DrThunder88
Senior Cook
Sorry it didn't work out, but thanks for sharing the experience! Now we know, and knowing is half the battle. GI Joe!
Anyway... back to topic lol
Ok...... i have seen the light. These knives are shall we say... not very good - as you may have already guessed!
A first they seem great - they were undoubtably very very sharp, but since further use i am not impressed.
My 2 knives now seem to have lost their edge, despit being only a couple of months old... i take excellent care of my knives - honing them after every work out, so its not my lack of care resulting in this!
As always, the man of fewer words sums it up perfectly! I'm all for buying American, but it's increasingly rare that I can find an American product of high enough quality to satisfy my needs. Try to buy a CD player made in the US (with no Asian parts, that is)- and good luck, because we can't/don't make any. At all. My preamp is Mexican blink, my speakers are British, my DVD & CD players are Japanese, my HT processor is British...I think my main amp is actually made in the US, but I won't swear to it.
When it comes to knives, IME Japanese knives have next to no peers, certainly none made in America. Henckles has some very advanced knives- that are manufactured in Japan and branded for them. Aside from that, I can only think of Mora as a maker of good laminates from Europe. And that's the key: laminated knives are generally superior IMOHO. Short of making an entire knife out of V-Gold 10 or Cowry-X, laminating a very hard hagane with a softer jigane, san mai style, seems the best way to go.
There are fine artisan knife makers in the U.S. They don't mass-produce knives and because many do their own forging, they often command a premium price. To say that we can't/don't produce goods as well as the Japanese is foolishness. The problem that we have in America (and I'm referering specifically to the good ole U.S.A) is that we have allowed our civilization to become so engrossed in the bottom line that true craftsmanship is just not profitable. It's not the talent that's lacking, but the societal infra-structure that promotes and encourages such talent.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
I agree; in fact, I own some of them! But the tiny output of all custom makers is a drop in the bucket, a tiny fraction of the industry. And unfortunately, few of them are heavily involved in kitchen cutlery. A notable exception, of course, is Murray Carter...I think he's working in the US now, although he's a Canuck by birth.
Does it really matter if we "can't" or we "don't"? Ultimately it's the same thing. Sure, there are some gifted craftsmen in the US, but I can't think of a single mass produced kitchen knife made in the USA that can compare with a Hattori or a Shun.
Man, I wish Bark River made kitchen knives!
I agree with yuo that it's a shame that we don't have a high-quality, mass-produced American made knife.
...We have the ability. Why can't Chicago Cutlery and others see the light?...
Does Chicago Cutlery still make knives in America? The only ones I noticed lately were made in China.
...Andy - Chad Ward is correct of course but I contend that all the major manufacturers will wake up to the fact that there is more of a marketplace than just the average masses...
Buzz
The question is whether or not there is enough of a profit to be made in a specialty market to make the investment worthwhile.
It is all about supply and demand. US consumers are not demanding high quality knives. The majority of people do not use their knives enough to care. Most people are perfectly happy with a block of knives that cost them $30 and if they use those knives more than 10 times a year then that is a lot for them. Why would Chicago Cutlery or any one else want to start producing a better product which will cost more to make when the majority of people they are marketing to have no interest in it?Why can't Chicago Cutlery and others see the light? I guess it goes back to Chad Ward's "the sad truth about kitchen knives" FAQ. I swear that in less than a decade virtually all of the manufacturers will be making performance knives. Competition will make it so.
...There is an argument on one side that says that a major manufacturer won't get into it because there is not the quantity demand they need for profitability but I would argue the reason is because the average cook knows absolutely nothing about the advantages and pleasures of Japanese thin styled knives with better steel than is found in department stores...
Buzz, that's really the same reason. Because the average cook knows nothing about the advantages... they are not interested in buying. Therefore, there is no demand...
GB is right, most home cooks are going to be happy with ginsu or popeil knives for cheap money and that will be the end of it. These folks will not be willing to shell out what they consider big bucks for something the consider just another tool in the kitchen drawer.
Probably correct. That "in the kitchen drawer" statement makes me cringe. LOL
I'd love to see the sales volume in Japan for Wustof, Henckel, etc.
Buzz
I wonder how much they pay for these Japanese knives in Japan. After all, they're a domestic product.
Don't completely write 'em off. It's a good chance to see how well you can sharpen them. If they can be sharpened again to a keen edge they'll still be useful. It's probably not realistic to expect any knife to keep a razor edge after two months of use. Honing that frequently can be very hard on an edge, especially if you use a grooved steel. And it's probably best to steel before use since the steel will "rebound" to some degree as it sits there.
Im going to invest in a ceramic/water pull-thru system on payday and see what results i get with that.
Im looking at the minosharp system, as thats what my local knife shop has in stock.... not too expensive either at £23. If that returns adecent edge, which i suspect it will, i might invest in a Mac ceramic sharpening rod, and see how i get on with that.
Buzz, that's really the same reason. Because the average cook knows nothing about the advantages... they are not interested in buying. Therefore, there is no demand...
GB is right, most home cooks are going to be happy with ginsu or popeil knives for cheap money and that will be the end of it. These folks will not be willing to shell out what they consider big bucks for something the consider just another tool in the kitchen drawer.