Knives...big, F*** off, knives

roundthebend

If I was looking to buy some very pretty and very high quality chefs knives, for <£100 for a cleaver or something similar, then where should I look. I'm talking about Damascus steel if that's the right thing, unless it's just a gimmick.

octatonic

The problem with high end knives is keeping them sharp.
You really need to do it properly and often in order to keep them usable.

I’ve got a full set of global knives, they’re great, but keeping sharp is approaching a pain in the arse.

stickyfiddle

Is this for a gift? 

It’s rare that someone wants a cleaver at home…

roundthebend

stickyfiddle said:

Is this for a gift? 

It’s rare that someone wants a cleaver at home…

Yes. Perhaps not a cleaver, but something large enough to give some control when chopping veg and steaks etc.

VimFuego

stickyfiddle said:

Is this for a gift? 

It’s rare that someone wants a cleaver at home…

yet take one to the office and boy, you should hear the commotion!!

mgaw

roundthebend said:

If I was looking to buy some very pretty and very high quality chefs knives, for <£100 for a cleaver or something similar, then where should I look. I'm talking about Damascus steel if that's the right thing, unless it's just a gimmick.

I like Wusthof knives personally.  As for sharpening. Little and often is the trick

mgaw

Just to help qualify my opinion I spent 20years cooking in Michelin starred restaurants

donbot

Have a look here: https://www.fine-tools.com/messer.html
I bought a Hideo Kitaoka years ago, the 240mm sashimi. Stays crazy sharp for ages and basically the only knife I use around the kitchen (except for crumbly cheese) 

Just needs a tinkle over a 2 or 3000 grit whetstone every few months. Even then it’s still way sharper than pretty much any other regularly used knife would be. 

Maybe try the santoku or nakiri. 

Funkfingers

So, this forum has been reduced to having a section for Readers' Knives.

Bridgehouse

Funkfingers said:

So, this forum has been reduced to having a section for Readers' Knives.

Reduced? It’s a major step forward

stickyfiddle

I have 3 Globals that I use all time time - one big G2 and a couple of smaller ones. Bread and carving knives see much less action. 

+1 for Wusthof, though as someone who cooks a lot it can be quite personal so I’d rather an offer to buy me one (or voucher for a good shop) over someone buying me something random

Sassafras

I bought some santoku style knives from https://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/ct/santoku-knives.htm?Category=c62d42b9-9878-489a-a569-e0db3949a737

They've served me well for years and because of their shape they're quite easy to sharpen.
Damascus look very nice but they're not real Damascus and they're no better than carbon steel or stainless.

maltingsaudio

Pro chef knives here https://www.nisbets.co.uk/kitchenware-and-knives/chefs-knives/_/a33-2
MrsM is a chef and says “thing is you have to hold it in your hand to see if it suits you”. Bit like a guitar then!

Grunfeld

Might as well admit this, (but not wishing to derail thread) :  I haven't got a clue how to sharpen a knife competently.

Anyone know of a brilliant method/ YouTube video?  I'm sure I've attempted this before but clearly the results aren't good.

octatonic

Grunfeld said:

Might as well admit this, (but not wishing to derail thread) :  I haven't got a clue how to sharpen a knife competently.

Anyone know of a brilliant method/ YouTube video?  I'm sure I've attempted this before but clearly the results aren't good.

What type of knives do you have?

This is a good starting point.

tekbow

Damascus steel isn't really Damascus steel.

Er...

Anyways what used to be Damascus was what happened when wootz steel ingots were forged into stuff, wootz having a somewhat unique composition resulting in the patterns you see along with reputedly desirable properties in terms of strength etc.

Modern Damascus is just welding together layers of different types of steel to make a bar, then folding/forging to get interesting patterns.

Not that this isn't interesting or time consuming in itself.

But I'd rather just have a consistent hunk of material.

I agree with @mgaw on sharpening. Presuming The knife comes suitably sharp and doesn't need reworking, a few strokes with proper technique on a steel should keep it tomato slicing sharp for a long time before any serious re-sharpening.

I bought a Shun years ago, same company that make Kershaw. Well respected but I can't recommend. The Grind had been performed poorly and didn't meet properly in an edge up near the tip.

Long story Short, because its folded steel with the requisite layers visible, it's made it nigh On impossible to re-work given how close the final Layer is to the edge, which is another reason I don't like patterned steel.

Grunfeld

octatonic said:

What type of knives do you have?

This is a good starting point.
[video]

Cheers!  That was interesting.  And I guess you've asked the relevant question which is that I only use a paring knife.  The ones I use are cheap, fairly frequently replaced, and possibly wouldn't benefit from that kind of attention.  This has helped me see my knives are not in that kind of league!  Thanks though.

octatonic

Cheap knives are easier to sharpen because they are softer.

Back when I was building instruments I would spend almost as much time sharpening Lee Valley plane blade as I would actually using the plane.

Kittyfrisk

Tip for keeping good & not so good knives sharp that works for me.
Get a reasonable initial sharp edge by whatever means suits you, then use a ceramic roller type water sharpener such as Global, Minosharp or Shinkasen to give a fine edge. Coarse &/or Medium stones are OK for most knives.
Give the knife a few passes through on a frequent basis. Keeps a lovely sharp edge with very little effort or need to learn to use steels etc. 

Dominic

If you have the technique and patience you can't beat a proper wetstone.
My son is a chef ......he's very particular about knives but I don't know what his set is only that they were very expensive.

Zoolooter

https://www.japanny.com/collections/tojiro-knives-fujitora-1/products/tojiro-vg10-suminagashi-damascus-japanese-gyuto-chef-knife-170mm-fujitora?variant=38108129427647

Or

https://www.japanny.com/collections/tojiro-knives-fujitora-1/products/tojiro-dp-cobalt-gyuto-japanese-chef-s-knife-210mm


Great knives, had mine for about 12 years now, a joy to use. They keep their edge well with a quick sharpen once a month. Best bang for buck IMO.