Recommendations on good chef knives?

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I keep my block at a full vertical, 90 degrees to the counter, so my knives rest on the hilt, not on the blade, but even if I used the metal stand that is included, the block is designed so the knives would rest on the flat of the blade, not an edge.

LIKE THIS --->
 
Shun Knives (Made by Kershaw) are my favorite so far - and also the fav of Alton Brown
 
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I don't really use chef's knives, I've used a good chinese cleaver for my whole life (which isnt' all that long), but they've never disappointed me.

Whats so special about a chef's knife?
 
The chef's knife is the Western equivalent of the Chinese cleaver in the East. They are both the "go to" knife for general use in the kitchen. It really all depends on what you're used to. I wouldn't think of suggesting you change to a chef's. If the cleaver works for you, that's all that matters.
 
I don't really use chef's knives, I've used a good chinese cleaver for my whole life (which isnt' all that long), but they've never disappointed me.

Whats so special about a chef's knife?

I've always wanted a cleaver, but my husband is afraid I'll cleave my fingers instead of the food.

I have a santoku knife like the one Rachel Ray uses, and I love it. I've always liked a chef's knife, but the santoku is a bit shorter and the blade is shaped differently. It fits my hand perfectly.

As for sharpening, DH has a Chef's Choice electric knife sharpener that I got him from Cabello's. He also uses a sharpening steel to hone in between times.
 
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Hi there,

Most of my knives are Wusthof Grand Prix II, and they're great. I tend to use a Santoku rather than a chef's knife, because the size feels better in my hand. My favorite knives are the Wusthof Grand Prix II 7-inch and 5-inch hollow ground Santokus

I also have a couple of Shun's and they're great too.

I don't think you'll go wrong with either of these brands.

I have the Rachael Ray Furi Gusto Grips and I really don't like them. They weren't very sharp, even out of the box.

Good luck and have fun!

-Mary
 
I bought Cutco knives back in college from a friend of mine who was in the Cutco business and 5 years later it still works great for me. I'm a clumsy one so I don't trust myself to sharpen knives so I love the fact that they offer a service where they sharpen your knives for you.
 
You're going to laugh....

I picked up an OLD chefs knife at a second hand (junk shop) store. It's old stamped high carbon steel. It has an edge on it you wouldn't believe. I love that old carbon steel as long as you take care of it. It's the same steel they put in the center of damascus forged knives...

i think it set me back 75 cents or so... still has the roller marks along the tang...
 
You're going to laugh....

I picked up an OLD chefs knife at a second hand (junk shop) store. It's old stamped high carbon steel. It has an edge on it you wouldn't believe. I love that old carbon steel as long as you take care of it. It's the same steel they put in the center of damascus forged knives...

i think it set me back 75 cents or so... still has the roller marks along the tang...

I don't find this amusing at all. My best knife, until my former S.O. skipped town with it was a 10-inch Friedrick Dick chef's knife with a real wood handle that I picked up at the Starvation Army thrift store for, I think, four bucks American. She also took the 7-inch Henckles Santoku, but I don't miss that one. I never used it. I bought it for her to play Rachael Ray with.
 
I don't find this amusing at all. My best knife, until my former S.O. skipped town with it was a 10-inch Friedrick Dick chef's knife with a real wood handle that I picked up at the Starvation Army thrift store for, I think, four bucks American. She also took the 7-inch Henckles Santoku, but I don't miss that one. I never used it. I bought it for her to play Rachael Ray with.


Oooh... that's cold..... taking the good knife...
 
From my experience, the only knives I really use are a good forged chef's knife, a bread knife, a serrated knife, and a paring knife.

I went with the Anolon brunello series. Nice wood handles, high carbon forged full tang blades. They're decent, but if I had to do it over again, I'd get a set of Victorinox forged blades. Victorinox has been making excellent swiss army knives that hold an edge for years.

I'm probably going to get a 10" chef's knife and it will either be MAC, Victorinox, or Wusthoff classic.

Oh and as for "Emeril uses this. or Rachel Ray uses this." They use what they're paid to use. The knives may be decent, but Rachel Ray doesn't use Furi because they're the absolute best knife for the job blessed by the pope himself.
 
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