Recommend budget stainless steel kitchen knives

Bladenoobie1

Bladenoobie1

Joined
Jul 20, 2012
Messages
1,261
Hi,

I recently moved to an apartment that was closer to the college I am attending. I cook pretty much every day and I would like to use something better than those multi colored "chef" knives. I am confident in my sharpening abilities and wouldn't mind sharpening my kitchen knives once a week or so given that the edge can last. This would be a knife that both my and my roommate will use. Due to frequent use and being busy with school I don't want to have to worry about rust or a knife left in the sink.

That said my budget is upwards to $60 but no more. I'm looking for something with a santoku profile, open to cleavers, and/or just any general purpose shape. Stainless is a must. I have and like using carbon steel knives, but I can't have rust become and issue.

Thanks,
BN
 
$60 per knife? or $60 for all the knives you want?

Victorinox Forschner comes highly recommended, the Spyderco kitchen line is also quite good although lacking any big knife.
 
KingMC said:
$60 per knife? or $60 for all the knives you want?

Victorinox Forschner comes highly recommended, the Spyderco kitchen line is also quite good although lacking any big knife.
Click to expand...

Just 1 knife. I don't need a whole set.
 
It's a good quality steel however the exact composition isn't known. There's some speculations. Overall though it is definitely better than cheap steel used in $10 pocket knives.
 
No clue I haven't used spyderco's kitchen knives. I've used Forschner with wood grips. Very nice.
 
Tojiro DP's can be found for ~$60 and are my usual recommendation over Shun's. Better grinds and better profiles. They do sometimes have finishing issues with the edge itself, but if you know how to sharpen, then it is no problem at all.
 
Bladenoobie1 said:
What steel do they use on the forschner/victorinox knives? I was looking at this one but it didn't say anything. At the $60 price point I don't expect any high end steels, but I still want it to be a level above the cheap crap from the grocer or $10 pocket knives.

http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/VN40520/victorinox-8-chefs-knife-fibrox-handle
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That's a good one.

I prefer a 7" santuko over 8" chef.
http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/VN...ku-Knife-with-Granton-Edge-and-Fibrox-Handles

Victorinox Forschner uses very good quality high carbon stainless steel in their knives. No worries.

For any kitchen knife, keep it clean and dry and it will be fine.
 
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Tojiro is excellent. You may have to stretch your budget by a very few bucks, but they are worth it. Victorinox is a soft steel and requires almost daily sharpening. You can go months using the VG10 in Tojiro. They are bargain knives.
Another, less expensive possibility involves the Spyderco line of kitchen knives. They are inexpensive, but use decent steel. I haven't tried the latest version.
I can also recommend Warther cutlery. They use S35V, and the edge lasts and lasts. Finish is not the best, but they are good stuff.
Why a Santoku and not a Gyoto? I have no desire for a Santoku, and like the laster Gyoto.
 
The Sweethome has a pretty comprehensive review on chef's knives. Their top picks are the MAC MTH-80 and the Tojiro DP. The Wustof Pro is their low-budget pick.
 
Check out the Rada line. All SS USA made available online. For $60.00 you could have the 5" utiltiy, 3" paring, & the neat little serrated Tomato knife.
Easy to keep sharp and you would have all you need.
 
The absolute cheapest kitchen knives i know that still have much better hardened steel than you would think are Thai made Kiwi and Kom Kom knives.

When buying only one knife for the money you mentioned i would agree with Victorinox (or Forschner as it is named in the US)
Almost 100 % of the meatpackers in the Netherlands use this brand exclusively, and with good reason.
 
So I ended up getting a tojiro dp gyuto. Was even able to find it off amazon with student discounted prime shipping. The factory edge is actually pretty good, but I'm going to put a keener one myself later. Feels like a solid knife but will have to report back after I get lots of use with it.
 
Tojiro! Picked up two for the misses last Christmas and We Both took to them. Vg10 clad San mai, take a great edge due to the core but isn't much of a corrosion issue with her being lackadaisical in the cleaning the knife part...

Shop around, you can find tojiros for pretty fair prices. I got a 6" petty and a 8"(?) gyuto.
 
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