CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
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If I'm using three knives like this, ....
Ok, I would love to see that. Please have somebody take a picture of you doing this, so we could see the real thing.
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If I'm using three knives like this, ....
I'm looking for a good chef's knife - interested in saving money - don't care how it looks or the "name" but want it to work well. I keep hearing about the Wusthof classic 8" chef but is it better to get it hollow (dimpled) or not?
Here is the best chef's knife for the money in the world. You have to be nice to it, and it might require professional sharpening once a year or so if you can't do it yourself. It will give you pleasure and great cuts beyond anything you've used before, and the cost is low.
On the other hand, if you're going to toss the knife into the sink or dishwasher, get the Wustof.
+1 on the Tojiro- awesome for the money, although my personal preference is for the 240mm over the 210mm.
If you really want something decent on the cheap, I think an 8" Forschner Fibrox is about $25 or so. It's not the equal of the Tijiro but it's less than 1/2 the cost and probably a tad more robust. I'd pick the Tojiro myself, but the Fibrox is superb for the money.
Ok, here's a good picture of what I do:
If I'm using three knives like this, the third knife would go on the right side of the first two, and my middle finger would be in between the blades just like my index finger is. My ring and pinky fingers would encircle the handles opposite my thumb. You've got to have rather dextrous fingers for this, as well as good finger strength.
Rob - The reason I said 210mm is because 99% of the chef's knives sold in the US are 8" and most santokus are 7". This is what people are used to.
I think the Forschners with or without the fibrox handles are fine, and, their edges match most consumer sharpeners. I have a couple fibrox handles and feel that although they make a lot of sense in a commercial kitchen or packing house they aren't very attractive in a home kitchen.
I'm sure Cath would fall in love with the Tojiros but sharpening is an issue. Even if she sent the knife out once a year for sharpening she would still have to have a glass smooth steel to keep the edge aligned, almost doubling her total cost.
Garett B,
Why have 8 or 10 when you could have 9? My brother makes a nine inch chef knife that is the Excalibur of chef knives. At least I think it is. 32 layers of 'Damascus steel' (laminate) surrounding the best tool steel core. So, it's nice size but the Damascus makes it much lighter and thinner and thus, abler to take a sharper edge than a comparably sized non Damascus.
The blade is made by the first Japanese family to switch from making swords to cutlery, but the design is my brother's who is an artisan in Wyoming. So the result is unique. The company is New West Knifeworks. Look under Phoenix KNives for 'The 9.'
I've a tee time to address.