forged by a friend out of I think 1095 steel with makarta handles that only I use as either can shave your beard. For de-boneing you can't beat the little knife. For me the big knife chops just fine. Temper on both are just right as hitting bone has not hurt the edge on either. My wife and son both end up cutting theirself if the knife has and edge to it. My 3 kids all clam the knives if I want them gone.
I have one of the Workshop sharpeners. I hate it. I'll bet as many knives have been ruined by that thing as there have been sharpened. Don't ever run anything in it that you might want to put on a stone again. It will take hours to remove the beveled edge form the belt and restore the chisel edge.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |