New Knives

[LindaZ]

We were gifted a Wustoff (sp) knife set for Christmas (paring and carving). Having had the same knives for the last 40+ years, I never really noticed how dull my knives were. You get used to what you have. Frank sharpened an old carving knife for me at TG and it was quite a change - however, I made potato salad yesterday for today's dinner and used the Wustoff paring knife for the first time and I must say - having a sharp paring knife was great. I chopped through celery, onions, pickles and potatos like cutting warm butter. Can't wait to find more things to cut up.

Thanks Frank and Kathleen! Hattori next Christmas?

 

[Kathleen]

We were gifted a Wustoff (sp) knife set for Christmas (paring and carving). Having had the same knives for the last 40+ years, I never really noticed how dull my knives were. You get used to what you have. Frank sharpened an old carving knife for me at TG and it was quite a change - however, I made potato salad yesterday for today's dinner and used the Wustoff paring knife for the first time and I must say - having a sharp paring knife was great. I chopped through celery, onions, pickles and potatos like cutting warm butter. Can't wait to find more things to cut up.

Thanks Frank and Kathleen! Hattori next Christmas?

*beams BEAMS* Er...wait. Carving knife? It's supposed to be a chef's knife. *blink blinks* No?

Hattori, huh? Like Momma, like son.

~Kathleen

 

[LindaZ]

*beams BEAMS* Er...wait. Carving knife? It's supposed to be a chef's knife. *blink blinks* No?

Hattori, huh? Like Momma, like son.

~Kathleen

oops - chef's kinife -

 

[moltogordo]

Congratulations on your new knives. The Wustoff slicer is just excellent, and their classic parer is the one I use. Their chef's knive is also a winner. Wustoff steel is fairly hard as knives go, so keep it's edge straightened with a steel on a daily basis. If you don't, you'll soon have a dull knife.

Having a sharp knife is important. But sharpening a knife takes a lot of practice, and I recommend most people have theirs sharpened twice a year by a professional. Keep your fine new blades steeled! At the end of every day, wash your knife and steel it a few times at an 18 degree angle. (A steel does not sharpen a knife, but straightens the edge.)

I hunt and fish, and most of what I cook I butcher myself, so I'm a fanatic about sharp knives. Just keep your blades steeled, and then when they do have to be sharpened, the sharpener will have less work to do, and less metal to grind off.

Enjoy!

PS - make sure, if you like your nice sharp knives, to use a quality maple cutting board. Don't ever use ceramic, tile, marble or granite boards, and avoid anything but quality soft plastic boards for meat and fish. I don't advise my friends to use bamboo boards, either. They are much harder than maple, and dull edges quickly.

I sometimes get tired of sharpening friends' knives after they've brutalized them on crappy boards. Don't do this to your beautiful Wustoffs!

 

[LindaZ]

Thanks for the advice Moltogordo. In addition to the knives, we also received a handmade wooden cutting board - it is a beautiful piece. Still have to season it so haven't tried it yet, but I do love the knives and weight wise they are good too, not much hand fatigue which is important for me. Frank can sharpen them when he comes to visit - he did a great job on one of my older carving knives.