# Knives



## JLeonard (Sep 2, 2020)

looking for suggestions on knives. I'm looking for a mid-level set. Help me out.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Sep 2, 2020)

How much do you want to spend?


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## JLeonard (Sep 2, 2020)

Not sure.....Just kinda looking for suggestions on what others have.


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## JC in GB (Sep 2, 2020)

Wusthof or Zwilling J.A. Henckels is my choice for a European style knife.

I have had Wusthof knives for over 20 years and they are still as good as the day I bought them.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Sep 2, 2020)

Well, I am using a cheap set of Wusthof's I gave as present to my mother about 45 years ago.  I think I paid $65 for the set back then.  They might be double that now.


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## JLeonard (Sep 2, 2020)

looked up both of those and they are nice sets. Need something I can hide from the wife and kids.


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## JC in GB (Sep 2, 2020)

JLeonard said:


> looked up both of those and they are nice sets. Need something I can hide from the wife and kids.



For 95% of my cooking I use my 8" chef's knife or my 6" chef's knife.  Maybe just get those two?


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## SecondHandSmoker (Sep 2, 2020)

JLeonard said:


> looked up both of those and they are nice sets. Need something I can hide from the wife and kids.




 
Just the exact opposite here. 
 My wife says she feels the need to supervise me when I am using knives.


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## normanaj (Sep 2, 2020)

Big fan of the Dexter-Russel Sani-Safe line.


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## JLeonard (Sep 2, 2020)

thanks guys for the suggestions. 
Jim


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## 73saint (Sep 2, 2020)

I am really enjoying the three dalstrong knives I have purchased.  Bought the cimitar, then a clever, then a 8" chef and they are some of the nicest I have used.  Stay sharp too.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Sep 2, 2020)

normanaj said:


> Big fan of the Dexter-Russel Sani-Safe line.




Those are nice looking knives.


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## D.W. (Sep 2, 2020)

Hold the laughter, but we received a set of Martha Stewart knives and Cutco knives 12 years ago as wedding gifts, and they both still work perfectly. I have been very surprised by the MS ones, but not sure they make them like they use too. Mine have black handles and are heavy duty, and now all I see are light, soft colored handled knives.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Sep 2, 2020)

D.W. said:


> Hold the laughter, but we received a set of Martha Stewart knives and Cutco knives 12 years ago as wedding gifts, and they both still work perfectly. I have been very surprised by the MS ones, but not sure they make them like they use too. Mine have black handles and are heavy duty, and now all I see are light, soft colored handled knives.




You won't hear me laughing.  
My go-to daily user is a Good Cook stainless 6 incher.
It holds an edge very well.


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## pops6927 (Sep 2, 2020)

I use regular meat cutting knives.








						Victorinox 6-Inch Blunt Tip Blade with Fibrox Pro Handle
					

Victorinox 6'' Curved Semi-Stiff with Blunt Tip Boning Knife ideal for meat cutters and processors.




					www.bunzlpd.com
				











						Victorinox Rosewood Handle Cimeter Knives
					

Rosewood Handle Cimeter Knives




					www.bunzlpd.com
				




I have broken down and cut up any meat with just these two knives, including filleting fish, too!  They are reasonably priced and last forever and have passed them down to both my sons!


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## Bud J (Sep 2, 2020)

I’ll throw my $.02 in...I have been cooking for over 45 years and have many knives mainly Henkel. I also have vintage knives from my Grandfather and Father. All good.
BUT, the other day I was cutting up an eye round for Jerky and although the above mentioned knives were good, there was one knife that went through the roast like butter...a Chicago Cutlery boning knife. 
I was amazed. That’s a very budget friendly brand.


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## JLeonard (Sep 2, 2020)

pops6927
 I like those.


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## chilerelleno (Sep 2, 2020)

normanaj said:


> Big fan of the Dexter-Russel Sani-Safe line.


Same here, they're my everyday knives.
They take and hold an edge very well.
And their pricing is A1.


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## JLeonard (Sep 2, 2020)

Keep 'em coming. I'm researching all of these. I'm tired of grabbing a knife and it being dull as can be. I want a set that I can put up for only me to use.


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## clifish (Sep 2, 2020)

I am cheap bastard so took a shot and the below and can't believe how they work and how many people who have tried them ordered them.  Now I don't do near the amount of cutting as some of the people here.

pairing knives


And super nice granton slicing knife.


These boning knives are not bad either


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## Hawging It (Sep 2, 2020)

I'm old school so I recommend getting a set of Old Hickory Knives. They are great and been around for ever.  Quality knives that you can pass down to your kids and grand kids.


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## rc4u (Sep 2, 2020)

I use a custom made chef's knife. and others. i like 1095 carbon steel as so easy to sharpen and touch up and it has a thin spine so easy to cut thru any item. tempered to 59-60  
	

		
			
		

		
	















Gyuto Chef knife
1095 Carbon Steel from Aldo
Full Flat Grind with convex edge, 400 grit finish, razor sharp
.120 at spine
8-1/4 inch blade 13 inch OAL
59-60 RC
Maple Burl (stabilized) with micarta bolster, corby rivets and mosaic pin
First I'll take it, gets it.
SOLD delivered to the USA includes zipper pouch.


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## JLeonard (Sep 3, 2020)

clifish
 yeah im no where near the level of some folks on here.  But tired of feeling like in trying to slice with a dull butter knife.


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## gmc2003 (Sep 3, 2020)

Lets see, I've used various plastic knives, a cheaper set of knives we got for a wedding present in 85, my old stand-by electric knife, and of course a partial set of knives that I inherited from my mother, who inherited them from her mother. 

Chris


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## chopsaw (Sep 3, 2020)

About 30 years ago my wife came home from the mall with a 3 pc set of Forever sharp knives . 
Bought from the guy that bugs you when all you want to do is keep walking . 
1 boning / fillet 
1 slicing / carving 
1 paring 
I think she paid 20 bucks for the 3 . 
My thought was " That's a waste of 20 bucks " Since she bought them for me , I said Thanks . 
Went in the drawer and I never used them . 
About 3 years ago I needed a knife in arms reach . Pulled the boning knife out of the drawer . Still had the sleeve on the blade .
Fit my hand good , and was one of the sharpest knives I had ever used . 
Tried the slicer . Same thing . Paper thin slices on tomatoes and onions . 
Still to this day have not used the paring knife , but it's crazy sharp as well . 
I use the boning knife everyday since that day  . For everything from boning out butts , cleaning up cryo vac'd meats to slicing veg . 
I'm not comparing these to high end knives , or suggesting that you get them over something else . 
I am saying that I use mine everyday . Super sharp , and they are about 10 bucks a piece still today .


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## SmokinAl (Sep 3, 2020)

I have knives that I paid $200 each for, but my favorite knives are from sam’s club. They are in the restaurant dept. & I just love them. They do need to be sharpened more often than the expensive knives, but they just cut perfectly & feel good in my hand. Of course Judy uses the $200 knives & I keep them sharp for her.
Al


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## kawboy (Sep 4, 2020)

My wife enrolled me in the culinary program at a semi-local community college for this year. I'm kind of excited to see what I get in my $300+ knife kit. Should be better than I have now.(I hope). Actually I have a priceless knife my father made while working at the railroad many many decades ago that will cut through anything.


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## noboundaries (Sep 4, 2020)

My favorite knife is a 6" Burrell utility knife I've had for decades. If might have come from a set we received as a wedding gift. I sharpen it maybe once every year. Daily though, a few swipes with a steel and it slices through anything like butter.

Several years ago my wife wanted new knives. I picked up a retail set of J.A. Henckels Internationals-Classic. Made in Spain, not Germany. The Classic has a better fitting handle than other versions. Less expensive but go quite a while between sharpening (year or two) and a steel swipe restores a nice edge that also slices like butter.


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## whistlepig (Sep 5, 2020)

I like the Dexter-Russel Sani-Safe knives in carbon steel. Carbon steel is a lot more hassle to care for than stainless but I can get a better edge and better edge retention with carbon steel. The are some exotic stainless out there that will mirror good carbon steel with less maintenance but the price for these is pretty high.


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## roadkill cafe (Sep 6, 2020)

73saint said:


> I am really enjoying the three dalstrong knives I have purchased.  Bought the cimitar, then a clever, then a 8" chef and they are some of the nicest I have used.  Stay sharp too.


I’ll second that on the Dalstrong knives. I have a 6” chef in the Shogun X series. Sharp as a razor and stays that way. Good looking knife too. You can purchase direct or on Amazon.


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## noboundaries (Mar 3, 2021)

I've noticed a change in my daily knife usage since relearning how create a great edge using whetstones.

I basically used three knives prior to whetstone sharpening: a 6" Burrell utility knife, 7" Henckels santoku, and the 8" Henckels chef knife.

My 6" Burrell utility knife is still my go-to for quick jobs like wedging an orange or apple, but that's probably habit more than anything else. It's always kept a nice edge that's even sharper now.

I used to use the 8" Henckels' chef knife quite a bit, but now I reach for a 6" nameless Japanese steel chef's knife more than the 8".

The high carbon-steel meat and vegetable Cutluxe cleaver is in my hand for almost anything meat and hard veggies related, except boning.  The 8" Henckels and 10" Chicago Cutlery chef's knives used to be my go-tos. The cleaver made them backups.

The 6" Henckels boning knife has seen more use in the last month than in the 8-10 years we've owned the Henckels knife set.


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## Bigheaded (Mar 19, 2021)

I'm no expert here, but I love love love my Global knives, definitely not cheap. But are a lot less $$$ than Miyabi and most if not all Shun. Appearance is a subjective thing, but I love the way they look. They're super sharp and seem to be perfectly balanced.  I have the original series, not the newer ones.  I just got into smoking and was sad when I checked to find out they don't make a slicing knife that looks like the brisket knives most pitmasters use.  The Miyabi SG2 Birchwood's &  SG2 Artisans are #1 & #2 on my buy list when I have enough funds. Both are stunning.


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## noboundaries (Mar 31, 2021)

For those in the market, watch the sales at Cutlery & More. My wife just got me a Zwilling Henckels Pro 7" Chef's Knife and a 7" Pro Rocking Santoku for $15 more than the cost of one knife alone.


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## noboundaries (Apr 14, 2021)

I have 10", 9", 8", and 6" chef's knives. I needed a 7" chef's knife to round out my knife collection and found the knives shown above, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro 7" Rocking Santoku and Pro 7" Chef's Knives. 

I was REALLY debating if I wanted a lighter, truely-made Japanese knife with harder HRC 60+ steel, or a heavier, more durable and forgiving German knife. In the end I chose the German HRC 57 steel. Why?

I see a lot of chef's on YouTube talking about edge retention, and a few poo poo knives with softer steel. First off, I'm a kitchen/backyard cook with decades of experience but not a pro. I do the vast majority of food prep and cooking at home. Until recently, I machine sharpened my knives. Honing swipes on a steel maintained the edge for a year or more. Now that I'm stone-sharpening my knives again, it will be interesting to see how much longer the edges last. Since stone- sharpening all my knives in Feb, even my cheapest knives have shown no sharpness loss at all.

So, back to the knives. My wife wanted to buy the new Lego Space shuttle so I said Happy Mothers Day! She said Happy Birthday and ordered the knives I wanted and her new toy. That's how we buy gifts around here!

Review of the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro 7" Rocking Santoku and 7" Chef's Knives. HRC 57. Lifetime guarantee. Total cost on sale for the two knives was $150 at Cutlery and More website, so $75 each. If bought separately the prices are about $135 each. 

First impressions: Great finish for a robot-made knife. Nice fit (I have bigger hands),  and sharp out of the box. I use a pinch-grip the vast majority of the time and the angled bolster is really nice. Standard German weight at 253 grams each (9 ounces) but nicely balanced. 

The edge on both knives was razor sharp but had some hiccups on magazine paper. I could feel the spots with my fingertips. A few light honing swipes on a steel followed by an equal number of strokes on a wood-mounted leather strop gave me sweet shaved slices on the magazine paper. 

The rocking santoku is the one I reach for the most. My wife likes the chef's knife. Are they worth the full $135 price each? Not to me. $75 each was perfect. I believe I saw the rocking Santoku on their website for $80 on sale. 

I'm done buying knives with these two (uh huh...right). Might buy used knives and sharpen them for gifts, but my collection is now complete.


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