Kitchen knives...

[wafflycat]

Tsk... RR... you insinuating our Chuffers is a cr@p cook?

 

[Chuffy]

Tsk... RR... you insinuating our Chuffers is a cr@p cook?

That's fighting talk round these parts...

My current knife has a 16cm blade. That's about as big and versatile as I need.

 

[swee'pea99]

That Japanese knife looks sweet. They do make superb blades, no question.

For 'chopping meat and veg', you need to think not just about sharp but about weight and balance too. I use an old Sabatier classic style knife, which was a lot cheaper than £50, holds an edge, and is nicely balanced, with the heft to go thru' root veges with no problems. But as others have said 'Sabatier' is just a name/type, not a make/brand, and some 'Sabatier' knives are crap.

Have to say tho, if I had the cash, I'd be seriously tempted by that Japanese blade. 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever'....

 

[Chuffy]

A thing of beauty is a joy until you drop it onto a tiled floor and it shatters...
Not that I'm particularly clumsy in the kitchen, but that's a lot of money to spend on a knife.

 

[Lardyboy]

I popped round to see Fairweather and he's bought a stunning knife, but and this is typical of me, I can't remember the name.

Though I do remember it has a copper end to the handle which you file a little off to keep the knife balanced after you sharpen the blade!

 

[Speck]

What you need is an I O Shen Oriental slicer.

http://www.hartsofstur.com/acatalog/IOSHEN_Knives.html

 

[Fairweather]

It's a Furi-FX knife, called an East/West knife I think.

Very good indeed, hold it in your hand - open your hand and it just sits there. And it's proper sharp!. Highly recommend them... I tried another one which I think was made by Wusthorf or something - love my Furi...

 

[Saddle bum]

If you want a sharp knife, the only option is to forget stainless steel and buy carbon steel knives.

Expensive and need looking after, but worth it.

 

[bobg]

I'm wih RR, buy a "steel", and pop into your local butcher, he'll show you how to use it properly. Once its got a good edge, give it a quick burst every time you use it, if its a decent knife it'll last a lifetime. BTW the sharpening action is towards you not away, contrary to what most people say.

 

[Christopher]

If you buy a Sabatier, make sure it is a one-piece forged knife. Some are made from from three separate peices of metal: blade/hande/central bit and they all join together at the base of the blade (you have to look very closely). Those are rubbish.

I got a Sabatier stainless 17cm knife for Xmas: lovely thing, well balanced, razor sharp, just the thing for meat and large veg (TBH I am a little scared of it!). It cost £35 from John Lewis. I use a 10cm paring knife for peeling and have a steel and a sharpening stone

 

[col]

I'm wih RR, buy a "steel", and pop into your local butcher, he'll show you how to use it properly. Once its got a good edge, give it a quick burst every time you use it, if its a decent knife it'll last a lifetime. BTW the sharpening action is towards you not away, contrary to what most people say.

It isnt,its any direction you feel safe with,the trick is to get the angle right on where the blade lies on the steel,a butcher friend used to hold the steel upright on the table and go down towards the table with the movement,his knife was always razor sharp.

 

[papercorn2000]

I'm not allowed knives any more.

 

[bobg]

It isnt,its any direction you feel safe with,the trick is to get the angle right on where the blade lies on the steel,a butcher friend used to hold the steel upright on the table and go down towards the table with the movement,his knife was always razor sharp.

Just going by what my old Dad taught me Col ( he worked in a slaughterhouse and subsequently was a butcher. Been sharpening kitchen knives for my neighbours for 40 years and never yet got a decent edge using the upstroke when holding the steel freehand. Resting the steel on the table facing up or down will of course increase blade/steel pressure. BTW a steel with a cross guard will save sliced thumbs! I never fail to be amused at the obscure things discussed on CC

 

[cchapman]

I think the important thing about using a steel is that the same person should sharpen the knife each time (to keep the angle the same).
As for my vote I'd vote for Victorinox, with plastic handles.
With carbon steel, after many sharpenings, do they become magnetic?

 

[Twenty Inch]

Send it to me. I'll resharpen it for you.