Carbon Steel Kitchen Cutlery made in The U.S.

Ballenxj

Ballenxj

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Oct 30, 2010
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I have been looking at this category lately and it seems most all are manufactured in China?
Are there any decent brands made in The USA?
I know the German brand F. Dick seems to be at the top of the heap and their prices reflect this.
I remember old brands like Chicago Cutlery, but they too are now manufactured in China.
Color me disappointed.
 
Do you mean plain carbon steel, like 1095? Or high carbon stainless? The brands you mentioned are generally high carbon stainless. Normally the phrase carbon steel means true plain carbon steel.
 
lambertiana said:
Do you mean plain carbon steel, like 1095? Or high carbon stainless? The brands you mentioned are generally high carbon stainless. Normally the phrase carbon steel means true plain carbon steel.
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The old Chicago Cutlery was if I recall 1095 or similar carbon steel. All of the new stuff is stainless that claims high carbon? I don't know how true that is, but I miss the old stuff that was USA made. I remember the old stuff was easier to sharpen and took an edge.
 
That's my experience with Old Hickory as well. I mainly use them for nostalgia.
 
IMO, the best selection of carbon steel kitchen knives are made in Japan as they still have a ton of people forging blades traditionally. Not so cheap to get them here in the USA.

Pallares from Spain is one of the better budget brands still using carbon steel, IMO, but they're certainly not premium either, though they have a limited premium line. Then there are some of those French knives, like k Sabatier.

The only USA made knives using carbon steel I remember coming across regularly when I switched my whole kitchen cutlery set to carbon was from custom knife makers or dexter russell but most of the dexter russell options are using their dex-steel stainless stuff, that I recall at least.

I know OKC's Old Hickory line was available before, but I thought it was discontinued after they went out of business. They're "just okay" at best, so they never interested me much. I know a lot of people like them, but I'm a bit snobby towards a good knife. Most of my kitchen cutlery is Japanese knives with some European stuff mixed in, and one or 2 custom knives.
 
The whole idea here was that I have a good friend that is always complaining his kitchen knives wouldn't hold an edge. He and his family have done a lot for me over the years, so I thought I'd get them a good set of cutlery.
I ended up going German. I bought them a Wusthof 4 piece knife set.
These seemed to get good reviews for holding an edge.
 
Consider looking at used knives. I have been casually collecting older forged carbon steel US and European kitchen knives for a number of years. The old Dexter 48910, 4898, 48912, etc knives are excellent, within the limitations of the time when they were manufactured. These knives can usually be found well under $100. These sort of knives were what you would have found in most large working kitchens in restaurants, hotels, etc of the 1920s-1960s. As a result these knives are often found heavily stained, with edges requiring repair and walnut handles that might have decades of grease and oil packed in to the wood. In other words, expect to have to do some delayed maintenance and or repairs. In addition to the US made Dexter knives, the German forged carbon steel knives of the same era are also excellent. I like Henckels, Wusthof, F.Dick and Gustav Emil Ern brands. The German made knives are usually more expensive on the secondary market but are excellent. I'm less of a fan of the French Sabatier but that's just my tastes.
 
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