OT...Cutco...wow!

I use Hattori, Shun and Tosagata knives. All are amazing, never needed to sharpen any yet. For the price though, the Tosagata knives are really great.
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?dept_id=13198
Personally, I love the Japanese knives, they look good, fit great and work effortlessly.
JCK is another great source.
http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/
I would not waste my money again on Wusthof though. Again, just an opinion.

*Edit. Let me add, I have 6 kitchen knives and really only use two regularly. I'll rotate the ones I use 'just because' but really, you don't need a whole block. A nice Mag Blok (www.benchcrafted.com) and a few great knives and you're set, and it looks great! A santoku and a 4 inch utility or perhaps a Shun birds beak parer (which I love) is really all you need. If you buy right, you won't even need a bread knife.
 
Cutco is a rip-off Pyramid scheme for management to make a killing while salesmen dig themselves into a hole. Decent knives, exponentially overpriced. I have a few Henkels, a Wusthof and the rest Chicago Cutlery and stuff given to us for wedding gifts. If I can keep my sons from cutting hoses and stripping wire with them they all do the job. The red handled Norton kitchen stone and an old butcher steel come into play a good bit.
 
90% of the time my wife uses a laminated stainless/carbon/stainless hocho (Japanese knife) that's she's had for over a decade. On a whim I got her a Kyocera ceramic santoku for veggies. It works great for soft stuff (tomatoes etc.) but not so much for harder things (onions, carrots, etc).

Cooking and eating is an integral part of Japanese culture...I'd go with what the experts use. :D
 
I use shuns and have some Alton Brown models. I really like them, they are Vg-10, hold a good edge and are great looking.
 
For Japanese steel I use Global. Slight convex edge like your good ol' Busse. They are SHARP!!! I've had Henckels, Wusthof, Victorinox, etc. The German steel is good, but I give the edge to Globals. They do chip easily due to the very thin edge so don't smack them around.

The 7" Vegetable Knife is a good all-arounder for the kitchen. I love mine.

glG5.jpg
 
I love my shuns, I have a couple of the ken onions and a couple of the altons. I have somewhat limited experience, but I think they are exceptional. I'm not sure why Consumer Reports rated them 14th, but they know much less than us 'knife experts'. I almost went with the Globals, (might still pick one up) but I didnt like their weighted handles. I got my gf a cheaper set of Calphalon Samarai or something close in name to that. They are Made in china, but have help up very well! In conlusion, I like knives.

Also I can relate to you about the wife. My gf loves to use her cheap serrated knives whenever im not looking. I tride to explain to her that they tear and dont slice, but she mostly cuts small veggies so likes small + serrated. (She cuts a lot of tomatoes!)
 
The Calphalon Katana series is ok, as long as you understand that the steel is VG-1 and then the price isn't all that appealing. For the same price, one can get a Hattori damascus or something similar. The handle shape is a bit odd too.
Regardelss of what you pick, get a good 20 degree edge on it and keep it out of the drawers and dishwashers!
 
CutCo, Gerber, Forshner, Henkels, Dexter/Russel, Busse, Murray Carter knives.

My Wife still has a "Ginsu" from before I moved in.

Takes all kinds to make a kitchen.
 
My stuff is almost all Wusthof: a paring blade, slicer, 10" Chef's, and 12" Wide Chef's. The 12" was a gift from my mother-in-law and included free lifetime sharpening. I'm not sure I will ever use that.

I just recently got a Krein Santoku that has become a serious contender for my favorite tool for food prep. I still need the big 12" number for carving meat, but the shape of the Krein makes it superior for routine kitchen tasks.
 
We have several small Shun classics. Very sharp but they do not withstand the type of handling my wife dishes out. Broke 1 tip so far due to a dropped knife.

If you use wash and put away immediately you will love them.
 
Boss Hog, this is the way Busse fans say.......We need a full line of Busse Combat Kitchen knives! :D:D:D
 
Man, you people are great! I just sat down and showed Wifey the whole thread and she likes the Shuns. She's REALLY feeling the Ken Onion line of Shuns. Something about the handles seems more grip-friendly to her than the straight handles of the Shun Classics. I'm gonna go and check out the Hattoris now...that knife was beautiful! Thank you, people! :thumbup:
 
Check out kaji line of Shuns at william sonoma... they are even cooler then the ken onions. I was thinking i needed one, until i started looking at these hattoris... i will also need a mag knife block now...
 
Gatman, if you get a chance, try finding a store that carries the Shuns and give them a feel. I really like the look of the Ken Onion handles, but I prefer the feel of the Classics... not to mention the price.

I'm not sure where CR got their knife reviewer, but they rated the Shuns mediocre on "cutting performance", handle comfort, and handle balance. The latter two are very subjective, and the first is very dependent on how you care for the blade. There is no detail on their site as to whether they tested out of the box, or if they put a proper edge on beforehand. (Although my Shuns did come very sharp OOtB). They also refer to the Shuns as "prone to corrosion. :confused: Never had a problem with mine. Frankly, I'm underwhelmed by that particular review.
 
Thanks for the specific info on that review, Fox. That kind of factual analysis, makes a lot of sense. I will be looking for a place to try the Shuns now. There's a BIG Macy's next to the school where I teach, and I may be able to cop a feel there.

Wifey is concerned that the straight handles will be uncomfortable for her. She grew up with the Cutcos and really only has experience with them, and the Chinese cheapies we have now. She's not particularly fond of the Wusthof Classics, but she kinda digs the look of the Ikon set and might like the way those fit her hand. We're gonna hafta hit the store soon.

I kinda just wish she'd let me do my thing, but then she'd have a mis-matched ass set of knives, and she's WAAAAAAAAAY too OCD for that. :D:D:D She'll go nuts if all our steaknives are all differently-configured Culties and we have a NICK, a BATAC, an SJT, a BM, an HR, and both of the Muks. :D:D:D:D:D
 
randucci said:
We have all Global (except for the Busse N.I.C.K. knives), one piece forged blade and handle, nothing to come apart. They are thin, very sharp and I have never had any problems, well, except for keeping enough bandaids on hand for my wife! :eek:
Click to expand...

+1 !!!
After using all the big German brands for years and even a French one (Sabatier) my brother gave me a Global G-2 8" chef's knife. The difference is like night and day! Ergos are better, balance is better--I could chop and slice better overnight! All that and you can throw them in the dishwasher in a pinch, something you really cannot do with wooden handled knives.

There really is nothing else that compares to global, even if you spend alot more! Do be careful about purchasing on ebay, however, as there are fakes out there.

You can see the company info (but not buy them) HERE.
 
i got my avant gaurd cutlery wood block set for 30$. couldn't be happier. I had a freind who tried to become a sales rep in highschool to earn extra money, but stopped after 3 or 4 people because selling middle class folks who eek by paying rent 2,000$ kitchen knife sets is fighting an uphill moral battle.

the trainer's speil included how he dropped out of college becuase college is a waste of time, and selling high quality products is where it's at.

he said it all felt frighteningly fanatical.
 
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