My current knives never stay sharp. I'm thinking of upgrading them at some point but there's so much choice. Does anyone own japanese kitchen knives? I hear they are the best!
My current knives never stay sharp. I'm thinking of upgrading them at some point but there's so much choice. Does anyone own japanese kitchen knives? I hear they are the best!
Knives don't stay sharp, you need to keep them sharp. There's lots of info on Youtube on this, and even if you spend a lot on knives you still need sharpening skills. I'd see what you can do with your current knives before spending on new ones. I use a couple of cheapies the wife got with some vouchers at Tesco a few years ago. They take a good edge, which I keep with regular use of a steel and an oilstone.
Last edited by magirus; 3rd November 2018 at 08:33.
F.T.F.A.
Hmmm it does seem there's whole generations of people who think you buy a knife once and it stays sharp forever.
Strange. Try this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Moli...780160255.html
I'm well aware of knife sharpening! My blades lose their edge after a few days use! And I have to resharpen.
What on earth are you cutting? Concrete?Originally Posted by Ironmonk3y
So clever my foot fell off.
I have some Global knives…. They’re the nuts…. Clean and sharp
Don’t bother getting a big collection
One large cooks knife a smaller pairing knife and carving knife are all you’ll ever need realistically
Get any old bread knife (I wouldn’t spend money on one)
When i set up my house in the early nineties my wife and i had little money so we bought some Sabatier kitchen knives from Boots. We still use them and they take a razor edge to this day with an oilstone, or wetstones if i have a bit more time.
A friend has a super dooper Japanese knife, looks really nice and takes a razor edge too. Waste of money really when it comes down to it. You can either sharpen a knife or you can not. Knife snobs buy expensive Japenese knives that take en edge just as keen as mine and they pay a fortune for them.
Mmmmm i wonder what hobby is also like that?
In terms of sharpness, it can certainly come down to snobbery. But at the same time, like the hobby you allude to, there is a lot more to it than a single function. I used my Robert Welsh knives in a kitchen for years, and always though them supremely comfortable. Since getting my kai though, at 4x the price, it's redefined comfort though. Like you might feel going from a typical functional bracelet, to say one with a good quick adjustment clasp. But again, like that other hobby, knives are certainly a case of diminishing returns. To you it might be a waste of money, but to me it has proven to be one of the best purchases I've ever made.
Brands like kai, global, and so on, they're a bit like rolex though, they're "expensive" but anything but high end.
I use an Esee izula 2 for everything in the kitchen , apart from bread which i buy sliced anyway.
Global but the pick for me is a couple of Flint and Flame santoku', the weight and balance is a joy.
Edge wise, they are unbelievable, hold very very well and they are pretty good at taking the end off fingers as well.
I have a pair of Flint and Flame Santoku knives and agree that weight and balance is exceptional. Exceedingly sharp too, so much so that Lynn refuses to use them.
Nasty mess of your finger there! Cuts are more normally associated with blunt knives, not sharp ones.
I've also got a pair of Tramontina chef's knives we've had for around 20 years that hold an edge very well too. Not as well balanced as the F&F's but used for different purposes.
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
I did a Cordon Bleu course many years ago. They issued us with a set of basic Victorinox knives which are still going strong in my kitchen.
During the course the mantra we were taught, and it still rings in my head today when reading threads like this ..
“How often do you sharpen your knife?”
“Every time you use it”.
Your knives won't stay sharp! That's a good one.
Buy a cheap knife from Asda/Tesco/Sainsburys etc that you like the look of, five pounds should do it.
Buy whatever you fancy to sharpen it, ceramic, whetstone, whatever.
Practise on the cheap one every time you use it. Learn how to sharpen, learn that it works and that whatever you do, you don't really damage or hurt the knife.
Once you've learnt how to sharpen your knife and have built up confidence in sharpening, go and buy your expensive knife.
Admire your expensive knife while you use your cheaper one because it's sharper, you're more comfortable with it, and it doesn't matter if you dull it because you can always sharpen it again.
Finally, sell the expensive knife because you never use it and there's nothing wrong with the cheaper one.
For the last 10 years have used a set of Global knives, that I use everyday. I think they are excellent , well balanced and cover all the range of uses - from slicing to chipping to vegetables paring to cheese and bread.
For cleaning I have always used a dishwasher, being careful to not bang them with other metal, and drying them well when out. Occasionally I get a shadow of surface rust, promptly removed with the dedicated pad (Minosharp Remover). And keep them well sharp using a Shinkansen Minosharp (dead easy to use).
I know there are more sophisticated knives on the market, but my Global excel in all I do, and will last me forever.
I have global and I find them excellent; however there are a couple of things to consider:
They’re very lightweight (I like this, but my friend went with Wustof, as he preferred the heavier weight).
They’re very sharp due alloy used and the steep angle of the blade. They will require more regular sharpening than a hardened steel knife (but will sharpen easily). You will need a global specific sharpening tool, or a whetstone; to maintain the sharpness.
I have a varied collection. I also have a global knife which I've owned for nearly 20 years and it's only required 1 whetstone in this time.
I have had a masamoto vg10 240mm with Western handle from Japanesechefsknives.com. I've been using it for about 7 years now.
Today I'd probably opt for knife in aeb-l or 13c26 stainless for a fine yet easily sharpened edge.
I have a few Globals and have had then for over 16 years. We have managed to snap one as a result of someone trying to separate a two frozen chicken breasts!!!!!!!!
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy them again.
Depending on what mood I’m in, I will sharpen them using a three stage approach on a waterwheel and two grades on a oilstone, or just a quick slide up and down an sharpening iron.
B
I’ve got a hardened steel stellar for this type of job! It was fairly cheap; but it’s great for hacking at frozen things.
She now know’s not to use a Global for this type of chore.
I snapped a Henckels knife doing a similar thing, sent it back with a letter mentioning "could of lost an eye" and a new one arrived in the post
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Kind of them to give you a second chance at that eye.
Best wishes,
Bob
Might consider contacting them :-D
Aritsugu knife from Kyoto’s Nishiki market.
See my post, and remember there are many excelllent Japanese cutlery stainless steels, for example VG10. Life's too short to have to worry if your knifes gonna rust!
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Another vote for Global. I got a 20cm cooks knife for my 18th birthday, and 18 years later is still going strong. The only knife I ever really use for the majority of kitchen cutting.
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Shun and Kasumi for me.
Stating the obvious but... what are you cutting on, wood block, plastic cutting boards or like my wife any ceramic plate she can lay her hands on!
Ok things she does to destroy a knifes edge are, cutting on a kitchen plate, wiping the knife on the edge of the frying pan, dropping it into the sink with assorted cutlery plates etc and putting it in the dishwasher cutlery basket.
Probably a good thing really as she also cuts herself quite regularly.
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This is mine. Dead sharp even after years of use. Sharpened using the bottom rim of a ceramic plate every so often.
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I've got a Petty, Santoku and a Gyuto from here https://www.togknives.com
absolutely love them
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