Newbie to knifes

A

alan66

Joined
Feb 12, 2020
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Hello, I am new to the forum .
Basically I have always just used a cheap steak knife for everything. From my cheap knife block set.
So that being said...
I would like to get some good knifes in the kitchen.

Can you guys recommend some "Bad Ass" knifes ?
Brand Names....
 
I use a Macy's-exclusive made-in-Spain J.A. Henckels Zwilling Twin Gourmet 15-piece set in an Acacia wood block. I like it.
 
A price limit would be good. I could say Takeda, they you say over $400 is too much.
Also what kind of foods do you cook? A knife for boneless meats and vegetables is not the knife I'd recommend for winter squash.
And how do you treat your knives? A person who cuts frozen meat or bangs their knives should not use a Japanese style knife.
 
A lot depends on your overall system, which includes your cutting surface, sharpening skills and tools, how you will clean your knives, how you will store them, your knife skills and techniques, the type of foods you need to process, and how much time you spend in the kitchen. Or lack of any of the above.

Without knowing much else, I would say get a decent but inexpensive chef's knife, like the Victorinox Fibrox 8" chef's knife, and learn how to sharpen it freehand on a Norton Coarse/Fine India stone IB8. Get a decent wooden cutting board. Work with that set up for a while, and develop your skills. Then you'll know what you need next.
 
I will of course recommend F. Dick knives and steels from Germany, but I’m one of their sales reps so I’m biased...

Here is what I suggest to culinary school students, pick a handle shape first, then consider blade shapes and lengths depending on the tasks you’re going to be doing and also how you hold the knife, stick with stainless steel blade material, forged blades are nice, balanced and the bolster can be used for crushing but stamped blades are the budget workhorses in most kitchens. Buy a quality 12” regular cut steel to maintain the edge between sharpening.
 
I'm also biased, I recommend EIKASO and GUDE from Solingen Germany.
I am not a chef but we use butcher style knives / plastic handles for everything in our house. The butcher lineup also has a "chef style".

What I have learned so far is that ALL knives are great and after use they ALL need to be sharpened.
The higher quality goes longer without maintaining/sharpening and find one that feels comfortable in your hands. You also need to have a budget.
Just remember, the WORLD is bigger than Wusthof and Victorinox.
 
When I started cooking for myself, I bought a set of Chicago Cutlery Walnut Traditions kitchen knives. Since then I've added a Case utility knife and a Case Santoku. They sharpen up easily and are maintained with a ceramic rod. I'll admit that I'm thinking about something "better." But they have worked well for 20+ years. And I like the feel of the wood handles.

And, before you buy a set, all you will probably need is a 8" Chef, 5-6" utility or boning knife, and a paring knife. Honestly, I could live without the paring knife.

YMMV
 
Cutluxe kitchen knife is the best whether you are looking for home or restaurant. I have been using it for a long time and am very comfortable with it.
 
Personally, I would discourage you from buying a set unless you have already determined what models you really need. My "set" in my kitchen consists almost entirely of Cutco, many of which I acquired used at garage sales and thrift stores. My wife and I own and regularly used a French chef, a petite chef, four serrated trimmers, one serrated Carver, two small paring knives, two larger paring knives, a spreader, two cheese knives, and, for cutting squash or melon, a large butcher knife. I also have a drawer full of other models in the basement that we never use. All of these are stainless, which, in my experience, is a plus, not a negative.
So... start with a shape/size/style of knife that you think you might like and postpone the big investment for when you have a better idea of what knives are right for you.
That advice and $1.75 will get you a cup of coffee, if you're lucky! T-A
 
As a maker, I'll tell you that just about any knife set will do you. You just need to learn to sharpen you knives. Now that being said, if you want something that actually cuts well and holds and edge, you'll have to pay. Unlike above, I personally don't like German knives. Yes they'll last you forever but most are built like tanks but are way too thick behind the edge to be good slicers. Great for chopping chickens though. Just try using one against nice thinly ground knife and you'll understand. This may be an overreaching generalization but the steel used tends to be very soft (55-56 HRC) and doesn't hold an edge long. My wife's 4 star professional series Henkel is a club compared to the knives I make so it's never used anymore. Even our Myabi's don't get used much anymore and those are far better than than most germans. Most commercial knives don't readily advertise that steel they use. There's a reason. If it doesn't say what steel it is on the blade, its probably not very good.

Buy something with a known steel that's got a good geometry and learn to sharpen and you'll be set for life no matter what you purchase.
 
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Agreed with earlier post saying not to buy a set, get a good 8-10 in chef knife, one or two 6 in utility knives, a serrated bread knife if you bake much and some pairing knives/tomato knife. You can start with the Victorinox fibrox line, great stamped blades, grippy handles, consistently highly reviewed and very inexpensive. I have an 8, 6, 5in, bread knife and a bunch of pairing knives from them. Wife loves the pairing knives because of all the handle color options. Avoid a knife block to save counter space and get a magnetic strip or some plastic blade covers instead.
 
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