Chicago Cutlery.. Forged??

B

bored2deth

Joined
Feb 27, 2011
Messages
1,020
Heya Peoples,

I had a Chicago Cutlery chef's knife, and upon impact with a chicken bone (separating quarters), the blade snapped in half! How the hels can a "forged" blade snap on a CHICKEN bone..
Seriously.. I really need to find a good, affordable chef's knife--preferably forged (hot-drop forged), full-tang, and with dual bolsters. Bah, now I'm picky about kitchen cutlery!
 
I've used chef knives in my job for almost forty years and never seen a single one snap in half.

Not mine, not any others.

Get the knife you like, if it happens again it will be like winning the lottery (hell, it already is).
 
I have never heard of a kitchen knife snapping in half. I really like my zwillings J A henkels
 
Well, the brand is rather inexpensive. Mine was a gift, and as such the only reason I complain about it's loss. I saw one just like it in Target, I believe, for around twenty bucks. It's no Wustoff. I quartered many a chicken with that knife, separating leg and thighs even. One afternoon I went to finish up a chicken, to separate legs and thighs and it snapped. The crystals were rather large, though.
Maybe heat-treat? I may get another one like it, with the better handle atleast.
 
If you expect contact with bone, use a cleaver. Don't get me started on Forged vs Stock removal. the blades are forged because that is the easiest way to mass produce them. take the $20 and get 2 or 3 Old Hickory kitchen knives, 1095 steel made in the USA. Why full tang(unless you are going to use it as a shovel) and bolsters? IMHO extra steel=extra weight=extra cost. Look closely and do some research when you shop, the ads are very misleading. If I posted a knife made of 440A(X50CrMoV15) hardened to Rc54-55 in any other area on this site, I would probably be laughed at. Here we might pay over $200 and brag about how hi tech the steel is.
scott
 
Blades don't snap in half from cutting, they snap in half from prying. Don't pry with knives. If you want good quality cutting at very reasonable prices, as mentioned Old Hickory is good, also check out Victorinox available at most restaraunt supply stores for ~$30. If you want heavy, Henckels "classic" line is great quality and very heavy.

Consider this a lesson learned. Study the anatomy of some basic food animals like chicken, or fish to understand how they are built and how to disassemble them at the joints with a minimum loss of meat and bone fragments in your meal.


-X
 
I have a tool for prying :-) I did as I always did, I just gave the joint a "pop!" to open up the cartilage. Ah, it was prolly just one of those times. I choose full-tang because I prefer it in any fixed-bladed knife, and plus I like the weight and feel. We have a Victorinox, and a several Old Hickorys--including an Old Hickory Butcher (Found them at yardsales and cleaned them up). I used the CC bc it was a gift, and I loved the edge I could place on it. Ah, well, I found a nice one at Ross...should've grabbed it while it was on sale... I did use the knife frequently in the kitchen, though, and for the price it was a really good knife. They really have a good idea with the plastic sheaths with the hang-hooks, I loved that.

*Almost forgot, I prefer bolsters aestetic value, plus for me, they improve the balance of the knife. I've been cooking since I was a child, and I tend to be very quick with my kitchen knives, and I've come to be a bit picky. Also, the front bolsters have open provided a finger guard. (But, yes, I've long enjoyed the rustic and old-time appearance of the Old Hickory..those are good knives.)
 
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