MAC versus Forschner/Victorinox

T

thombrogan

Joined
Nov 16, 2002
Messages
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Which company, in your opinion and experience, makes a better chef's knife or gyuto knife for a foodee-in-training?

Many thanks!

P.S. Aren't you glad it wasn't Benchmade vs. Spyderco? :p
 
I avoid MACs at all cost they are great knives don't get me wrong but I avoid them for the same reason I avoid Busse, Chris Reeves and Strider. Value not equal to price in an everyday working environment. I use a 12" very old school Forschner with a wood grip as my everyday around the kitchen knife, next when I do the fancy dan personal chefing things or catering with demo I use my baby a 330mm Tojiro Gyuto. Each can be had for less than a hundred bucks.

The Forschner here:http://www.keywestchef.net/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=1919316&showprevnext=1

The Tojiro 330mm Gyuto here:http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/DPSwdenSteelWoodenHandleSeries.html
 
Thanks, The Chef!

(self-consciously cradles new Busse Fusion Battle Mistress and skulks away...)
 
thombrogan said:
Thanks, The Chef!

(self-consciously cradles new Busse Fusion Battle Mistress and skulks away...)
Click to expand...

Yeah sorry about the Busse thing I just can't see pumping so much money into something that is either A) Going to sit in the safe, on the mantle or worse on the belt without getting used or B) Spending so much for something a Ranger, Siegle or even Becker can do for a third of the money or less.

picture168ed8.jpg


My lil darlins the Forschner has been re ground and cut back to 11 inches due to a mistake of one my colleagues during culinary school.
 
I bought 2 Tojiros from Japanesechefknife.com this past July. A nine inch (240mm)Gyuto and a seven inch (170mm) Santoku. Shipping was fast-about 7 days from Japan and the knives are quite nice for the money- around 100 bucks for both, including shipping. The handles are nothing fancy but the blades are thin (thin is good IMO), sharpen nice and hold an edge better than any chef's knives that I've had over the years. They claim a 60 to 61 Rc and I don't doubt it based on edge holding and sharpening with the EdgePro. Good knives and great bang for buck. They're not specific on what type of Swedish steel is used but my guess would be Sandvik.
 
I really like Mac. Tojiros are also very nice but I think Mac has a little better finish and look to them. I'd recomend both.
 
smegs said:
They're not specific on what type of Swedish steel is used but my guess would be Sandvik.
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It seems odd to me that a Japanese knife maker would use Swedish steel. Fallkniven knives are made in Japan with Japanese steel. At least they used to be. Maybe some of the Fallkniven knives are now made in Sweden.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I asked on a Fallkniven forum why their knives were made in Japan. I was told by a Fallkniven rep. that the Swedish knife makers could not or would not make what they wanted. Of course, that was a long time ago. Maybe things have changed.
 
Great points, again, the Chef! And thanks for that picture of those two, sweet blades.

db,

Thanks for your input on the Mac knives.

Smegs,

You're not making this easier. Thanks much!

UffDa,

If Sandvik offers a steel not made by a Japanese foundry or a less expensive version of the same steel, makes sense to me that it'd be bought. The entire planet outsources its supply of solar radiation and no one (but me) has complained yet. ;)
 
Well, I think Forschner/Victorinox have a good reputation for one of the best bangs on the market (please if the more knowledgeable folks have better info, correct me -- the only other company I've heard mentioned as exceptionally good value is Mundial). They come damn sharp and with good F&F especially for the money.
 
ThreeWorlds said:
Well, I think Forschner/Victorinox have a good reputation for one of the best bangs on the market (please if the more knowledgeable folks have better info, correct me -- the only other company I've heard mentioned as exceptionally good value is Mundial). They come damn sharp and with good F&F especially for the money.
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I can't quote the metal makeup of Mundial but I do know this they don't take or hold the edge of a Forschner.

Rating by Use:

These three come down to cash on hand as all three are superior performers
Tojiro
Kikuichi
Nenox

Ken Onion designed Shuns and Regular Shuns they all seem to be overpriced a bit though.

Forschner simply the best value for dollar out there


Any of the Germans
Messermeister I have two 10" blades Chefs knives Ergos are far ahead of edge holding unfortunately.

Wusthoff
Henkels love the semi flex boning knife! The chefs simply do not have enough belly.

Thom, I have been in the kitchen since I was a kid and a pro since I was 17 so if you have any other specific questions regarding any other brands let me know.

BTW my hands are mil spec exactly Large and I have trained at Le Cordon Bleu and worked some with Food Network. Not bragging just listing a little background.
 
Ask any meat cutter, and they will tell you what is the deux in meat cutting. I use Forschner for my meats. The only thing about using Forschners is that you MUST have a sharpener and steel. The stainless steel requires realigning pretty often.
 
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