Looking for a new portable "kitchen knife"

[Saccara]

Hi all,
I'm looking for the "perfect" folding kitchen knife. The main purpose for the knife is food prep.
I'd like to have a folding knife with a high handle, thin blade and without a finger guard. Because I'd like to hold it like a real chef's knife without hitting the cutting board with my knuckles.
The Spydiechef seems to be the perfect fit. But the price is very high (>280$ in Europe).

I don't mind too much for the steel and handle materials. The ergonomics and a reasonable price are far more important for me.
Are there any good alternatives for my needs? I couldn't find anything similar on the internet.

Thanks in advance!

 

[SpySmasher]

AG Russell makes a folding kitchen knife. I can't recommend it, though, as I have never even seen it in use. I simply know it exists.

 

[Colorodo]

Checkout Opinel larger knives.

 

[wensynch]

V3

A G Russell folding chef's knife V2

I have V2. Russell makes sharp knives. Ergo is OK, handle is a little sharp and probably uncomfortable for long periods. Hence, V3 methinks. V3 is also one hand open.

 

[katanas]

I know you specifically said "folding knife", I just wanted to point out the Boker Plus Chefyougo (with sheath) in case you had not considered it. I like mine a lot.

 

[Lapedog]

AG Russell makes a folding kitchen knife. I can't recommend it, though, as I have never even seen it in use. I simply know it exists.

My friend is a chef has the Ag Russel folding kitchen knife and highly recommends it. He had tried many folding kitchen knives from various brands like Boker and was very disappointed with them. The SpydieChef while well made has too small a blade.

He claims the Ag Russel is the clear winner with its major drawback being it has a pinned construction and is thus not able to be disassembled for cleaning.

 

[Barman1]

AG Russell makes a folding kitchen knife. I can't recommend it, though, as I have never even seen it in use. I simply know it exists.

AG Russell has two folding santoku knives.
I prefer the stainless handled version due to the steel (ATS-34), balance, and slicing ability.
It also locks up tighter with a double detent that sandwiches the blade in both the open and closed position.
Also way lighter but there are some hotspots that I smoothed out a bit.
I carry the ATS-34 version in my pack for weight considerations and at home whenever I go for one or the other I grab the same. Probably because I don't need to sharpen it as much as the 8Cr blade and it just cuts better.

 

[Casinostocks]

Spyderco's Spydiechef. It's a great folding knife which will hold a really nice edge but IMO it's s too small for extended kitchen use (speaking as an owner / user).

 

[b00n]

Checkout Opinel larger knives.

I think that's a good suggestion. My Spydercos work well as kitchen knives as well. You don't need a Spydiechef necessarily, a standard Military works quite well and is considerably cheaper. (Or if you want to go even cheaper, a Resilience could work too.) The Angle isn't ideal for straight downward cuts, but most folders unless specifically designed will have similar problems. Liong Mah has a KUF but it's also sub optimal and expensive.

 

[Hurrul]

Peanut butter, bagel/bread crumbs, salami or other meat grease, cheese grease, syrups, spices, sardine/tuna residue, mayo, fresh fruits or vegetables parts....all get stored in the pivot of a folding knife.

From a professional backcountry guiding perspective (I've facilitated desert and mountain travel trips, up to 4 weeks at a time) and prepared hundreds of meals in the backcountry, you might still want to consider a light weight fixed blade/skelatinized fixed blade.

I preferred a Falkniven WM 1.

Easier to maintain in the field, and also most importantly, they are much easier to clean and keep clean. This allows the tool to be sanitary from meal to meal. Much like in a commercial kitchen, anything that can harbor microbes is not desirable.

Even less so in the backcountry, where food poisoning is actually pretty common, whether from unclean utensils or unclean hands and the results are even more miserable when modern toilet facilities are lacking.

But, if your not preparing complicated menus, or only out for a short period, you can likely get away with a folder, that can be cleaned out at some point.

 

[Lapedog]

Spyderco's Spydiechef. It's a great folding knife which will hold a really nice edge but IMO it's s too small for extended kitchen use (speaking as an owner / user).

Agreed they should have kept it the same size as the original custom version. They essentially neutered the knife by making the Spydiechef so small.

 

[tiguy7]

View attachment 973002 View attachment 973000 The Russell folder is a little short on knuckle clearance, but you can compensate by hanging the handle over the edge of the cutting board. I also like my CUDA MAXX with a Stellite 6-K FFG ground blade for food prep. The open frame lends itself to clean up.

 

[TommyG19]

Look at the Spyderco Endura and Stretch 2. Neither is purpose built for kitchen duty, but they both handle it well. Just be fairly aggressive washing them out.

FWIW, I'm waiting to get a Spydiechef. Kitchen is 95% of my knife use.

 

[Puleio]

. . .

My friend is a chef has the Ag Russel folding kitchen knife and highly recommends it. ...

AG Russell has two folding santoku knives. ...

What they ^^ said.
My little brother is a chef. I got him the A. G. Russell Folding Cook's Knife II (the one with the dark scales) for Christmas back in 2016. He loves it. The Cook's Knife is in his pocket all the time and it sees a LOT of use.

Good luck and enjoy