I usually get a box of
these or
these. What ever floats your boat of all the choices shown. Most on-line sources have these at decent deals. Not great but more than adequate. Use 'um and abuse 'um. Then trash 'um. They can take the dishwasher and being forgotten in the sink full of water.
I like paring knives for this task. Five bucks each. The problem with steak knives is that you're not using a cutting board as a plate, you're using a PLATE as a plate, so you're going to dull that knife in a hurry.
I would seriously consider buying a set of wood cutting boards to use as plates for steak or chicken or whatever if I was going to use decent knives.
I saw a thread recently that showed a nice wood cutting board for $40... I could see myself buying six of them and using them as plates for steak. Option B would be to slice the steak for myself and guests, and not have them continue to butcher meat at the table.
I saw some interesting stuff about Japanese eating customs that made me think twice about things. From what I've read... and I could be wrong... butchering meat is done in the kitchen. You don't need a knife at the table, the chef does the cutting. At the table, all you need are chopsticks.
It made sense to me.
Another Japanese custom that I liked was to never eat while walking or driving or whatever. Eat your food at the table like a civilized person. If you can't eat at a table, somebody's working you so hard that you can't sit down to eat your meal. You're somebody's bitch. They crack the whip on you so hard that you can't even sit down to eat your dinner like a civilized human being.
That put things in perspective for me. I took it to heart. Sit, have a moment of quiet, the butchering is done for you, you sit and enjoy your meal, and then go back to the business of the day.
It sounds like the life of a gentleman.
Even if you're the butcher you get to take a break and enjoy your lunch.
.