Knife brand names

[mikel18]

is cutco a good knife? I see they have a lifetime warrenty. and what about ginsu? and farberware? I want to know the good/bad/ and the ugly of these. I have looked at the farberware at walmart but I dont want to get one thats garbage.

[buzzard767]

Originally Posted by mikel18

is cutco a good knife? I see they have a lifetime warrenty. and what about ginsu? and farberware? I want to know the good/bad/ and the ugly of these. I have looked at the farberware at walmart but I dont want to get one thats garbage.

Your answers: not really, not really, not really

Wade through this and then you'll be adequately informed.

[gadzooks]

I have run into an odd little knife. It is a Serco, 6-3/4", #53130, stainless steel, made in Japan. Very nice hardwood handle, stainless steel rivets. The pattern is like a yanagiba. It is a stamped blade, rather than forged. The knife is light and slices cukes and tomatoes as if they were clouds. I think it is made more for fish, though. Next time I cut tuna for sushi, I'll know. The blade is thin, and springy/stiff. I know Serco is (was?) in the restaurant-ware business for years+, but I can't find anything about this knife or Serco. I am assuming it was a commercial kitchen knife, and inexpensive, but it looks like the knives the guys use in the local sushi bar.

[sketch182]

As I understand it, the best knives are from Germany or Japan. The German steel is softer and the Japanese is harder. German steel sharpens easier, but dulls faster. Japanese is harder, but is tougher to sharpen. According to the Whustoff representative whom gave me a lesson on sharpening, use a sharpening wheel for German knives and a honing stone for Japanese. Of course, there as many theories and methods as there are knives.

[DrThunder88]

I have a cheap yanagiba I used for slicing semi-frozen apricot pinwheels, but my chef's knife is the trick for most other slicing and chopping needs.

[gadzooks]

Thank you for having a cheap Japanese knife, DrThunder88. I was afraid I was the only one here. I also rely primarily on an 8" chef's knife. I just thought this little knife was interesting. Certainly worth a quarter, and fun to use.

[Toots]

I just bought an 8" Forschner Victorinox chef's knife and I really like it. Got it on amazon for around $25. It is a Swiss brand.

[Sunbubbles]

Originally Posted by buzzard767

Your answers: not really, not really, not really

Wade through this and then you'll be adequately informed.

Very Informative! thanks!

[buzzard767]

Originally Posted by Sunbubbles

Very Informative! thanks!

The author of that tutorial, Chad Ward, wrote an excellent book - here.

[katybar22]

Originally Posted by mikel18

is cutco a good knife? I see they have a lifetime warrenty. and what about ginsu? and farberware? I want to know the good/bad/ and the ugly of these. I have looked at the farberware at walmart but I dont want to get one thats garbage.

I have had a set of cutco knives for 15 years. I sharpen them about once a year and have never ever had a problem with them. I love them. Now, I am a home cook, not a pro, but in the whole time I've had them I've never even thought about buying more knives. When I go to my mom's house for family dinners and use her knives, it just makes me realize I did the right thing buying them. I will say though, there are knives in the set that just don't get used. Buy one knife, whatever kind YOU like, and then decide if you would like to have more of the same brand or try something else. Everyone is different. Experiment!!

[Rob Babcock]

How do you sharpen your Cutco's? They make a big deal about the "special" edge grind, and it seems you'd have to take that off and grind a new bevel...not that that's a bad idea.

I don't care much for Cutco, but I guess for a home cook they'd work okay. Overpriced for what you get, though, IMOHO.

[alexk]

+1 shun great knifes.

[msmofet]

I have these knives. I have several other small inexpansive knives.

Wusthof Classic
2 1/2" Paring knife (which is curved and looks like a mini boning knife)
3 1/2" Paring knife
5" Santoku
6" Cook's knife
6" Cleaver
Cuisinart
5" Santoku
2 Piece Carving set (I keep these in original box)

All have blade covers (except the cleaver which I have hanging by the hole on my wall) and I keep them in an OXO Stainless Steel Utensil Holder blade up.