Calphalon vs Anolon vs Norpro...opinions?

[buzzard767]

I might start out with a Tojiro DP to get a feel for Japanese steel.

A good starting place. I had no problem gifting a 270mm slicer (sujikhiki) to my daughter. Now the question is sharpening. Unless I missed it I have not noticed it mentioned. Do you free hand sharpen? It's easy, so just ask if you haven't tried it. Japanese knives are different but not difficult.

As to the above post about a knife, any knife, not needing sharpening after five years of hard use....... defies the laws of physics. Not!

Buzz

 

[bladerunner]

A good starting place. I had no problem gifting a 270mm slicer (sujikhiki) to my daughter. Now the question is sharpening. Unless I missed it I have not noticed it mentioned. Do you free hand sharpen? It's easy, so just ask if you haven't tried it. Japanese knives are different but not difficult.

As to the above post about a knife, any knife, not needing sharpening after five years of hard use....... defies the laws of physics. Not!

Buzz

Freehand but I am used to the steeper 20 deg angles I've use on my current German steel knives. I'll have to practice the 16 or so deg angle (so it feels natural to me) of Japanese steel prior to actually doing any sharpening.

 

[Lewi]

I have used all three of these knives.

Calphalon - German steel made in China. The balance is a little off. Bit heavy at the handle. Classic santoku shape. It can be sharpened to be really sharp. Knife overall isn't too heavy or light. I would say weight is good. I don't like the handle though. It doesn't feel too comfortable to me. I think it is a little small. For smaller hands it will be perfect.

Anolon - German steel, ice hardened. Steel quality is very good but it is not a "santoku" per se. It has a bolster like a german knife. While it may not seem like a big deal, it defeats the purpose of the santoku as it gets used. Reason is that you cannot sharpen it all the way down to the heel so over time the blade will be more of a triangle shape. This knife is VERY heavy. It is not comfortable for me because of this as I use a knife professionally. It is also very thick. Handle is comfortable because of the rubber on the handle. This knife is blade heavy as far as balance.

Norpro - I bought this knife at Marshalls for $10. Very good little knife. The composition of the steel is stamped on the blade. Same formula as Wusthof. The balance is not perfect. Heavy at the handle. The handle is comfortable with the rubber on it. Very comfortable to use for long hours. Very sharp out of the box. I sharpened it with my stones and this knife gets crazy sharp. Thing I don't like about it is that it has the scalloped edges. This is a good knife for the price. Not much information about it online. The company makes knives for commercial use. i.e. - Mercer, Dexter Russell.

Out of the three I would personally choose the Norpro. Calphalon is good but I don't like the handle. Hold it yourself and see which one you like best.