My EDC Kitchen Knife, What’s Yours?

Maybe it’s sacrilege in a knife community, but I use a Dexter-Russell 8” Cook’s knife with a Sani-Safe handle. It’s inexpensive, easy to clean and sharpen, very stainless, and holds an edge moderately well (their stainless steel seems comparable to a 420HC). And I don’t worry about it getting damaged even if my wife throws it in the dishwasher because, if worse comes to worst, I can replace it for $23.
 
VTer said:
Maybe it’s sacrilege in a knife community, but I use a Dexter-Russell 8” Cook’s knife with a Sani-Safe handle. It’s inexpensive, easy to clean and sharpen, very stainless, and holds an edge moderately well (their stainless steel seems comparable to a 420HC). And I don’t worry about it getting damaged even if my wife throws it in the dishwasher because, if worse comes to worst, I can replace it for $23.
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No sacrilege at all. I use a mix of kitchen knives, including Shun, Victorinox, Dexter Russell, Cold Steel, and handmade by BF makers. Each has a purpose and place, especially the cheaper ones for use by my spouse and others who are not so careful with knives.
 
I don't have a picture now but at home the one I use the most is a relatively inexpensive Tanaka 240mm Kiritsuke-style gyuto in White #2. It takes a razor edge very easily with edge retention adequate for home use. When I worked as a chef full time my most used knife was probably a 240mm Konosuke HD gyuto with a Kagayaki Carbonext 240 being a close second.
 
VTer said:
Maybe it’s sacrilege in a knife community, but I use a Dexter-Russell 8” Cook’s knife with a Sani-Safe handle. It’s inexpensive, easy to clean and sharpen, very stainless, and holds an edge moderately well (their stainless steel seems comparable to a 420HC). And I don’t worry about it getting damaged even if my wife throws it in the dishwasher because, if worse comes to worst, I can replace it for $23.
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Not bad at all especially for home cooking. The current production Mercer knives are also a great value for the money.
 
Here's my knife roll collection. Overall I tend to use the Konosuke HD2 most of the time since it's my beater and is very thin behind the edge. More like a semi laser. The Miyabi is for my wife and guests.
  • HSC/// 253/53/207g. Stainless clad. 26c3 core. Ironwood handle
  • Tojiro ITK 270mm bread knife
  • Yoshikane Hamono SKD Nashiji 240mm Gyuto
  • Yoshikane Hamono SKD Nashiji 210mm Gyuto
  • HHH semi-custom AEB-L 240mm Gyuto
  • Gesshin Ginga White #2 240mm Gyuto
  • Konosuke HD2 Western Gyuto 240mm
  • Takamura R2/SG2 210mm Gyuto
  • Tanaka Damascus 210mm Gyuto
  • Fukushima-san 180mm stainless clad Aogami Super Gyuto
  • Del Ealy AEB-L paring knife in African Blackwood and Black Ash
  • Ryan Geiger 52100 205mm Gyuto w/desert ironwood handle
  • Miyabi 4000FC 210 with FC61 stainless steel
 
Most used is a vintage (USA) Chicago Cutlery 507 parer 3 1/2". Found a "new old stock" example (below it). Does well taking eyes and other abberations out of potatoes and cutting them up, peeling and cutting garlic, small onions, etc. Sturdy and very secure in the hand while having a hollow grind adequate for slicing many things.

Very close second, 5" Japanese petty like this newly acquired (and cheap) Kimura. works quite well on large onions, tomatoes, celery etc as well as meat, poultry and fish.

For larger and or harder stuff a honesuki like this single bevel 5 5/8" Masahiro.

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I carry these in my goruck, I don't leave pricy knives at work.

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This one is seven years old and has been assembled from discarded parts (cracked handle, bent blade) but it has become the family “go to” knife and I take it everywhere I think a kitchen knife is needed, like my friend’s churrascos (barbecues). The lightly curved blade makes it a great pizza slicer, too.
 
Aardvark said:
Lots of character there, Ivan. Sounds like a trusted old friend. My favorite tools are those that I've repaired myself.
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It happens to me, too, and these are the ones I end up keeping. Back in 2019, when I closed my bar in downtwon, my cook at the time, and a good friend, insisted in taking this knife with her, but I kept it and gave her a new gyuto instead.
 
My "EDK" is also a nakiri. For the last few years it's been this fairly inexpensive Henckels on the bottom.

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I had a couple other nakiris that I grew up using as a kid in the family kitchen, but we lost those during a big move. This one is easy to use, easy to sharpen, and takes some punishment.

The one on top is a great knife, an Ittetsu petty in white #1 carbon steel, but my wife and son have already run the edge into the ground a few times. It's become their "EDK". I had wanted to keep it nicer... but it's there to be used, right?
 
Yes, using good knives are part of thé fun, like drive-in à cool vintage car or shooting à Nice expensive gun. Plus, the only scratch that hurts is the first one. 🤣
That said, you can aways keep thé better ones out of immédiate reach by untrained people by leaving some Sharp cheaper knives around - this tends to keep everyone happy.
 
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