Chefs Knives

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Thats interesting. I wield something that looks a lot like the picture below, but much, much cheaper. Chops like a chainsaw!


I wonder when an asian cleaver 'becomes' a cleaver... is it the edge grind or the length to width ratio of the blade.... a google image result for asian cleaver returns a wide variety of blade shapes. Anyway, I like mine and recommend it for heavy duty cutting.

Chinese-Cleaver.jpg
 
Another +1 for the Victorinox knives with the Fibrox handles. I bought them after several month's research, and have been supremely happy with them. I've since owned my set for about a year, and the 10" chef sees a ton of use. It's still scary sharp.
 
Wife got me a Swiss Knife (Victorinox??). It's pretty sharp and cuts like a dream. I was nto really familiar with any good knives, I just told her that I'd like something better than what we had, which was not bad, but not great either.

I've already given instructions to the family on how NOT to use it. I doubt any of them will bother trying to use it now. It must suck to not be able to cut on a hard surface or put in the dishwasher!!

Now I need to find a good steel to have on hand.
 
It's the width and grind of the blade that makes it a meat cleaver. Asian cooks knives are frequently sold in the U.S. as cleavers. That knife in the picture sure looks like a meat cleaver to me though.
 
Wife got me a Swiss Knife (Victorinox??). It's pretty sharp and cuts like a dream. I was nto really familiar with any good knives, I just told her that I'd like something better than what we had, which was not bad, but not great either.

I've already given instructions to the family on how NOT to use it. I doubt any of them will bother trying to use it now. It must suck to not be able to cut on a hard surface or put in the dishwasher!!

Now I need to find a good steel to have on hand.

They make some damn good knives for the price, they always get great reviews from cooks illustrated. While I love my Shuns I will probably be buying a couple Victorinoxs in the near future.
 
Thats interesting. I wield something that looks a lot like the picture below, but much, much cheaper. Chops like a chainsaw!


I wonder when an asian cleaver 'becomes' a cleaver... is it the edge grind or the length to width ratio of the blade.... a google image result for asian cleaver returns a wide variety of blade shapes. Anyway, I like mine and recommend it for heavy duty cutting.

There are a few Japanese knife styles that look similar to that, but not so unweildy. They are typically vegetable knives. They are usually sharp and light and let you process a lot of vegetables very quickly.

I'm guessing you have a Nikiri
215TV5DHD9L._SS400_.jpg
 
I like a forged knife as opposed to stamped. Wusthoffs are forged, victorinox are stamped. Stamped knives are okay but require more sharpening, if you are willing to sharpen often they are fine. Stamped knives hold and edge longer and require honing rather than sharpening. If you hone your forged knife every time you use it and have it professionally sharpened every one to two years (depending on how much you use it) it will last a lifetime. A stamped knife will only last a few years. If I were to have only one knife in my kitchen, it would be a 9" or 10" French chef knife. I have had a 9" Wusthoff Classic for years and absolutely love it.
 
I like a forged knife as opposed to stamped. Wusthoffs are forged, victorinox are stamped. Stamped knives are okay but require more sharpening, if you are willing to sharpen often they are fine. Stamped knives hold and edge longer and require honing rather than sharpening. If you hone your forged knife every time you use it and have it professionally sharpened every one to two years (depending on how much you use it) it will last a lifetime. A stamped knife will only last a few years. If I were to have only one knife in my kitchen, it would be a 9" or 10" French chef knife. I have had a 9" Wusthoff Classic for years and absolutely love it.

Read Chad Ward's book - there's a lot of that stuff about "forged versus stamped" that's just not true, or at the very least incomplete. Highly recommend that book
 
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I like a forged knife as opposed to stamped. Wusthoffs are forged, victorinox are stamped. Stamped knives are okay but require more sharpening, if you are willing to sharpen often they are fine. Stamped knives hold and edge longer and require honing rather than sharpening. If you hone your forged knife every time you use it and have it professionally sharpened every one to two years (depending on how much you use it) it will last a lifetime. A stamped knife will only last a few years. If I were to have only one knife in my kitchen, it would be a 9" or 10" French chef knife. I have had a 9" Wusthoff Classic for years and absolutely love it.

How is it possible that you can't simply put the edge back on a stamped knife? My gut feeling is that a lot of people who use cheaper stamped knives simply don't know how to keep an edge on it. If it gets bad enough you can always have a professional, with the right equipment, put the angle on it and prep it for the final edge...
 
Again, Chad's book. Almost positive that the Global knives so many people adore are stamped. The makeup of the steel is going to have more of an effect on the knife's performance characteristics than anything else.
 
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