Birthday Wish list - A Nice Knife

JMCXL · March 2019

I am looking to make a birthday list for myself - thinking of getting a nice knife. I see lots that look amazing and cost from $100 to over $1,000. I am looking to spend around $350-$500 (not sure wife will agree on the $500).

Wish List:
1) amazing knife that look incredible
2) has great balance
3) holds up with great cutting ability.

Also let me now what else makes a great knife in you opinion?

Do you have a knife maker you would recommend?

Next I need to figure out the type of knife? so many questions - who can help me with this decision?

Earn bonus points if you include Photos with your suggestions.

Thanks

GoldenQ · March 2019

Get a Randal but not a kitchen one

ColtsFan · March 2019

If I'm dropping that kind of coin, I'd want to finger it before buying. Any brick and mortar locations around you carry high end cutlery?

SGH · March 2019

What kind of knife are you wanting? Hunting knife, pocket knife, chefs knife, breaking knife, etc etc.

SmokeyPitt · March 2019

ColtsFan said:

If I'm dropping that kind of coin, I'd want to finger it before buying.

JMCXL · March 2019

SGH said:

What kind of knife are you wanting? Hunting knife, pocket knife, chefs knife, breaking knife, etc etc.

I am thinking a Chef knife.

bgebrent · March 2019

This my favorite chef’s knife. Light, great balance, really good feel and amazing cutting. You should hold any knife before buying. And you can get it for around $180.

https://shun.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/premier-8-in.-chefs-knife

RgrimesMD · March 2019

Check out New West Knifeworks. I’ve purchased a few over the last couple of years after visiting their Store in Jackson, Wyoming. American made, fantastic steel, sharp as Hell with lifetime sharpening, and killer colorways for the handles.

GoooDawgs · March 2019

The Shun Premier Boning knife has been my favorite for trimming and carving. Great knife

JMCXL · March 2019

bgebrent said:

This my favorite chef’s knife. Light, great balance, really good feel and amazing cutting. You should hold any knife before buying. And you can get it for around $180.

https://shun.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/premier-8-in.-chefs-knife

Very nice looking knife. Will try to find a local dealer to put it in my hand.

bgebrent · March 2019

Williams Sonoma is one option.

JMCXL · March 2019

GoooDawgs said:

The Shun Premier Boning knife has been my favorite for trimming and carving. Great knife

I use a boning knife all the time. it's a simple one but one I use often. You guys are making this decision very hard. Love the look of the Shun. I see that Costco has time from time to time. will keep an eye out for them... Thanks

dmourati · March 2019

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/gj/vrtw5odmtxwv.jpeg

https://japanesechefsknife.com/products/masamoto-ks-series-white-steel-no-2-wa-gyuto-240mm-to-300mm-3-sizes

I'd go for 240mm unless you have a good reason not to.

gdenby · March 2019

If you haven't handled a lot of knives, then it is good to hold them. After you have worked with several, there isn't nearly as much need.

Some questions. Modern steels are much harder, and usually less brittle than older steels. They will take a much more acute edge bevel, and hold them for a long time. But sharpening them is fairly difficult. Do you have access to a good sharpening service? Or, are you willing to develop the skill needed to do it yourself?

What kind of cutting style do you use, rocking or pull/push? How much do you need to do at any given time? Just a few ounces lighter can make a lot of difference if you are dicing pounds of vegetables. The opposite, a little heavier, for thick cuts of meat can be helpful.

Here's my main knife. Scary sharp, incredibly hard, great for almost everything except boning. I've never used a rocking cut, so the long flat blade is perfect for me. I'd prefer a right hand D handle, but the elongated octagon gives me a good grip. It light enough that I can cut for a long time w/o strain.

A knife like the Miyabi 34373-203 Chef's Knife from Henckels has similar steel, and is one you probably could find to hold it. Note, it is 2 - 3 times heavier.

FanOfFanboys · March 2019

For that price range you have a ton of options. I have a few custom knives, both kitchen and outdoors. The guy who made mine has also done a knives for a few other members on here

Bushkill Blades. bushkillorders@gmail.com his name is Dan, tell him I sent you. I am unsure if his books are currently open. You can scroll through his instagram and see a lot of his work, including his kitchen knives

https://instagram.com/bushkillblades?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=18tv928ncbx8y

https://www.instagram.com/p/Be3VzhdjjjG/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=19665jakiywoz

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt1OK2Wj1b5/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=93at3kydwxci

FanOfFanboys · March 2019

he can go over different blade lengths and styles he offers, different steels he offers, handle material, etc

1911Man · March 2019

I absolutely LOVE my Shun Kaji slicing knife.

I might need to get to the local store to see what they carry in the next few weeks. I think I'm about due to get another chef knife. Or many something else that they make (Shun Kaji that is).

BTW, I've had the same slicer/carver for at least a decade. Started using it extensively about two years ago when I started cooking turkey breast sections to make sammiches. I was occasionally taking it over to family on holidays to do a better job of carving things. Now I really just use it at home. I run it over the steel every so often and it's still like a razor. Not once has it been sharpened.

JMCXL · March 2019

gdenby said:

If you haven't handled a lot of knives, then it is good to hold them. After you have worked with several, there isn't nearly as much need.

Some questions. Modern steels are much harder, and usually less brittle than older steels. They will take a much more acute edge bevel, and hold them for a long time. But sharpening them is fairly difficult. Do you have access to a good sharpening service? Or, are you willing to develop the skill needed to do it yourself?

What kind of cutting style do you use, rocking or pull/push? How much do you need to do at any given time? Just a few ounces lighter can make a lot of difference if you are dicing pounds of vegetables. The opposite, a little heavier, for thick cuts of meat can be helpful.

Here's my main knife. Scary sharp, incredibly hard, great for almost everything except boning. I've never used a rocking cut, so the long flat blade is perfect for me. I'd prefer a right hand D handle, but the elongated octagon gives me a good grip. It light enough that I can cut for a long time w/o strain.

A knife like the Miyabi 34373-203 Chef's Knife from Henckels has similar steel, and is one you probably could find to hold it. Note, it is 2 - 3 times heavier.

I would love to learn the art of true knife sharpening (stones - assume).

My wife and I are looking to take a knife skills class that will help with my decision on the type of knife I would benefit most from having.

I am looking for an everyday knife, mostly chopping veggies for 2-4 people not pounds at a time, so weight is not a big issue but would like to see how these knives handle.

Thanks for the feedback

JMCXL · March 2019

FanOfFanboys said:

he can go over different blade lengths and styles he offers, different steels he offers, handle material, etc

Thanks, I will look at what he has to offer

stlcharcoal · March 2019

If you decide on a Shun, give me a shout.....I have a bunch of them in stock.

I like the Kiritsukis, I have the 6" and 8" models.

DoubleEgger · March 2019

dmourati said:

https://japanesechefsknife.com/products/masamoto-ks-series-white-steel-no-2-wa-gyuto-240mm-to-300mm-3-sizes

I'd go for 240mm unless you have a good reason not to.

This. For the kimd of cash you’re willing to spend, it better be a Japanese import like this with a name you can barely pronounce.

gdenby · March 2019

JMCXL said:

gdenby said:

If you haven't handled a lot of knives, then it is good to hold them. After you have worked with several, there isn't nearly as much need.

Some questions. Modern steels are much harder, and usually less brittle than older steels. They will take a much more acute edge bevel, and hold them for a long time. But sharpening them is fairly difficult. Do you have access to a good sharpening service? Or, are you willing to develop the skill needed to do it yourself?

What kind of cutting style do you use, rocking or pull/push? How much do you need to do at any given time? Just a few ounces lighter can make a lot of difference if you are dicing pounds of vegetables. The opposite, a little heavier, for thick cuts of meat can be helpful.

Here's my main knife. Scary sharp, incredibly hard, great for almost everything except boning. I've never used a rocking cut, so the long flat blade is perfect for me. I'd prefer a right hand D handle, but the elongated octagon gives me a good grip. It light enough that I can cut for a long time w/o strain.

A knife like the Miyabi 34373-203 Chef's Knife from Henckels has similar steel, and is one you probably could find to hold it. Note, it is 2 - 3 times heavier.

I would love to learn the art of true knife sharpening (stones - assume).

My wife and I are looking to take a knife skills class that will help with my decision on the type of knife I would benefit most from having.

I am looking for an everyday knife, mostly chopping veggies for 2-4 people not pounds at a time, so weight is not a big issue but would like to see how these knives handle.

Thanks for the feedback

Stones are not expensive, and do a great job. By the time I got around to sharpening kitchen knives (as opposed to chisels, gouges, and other woodworking knives), my hands were too arthritic and unsteady to hold a steady angle. I went w. an Edge Pro system. Sharpeners are a topic that comes often on the forum. Search on that.

Shun's are often bought in part because they have a resharpening policy. Note that the site I linked to for my main knife also offers professional sharpening. There are quite a few sharpeners that accept mail order work.

Knife skills, like sharpening skills, are a matter of practice. While you may only need to cut up a few veggies at any given time, practice makes perfect. I watched great chef Jaques Pepin dicing an onion w/o even looking at the onion. Took me months of doing a couple of pounds a week till I reached the day when I suddenly realized I had done the work just by feel, and not watching to avoid slicing myself.

If you are cutting vegetables, carefully consider the Japanese style. They are light weight, which is a plus. And they tend to be remarkably thin w. very acute edges. You can tell when a J knife is getting dull when you start tearing up working on onions. A good knife should cut so smooth that apples do not turn brown within minutes, and onions and garlic of all kinds never cause a tear.

Also, any good knife, w. appropriate care, in home use like you describe will last several lifetimes. A $300 knife should be good for at least 50 years.

mEGG_My_Day · March 2019

If your primary mission is cutting veggies, consider a usuba or nikiri.

HeavyG · March 2019

gdenby said:

...

Also, any good knife, w. appropriate care, in home use like you describe will last several lifetimes. A $300 knife should be good for at least 50 years.

No doubt that for home use any decent knife will last a lifetime or more but this always reminds me of the difference between home and professional use.

One of my favorite pix really highlights that difference. Here is a pix of Masaharu Morimoto's (of Iron Chef fame) knives and showing the progression of his knives over just a period of about three years:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/ch/vmi3b0c56ncj.png

He sharpens his knives daily (and occasionally twice a day). The handles shrink because he occasionally sands them to help remove oil that accumulates from his hand.

What started as a nice yanagiba will perhaps end up becoming a nice honesuki (with a new handle and shortening the blade a little bit more).

Dobie · March 2019

There were some great deals around the holidays on Shun at Williams Sanoma. Get on their email list and wait for a good sale if you’re not in a hurry.

Botch · March 2019

I'll be honest, I'd never want a knife like this. The "heel" (hope I'm using the right term) looks like it has sharp edges, and you couldn't rest your index finger against it comfortably. And that extended tang is ridiculous!
I'll stick with my commoner's Henckel 4-Star chef's knife, recently reground to a Japanese angle; comfortable to use and as sharp as I'll ever want.

HellrodKC · March 2019

https://shun.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/classic-8-in-chefs-knife

My favorite knife ever, reasonably priced.
But to echo what others have said, go hold them in your hand if you can. The feel of it in your hand will set them apart.

gdenby · March 2019

HeavyG said:

gdenby said:

...

Also, any good knife, w. appropriate care, in home use like you describe will last several lifetimes. A $300 knife should be good for at least 50 years.

No doubt that for home use any decent knife will last a lifetime or more but this always reminds me of the difference between home and professional use.
One of my favorite pix really highlights that difference. Here is a pix of Masaharu Morimoto's (of Iron Chef fame) knives and showing the progression of his knives over just a period of about three years:
He sharpens his knives daily (and occasionally twice a day). The handles shrink because he occasionally sands them to help remove oil that accumulates from his hand.
What started as a nice yanagiba will perhaps end up becoming a nice honesuki (with a new handle and shortening the blade a little bit more).

I'm sure Chef Morimoto demands the highest level of sharpness. Nothing but razor. But I would not be surprised if professionally he uses the Japanese equivalent of commodity knives. Just like Euro knives, they are made to be sharpened often and easily. And in a fast moving kitchen, one doesn't want to worry about dropping a fine knife on the floor, or someone w. light fingers making it disappear.

I would be interested to see how knives w. high end particle steel hold up in professional use. If what I've read was correct, the HrC scale is geometric, so even the difference between a really good 58 and a 65 is a couple of orders of magnitude.

TEXASBGE2018 · March 2019

Can't help you much cause I would never spend $300 on any single knife. But I look forward to seeing what you get.

fishlessman · March 2019

Botch said:

I'll be honest, I'd never want a knife like this. The "heel" (hope I'm using the right term) looks like it has sharp edges, and you couldn't rest your index finger against it comfortably. And that extended tang is ridiculous!
I'll stick with my commoner's Henckel 4-Star chef's knife, recently reground to a Japanese angle; comfortable to use and as sharp as I'll ever want.

this style heal/bolster section makes sharpening with japanese wetstones much easier and theres more a drawing motion verse rocking with this style blade. i hold the handle much further back on these verse the european style blades. theres so many thngs going into buying a first knife that one really has to know how he is going to sharpen it, does it fit your hand, is it designed for how you are going to use it. pretty much impossible to just say this is the better knife or not to someone that doesnt know what they want

Botch · March 2019

fishlessman said:
this style heal/bolster section makes sharpening with japanese wetstones much easier...

Ah, hadn't thought of that. The thicker heel on my 4-Star also prevented me from sharpening the full length of the blade on my electric Chef'sChoice Trizor, too.
Hmmm.

Birthday Wish list - A Nice Knife

Comments

Categories