I am Unequipped

[Bigjim68]

Interesting that the original poster seems to have disappeared. However, I agree with Rob. Too little information to make a decision.

I don't have a set per se, but have a mix of Forschner that I have had many years. Also a set of Japanese medium quality knives. The J's get used the most. Both have served me well. The one thing a set has that is a must is a place to store the knives. Tossing the finest Japanese knife in a drawer will turn it into a bad tool in a couple of weeks.

 

[justplainbill]

Personally, I have a great cleaver, I love it, and at home I use it almost exclusively. Using the tip for fine cutting, the middle for roll chopping, the heel for bones/tougher cuts, the whole thing as a board scraper or spatula to transfer stuff to the pot. . it's a one stop shop really.

Guess your cleaver does not weigh 2+ lbs?

 

[TATTRAT]

Guess your cleaver does not weigh 2+ lbs?

Not too sure the weight, actually. It's pretty comfortable, but has heft to it for cleaving/breaking things down. It's identical to this:

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Don't you have the reflex of being able to jump backwards faster than a knife falls from counter height? I would have thought that just about everyone on DC had that reflex.

In Earth's gravity an object falls about 32 feet in the first second. With a counter height of about 3-1/2 feet that's not much more than 1/10 of a second. (It will fall more slowly at first.) No, I don't have those kind of reflexes. But I guess you knew that.

 

[justplainbill]

Not too sure the weight, actually. It's pretty comfortable, but has heft to it for cleaving/breaking things down. It's identical to this:

Looks good for more delicate work. I do the delicate work with Santokus and 6 - 8" cook's knives. For heavier work I use a 16" meat saw, 12" Sabatier chef's knife and a 1/4" thick, 2 lbs+ cleaver. The cutting edge on the cleaver apple seed shaped and quite resistant to malformation (chipping and rolling) and the spine is about 1/4" thick.

 

[Steve Kroll]

The one thing a set has that is a must is a place to store the knives. Tossing the finest Japanese knife in a drawer will turn it into a bad tool in a couple of weeks.

I went and bought a drawer insert for my knives like the one pictured below. It was a little spendy, but I like the fact that it clears up valuable counter space. Another option is a magnetic wall mount, but I've always felt those are a little dangerous if you have any kids around, since the blades are exposed.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I have a 18" Sears electric chain saw that I use for the really heavy work.

You know, like handling criticism of my cooking...

 

[taxlady]

I have a 18" Sears electric chain saw that I use for the really heavy work.

You know, like handling criticism of my cooking...

I once, as a guest, had roast venison. The roast was a nearly perfect cube. Yes, it had been cut up with a chain saw while frozen.

 

[justplainbill]

I have a 18" Sears electric chain saw that I use for the really heavy work.

You know, like handling criticism of my cooking...

Hope you use sesame seed oil to lube the chain bar.

 

[taxlady]

In Earth's gravity an object falls about 32 feet in the first second. With a counter height of about 3-1/2 feet that's not much more than 1/10 of a second. (It will fall more slowly at first.) No, I don't have those kind of reflexes. But I guess you knew that.

It's actually closer to 1/2 a second.

I know I have that reflex, because I drop knives every now and again and I have always managed to jump out of the way. Would the knife have missed my foot if I hadn't jumped? I don't know. I don't think about it. I just jump and then notice that I did.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I just think of the consequences if I can't move on time. Maybe I could get out of the way in a half second half the time. The other half of the time I would end up with half a foot.

I once reached into an under the counter cabinet for a can of something, and another can (perhaps 14 oz.) fell out and landed edge on, right on my big toe nail. I was in pain for months and it took several months to return to normal. (Lost the nail after several weeks.)

I am very respectful of my cleaver. I always hold it with two hands when it's not over the counter, like returning it to its storage place.

I made my own "block" just for the cleaver. It's similar to knife block sets except cleaver size and screws to the inside of a broom closet. My goal was to have something that could not possibly fall out, and succeeded. Too bad the Henckels block did not have a space for a cleaver.

 

[TATTRAT]

A very important lesson is being taught here, but hasn't been said outright:

Don't go after a falling knife, lol. It is far more sturdy than your flesh.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

A very important lesson is being taught here, but hasn't been said outright:

Don't go after a falling knife, lol. It is far more sturdy than your flesh.

Oh I couldn't agree with you more!!! If I drop a knife (not that I often do--practically never) #1 job is GTH out of the way!!! There is no #2 job until the knife has reached a stable position on the floor. Hint: You can recognize this stable position because the knife has quit moving!

I can't imagine anybody trying to catch a falling knife, but I guess some people do. Some of them may be recognizable because they can't count to 10 anymore.

 

[Hoot]

Some of them may be recognizable because they can't count to 10 anymore.

Sure they can, but they gotta take their shoes off first!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Sure they can, but they gotta take their shoes off first!

A dropped cleaver will fix that!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Don't you have the reflex of being able to jump backwards faster than a knife falls from counter height? I would have thought that just about everyone on DC had that reflex.

Ha! I not only do I jump back when a knife falls from the table (has saved my feet from the pointy end a few times), but I buffer the fall of breakables with my feet before they shatter on the floor. Don't ask me how I do it. It's just built in.

I love my Chroma 401, 10 inch chef's knife. It is now about 9 years old, and nearly as good as new (I left it dirty once or twice, and well, stainless is not truly stainless. It's stain resistant. If oxygen can't get to the chromium steel, it will corrode). It's as sharp as the day I took it from the case. In fact, it's sharper. I sharpen the bezel in a convex arch, and only once every few years. I do run it across a Chicago Cutlery steel every time I use it. This particular steel has been outstanding since the day it was purchased, some thirty years ago with a basic Chicago Cutlery set of a carving, a utility, and a paring knife. Those knives stay sharp, and cut well, but are hard to sharpen. They are a very tough stain resistant steel. They're my third favorite knives. I also have a high carbon carving knife that I found in my basement, and cleaned up. It was badly rusted at the time. It takes an edge like crazy and stays sharp. I also have to keep the blade oiled though.

I like the Chroma as it's unique design gives great and firm control over the knife. It's also lighter than are the German knives, which means less fatigue when used for intensive work over a long period of time.

But as others have said, there are countless choices out there. Try a few knives on for size, if possible. Then make your choice. But purchase quality knives. They are among the most important tools in your kitchen.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Hoot]

A dropped cleaver will fix that!

Touché!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I once, as a guest, had roast venison. The roast was a nearly perfect cube. Yes, it had been cut up with a chain saw while frozen.

I was making a crown roast of pork at my sister's house, and was having trouble removing the chine bones, as they didn't have suitably sturdy knives. He and I went to the garage, put down newspaper, and went to work with the Saw's All. It worked like a champ. We still laugh about the manly way we took care of that task.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Dawgluver]

I was making a crown roast of pork at my sister's house, and was having trouble removing the chine bones, as they didn't have suitably sturdy knives. He and I went to the garage, put down newspaper, and went to work with the Saw's All. It worked like a champ. We still laugh about the manly way we took care of that task.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

DH brought home a huge salmon he'd caught on a Michigan fishing trip, and froze it before I had a chance to cut it into steaks. We used the electric miter saw. It worked great until he got to the final cut....we almost got to nickname him "Lefty".

 

[taxlady]

DH brought home a huge salmon he'd caught on a Michigan fishing trip, and froze it before I had a chance to cut it into steaks. We used the electric miter saw. It worked great until he got to the final cut....we almost got to nickname him "Lefty".

Eek! Lefty

I'm glad that story had a happy ending.