Need help choosing new kitchen knives

11tonytiger

11tonytiger

Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Messages
100
These are my current kitchen knives..yeah I know pretty sad .I am looking to upgrade so I am looking for these size of knives and can't spend more than $100 total .Any help would be appreciated.

T

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You should check out Victorinox. As far as I know, they're the best choice for people who want quality on a budget. The only downside is, they're not pretty.. You basically pay for the blade, and as a courtesy they slap a handle on haha.. but seriously they are still very comfortable to hold, and EASY to clean.. just bought a high-carbon steel Faberware Santoku (spelling?) for around 7 bucks and it seems to work fantastic and holds its edge better compared to similar priced stainless steel knives so i believe stainless steel is not worth buying unless they specify what kind.. no-name high carbon steel almost always performs better in my experience.
Hope this helps! I'll be interested to see what you end up getting.
1badcj_7
 
Victorinox/Forschner Chef's knife and paring knife. Those two will do everything you need in the kitchen. Another alternative would be the ones by Opinel. Very nice knives for the money, and I love the lines of the Opinel chef's.
 
Keep what you have, better learn to sharpen them than buying a new set and then tear their edges with v or pull through sharpner. Buy a DMT 6" XC + 800Grit King waterstone + Idahone fine, all 3 for less than $100. After few hrs of read & practice, your henckels may surprise you, aaaahh cutting is fun again.
 
I second the Victorinox Forschner Fibrox line. They're stamped but they are very ergonomic, come very sharp, and are easy to maintain, and are well designed. I agree that they are probably the best value out there...you get a lot for a very reasonable price. Steel is nothing stellar but is well done. Sort of the Mora of the kitchen knife world.
 
HoosierQ said:
I second the Victorinox Forschner Fibrox line. They're stamped but they are very ergonomic, come very sharp, and are easy to maintain, and are well designed. I agree that they are probably the best value out there...you get a lot for a very reasonable price. Steel is nothing stellar but is well done. Sort of the Mora of the kitchen knife world.
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Although Mora makes their own kitchen knives. So technically Moras are the Moras of the kitchen knife world? :p
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Although Mora makes their own kitchen knives. So technically Moras are the Moras of the kitchen knife world? :p
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Yeah I know...it makes my mouth water. I have not found a US distributor of same. Let me guess...you are? Off to your website to see,
 
Take a gander at the Kershaw Shun Wasabi Series. They are great knives for the money.

I use the Wasabis and commercial type white handled from Sam's Club.

The best thing you can do is learn to sharpen. Even if you have cheap kitchen cutlery if you can sharpen it and maintain the edges you will see a world of difference.
 
HoosierQ said:
Yeah I know...it makes my mouth water. I have not found a US distributor of same. Let me guess...you are? Off to your website to see,
Click to expand...

I'd carry them if I could find a source! Seems their food service line has separate distribution from their sporting lines. :o
 
Hard H2O said:
Take a gander at the Kershaw Shun Wasabi Series. They are great knives for the money.

I use the Wasabis and commercial type white handled from Sam's Club.

The best thing you can do is learn to sharpen. Even if you have cheap kitchen cutlery if you can sharpen it and maintain the edges you will see a world of difference.
Click to expand...

Checked out the Wasabi line ,I really like them and may consider them as replacements.Just curious what commercial type knives you are talking about at Sam's.I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker that I'm fairly good with as far as sharpening.
 
Hard H2O said:
Take a gander at the Kershaw Shun Wasabi Series. They are great knives for the money.

I use the Wasabis and commercial type white handled from Sam's Club.

The best thing you can do is learn to sharpen. Even if you have cheap kitchen cutlery if you can sharpen it and maintain the edges you will see a world of difference.
Click to expand...

The worst thing you may advice, is to learn sharpening with Wasabis. Even learnig with Cromova and VG-10 is much easier. It must have to do with large carbides. Hard to raise a burr, hard to chase it, some plasticity: you got rid of a burr, amd a new one appears...after half an hour. It's not impossible - with a lot of patience and some luck, but gives a false idea of what sharpening is about. Have a simple carbon or 440C blade to start with.
 
Benuser said:
The worst thing you may advice, is to learn sharpening with Wasabis. Even learnig with Cromova and VG-10 is much easier. It must have to do with large carbides. Hard to raise a burr, hard to chase it, some plasticity: you got rid of a burr, amd a new one appears...after half an hour. It's not impossible - with a lot of patience and some luck, but gives a false idea of what sharpening is about. Have a simple carbon or 440C blade to start with.
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I am not sure what you are trying to say. I have found my Wasabis to be fairly easy to sharpen. they seem to take a good edge and hold it for long enough to suit me. They seem easy to maintain an edge on as well. YMMV.
 
11tonytiger said:
Checked out the Wasabi line ,I really like them and may consider them as replacements.Just curious what commercial type knives you are talking about at Sam's.I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker that I'm fairly good with as far as sharpening.
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I have the Tramontina from them. It works great for me. I have the Santuko and the paring set.

I think they brand name may have changed to "Bakers & Chefs".

They are not sexy but they work.

For $100 you are not going to get much more than you have now. What is your goal? do you want high end? If it were me I would hold off and save more than a $100 budget. Learn to use and sharpen what you have until the bank roll is a bit higher.

I do not feel handicapped in the kitchen with my budget blades. As long as the food is good and the guests are happy I am OK with the blades I have.

Good Luck.
 
$25 Victorinox 8'' chef's knife. I use that and Opinel paring knives in carbon. They're great value and sharpen up pretty easily on the Sharpmaker. I just use the grey/brown medium stones for sharpening and the knives slice wonderfully.
 
First off, I'd look for me a good quality Chef's Knife followed by a Utility Knife of same quality, and that's just for starting. Anyways, hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!
 
I use those two knives the most of all the knives I have,makes good sense to purchase quality knives. I recently stumbled upon these 2 which I am seriously considering.

TOJIRO DP Cobalt Gyuto Chef Knife 210mm (8") and Tojiro DP Petty 120mm (5"),I can have these for a little over my original budget.Also I am just curious about sharpening these knives.I have a Sharpmaker and was wondering if the 40 degree bevel would be what is needed?
 
Good stuff. The Tojiro DP have a VG-10 core, which is fine. An average VG-10 should hold a 15 degree edge easily, with a relief bevel around 10 degree per side. VG-10 is not the easiest to sharpen: rethink your habits. Don't expect a burr to disappear spontaneously. You have really to abrade it, and do so with the lightest possible touch. Would you apply any pressure: there is some plasticity in this steel, and a new burr will appear at the other side - after ten minutes...
As almost all factory made J-knives they are somewhat likely to (micro)chip when brand new. No reason for concern, it will disappear after a few sharpening sessions. Make sure to remove enough fatigued steel during these first sharpenings. I would suggest a J400-500 stone to start with if you were a freehand sharpener.
P.S. Please note that these blades come with 60/40 asymmetric edge.
 
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Almost went with the Tojiro DP chef's knife and 5" petty but decided to go with the Victorinox 8" chefs , 5" utility and 3" paring knives.For sure an upgrade from what I had.

Thanks to all who gave me advice , I really appreciate it.
 
Good choices.

I have two blocks full of knives and I am sure others here have many more. The 10" chef, 8" santuko, and the paring knives do 90% of the work.

Do you sharpen your own blades?
 
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