Taking issue.

[buckytom]

i was given a ceramic knife as a gift once.

i used it a few times, and the first time i dropped it, it broke.

sort of reminded me of the joke about french rifles from world war 2.

 

[Addie]

i was given a ceramic knife as a gift once.

i used it a few times, and the first time i dropped it, it broke.

sort of reminded me of the joke about french rifles from world war 2.

Someone speaking from experience. That is the biggest complaint I have heard. You have to baby them. I want equipment that knows I am going to use it to its fullest capacity. And it better give me the service I am expecting.

 

[FrankZ]

Rob referring to using a ceramic hone to hone harder knives.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Yeah, my bad- rereading it I didn't make it clear. I was talking about a ceramic hone like an Idahone. They're great for any knife but especially harder ones. They're around 2,000 grit so they do "sharpen" (ie remove metal) to a degree and they true up the edge.

 

[SFsc616171]

RE: cook's country's unbiased review of knives

Hi folks!

My title is "tongue in cheek"! of course, they are biased!

They, and their sister show, "America's Test Kitchen", now have QVC as one of their contributing partnerss.

Now, to knives ... every show they do, and the YouTube videos from them on knives, always, always, always, return to the Victorinox Fibrox-handled chef knife, as their best choice. 'Hybrid knives', i.e., gyutos lose against that knife. Higher costing standard chef knives of reputable names, lose against that knife.

Now, why is that?

Because it's cheap in price! The guy with the bowtie is a miser!
(Never mind the guy is on record as flinging, um, 'dung' at all of us who blog about food.)

I have been around long enough to know that 'Chicago Cutlery' was a good brand. So was Oneida. There are Case chef knives, still is the retail packaging, floating around. The re-broadcast of "The French Chef" Julia Child PBS show, shows her with the older traditional 'triangular' French Sabatier design. The German knives were getting their names about, then came the Swiss. Then, the next hidden revolution came, of Japanese knives, with the creation of the Santoku, after WW2, and the discovery by foreigners of Japanese style chef knives patterned after European chef knives, but of course, with a Japanese difference, called gyutos. So, with all of this, the Cook's Country and America's Test Kitchen refuse to move beyond the Victorinox.

Now, from these eyes, I have seen how well Chicago Cutlery, when wooden grips were the standard. I remember a small cutlery store in Portland, Oregon, with the huge Wenger automated pocket knife in the store window display. I looked over all the different chef knives, from all over the world, including the 'safe/sanitary' huge white-handled knives. As a GI vet, I have learned a respect for Oriental knife makers. I will admit, Oriental chef knives have caught my attention, but my 'inner budget guy' was in full revolt, once I spied the price tag.

Since then, I had moved to New Orleans, and after Katrina, to Central Louisiana (i'm only 80 feet above sea level in mid-state!). No knife shops, no restuarant stores, so the poor computer has been busy.

I've always wanted to use a Santoku design knife. Now, after over a decade, I own a few different ones. I ordered a Columbia model. It had a nice big blade, but the grantons on the blade were for show. The summer sausage I was cutting, would not come away from the blade, granton or not! Now, here is the shocker. I bought a set, still in the retail packaging, of Masterchef Santoku knives, 7-inch, 5-inch, and 3-inch, for less than a Subway sandwich, chips, and a drink for you. So, having put down the Columbia in disgust, I grabbed the 7-inch Masterchef, and did a 'let's see'. It cut better. It RELEASED the same sausage that the Columbia would not! It felt better, lighter, and 'faster', whether with a home cook's hammer grip, finger on top grip, or a 'trying to be a chef' pinch grip. When washing that knife, I could still maintain a good grip on it, even under the faucet, with the other hand gripping the blade safely, and trying to just move it a smidgeon. The 'bolster area' had enough knuckle clearance, and 3/4 of an inch of dull flat blade at the heel square, should my hand slip just a little.

You might say that I found my Santoku, even if it is not a 'major heavy name of knives'. And, being 'high carbon stainless steel', it is sharpenable to the old standard angle of all American blades, without the possibility of 'messing up' the normal angles used by Japanese manufacturers. I have a 'butcher's steel', and a two oilstone set, so I'm ready.

(For a sharpening scare, on YouTube, look for Chaplin's restaurant. Why? The chef uses a hand-gripped-drag-across-the-blade sharpener across his Wustoff knife, in his 'knife skills' video.)

Happy New Year, folks!

 

[Stock Pot]

Another good point

You bring up another good point. The old French style knives have given way to what i would call the German blade design. They require slightly different skills. With the German style blades you rock them to, say, mince vegetables. With the French style the motion is more like the driving arm of an old steam locomotive. It's not fair to rock a French style knife on the cutting board and then say it doesn't cut as well. With the right technique they are just as good and, imo, even better.

 

[RPCookin]

With knives, after one has done a bit of trial and error, I see it as a "horses for courses" situation. I like the style and usefulness of the basic chef - my two most used are both Wusthof - a 6" and an 10". the 6" is used as a utility knife as well as for small chopping/slicing jobs, but the 10" is my go to for at least 75% of my kitchen work. I also use a Chicago Cutlery paring knife and ad Wusthof boning knife.

A good friend who operates a restaurant on Long Island in the Bahamas uses what is normally called a butcher's knife for everything. He spends most of every day making conch salad (which is all well chopped), and prepping fish and meats for various dishes. He is very, very good with the knife. He makes the conch salad on a cutting board right behind the bar. His prep work is part of the attraction at the bar. He uses this Dexter-Russell knife almost exclusively, and never seems to feel that there is any reason to pay more, despite having the knife in his hands for up to 6 hours a day. He certainly isn't brand conscious.

 

[Stock Pot]

Dexter Russel

I also have a Dexter Russel knife. I use it a lot. Inexpensive, well balanced, great ergonomic non-slip handle, holds an edge and is easily re-sharpened. What's not to love?

 

[Mad Cook]

I have a carbon steel cook's knife which I've had for donkeys years. It sharpens up to a beautiful edge with a steel (trained in use, care and sharpening of knives by butchers in the family) and cuts a slice of meat so thin you can see through it.


However, I no longer use it as it is a pain in the neck to keep in good condition. If you aren't extra, extra careful it discolours, I can't let anyone else use it as they can accidentally ruin the edge, it won't go in the dishwasher, etc., etc., etc.


I don't know if it's an old wives' tale but I once read that the magnets in magnetic knife holders can blunt steel knives. Don't shoot the messenger as I have absolutely no idea if this is true. Having once needed stitches in my hand when I knocked a knife off a friend's magnetic holder I don't have one in my kitchen!

 

[RPCookin]

I have a carbon steel cook's knife which I've had for donkeys years. It sharpens up to a beautiful edge with a steel (trained in use, care and sharpening of knives by butchers in the family) and cuts a slice of meat so thin you can see through it.


However, I no longer use it as it is a pain in the neck to keep in good condition. If you aren't extra, extra careful it discolours, I can't let anyone else use it as they can accidentally ruin the edge, it won't go in the dishwasher, etc., etc., etc.


I don't know if it's an old wives' tale but I once read that the magnets in magnetic knife holders can blunt steel knives. Don't shoot the messenger as I have absolutely no idea if this is true. Having once needed stitches in my hand when I knocked a knife off a friend's magnetic holder I don't have one in my kitchen!

One advantage to living in Colorado - stuff doesn't rust. It's an ideal climate for carbon steel knives. That said, I don't own any, just wanted to throw that out.

Also, none of my knives, regardless of composition, go in the dishwasher, so that isn't a factor for me. When I'm cooking, the right side basin in the kitchen sink is always ready with hot soapy water and I wash and dry things as I go. As soon as I'm done with the initial prep, the knife and cutting board (and any bowls or the like that I may have used) get washed. Then they are either put away or, if needed, set aside for the next round.