[Ender's Mom]

I've been making more and more things at home and I'm getting really sick and tired of how crappy my cheap knives from Target are. They cut for crap no matter what I do... I think I bought them 10 years ago.

Anyways... I figured I really only NEED (at this point) one good knife. I'm thinking Wusthof?

Any suggestions on what knife to get?

Any suggestions on where to buy? (I have a $25 gift card on amazon.com)

And if I get a good knife... I want to make sure I know how to maintain it. I've been doing some research... do I need an electric sharpener? (the stone/steel stuff looks hard to get right... or am I just being a big baby?)

 

[Labs4life]

Me luvs my henkels. Some are older than you.

 

[Ender's Mom]

Me luvs my henkels. Some are older than you.

Isn't that a line of Wusthofs? or am I confused...

Is Ebay a good place to get a deal? I worry about purchasing from there sometimes... it's been years since I have.

 

[JacobAlthea&Tatum]

i would go to a place like WIlliams Sonoma and hold the knives in your hand to get a feel for them. We use Wustof.

 

[Labs4life]

Isn't that a line of Wusthofs? or am I confused...

Is Ebay a good place to get a deal? I worry about purchasing from there sometimes... it's been years since I have.

I bought the basic 4 piece set from a fellow student who was dropping out of the culinary program ~ 30 years ago. The last Henkels I purchased was well over 10 years ago. I'm not sure if they are a Wustof line or not i haven't looked in to it.

As far as E-bay goes we only buy small things like DVDs and so far no problems.

I'm a one click amazon guy myself.

 

[Retriever Mama]

If you're going to get one knife - this is it:

http://www.amazon.com/Wüsthof-Class...3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1235513531&sr=1-3

If you're going to get a set - either wusthof or henckels would suffice...but you'll pay about $250 for a decent set.

 

[Allie]

Henckels--J.A. Henckels. Some of the lower end knives are made in China, but the higher end ones aren't. I got a block set from Target (the international line, made in China) and I love them...great for all purpose use and for steak knives. I handwash these and that's the only care I give them.

People on slickdeals really seem to like Shun steel knives.

If you just want one knife, I would probably get something in the Santoku style if you do a lot of chopping and the like. I have a no name santoku that I use a lot.

 

[theoconbrio]

I have a good Henckels Chef knife and a Shun:

http://www.amazon.com/Shun-Classic-8-Inch-Chefs-Knife/dp/B0000Y7KNQ

The Shun is sharper, holds its edge better, and feels nicer in my hand (rolls easily for mincing). But I find it very hard to sharpen because it is sooo tapered. I'm going to have to have it professionally sharpened.

 

[Ender's Mom]

I think for now I just want the one knife you suggested Brooklyn... then maybe a small paring knife... and if I get super serious I can buy a set later (after I win a lottery too)

 

[Ender's Mom]

Ooo that Shun looks purty

 

[bearsdad]

I am kind of a knife snob, I have Henckels, Global, and Shun knives, but I also have a Forschner Fibrox 10" chef knife I really love. The price is excellent, nice size handle, good balance. Americas Test Kitchen rates them as a top buy. Amazon carries them http://www.amazon.com/Forschner-Victorinox-10-Inch-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B0000CF8YO.

As far as sharpening goes, a kitchen steel is the best way to keep your edge, it does not sharpen the knife but instead straightens out the fine edge that get bent over when cutting. The best thing to do is send your knives out to be sharpened.

 

[Ender's Mom]

"send your knives out"

where?

(I feel so dumb asking this question lol)

 

[bearsdad]

"send your knives out"

where?

(I feel so dumb asking this question lol)

I drop my knives off at a local guy who sharpens them and I get them back in a couple of days

 

[Mocha]

I have always had chicago cutlery. They make a great collection.

 

[Delmonico]

All my good knives, both the ones in my home kitchen and my portable kitchen are either ones I bought at thrift stores and rehabed or ones I have made. Hard to explain but if you really know steel one can almost look at a knife and tell if its good. The ones I buy cheap get a few strokes on a stone and I can tell if they are really keepers. I never have bought a bad one, but some are better than others. My two best ones are from Sheffield England, but I'm rebuilding a German one from Soligen right now, it is as good as my Sheffield butcher knife if not better.

This is the Sheffield, I took pictures of it a few days ago and we've been talking about it on the knife forum on my other board. We've dated it at between the 1880's and maybe 1910, by the markings

A good friend says it's one of the best condition ones he's ever seen from that period, just took a clean up.

Sharpening is a skill that has to be learned and not every one can.

I would never sharpen a knife with one of those power sharpeners, they tend to have to course of a stone and you can ruin the temper if not careful.

Acually a knife really should be sharpened to the task at hand.

But for your use Lindsey, get one of any of those good brands, learn to use a steel and when it gets dull have it sharpened. Do not use it on a hard cutting board though, use either wood or one of those self healing plastics.

Rita used my sheffield on a hard board once, but our marriage survived it.

 

[rottnlab dad]

Buying online is OK, but you really should handle it in person somewhere first to make sure it feels right in your hand. I have and love a couple of Henckel 4-star knives that we bought probably 20 years ago. I use the utility knife (I think they call it the chef's knife now) for almost everything, and rarely use the pairing knife.

I use a steel to keep the edge clean between sharpenings. That is very easy to do. I also sharpen them every few months using stones, but that's admittedly a bit extreme and probably more trouble than most people would want to undertake. I would suggest having them professionally sharpened as needed.

 

[Delmonico]

Besides that if you learn to sharpen knives real good, all your friends and relatives will want you to do it.

 

[Ender's Mom]

Ok... I think my plan will be to try to get out to Williams Sonoma to handle the knives. Then order via Amazon since I have the $25 off coupon.

 

[Delmonico]

One thing I might add, look to knives with those soft rubbery grips, they are much easier to grib with your hands are wet from blood or for other reasons. A slip can be painful and expensive with really sharp knife. One of those gloves with the steel mesh in them can be worth their weight in gold at times.

I learned, I always wear one when cutting up large chunks of meat like a wholesale cut or a deer.

Don't know if you'll do anything like that, but they are cheap and can save a trip to the ER.

 

[Ender's Mom]

LOL ...

I'm looking for something that will cut a **** tomato (not a deer... though Eric and I did buy a Wusthof cleaver when we started feeding Ender RAW)