Kitchen Knives: Preferences, Tips, General Care

[EJRothman]

I love my Henckels... I've got two... One 10" chef's knife that sees little use (it was a gift, and the person thought that because I'm a big guy I'd want a big knife. This one is a bit too big!), and one 6" chef's knife that I use almost every day. They're the four-star series, and I like them very much.

In terms of the 8" or the 10" I think I'll just need to test them in the store. I am comfortable with an 8" since that's what I usually use, but can't comment on a 10' since I've never tried it. I suspect I'll find it a bit unwieldy for daily use, however - but who knows!?.

Eric

[g.johnson]

After I bought a 10" knife, I rarely went back to the 8".

[LBNoble]

Most of my kitchen knives are Spydercos & I've ordered a sharpmaker to learn how to sharpen them. Most used are 4.5" serrated utility & 6.5" Homemaker. This is a general Japanese utility shape ( a gyotou?) w/ an ebony handle & Granton edge -I like this one so much I've ordered 2 custom knives with similar lines, one forged, one stock removal, both with wooden handles.

I also have a 9" chefs, birds beak paring knife, 7" sashimi knife (shorter than a traditional Japanese sashimi, w/ a Western double edge, flat grind-this knife is great, too). I've ordered a 6.5" plainedge utility also. The regular Spyderco line has Sermolan (rubber) handles, homemaker & sashimi knife are wood.

I love the Korin site & also have gotten a catalog from Murray Carter, a Canadian ABS mastersmith living in Japan, who makes some awesome kitchen knives. It's nice to have great tools...

Linda

[Ruth]

My husband, a surgeon, is fascinated by knives, so we have a pretty large collection, some from Turkey, Spain (far too heavy a handle), a new cleaver we just bought in Beijing, plus Wusthof, Global, Mac and Kyocera ceramic. I love the Kyocera for slicing and light weight chopping and the Global and Mac for tougher work. Not being able to suffer blunt knives I use a diamond steel every day for the Global and Mac knives and confess to resorting to the electric sharpener from time to time. This will probably shorten the life of my knives but I think they will nonetheless outlive me!

[oraklet]

One other note - it seems most people agree that cheaper stamped paring knives are a better value than a more expensive forged one (this is good for me since I have a set of three Wusthof Silver Point paring knives).  What's the deal with sharpening/honing stamped knives...can this be done or should they be replaced when dull?

stamped knives are lighter than forged ones - this makes them easyer to handle for delicate task. besides, the blades being so thin, they need less force to, say, "pre-cut" an onion prior to chopping it. if they are sharp, that is. and they sure can be sharpened if they're forschner/victorinox. (i just bought one for 3$!)

my sabatier paring knife is beautiful, but i hardly ever use it.

[EJRothman]

Hi all,

Some of you may remember that I'm trying to figure out which knives to buy. I went to Broadway Panhandler (NYC - SoHo, for out-of-towners) today to compare Wusthoff Grand Prix to Global.

I hated the Global! With no bolster, I didn't really know how I was supposed to hold it, and the balance felt off.

So I turned to the Wusthoff. Felt great, and both the 8" and the 10" chef's knife felt pretty comfortable in my hand. It's hard, of course, to get a real "feel" for cooking with the knife when all you can do is stand there pretending to cut air on the cutting board while the sales person looks at you.

So, if the 10" felt comfortable, is there any downside to getting it over the 8"? It seems that most people seem to think as long as it feels comfortable, get the bigger knife. I want to know if there are any downsides to the bigger one before I go and spend $75 on a knife !

Thanks,

Eric

[Schielke]

If you are comfortable with the 10 inch, go for it. Any delicate or small work would have to be done with a paring knife or other small knife anyway.

Ben

[g.johnson]

I rarely use my 8" after buying a 10".

[Fat Guy]

In any given 100 cooking situations, I might choose an 8" over a 10" maybe 5 times. For example, when cutting certain fruits I find the 8" is more precise and manageable. That is to say, when what you really need is a giant paring knife (for example, you're sectioning a melon, pineapple, or grapefruit), the 8" is a better tool -- which is why the 8" chef's knife I keep on hand is a Sabatier, which is thinner, lighter, and easier to manipulate than its German equivalent. For most other work, especially chopping, there's really no contest: 10" is better.

[Dana]

When I first got some "good" knives, I began using the 8" because I thought the 10" was just too big. (I'm a fairly small person) It wasn't long till I had switched over to the 10". and I've continued to use it constantly ever since. The 10" is the way to go

I have a Global Sankotu(sp?) and I really like it.

[EJRothman]

When I first got some "good" knives, I began using the 8" because I thought the 10" was just too big. (I'm a fairly small person) It wasn't long till I had switched over to the 10". and I've continued to use it constantly ever since. The 10" is the way to go

I have a Global Sankotu(sp?) and I really like it.

Well it seems there is really no choice - the 10" is it. It'll really be the first "new" kinfe size I'll get to work with. Should be a fun learning process.

With regard to the Global, it's spelled santoku, and I like the santoku shape myself. I just couldn't get a good grip on the global knives to get a good rocking angles.

Wusthoff makes a very nice santoku knife now that has a good boster that I can grab. It felt better in my hands, and seems like an excellent knife for medium size veggies, etc.

If anyone else has 10" vs. 8" knife stories I'm all ears.

Oh - on a completely different note: When I was in Broadway Panhandler today I noticed a clearance sale on Le Creuset(sp?) cookware!

-Eric

[vengroff]

I routinely use a 12" knife, but I have large hands. Once I got used to the 12", the old 8" seemed like a toy.

[oraklet]

only drawback with a largeish knife: be careful when cleaning it if your sink is smallish, or you'll damage tip or edge!

[Cook on Ice]

I used an 8 for quite some time, as I had been advised to do when I first got started in pro kitchens. I can only assume that this is because I do have fairly small hands. Once I occasioned to start using a 10 it was no looking back. I find that as much as the extra length I appreciate the noticable additional weight. Makes me feel I am more in control of my blade.

As to brand get what you feel comfortable with. Many of my colleagues use Globals, but I've never liked them either. Used a Grand Prix for a long time, it has now been retired to home use and replaced with a Furi. I picked mine up in Australia, but have since learned there are some american distributors. I think it's the best knife I've ever used. But buying a knife is like buying shoes, you just can't do it for anyone but yourself.

[Suzanne F]

I "lost" my 10" Messermeister St. Moritz at a job recently, and have finally decided I've just GOT to replace it. Love that heft for whacking stuff. And the length for chopping more at one time. The 8" is okay, but seems so dinky in comparison.

BTW: Once I know what I want to buy, I usually get it from Knife Merchant. Good prices, good service, and they carry stuff I can't easily find here.

[Basildog]

There ya have it...size matters

[forever_young_ca]

I rarely use my 8" chef's knife now that I have a 10" - and I am a small woman with small hands. I find that a bigger knife does the work for you.

I recently acquired a Goldhamster First Edition knife. I have used Wustoff, Henckels (which I dislike) and now Goldhamster. I must say the Goldhamster gets my vote. If you have not heard of them they are a small German company. The feel and balance on the knife is absolutely superb. I have used it daily for about a month and it still has a fine edge (I sharpen it with a steel after every use - ok, ok..........almost every use)

["T"]

I have both an 8" and 10". The 8" I use at home but the 10" at work.

Oh yeah, the 10" is a global.

It's what I like but other people I know don't. It doesn't really matter. You need to work with what will work with you.

Edited March 15, 2003 by "T" (log)

[Varmint]

For those of you who may be interested in some decent, affordable knives, Amazon has a sale on its forged (not stamped) Sabatier knives:

Click for the Knives

For $120, you get a set of six knives (8-inch chef's, 8-inch slicer, 6-inch utility, 5-1/2-inch tomato, 4- and 3-1/2-inch parers), a mezzaluna, scissors, steel, and storage block.

Also, if you act today, Amazon will throw in a set of cheap ass Sabatier steak knives.

Wait, there's more! Use coupon code MAPAMEXCARDS to save $10.

I've never used these knives before, but the discussions on this site have led me to believe that the Sabatier stamped knives are pieces of crap, but there's some decent value with the forged ones.

[Fat Guy]

six knives (8-inch chef's, 8-inch slicer, 6-inch utility, 5-1/2-inch tomato, 4- and 3-1/2-inch parers), a mezzaluna, scissors, steel, and storage block.

The thing is, most of those knives aren't particularly useful. I would much rather have a 10" chef's, 3.5" parer, scissors, and steel than all those pieces. Since I rarely see 10" anything as part of a set, the whole set concept doesn't appeal to me -- just as it winds up not being a good value with most cookware sets, because the stockpot is never big enough, etc.

[Varmint]

six knives (8-inch chef's, 8-inch slicer, 6-inch utility, 5-1/2-inch tomato, 4- and 3-1/2-inch parers), a mezzaluna, scissors, steel, and storage block.

The thing is, most of those knives aren't particularly useful. I would much rather have a 10" chef's, 3.5" parer, scissors, and steel than all those pieces. Since I rarely see 10" anything as part of a set, the whole set concept doesn't appeal to me -- just as it winds up not being a good value with most cookware sets, because the stockpot is never big enough, etc.

But you KNOW what you want and what you like. That's not the case for many people (although we could probably exclude 90% of the eGullet membership). Anyhow, for someone who's still learning about knives and who's looking to get a bunch of decent knives at a price that can't be beat, that's the purpose of the set.

[bobdavis]

I saw a knife that was new to me the other day - Kershaw Kai Shun knives. They're damascus steel, Japanese style knives that look great.

See:

Kai Shun 10" Chef's knife

Have any of you ever seen/held/used these knives?

Oh, and the 3 knives I use the most are a 10" chef's, a santuko, and a paring knife. I can do most things with them, and I rarely cut myself (but when I do...ooh!).

[Fat Guy]

But you KNOW what you want and what you like.

True, but I also think most people would be better off just getting a 10" chef's knife and learning how to use it as their primary knife. Virtually everybody I know who does a lot of cooking -- even women with relatively small hands -- graduates up to the 10" chef's knife eventually. You can either buy a Wusthof 10" chef's knife and 3.5" parer for $125 all told, or you can buy them for $220 ($100 for the chef's knife plus $120 for the paring knife that's the only knife you still use from the Sabatier set).

[newguy]

I found that I have manged to down grade from a 10" knife to a 6.5" knife. I have a 10" Wusthof that I used to use all the time for everything from fine mincing to hacking away at anything. Then the more I worked, the more the Wusthof felt like a 2X4 when I was trying to really finely mince chives or shallots etc... So I went and purchased a Misono for mincing only, which is a very thin blade, sharpened for a right handed user. Eventually I just stopped pulling the Wusthof out of my kit, and use the Misono all the time.

[ngatti]

I found that I have manged to down grade from a 10" knife to a 6.5" knife.  I have a 10" Wusthof that I used to use all the time for everything from fine mincing to hacking away at anything.  Then the more I worked, the more the Wusthof felt like a 2X4 when I was trying to really finely mince chives or shallots etc...  So I went and purchased a Misono for mincing only, which is a very thin blade, sharpened for a right handed user.  Eventually I just stopped pulling the Wusthof out of my kit, and use the Misono all the time.

Yeah I stopped using the sledgehammer also. I have small hands, though. The eight inch wusthof, extra wide, was always a good knife for me. My workhorse is currently an about to be retired Henckel Santuko. One of the first (which is why it's about to be retired). Ive managed to sharpen down the blade to the point of scraping my knuckles on the board when I use it. I'll prolly replace it with a Granton edge, Wusthof Santuko.

Useless knives? I never much liked those $37.50 parers. Wusthof, Henkels, Lamson, whatevah. Whatever bolster issues I have on the 8 inch cooks knives tend to be magnified on the 3 & 1/2 inch parers. For this I buy packs of cheap stamped paring knives (Usually Henkel). Better for tourneeing than the expensive parer. Easier to keep sharp also. Or just grab another one.

Varmint- Never bought a set. I mean, if you get a good extra wide 8" cooks knife, why do you need that small mezzaluna that comes with those Trident sets? Do you need a Tomato knife if you keep that 6 inch utility very sharp (I'm assuming the tomato knife is serrated)? I find cutting a tomatoe neater and easier using a sharp straight edged blade. I do like a good 6 inch Utility knife ( I have a Sabatier). Strangely, I like this one best for working at home. My kitchen space and cutting boards are smaller and the knife seems to feel better to me in this particular environment.

Scissors are handy, but unless specific to a job (curved poultry shears), you may do better and cheaper in a general hardware store. This brings up the point of what you want the shears for. Do you want to snip the ends of wings. I use a old junk knife or an old 7 inch sabatier cleaver (a *real* piece of old junk). For cutting the heads off Soft-Shell crabs, I steal a pair of Staples type scissors from the office. Works fine.

The sharpening steels that are sold with sets are almost always too small. To the point where I think that they're dangerous (Oops!, There goes the tip of my thumb!). I bet you'd like to replace it, especially if you go with a 10 inch cook's knife.

I stick to open stock. Preferably when there is a sale. My unsolicited suggestion is to go to some kitchen stores/departments and try holding a variety of knives. Find ones that seem comfortable to you.

It's all so subjective. The above is what works for me. Others here are definitely in the 10" camp. It may or may not work for you. Good luck Varmint. I hope you find what you're looking for.

Nick