Help with a first quality kitchen knives for wifes Xmas gift. Clock is ticking!

BellaBlades

BellaBlades

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Jul 12, 2013
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Hello to all the regulars around here. I need a hand to choose some knives for my wife. She has a wall mounted block with a carbon steel set. But we somehow lost a 12 inch bread knife and the others are wearing out.

I would like to get my wife a new "set" for X mas.
She is an amazing cook and uses them daily.

Cooking everything from meats, veggies, home made pizza bread and lots of baking!
Im getting hungry.
I will give some criteria below and I hope that you guys and gals can give me a few options.

-Wall mount or in a block is nice, but I know that many knives are not sold like that. Sheathing would be cool. But I am open for suggestions.
-Chefs knife or Big santoku knife for larger work and chopping
-Bread knife , can be part of set or lower quality
-Utility knife
-They will not rust and require low maintenance

I am open to suggestions as well. I would like to stay in the ball park of 150+. Things are tight this year with the new job and babies.

Thank you!
 
Victoriox makes some good looking ones with rosewood handles. Then any magnetic strip. The full rosewood set with the block is a little expensive
 
BellaBlades said:
-Wall mount or in a block is nice, but I know that many knives are not sold like that. Sheathing would be cool. But I am open for suggestions.
-Chefs knife or Big santoku knife for larger work and chopping
-Bread knife , can be part of set or lower quality
-Utility knife
-They will not rust and require low maintenance

I am open to suggestions as well. I would like to stay in the ball park of 150+. Things are tight this year with the new job and babies.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

I dunno your thoughts about steels. But when you want knives that are less vulnerable, not rust and low maintenance and good for overall use then something like the Wusthof Classic Icon line comes in mind. You can buy a chefsknife only or a starter set wich contains 3 knives. (2 diff sets available) and they have a pletora of other knives in this style. Like 4 lenghts of chefs knives. 3 different breadknives etc etc. Most knives comes in variations of lenghts. So you Always can buy later other knives of this line to your specific need or like. Besides black handles there is also a white handle version. The handles are not bulky, I think they are excellent for smaller/femalehands.



Just an idea:
Here is just a simple example of a lowcost, effective and nice looking wall mount you can build yourself to your own size and style.

KeRT7LZ.jpg
 
Thank you guys for the input. I will look at the of the information provided and go from there.
Thank you for the knife holder idea. That would also be safe hanging with my two kids running around. The magnet thing is a no go. So some sort of block is very important.
I will look at the set mentioned and worst case, get a nice mid grade bread knife and chefs knife.

Matt
 
Agreed, a set is not the way to go in this situation. That said, I'm not the expert that some others are with kitchen knives. But id try looking at the tojiro dp line of knives. They can be found around $50-65, so they might be a good match for you.

This is what I came here to post though. I made my wife a kitchen block last year with a design that isn't common, but works great for people switching knives around all the time. I wrote up how i did it in my (really lame, so you can't make fun of it publicly :P) blog. Feel free to use the design, as it was pretty easy to make with simple hand tools.

http://loganslearnings.blogspot.com/2014/04/logans-leisure-3-bamboo-skewer-knife.html?m=1

Good luck :).
 
Girls often likes shorter knives. For home chefs that don't cook for 400 people, you can do fine with a shorter knife.
That said id get a really great Gyuto or a Funayuki. I think they are the most versatile knives around.

Just be sure to get double beveled and not single beveled knives. She won't be happy with single (my guess)
For length I think 210 will be to long. A small Gyuto 150 - 180 or a Funayki in the same length would hit her spot... (IMO)

If you know how to take care of a knife, Id go with carbon. However girls tend to like stainless...

A great starter would be this for her: http://www.chefknivestogo.com/toitkshpe120.html
(I know its a petty, but then again its alright for a girl and gives her a lot of experience) (and you could rehandle it to make it more special)
 
Thank you for all of the information guys. One of you sent me a PM with this link and after some research I see they are nothing but top notch mid tech knives.
My wife loves her full 8 inch chef knife and the utility Nakiri chopper looks great. No doubt is this set perfect.
I am getting one for 175$ which is a deal I cannot refuse.
http://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Kai-Wasabi-Black--6451
After looking as well. The only other addition I will look for is a single santoku for her birthday in January to go with it.
But this set has everything her old set had plus much higher in quality.

Thank you guys. I hope I made the right choice. After probing her ;) for interest. This seems to fit the bill.
And in the mean time I have learned alot about kitchen knives.

Matt
 
I hope you're happy with those, haha.
(Don't say I didn't warn you! Mistakes have been made.)

Also, those are not mid tech. Basically those are no-tech, machine made and over priced.
 
I did not place the order for the set yet.
Is it Junk?
I figured the steel will hold an edge well with low maintenance. And they are attractive.
I just dont know if she would be bummed getting a single chefs knife.
But then again she does use that the most.

I really like the look of your knife. I could get a cheap bread and utility knife with that.

INOX vs Daido 1K6

And I know nothing about either one.
 
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It is important to me that the knives or knife I choose will make her job in the kitchen easier. I can put a scary sharp edge on any knife very fast.
But cooking with two babies at home, I just want her to enjoy it more and be more efficient.
I am looking at more Tojiro's

Between all of these posts and PM's I am getting many conflicting opinions.
I will read some more reviews before I do anything.
 
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Build a set slowly over time.Buy her a block first and one really nice knife ... May I suggest Murray Carter's high grade series?One good knife is better than a whole block of cheapies in my eyes.....
 
In that case.
I am researching a inexpensive block or one that I can make home made like mentioned above.
Starting with a nice high end chefs knife or santoku. It took a little drilling but I certainly get it now.
I suppose that is the idea and in the mean time she has her old beater set to take up the slack.
But I know the majority is done with her large knife.
I am narrowing it down and will post my top choice.
I am debating what is ideal between the two main knives. Seems that a santoku is more for fast chopping?
 
Last year, I bought an Uraku nakiri 165mm SKD11/D2 from Jon. Very high bang/buck for such good F&F quality product. Gave it to my mom, my aunt visit one day and used this knife (quick guess?) to open a coconut, man oh man why always coconut = multiple 4mm deep chips. Perhaps mistaken a nakiri for a cleaver :p

btw, the ferule is quite lovely, just like a jewel to admire & feel.

BellaBlades said:
I dig these.
I think I could just get this without a block.
Im feeling the santoku is a better size for all around work... Let me know what you think.

http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...o/gesshin-uraku-210mm-stainless-wa-gyuto.html

http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com.../santoku/gesshin-uraku-165mm-skd-santoku.html
Click to expand...
 
+1 on wa-handled nakiri knives! Also, anything from japanesechefsknife, Epicurean Edge, Blueway Japan, or Japanese Knife Imports will be leagues above anything from Kai/Shun.

The Gesshin Uraku is a very good choice, especially with the free saya! I wish that would have been my first "real" knife.
 
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