ISO Help selecting a chef's knife as a gift

[CharlieD]

Originally Posted by menumaker

Whatever Knife you decide on don't forget the recipient must PAY for it. We would pay a penny, (for you over the pond I guess it would be a dime?) It's only a gesture because It's bad luck to 'give' a blade, and we don't want any of that do we!! No, we don't.

I wonder how did this custom manage to be the same in Russia/Ukraine and in France?

As far as knife, CW are you planing to buy one knife only for that kind of money?
Also About Wusthof, I have a set of the original ones and I love it.

[CWS4322]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

I wonder how did this custom manage to be the same in Russia/Ukraine and in France?

As far as knife, CW are you planing to buy one knife only for that kind of money?
Also About Wusthof, I have a set of the original ones and I love it.

Yes, one very high-quality (well, maybe not high if one is a professional chef, but for the home cook) chef's knife.

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

Thanks for the right term--bolstered heel. If I were to give this person a gift certificate, the person would not use it because the person would insist I cannot afford it. I have been setting aside $ from extra projects (cooking, helping with people's gardens, personal shopper) for this gift (money I won't miss--what my mom would call "mad money.") Obviously, this person has a more comfortable lifestyle than I do and can afford a good knife (or two or three). The thing is, I went years without a good knife--had great pans, etc., but lousy knives. I think a good knife is a great gift, and will include a quarter in the card.

Surely she must know that gift certificates are already bought and paid for. If she didn't use it it would be your money thrown away.
Does this person live near you so that you could go shopping together?
You are very articulate and if you explained what you just said, I can't imagine her refusing a gift like that from the heart.

[CharlieD]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

Yes, one very high-quality (well, maybe not high if one is a professional chef, but for the home cook) chef's knife.

Then I say you should look into Japanese knives.

[Mad Cook]

Originally Posted by menumaker

Whatever Knife you decide on don't forget the recipient must PAY for it. We would pay a penny, (for you over the pond I guess it would be a dime?) It's only a gesture because It's bad luck to 'give' a blade, and we don't want any of that do we!! No, we don't.

Great minds think alike. I was going just about to say the same thing.

[Mad Cook]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

Never put knives in the sink, much less in the dishwasher! I'm surprised PF didn't catch that. I'm thinking the 9-inch size. Is the back (heel) of the blade "protected"? I can't tell from the picture. That is one thing I insist on when shopping for a chef's knife. I guess I could go into a store rather than shop online, but I am trying to limit my trips into the City now that it is road construction season.

Tell me about it! It took me 3 hours to drive a 60 mile journey yesterday because of all the road works en route!

[Cooking Goddess]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

Thanks for the right term--bolstered heel. If I were to give this person a gift certificate, the person would not use it because the person would insist I cannot afford it. I have been setting aside $ from extra projects (cooking, helping with people's gardens, personal shopper) for this gift (money I won't miss--what my mom would call "mad money.") Obviously, this person has a more comfortable lifestyle than I do and can afford a good knife (or two or three). The thing is, I went years without a good knife--had great pans, etc., but lousy knives. I think a good knife is a great gift, and will include a quarter in the card.

First, if you would rather give an actual knife rather than a gift certificate, I suggest you get the knife YOU think your friend would like and be sure to include the gift receipt. That way, in the event they need to return the knife, the store will be able to let the recipient know what replacement value they can look at. Or, if you buy it online, perhaps that seller also provides gift receipts. But at least by giving them "a" knife they'll know what price point you were comfortable with. They can decide if they want to spend even more for one cook's knife...or buy two or more less-expensive knives instead.

When selecting the length of the blade, keep the height of the recipient in mind. Himself bought me a lovely cook's knife. It had a 12" blade. At the time I was just a shade under 5' 7". He uses it since it's a perfect fit for his 6' 2" frame. When I was cleaning my folks' home out I took my Mom's 10" knife. Like new, but then she was only 5' on a good day. Still a bit too long for me, so our daughter (5' 9") got it. I bought an 8" "seconds" knife at the Dexter-Russell outlet a nice drive from our house. It's more like an 8 1/2" knife but it cost me only $3.70. I love it! Right fit, nice handle, and it keeps a good sharp edge. Although that brand isn't a high-end one, I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for nice, basic knives.

FWIW, I have a friend with the last name of "Bolster".

[jennyema]

A 12 inch blade is like a sword!

Standard chefs knife is 8 inches.

I use that and 6 inch santuko most of the time.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by jennyema

A 12 inch blade is like a sword!

Standard chefs knife is 8 inches.

I use that and 6 inch santuko most of the time.

I agree. I use 8" and 6" chef's knives. I've never felt I needed a longer one.

[CWS4322]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I agree. I use 8" and 6" chef's knives. I've never felt I needed a longer one.

The intended recipient is 5'4", but has "bear paw" hands (I am taller--5'6", but my hands are smaller). We often cook together and I've been "noting" which of my knives are the ones used. So far, my 9" chef's knives seem to be the "go to" knives in my kitchen.

[RPCookin]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

Thanks for the right term--bolstered heel. If I were to give this person a gift certificate, the person would not use it because the person would insist I cannot afford it. I have been setting aside $ from extra projects (cooking, helping with people's gardens, personal shopper) for this gift (money I won't miss--what my mom would call "mad money.") Obviously, this person has a more comfortable lifestyle than I do and can afford a good knife (or two or three). The thing is, I went years without a good knife--had great pans, etc., but lousy knives. I think a good knife is a great gift, and will include a quarter in the card.

I've found that the primary feature of a bolstered blade is that the bolster can make the knife hard to properly sharpen with some types of sharpeners. I have several chef knives from different brands. I have two Wusthofs (6" and 10") and one Chicago Cutlery (8") with forged bolstered blades; one Cutco (9"), and one Old Homestead (8-9") with stamped blades and no bolsters.

I use the Wusthofs most of the time, but the Chicago has a very similar feel. The Cutco is my chicken wing prep knife - not as comfortable in my hand and the handle tends to be slippery, so it just gets used for cutting through the wing joints. The Homestead has a fairly comfortable wood handle, but mostly just sits in a drawer.

For me, bolster makes no difference in how the knife performs. The real difference is how a knife feels when you hold it and cut with it. The shape of the Wusthof handle just fits the way I use a knife. I have a 6" and 10" chef and a 5" boning knife, and those are by far my most used knives.

I have 3" and 2½" Chicago Cutlery paring/utility knives and they are really the only other knives I use for general prep work. I have one bread knife that's used for bread.

[CharlieD]

I am 5'6". My favorite knife size is 10". I of course have an 8" one. Those I use the most. But I do have a 12" too. And I probably would use it too, if the counter top was just s bit shorter.

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[jennyema]

I like Wusthof because they fit my hand.

Shun knives are uncomfortable to me.

But a Shun knife (or another beautiful Japanese knife) is IMO a more impressive gift that a Wusthof.

[CWS4322]

I like a bolstered heel because I don't like the nicks that I have sufferd from the unbolstered heel.

[Mad Cook]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

I wonder how did this custom manage to be the same in Russia/Ukraine and in France?
.

Apparently in Korea, too.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

I like a bolstered heel because I don't like the nicks that I have sufferd from the unbolstered heel.

I have gotten a few nicks from the Hattori knives when my attention drifted.

I am less worried about that then what really could happen. I was splitting wings one night and missed the joint with the boning knife. It slipped through so easy peasy, I looked at the wing, then my finger. I pay very close attention when using that one.

[Andy M.]

Frank, I use a cleaver to segment wings. It make the job easy.

[Kayelle]

I use my kitchen shears to cut wings.

[RPCookin]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Frank, I use a cleaver to segment wings. It make the job easy.

You have to be able to hit what you aim at with one of those... too dangerous for me. I find it easy to cut right through the joint.

I dismembered enough in about 10 minutes to completely fill 2 half sheet pans the other day, cutting the tips to save for stock, then separating the drumettes from the good part.

[Andy M.]

Knife, scissors, cleaver. Whatever works.