Retired Budget-Friendly Knives (caveat purists)

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SFsc616171

Assistant Cook
Joined
May 9, 2014
Messages
15
Location
Louisiana
Hello folks!

I chose my title for this post because, yes, I own budget-friendly knives!

I have looked at Messermeisters, Wustoff, Sabatiers, and all those Asian tongue twister names, including the ones from that Iron Chef guy. Then I opened my coinpurse/cardwallet, and watch the moths fly.

I did want a chef's knife, even though for a while I owned a Good Cook six-inch cook's knife and could not fathom why I would need the extra length.

I have looked at those other knives some folks have been using that did not look anything like a chef's knife, and figured 'maybe'.

Then, one day while looking on an 'auction site' online, I went through 'kitchen knives'. Wow! So many from everywhere. I ended my 'knife journey' through the 'auction site', now owning the following:
1. chicago cutlery kinzie chef, utility, sandwich, and paring knives.
2. masterchef 3-in-a-set santoku knives, 7-inch, 5-inch, 3-inch one straight edged, one serrated.
3. chicago cutlery wierd mouse sharpener.
4. Smith's yellow pull through sharpener.

So far, the chicago sandwich and utility knives have been well 'abused', and do not slip, even under soap and water. The masterchef do not slip, either. It is a toss-up if i were asked which knife style would be 'the one', just yet. The large santoku is 'quick in the wrist'. Although less than an inch in length difference, it is noticeable. The newer chicago chef knife is a slender blade and not like the 'forty' series of old. It looks to be near to a 'gyuto', more than a german chef knife.

So, there it is. I drool at Lamborghinis, and have driven a subaru or two. And as with knives, I looked, fainted, got up, and got what works.
I like all-clad, but had to buy tramontina (test kitchen approved).

To the purists, i apologize.
 
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We all want the best but often have to settle for less. There are a lot of demands on our finances. If you're happy with what you have, what else matters?
 
I have a few very old, expensive knives, one that is more than 100 years old from Norway, and others from Turkey and Germany.

I bought an inexpensive Chicago Cutlery Fusion II chef's knife a few years ago to give as a gift, but the giftee sort of disappeared, so my son opened and used it one day.
I'd have to say it performs just about as well as any of my fancier knives. Not bad for a $15 knife.
 
I buy used knives from the cutlery service that delivers to my deli..they already come with dings and scratches so I don't have to worry about abusing them..they are sharp as heck, too..I can get a french chef for 10 bucks, and a boning knife for 5..it'll slice your finger off before you know what happened..plastic handles also so in the dishwasher they go..they are tools, after all..

I have bought lots of them for my kids also..they all have a good supply...and all of their fingers, thankfully..
 
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All of my fillet knives are reground and resharpened Forschners, by Victorinox.
 
No matched set for me, I have what fits my hand and works for what I am cutting up. My favorite is an 8 inch Santoku by Henckels that I found on clearance for $60, it came with a 4 inch Santoku. What is used most is a 6 inch Farberware, it slices, dices...all placed in a Henckels block I bought separately.
 
My knives are also a mixed set. My favorite is a 30 year old henckel 12 inch chefs knife that I've sent out to be reground recently (fingers crossed for a good result). I also have a couple of 3.5" inch paring knives from wustoff that I like. Others include a brand x boning knife, a Chicago cutlery bread knife that was my moms and a serated ronco ginsu knife with a about an 8 inch blade..

Interestingly this low rent knife is heavily used. It was left in a drawer of house I moved to many years ago and I used it to cut open boxes, slice envelopes, trim flowers and even cut plastic milk cartons. It's not elegant but it seems to be bullet proof.
 
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