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Knife input please...

WWSis
WWSis Posts: 1,448
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am getting ready to start purchasing some nice knives; one at a time I'm guessing due to the cost! :) :blink: I've talked to Mark, and he's given me his well-informed two cents. He has shuns (as do many of you). He provided me consumer reports info and several other helpful sites. At the store, I tried out Shun, Global, Wustof and LamsonSharps. I am leaning toward shun but am also considering LamsonSharp. I loved the feel, the balance. They are made in the US, which appeals to me. Does anyone have any input on these knives or other information which would be helpful.Thanks!
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Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Julia,

    After a set of Globals and four Macs and a few Wustoffs thrown in, I went to look at Shuns. I didn't like the hand feel of the Shun and ended up with Kasumi. I will get some more of these. Couldn't be happier with it.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • WWSis
    WWSis Posts: 1,448
    Thanks, Steven!
  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    touchy, feely and ease of use and $$. I have a set of Wustoffs that Neil got me for Christmas a few years ago so I have those... If I had it to do over.. LOL I would have 2 or 3 knifes and a good set of steak knifes. I love my wustoffs don't get me wrong but of the 23 knifes there are 3-4 that I use.. Bubba Tim had a very nice knife at the mini fest he let me use.. LOVED it fit my hand nice and nice balance. I do not remember what it was. and I know Lower case Bill has some very sexy things on his counter.
  • Bought my first "real" knife last week. Its a LamsonSharp and I love it. Very good balance and feel for me. Good luck finding the right knife it will be money well spent. There is nothing more dangerous than a dull knife.
  •  
    Hi Julia,

    I'm defiantly biased,
    Shuns.jpg

    8" Chef, 6" Utility w/10º angle to handle, 4" Paring w/10º angle to handle. The angled handles give you more knuckle room between them and the cutting board. I have had these for years and still love them.

    Blair

     
  • I have several (6 or 7) Shun Classics and have been happy with them. There are several models to choose from depending on your taste or your budget and they are generally pretty sharp out of the box. If you are a knife junkie and sharpness addict like myself and a few others B) who hang around here, there are many options depending on your taste and budget. :blink: That being said, the Shuns have served me well in the past and my wife still prefers them over some of my other knives.

    Start with a nice Chefs knife, a 6" petty and a paring knife. These will do most anything you need to do. You can always add knives later as the need arises. I would not recommend buying a big block full of knives because you will use 2-3 of them 95% of the time.

    Hope this helps.
  • WWSis
    WWSis Posts: 1,448
    Mark, I liked the lamson too - particularly the pretty :laugh: red "fire" ones. The cool red acrylic handle looks like a bowling ball! Also like that they are made locally. It was a little heavier than Shun, very much heavier than the global.
  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    I really like my Cutco knives. They are pricey but really good.
  • don't buy till we talk.. and you read..
    it may take me a few days to get you the info you need but be patient.
    and i got links ..
    bill
  • Which knives are these. I can't read the mark. They are beautiful.

    Dave in Plumas County
  • WWSis
    WWSis Posts: 1,448
    Thank you Tom. I was thinking of buying exactly what you recommended initially, and then probably add a few over time. I have a block of cheap ones - only actually use about three of them.
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    I haven't read most of the other replies, so this may be repetitive.

    As long as it feels good in your hand and the steel will hold an edge, the rest doesn't mean anything. Name brand means nothing as long as you're happy with those criteria.

    I have some Henckels and some Shuns. I like them all for their purposes. Whatever you do, don't buy a "set". Most of them are cheaper blades or overkill pieces you'll never use. I reach for my 8" chef 85% of the time.

    Best three to have, in my opinion, are a good 8" or 10" chef's knife, a boning knife, and a paring knife. You can do about anything with those 3.

    And if you haven't invested in a good end-grain cutting board do that along with the first knife. And get a good sharpening steel and learn to properly use it. Avoid the ceramic steels - they do more harm than good in my layman's opinion.

    IMG00186.jpg
  • Listen to bill. He has been very helpful to me and many other seeking advice on knives.
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Those are Shun. I have the 8" and 6" chef's knives with the 10 degree handle. It takes some time getting used to them but they are great once you use them for a while.
  • Hi Dave, They are Shun Classics.

     
  • WWSis
    WWSis Posts: 1,448
    Blair, thanks. Shun, right? I think I saw these in an earlier post when I was searching for info!
  • WWSis
    WWSis Posts: 1,448
    Thanks Bill; I will wait... :)
  •  
    Yes Ma'am, Shun's.

    Say Hi to Tucker,

    Blair

     
  • WWSis
    WWSis Posts: 1,448
    Julie, thanks, good advice. ;)
  • start here

    fidel is right about only needing a few knives. i got lots and he is still right

    a boning knife cause it hits bone and that dulls a knive.
    a chefs knife that fits your hand
    and a paring knife
    i would add a bread knife or serrated slicer to the list.

    all knives get dull ... and a dull knife is dangerous and not fun to use..
    how will you sharpen your knives becomes a critical quetion and steeling a knife is not sharpening.

    japanese knives including shun require care as the harder steel is brittle , it cannot be thorwn in the drawer.. don't buy japanese unless you are willing to care for them.
    shun provides a sharpening service a real plus if knife maintenance is not high on your list.
    chad ward has a book which you can find on amazon or you can borrow mine.
    cooks.com and their pbs show recommend foreschner now made by victornox [swiss amry knives] as a best buy ,, i bought some off amazon on sale .. they are no better than what ever they have on the rack at the discount grocery store ,, that said their serrated bread slicer is worth it as serrated knives are hard to sharpen and should be considered a disposable item.
    lastly, what do you want to do .. ? and what do you like to cook .. knife skills are important to presentation. you cannot slice a nice pice of brisket or salmon with a paring knife , it will look like you sawed thru it [which you did]
    comfort is important ,, if you have small hands, carple tunnel, limited dexterity? these all figure into the equasion..
    cutting boards are a consideration,, my best friend has a shun and his wife likes the glass cutting board .two passes and you might as well be using a baseball bat to cut. . good knivea need a good board and the boardsmith is the best imho. boards need maintenance too. and if you are of hort stature a thick cutting board puts your arm at an uncomfortable angle..
    feel free to email me to continue this discussion
    bill
  • PattyO
    PattyO Posts: 883
    I have worked with lots of knives. Super pricey $800+ and cheapo Walmart products. The difference I find after weight and balance is durability. The expensive knives are made to work the line for 16 hours a day. We only use our knives at home a few minutes a week. F. **** are on my wish list. http://www.fdick-cutlery.com/
    But now I have Rada knives. Super cheap, decent weight and balance and hold a nice edge. I always get what's new and have given complete sets of Rada for gifts. http://www.radacutlery.com/ I get them at my local flea market. One high end home use knife that I do not like is Chicago Cutlery. I find the blades too flimsy for my usage.
  • Bobby-Q
    Bobby-Q Posts: 1,994
    Take a look at the Ikon line from Wusthof. It is about the best steel you'll find in a commercial line. The handles feel and balance are the best out there.

    I've had access to using every high end knife out there including some hand made Japanaese masterpieces and the Ikon was the choice for me.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Bobby,

    Your input is invaluable but knives are kind of a personal thing.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Cagey
    Cagey Posts: 86
    I would go with Cutco knives; http://www.cutco.com/home.jsp. They are American made, and they will stand behind their knives forever. I have a set and am highly pleased with them. My mom in her 80s got a set as a wedding present some 55 years ago. I remember sending two of them back for repair. Cutco wanted to replace them as the knives were worn down from years of use and sharpening. Mom wanted "her" knives and just asked to have them factory sharpened and to have the handles cleaned up. They came back like new at no charge. Great knives in my opinion. Remember you get what you pay for, like with any product. Might be why you got an Egg.
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    Overall feel, balance, and blade shape are really important considerations.... However the most important thing is a good sharpening system. What are you currently using?
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • I am a big fan of Dexter Russell Sani-Safe. I would get their starter set. You can do 95% of all tasks with these three knives. The steel is a nice balance between edge retention and soft so you can sharpen very easily but keep an edge. Price is right too.
  • Julia:
    I have to agree whole heartedly with Fidel and thirdeye......
    The best knife is the one that feels right for you. Holding an edge is important too, but the feel really has to be there.
    I also agree that a set isn't the route to go...Of all the knives I have, the ones I reach for 99.9% of the time are a 10" chef and a 3" paring!
    In addition to the above mentioned chef and paring; I have a 6" boning, 10" carving, 10" fillet and an 8" serrated slicer.
    They are maintained with, "the old tried and true", a fine wet stone (which is WAY old, coming from my grand parents) and a good steel.
    NOW....Here is the kicker :ohmy: !!
    They are all old (I've had them for 40 years) Chicago Cutlery. And I love them ;) !
    I can't say I know ANYTHING about new CC, but these old guys are my buddies :woohoo: :woohoo: !
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Julia: Forgive me if this is repeat info, I don't have the time to read the whole thread. For me, when choosing a knife, it is all about comfort, AND steel strength. I use several brands....I would not trade my Messermeister boning knife for anything!! Can NOT kill the thing!! And yes, I love my Shuns, though I find now after a few years of use, they tend to pit, which ticks me off, but they remain sharp and my go to blade. The knife Julie used from Tim at Mini Fest was a Hiro, straight from a Japanese sword maker...but I do not recommend them for regular daily use. Sharp as a razor, but not meant to chop a bunch of garlic or Rosemary...know what I mean?
    To stop my babble...comfort IS the key, so long as the steel is proven! Choose what is most comfortable for your hand, and what has the best warantee behind it!!! (Shuns for example, you can mail them back to the factory, and they send them back to you with a factory edge, no charge, once a year).
    As others have said, do NOT buy a "set". They are substandard, meant for Betty Crocker wives. And FIdel is absolutely correct....A Chefs Knife (8 inches is good for your size), a boning knife, and a paring knife is pretty much all you need. But, a nice long serrated blade is a must for me too, for meat carving. Beyond that, useless in the kitchen.
    Bottom line, take a look at Messermeister for boning and paring knives....German steel, bulletproof, but pricey. ( I wouldn't trade my Messermeister boning knife for anything!!!)
    Chef knife...Choose what is comfortable!!! What feels best in your hand is the key! Just make sure it is quality steel, that will hold it's edge.
    A quality steel is also a must. Steels do not "sharpen", but re-align the little misfits/misalignments that happen with normal knife use. Get a good one, NOT diamond or ceramic, and use it often! It will make a blade last forever, just a few strokes before a cook!
  • Jolly Bill Barker wrote:
    I am a big fan of Dexter Russell Sani-Safe. I would get their starter set. You can do 95% of all tasks with these three knives. The steel is a nice balance between edge retention and soft so you can sharpen very easily but keep an edge. Price is right too.

    Those that say don't buy a set I don't understand. They go on to say buy a 8 or 10 inch chefs knife, a boning knife, and a paring knife. The set I mention above is just these three knives.

    Just my two cents.