Kitchen Kwandary

FoxholeAtheist

FoxholeAtheist

Joined
Apr 7, 2003
Messages
2,315
So, I'm in a bit of a quandary here. My mother gave my wife and I $300 for the holidays to buy some kitchen stuff, and my wife would prefer to buy knives to pots right now.

So I'm looking at the Wusthof Classic versus the Kershaw Shun series, and not sure what I should get. I'm the knife nut in the house, but I think I could trust my wife not to get all crazy and try to cut through a chain link fence or anything with the Kershaws, but I know the Wusthofs are easier to care for.

Would I be better off getting five of the Wusthof set, or just a starter set of three or so of the Kershaws?

Sub-question: I don't have the opportunity to handle the Kershaw knives locally... how do those "D" handles feel in the hand?

Any advice is welcome! :)
 
If you are indeed a knife knut(and I know you are ;) ), you will appreciate the Kershaw Shun's a good deal more than anything from Germany. The edge holding will pleasantly surprise you and the beauty of them will bring a smile to your face. Your wife will be amazed at the performance of them in ya'll's kitchen.

For me, it's a total no-brainer deciding between European and Japanese kitchen cutlery. The Japanese make a far better product IMHO.
 
I have only handled one Shun, a large Chef knife, I though that it was much better and nicer than my Wusthoffs and Henkels, I believe it is more expensive but worth it, I also like Global but I think the Shun is better and prettier.

The handles in the Shun are similar in shape to what I have used in other Japanese knives, they are fine for my small hands, I don't know how they would feel in big hands.

The good beaters in my Kitchen are by Arcos in Spain, form their "Saeta" and "German Forged" lines, to me they seem as good as Wusthoff and Henkels but cost less (I've heard that Arcos is related to Henkels), I gave a set of Arcos to my daughter as a wedding present.

Luis
 
Nothing against Wusthoff, but my Shun knives are FAR superior in performance, looks, and feel. The "D" handle is slight, but it does make a difference in the indexing of the blade in hand.

Here is a clear case of "you get what you pay for". Well worth it in my book.
 
Nothing against Wusthoff, but my Shun knives are FAR superior in performance, looks, and feel. The "D" handle is slight, but it does make a difference in the indexing of the blade in hand. I haven't run across any sharper knife for the kitchen!

Here is a clear case of "you get what you pay for". Well worth it in my book.
 
You'd probably be better off with 2 or 3 Shuns than 5 or 10 of the alternative. You can always add to your set down the road if you find the 2 or 3 Shuns you have don't perform a certain task you do regularly.
 
I tried the D handle ,didn't like it, and went to the agrussell Shun [white Corian handles] Shun is much better knife than the typical european [ I gave up my Henckels] . The Shun is a pleasure to use and looks great too. Forget the sets . The most important knives are the paring knife and chefs knife they do the great majority of your work add to that a 8" slicing knife and you're set !!....A side note - I've noticed a change in the FoodTV channel ,programming has deteriorated .I found out why , it's owned by a different company now that is aiming at the 18-34 year old group which means programs with more hype and less substance so I'm phasing it out.. ..Though there is Giada !!!
 
I gave my wife a Shun Classic 3-1/2" paring knife for Christmas. It was a bit of a gamble, because her current knives are nearly all Sabatier. She was impressed with how good the knife looked (even took it along when we went to vist friends on Christmas Day), but I could tell she had her doubts about how she'd actually like it in use. She loves it! The balance, the feel, the control. I think I may have converted her from European knives ;).
 
Thanks for the advice... turns out that the local shop (which normally has insane prices) has the Kershaw Shun for nearly what I could get it shipped here from the States, so I'm hoping to go down there tomorrow and "touch-test" them. I'm going to drag my wife with me, even though she hates going to the knife shop. I'd hate to bring home the knives and have her hate the handles. :)

I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Oh Man! I'm happy you were able to get a great price at a B&M. Nothing compares to actually getting to handle a knife before laying down those hard-earned dollars for it. Sure, it's bloody convenient click-clicking to buy online, but, you have to wait until it arrives before you can even decide if it's gonna be a fit for you or not.

I really hope you and your wife find them to your liking!


Mike U.
 
So, got back from the store, and I picked up the Kershaw 6" chefs and 3.5" paring in the Shun Classic line. Afterwards we went to the mall and found out that Williams-Sonoma carries them too (but the prices were a bit higher than the knife shop). I got a chance to handle the Onion-designed 8" chef's knife... that is one neat knife. Wife liked it too, so that might have to be a future purchase.

Thanks again!
 
WOOHOO!

And another Japanese kitchen cutlery convert is born!

Now, you've got me envying you if you get that Ken Onion Shun. That is one really sweeet looking kitchen knife. Check out this site for some really fantastic kitchen knives:

www.japanesechefsknife.com/products.html

Some really nice eye candy there. I go there just to drool. :)
 
MAN, I don't know how you guys can justify buying those ultra-expensive knives. I've worked in a kitchen for 17 years now, and cooked at home for just as long. I own a few henckles, wustofs, sabatiers, and globals, and have handled a couple shun ken onions. Whereas I lusted after that ken onion when I first saw it, it was just to expensive.

Iwill admit, when I got my first global home, it seemed impossibly sharp. but far and away, my most used and useful knife is a 6 inch henckles four star(not sure if it's a chefs or sandwich/utility). With care it has never needed a serious sharpening, and I've had it for years.

I have a 9 1/2 inch henckles chef that I almost never use

the 8 inch global french style chef is probably the number 2 knife

I go through paring knives like tp, so my current two are a wustof sheepsfoot and a cheap chinese forged(serco) with good steel, but the bolster is to big

I am still lusting after those ken onions, though. I'll probably wind up getting one. just hope it fits in my swinger block.

because of my CIA background, I can't bring myself to consider anything but forged knives, regardless of what A.G. says. I don't know, perhaps what was taught at the Culinary Institue was based on outdated knife info -- it is an old school.
 
You know, for just a second, I was sitting here wondering what working for the US foreign espionage agency had to do with kitchen knives. :D

As an update, we still love the Kershaws. I added a Spyderco KX-06S for a serrated utility knife, and their all working fine. Just yesterday I noticed that the paring knife would no longer shave, so I gave it a few passes on the fine Sharpmaker stones and got it back to scary sharp.

NTS: I didn't buy the "Ken Onion" series, just two in the Classic line. The "Onion" knives are very nice, but I can't see spending the money right now. Nice pots will have to come first. :)
 
never.to.sharp said:
because of my CIA background, I can't bring myself to consider anything but forged knives, regardless of what A.G. says. I don't know, perhaps what was taught at the Culinary Institue was based on outdated knife info -- it is an old school.
Click to expand...

Congrats on making it through the program, that is a tough one.

There can be no doubt that the ready availability of quality Japanese cutlery, in addition to the newer steels(ZDP-189, VG10, CPM154CM...) has changed the landscape of cooking steel permanently and for the better.

As recently as 10 years ago, there were simply not the availability of choices to the chef as there are now. It is a good time to be cooking! FWIW, I have no formal training, but did work in a professional kitchen in a non-chain, sit down seafood restaurant in Seattle to prove that I had "the stuff", do all the cooking at home, now.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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