knife set for wife...

[saltydecimator 482]

hahahah we get along shes not gonna kill me....

 

anyone have  a favorite to recommend for christmas present?

[Ronin38 2,117]

What kind of knife or knives are you looking for? Chef, tactical, pocket, old-fashioned, ceramic...??  Details man, we need details! 

[patriot 7,197]

It all depends on how much you think the wife is worth...you could end up with a pretty nice set of knives.

[Lone Star Arms 2,047]

Dreizack, Solingen Germany. Some of the finest kitchen knives in the world.

 

http://www.wusthof.com/

 

Remember to enclose a penny, so she can give it to you in return when she receives knives as a gift.

[sjgusmc21 850]

I thought the penny was to place on your eyelids AFTER she uses the knifes....

[Lone Star Arms 2,047]

I thought the penny was to place on your eyelids AFTER she uses the knifes....

Haha! Got a laugh out of that response  

 

The tradition is based on an old superstition that when giving knives, the receiver of the gift must give something in return to avoid severing the relationship/friendship.

[Ronin38 2,117]

Something different...  https://sites.google.com/site/battlebladesbpc/the-c-o-b-b

 

Maybe not what she has in mind, though?

[gunfun 3,931]

I can give you detailed advice, but I would need to know her tastes and price range.

 

If you want classic, good steel good quality, and good balance, Henckels classic line is a good way to go. Wustoff trident is similar, but pricier. The classics are neutral balance, and the wustoffs are a bit blade heavy.  Henckels Pro S are another choice with a little higher trim level. If she wants light or SS handle finish or something like that, it gets more complicated. I would have her play with balance

 

The sets are the way to buy any of them, and I know that the sales make a huge difference. I used to work in a department store, and they had particular sets which pretty much showed up and sold out during the sales.  They worked out to a couple hundred bucks cheaper than comparable sets of the same model line if you just looked at what was included piecemeal. 

 

IMO don't count the steak knives, or chef's steel when you are comparing sets. Those are usually lower quality than the rest of the set, and they aren't the main things.

 

On the cheap end of the spectrum, I really like some dirt cheap knives too, like the korean kom-kom, or the victorinox stripper knives (usually sold as something like Victorinox 3.5" serrated paring knife.)

 

Like most things, you can spend $$$ and get crap, $ and get pretty good, and in the middle, it's all over the place.  

 

Henckels Classic is the one I tend to go with for wedding gifts and myself. They are really good, and they are lifetime quality. I don't really care where the blade was made.

[Capt Nemo 882]

We prefer Chicago Cutlery knives.  Mom likes them better than her German set.  And they're a hell of a lot cheaper too!

[gunfun 3,931]

I have not been impressed with the quality of the steel or the workmanship with Chicago Steel knives. I used to sell cutlery, and would have lots of customers who were loyal to them. Pretty much all of them were impressed by knives that to me were shockingly blunt sheet steel junk. 

 

I'm not trying to mock you, but if you like chicago steel knives, it makes me seriously doubt that you have used nice knives. It's akin to being a huge fan of Kel Tek as a brand.

[Gaddis 1,689]

Um, Jennings might be a better example.

 

Kel Tecs might be ugly as Janet Reno's red headed half sister, but they do (I'm told) tend to work.

[gunfun 3,931]

Good call. I felt like Hi Point corresponds to cutco, but only if Hi Points cost $1100, Kel Tek might be more fair to compare to those japanese Santuko knives which have a bit of pattern welded metal, every where except the cutting edge. Clever, but dodgy.

[HB of CJ 1,263]

Something extraordinary different.  We have in the family a real deal 1855 or so Enfield, (?) English Calvary Saber.  Was used by a family ancestor in The War Of Northern Aggression. (Civil War)  Confederacy.  A few nicks and stains.  Complete with scabbard and the gear to hang it on a horseman.  Very sharp.  We use it at the main family gathering to slice up the roast beasts.  Not for sale.  Been in the family since the 1860s.

 

I wonder if that blade cares about how it is used today vs how it was used then?  Before it is employed, we say a family prayer for the family not attending.  We also say a prayer for the family to come in the future.  My failed feeble point is that if you go for the very high expensive quality, you might just keep those knives in the family for 150 years.  The saber scabbard occasionally gets opened up and cleaned.  Just only my input.

[Gaddis 1,689]

Good call. I felt like Hi Point corresponds to cutco, but only if Hi Points cost $1100, Kel Tek might be more fair to compare to those japanese Santuko knives which have a bit of pattern welded metal, every where except the cutting edge. Clever, but dodgy.

 

Referring to Japanese Santuko's here, do you mean those carbon steel knives you can get at Asian groceries for like $12 a pop?

 

If so, Mom (not a professional cook by far) loves them.  She's got knife blocks full of Wusthof's and Henkel's and other overpriced shit to choose from, but she always goes back to the carbon steel $12 Asian grocery store specials.  She says they cut up foodstufs like a sonnofabitch and are easy to sharpen up afterwards.

 

Me not being a chef knife connoisseur here.

[gunfun 3,931]

No, I like some of those, because they will take an edge and are handy. I mentioned the Korean Kom Kom type which are similar too. That category is actually pretty nice, but they don't stay sharp long and are prone to chipping. IMO, fine for someone who will ruin a knife and not care. Fine for someone who can sharpen and will do so frequently, fine for a gift if you will visit often and do touch ups. Not great for people in between. Because they do dull, and quickly.

 

Santuko is a shape of knife, not a brand or quality tier. I just couldn't remember the name of a rather trendy brand that's been around for about 10 years ish.

 

I was talking about stuff more like this https://www.amazon.com/Shun-TDMS0300-Premier-Starter-3-Piece/dp/B00457LN64/ref=sr_1_17?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1512691697&sr=1-17&keywords=japanese+knife+set . I am not sure if this is the brand I had in mind, but if not, there are so many that look like them, that they become difficult to distinguish.

 

Basically, what they are is a mid range knife being marketed as a high end knife. They were pretty, light, well balanced, and well made but they were priced at about 70% of what the small production semi hand made real high end japanese knives of the style were, but were actually mass produced with medium hard steel at the edge and a warranty. A nice fashion accessory for your kitchen, and okay, but not the fancy thing most people who bought them thought they were. Like the KSG. Clever, but not as clever as the hype, and you could get real quality for the same or less money.

[Gaddis 1,689]

Well, I'm basically lazy, and probably wouldn't sharpen them much, so the "get a few uses out of them and then throw them away" knifes are probably best for me.

I *DO* find the high carbon Asian grocery market knives quite easy to sharpen without that much effort expended, even though their shape makes them not that great for butchering.

I tend to break the tips off knives while doing field dressing, so I don't even like using expensive pocket hunting knives for that task.  Give me some Old Hickory brand butcher knives from SMKW and I'm happy doing that task.

Henkel's with a broken off field dressing tip.

[saltydecimator 482]

thanks for the thoughts folks,  silly steak knives are a rip off no?  so really you only gettin a few for the dollar?

[gunfun 3,931]

I think most of the steak knives are a rip off. Even from premium lines like the Pro S or Wustoff Trident series, they are noticably worse in quality. If you like and use them, great.

 

It's like this: You will find yourself using 4-5 good knives for almost everything. 1) an 8" chef or comparable Santuko (or if you are a freak like me, a very wide chinese chef's knife which works as a scooper too because of the wide blade.) 2) a ~6" chef or santuko 3) a decent paring knife which has a good handle and is sharp. (Blunt ones have use too) 4) a good bread knife. Most of these are junk, so a really truly sharp one with a fine grind stands out. 5) a carving knife (I like 8-10") 6 a boning knife. a 4" serrated paring knife is a handy thing too. Often sold as a tomato knife.

 

Get a set which has good knives for the main ones, and ignore almost everything else.

 

Most women prefer the smaller knives of the set, but I know my mom has come to love a cheap quality cartoonish chef's knife I got her a long time ago. Getting extra paring knives is a good bonus, and I know that a common sale cupon for henckels and Wustoff, etc. Is to bundle in a set of much lower quality paring knives with an expensive block. If you compare them to the individual sale paring knives you will see the difference. I got my mother some of the cheapies that henckels sells. Victorinox makes some really outstanding knives of this caliber for cost: https://cdnimg.webstaurantstore.com/images/products/extra_large/196427/708510.jpg The serrated style are incredibly useful for general purpose and make very good steak knives, but you may want fancier handles. (In Alaska, they are the universal work knife of fishermen. Red handle, serrated, known as Vicky Strippers. A lot of guys have sheaths for them on their raingear as a knife to cut themselves free from fishing gear.)

 

That is 11" or so, and about 6" wide. It gives you a straight chopping and mincing edge, and room for guiding with your knuckle easily. It has a little bit of a point, and curved area to rock with, and you can scoop up everything with the wide blade and dump it into the pot very easily. I do similarly with a cheapo Chinese chef's knife I have with brass handle fitted out like a European cleaver.In profile, it looks kinda like a cleaver, but the grind is thin and light, so it has the balance for speed chopping and detail cuts. (Most people don't use cleavers, so I left them out. If you do use one, all you really care about is balance and heft. They can be blunt and soft and they still work about the same. )

 

5 and 6 aren't used very often, but you want them very keen when you do. Henkels basically invented quality kitchen shears, and that could move up the the #1 slot for a lot of people. There's a world of difference between crummy ones, and solid ones with some heft, and a tight smooth action. I like the style that has a semi circular notch near the pivot for snipping bones.

 

For most people, steak knives may as well be matched to your silverware rather than to your knife block. Especially considering that the steak knives usually don't match well.

Edited December 18, 2017 by GunFun

[saltydecimator 482]

i ended up getting the henckel international classic forged from Target online https://www.target.com/p/j-a-henckels-international-classic-16-pc-block-set/-/A-15389019#lnk=sametab... i was going for the international "premo" which at amazon was 329 but only 199  https://www.target.com/p/j-a-henckels-international-premio-17-piece-knife-block-set/-/A-15389022#lnk=sametab at T, but by the time i got back to it they were outta stock....  why they same price and was there a quality difference? ETA  bread knife, santoku, diff serrated one too maybe

 

heres them on our new to us double stove to make you guys a bit jelly, ahhahha!  thanks again!!

 

santoku!  i love those thihngs!!! i kept reading your post about those, wondering what they are but never googling and yes, they are my fave too.  i just havea junk one from random walmart but that style i really like....

 

 

the steak knives in this set are way better than what we been using as well, smaller serrations and more of em make em more effective i suppose

Edited December 29, 2017 by saltydecimator

[gunfun 3,931]

 Classic " is their model line that they've been making since the late 1970s. Originally they were in solingen Germany with stabilized hickory handles. Later they added solid plastic as or option of hickory at the same price. in the late 90s they switched to making them in Spain and the Philippines (IIRC). Knives are just as good. Plastic is more dishwasher friendly.They are made from durable materials, and fixed pattern. So you can pick up a knife made at any point and it ought to match any knife over any other period.  Pro S is kinda the same thing, but still made in Germany, and having a heftier feel and a little more belly. Basically IMO they aren't practically different in quality other than some stuff that is cosmetic, like how even the polishing is done... But the balance point is different. It's a preference thing depending on your technique for speed chopping. Kinda ditto for The wustoff trident, which is analogous to the Pro S, but a little curvier yet, and a little different balance.  Some pivot around the bolster, others around the front finger, others a finger width down the blade.  Most cooks probably never learn the skill to appreciate that sort of subtlety.

 

IMO you got the best set for the money, with the best chance of being able to add to it or replace damaged or borrowed pieces with matching knives. I have seen that knives made in different eras have subtle differences in color and finish of the metal, and more or less care done to things like the hand polish and sharpening.

[Sim_Player 1,939]

Edited December 30, 2017 by Sim_Player

[gunfun 3,931]

If they take/hold an edge, and are shapes & balances you like, what process they used to give that performance is kinda irrelevant. Not that aesthetics and taste aren't valuable, but for doing the job...

 

I used to get customers asking about whether this knife or that was "cryogenically treated"... They had been reading marketing from JA Henckels. It's a hardening and tempering process. It works, but it is hardly the only process which works. I would point out several brands and sets of whatever shape and feel of knife that they were looking at, and say "these will take and hold an edge." "this brand is a little fancier, and the differences in balance are ...." "these ones won't ever really get sharp, or will dull quickly." That's all that really matters for function.

 

If the grain structure is fine enough to take an edge, and the metal is whatever combination hard,stiff,flexible,springy enough for the task, it doesn't matter if it was made by a robot, forged by a master smith in the heart of a neutron star out of the blood of traditional Japanese smiths, or whatever. 

[Sim_Player 1,939]

My son bought a nice 12" sharpening steel a few weeks ago.

 

Today, I had every knife in the kitchen razor sharp in about 15-20 mins (I had never used one before).

 

We'll see how well the new knives hold up but, I do like the thick blades.

 

Cleaned out our knife drawer. The only knives I kept were "Paula Deen" branded. Very similar to our new set.

Edited January 6, 2018 by Sim_Player

[Sim_Player 1,939]

Funny enough. The steel sharpening instructions recommend sharpening after every use. Imagine that!

[Sim_Player 1,939]

I warned my wife they were sharpened, many times.

 

The new blades claimed first blood tonight, as my wife was making vegetable soup. Nothing serious. Just a good nick.

 

The same thing happened with my (now deceased) father-in-law, 10 years ago, when I gave him my favorite pocket knife (an Onion). I warned him.

 

He cut himself within 30 seconds.

 

It just goes to show that some people may not respect their surroundings.

Edited January 8, 2018 by Sim_Player

[gunfun 3,931]

Funny enough. The steel sharpening instructions recommend sharpening after every use. Imagine that!

 

Probably that is steeling, which is not the same as sharpening. It keeps an edge that is sharp sharp for a longer time.

 

A common frustration is from people who get knife sets with a chef's steel and try to use it to sharpen knives. These are the people whose next act is to get suckered into somethign with a ginsu edge or cutco.

I warned my wife they were sharpened, many times.

 

The new blades claimed first blood tonight, as my wife was making vegetable soup. Nothing serious. Just a good nick.

 

The same thing happened with my (now deceased) father-in-law, 10 years ago, when I gave him my favorite pocket knife (an Onion). I warned him.

 

He cut himself within 30 seconds.

 

It just goes to show that some people may not respect their surroundings.

 

 

There are some people who will always manage to cut themselves, even while trying to be careful. My step mother, and her son were that type. They would constantly tell me to be careful with my knives. I'm the sort who uses knives constantly, and its second nature to be aware of where the blade is, where my extremities are, and where the knifed would travel if the current motion accelerates or glances, etc.

[Sim_Player 1,939]

The steel works very well.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Sim_Player