OT: What to look when buying a Chef's Knife?

[pedro.m.reis]

Ehehhe, not quite. Now the President is Cavaco Silva 😉

That's because you should have been looking for the "escolha do Jorge Sampaio" brand 😉

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Wusthof

craftsmanship bar none

 

[jgeenen]

Pedro, "Sharpness" is far away from being off-topic. Isn't owning a razor-sharp lens we all dream about (at least sometimes)? But most of the time not the sharpness of the lens counts but other factors from focussing to contrast and movements. But back to the knives:

I use Zwilling knifes (the very durable "Professional" line) for all-day purposes and a really razor-sharp santoku knife (shun series from kai).

The styles I use most are the large santoku (18cm blade) or Zwilling's chef's knife (20cm) for vegetables and meat without bones and the short peeling knife with curved blade (7cm) for peeling (especially fruit). The third one is a carving or filetting knife with flexible blade). I especially like the long blades - even for small things like garlic or ginger.

All these knifes last for many years, just with occasional sharpening (my Zwilling chef's knife needs some professional sharpening after 15 years of use).

 

[brachal]

Wustof, Henckels, and Sabatier are all excellent kitchen knives. For a chef's knife, I prefer the 10 inch size, but that may be too much for some people. Go with what feels good. Look for a handle that's comfortable to you. The correct way to hold one is with your thumb and knuckle of your index finger on the blade -- not gripping the handle. Make sure that the edge of the blade has enough curve that the knife has a comfortable rocking motion on the board -- this will make chopping easier.

You can sharpen it yourself if you take the time to learn how -- practice on something cheap until you "get it". Otherwise Lansky makes a sharpening system that is pretty near idiot-proof. If you maintain the edge on the kitchen steel you won't need to sharpen on the stone very often. I use the steel every other time I use the knife, and my chefs knife hasn't had to go to the stone in 3 years. The key to honing is to maintain a constant angle between the blade and the steel, and to alternate strokes on each side of the blade.

 

[eric]

Ok, i know this is a bit OT...

Offcourse, personal advices on brands or anything are very welcome.

Hello Pedro,
Just like cameras, it depends on how much you want to spend. Not sure if you can get Wustoffs where you are in general, they are just about the Leica's in knives. They all have secret formulas on the amount of carbon to stainless in them.
Look for a knife that is a full tang. The blade goes all the way to the tip of the handle. I prefer a larger chef's knife (anything larger than a 10")
Santokus have been around for a while and while some of the posts are true to the design, its just been kinda recent to have it fluted. Yes Rachel Ray made it more popular. I've used Santokus for a while now. I do like the flutes but older ones don't have a flute. So by definition, its the shape of the knife not the shape+flutes. You can, by the way, get a chef's knife that is fluted. The idea is, the knife creates a vacume when it comes in contact with liquid (cutting meat) and it "sticks". Think of putting a saran wrap on a wet table and pull, it kinda grabs it. Now put marbles under and pull and you'll notice that the added air pockets made it able to pull out.
And yes, I am a professional with a culinary degree. Before culinary school, I worked as an assistant photographer to many and was assistant to a food photographer and we used large formats. Now I private chef, and teach at a culinary school. I also teach a knife skills class. I just finished doing a guest chef lecture for the past 3 days doing the bread curicullum for professional culinary students.
Oh, my avatar are a pair of Grand Prix Wustoffs

 

[jan normandale]

I highly recommend the Global line of knives.. they have excellent reviews and are extremely well balanced

Joe show us "your knives that don't entirely suck" ;- )

Eric.. I always wondered what those knives were. Now I know.

 

[pedro.m.reis]

I see that Wustof have many fans here 🙂.

Where i live it may be possible to get these knives, but i realy dont know where. So i must buy in the Net. I'm trying to spend about €150 with this self gift, but i was hpping to get mora than 1 knife 🙂
Since it seems that there are some experts here, so with "only" €150 what would be your starters kit? I prefer less with more quality.

 

[eric]

Since it seems that there are some experts here, so with "only" €150 what would be your starters kit? I prefer less with more quality.

If you go to a professional kitchen store, you can find what we call in American "House knives" or the ones that stay in the kitchen for everyone to use. They are usually inexpensive and have plastic handles. They are NSF rated as well. All knives are sharp just like most lenses are sharp. Always buy a steel and contantly hone it.
I do bring my knife kit when I cook at people's homes or at the culinary school but the knife I use at home is a $5.99 chinese cleaver. I just sharpen it all the time with a steel and use a stone about 1x a month.
Alway, alway, always use a steel and it'll keep sharp most of the time. The recommendation to buy a stone and practice is really good. Do that with a cheap knife.

 

[pedro.m.reis]

If you go to a professional kitchen store, you can find what we call in American "House knives" or the ones that stay in the kitchen for everyone to use.

The problem is to find one here 🙂. I beleive that exists, but the ones i visit had litle choice in knives, only 1 brand normally.

 

[eric]

The problem is to find one here 🙂. I beleive that exists, but the ones i visit had litle choice in knives, only 1 brand normally.

Usually its one brand. Don't get confused with "house knife" as in your house. I mean "house knife" as the knife that stays in the restaurant kitchen. They are usually very inexpensive (easily replacable in the restaurant and sometimes they tend to "disappear").

 

[back alley]

this group can talk about anything...🙂

ok, you know my history with a can of compressed air...now think about me with a really sharp knife...😉

i still like a good buck myself but in the kitchen it's henkel.

joe

 

[rbiemer]

ask rob, i believe he knows a thing or 2 about knives. (rbeimer, that is)
joe

Thanks, joe! I'm not at home tonight or tomorrow(at the folks' cooking turkey) so I missed the discussion up to now.
Pedro, I really can only echo what the other folks here have posted.
I will add one other thing: With knives it is critical that you get to somewhere that you can hold them(at least--it's better if you can use them a little) before you buy. It is very important that the knife fit you. We talk about how a camera "feels in the hand" etc around here. Well that fit is more important with a knife. If you get a camera that doesn't suit you, it is annoying and hard to work with. If you get a knife that doesn't suit you, it could be very bad indeed. I don't want to get too specific because I don't feel like tempting fate but a poor camera choice might lead to bad pictures. A poor knife choice might lead to blood loss.
That said, I own Wustoff Trident. If I were to choose again, I would be looking at: Wustoff, Henkels(I'm sure I'm misspelling that) and Sabatier.
And I would base my choice on which one felt most natural to me.
My personal knives are an 8" Chef's, an off-set serrated knife, and a small paring knife. At work we have most of the different knives (these are rented--we have a sharpening service that changes the knives out once a month) these are the "house knives" and they are cheap but sturdy.
And I end up using three: The sharpest chefs knife, a paring knife, and a serrated.
I have thought about a ceramic knife for home but I don't think they would stand up to the day to day wear at work.
And I do sharpen my knives. I can't recall the last time I had my chef knife on a stone but probably sometime in the spring; I do use a steel frequently.
Sorry I missed all the fun here today!
Rob

 

[Trius]

I'll also add a vote for Sabatier, but from limited experience. I bought an 8"chef at a local "markdown" store (TJ Maxx), and I really like it. Not as hefty as my Grohman, but it holds an edge really well.

 

[Bill58]

Do a google search for a "forged handmade knives." There are many makers, mostly in the USA but some in Europe as well, who make such a tool. Nothing beats forged steel for sharpness and durability. One of the best steels is high carbon for ease of sharpening and edge retention--but not stainless. You'll have a knife for a lifetime.

 

[John Rountree]

A nifty little tool to keep your knives in tip top shape is a Chantry knife "sharpener." I really isn't a sharpener, but a honing tool. It was designed several decades ago for the British slaughter house butchers. What makes it so good is the steels (there are two of them) are pre-set at the correct angle to properly hone a knife. Use it often and your knives will last a long time. Sells for about $35 - 50 USD. It is also very easy to use, just run the knife back and forth like you are slicing bread. Do this about 10 times and you will be amazed at the edge.

 

[Taqi]

Latecomer to this, but I can thoroughly recommend global knives - well balanced, good hardened blade which holds its sharpness, but easily sharpened with 2 or 3 strokes over a one buck whetstone. I've had several of varying sizes and I can honestly say they are all outstanding, much better than sabatiers I've used. If I had to choose just one I'd pick the 20cm chefs knife. But I suppose it's just like lenses, you can always use one more...

I can honestly say that the best 30 quid I have so far spent was on a global knife (I dont work for them honest!!!) - the inestimable pleasure of dissecting tomatoes...

 

[pedro.m.reis]

Thanks all for the nice comments and advices. I'm no near to make a decision 🙂 , but i'll try to get some knives on hand to test them.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Hah, I'm finally getting knives, too (a Shun paring and a Ken Onion chefs because it felt the best in my hands), and a couple of the Calphalon One pans I've been wanting. Trust me...get good cookware and knives and you'll want to cook all the time.

As to my knife choices...

I was told by numerous people, chefs and home cooks alike, to go and actually feel the knives in my hands before I decided on any one brand. I decided to go with Shun, particularly the Ken Onion chefs knife, because they felt the best in my hands. When you go testing, make sure to test the balance of the knife as well as the heft. It should feel weighty but not really heavy. I'm going to have three knives when I'm done with things: my chefs, the paring, and a flexible fillet knife. Those are the things that I use the most in the kitchen. The fillet knife is going to be a Global.

I suggest the Calphalon Katana series, the Wusthof Grand Prix 2 series, and the Shun Pro series knives. Also, try out the Ken Onion knife by Shun. It's about twice as much as other chefs knives, but the thing is very well made.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Usually its one brand. Don't get confused with "house knife" as in your house. I mean "house knife" as the knife that stays in the restaurant kitchen. They are usually very inexpensive (easily replacable in the restaurant and sometimes they tend to "disappear").

My knives will travel with me everywhere I go. I don't plan on leaving them in any restaurant I work in. In fact, even the truck stop that I worked in for one day (long story, that, and I'd share if you really want to know) allowed you to bring your own knives in for morning prep...it was one of the things I was told that day while I was being given orientation. My knives are just that: my knives. Even at home, no one touches my knives under penalty of a death glare and perhaps my incredibly scathing verbal lashing.

 

[pedro.m.reis]

One last question, i watch those cooking progams in the TV. Allways the chef can cut some vegies, like onions, and the veggies dont get "glued" to the knive. Never could do that. Kim has said that some knives have "flutes" that can prevent the sticking, but in TV they use regular knives. Its the technic? Its the steel? The design? All the above?

BTW i found a store that sells Henckels knives and handled some. I'm starting to understand why they cost 3x or 4x the knives i own now 🙂 🙂