Plain Edge Steak Knives?

T

tatfiend

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Apr 24, 2013
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Do you have plain edge steak knives and if so how do you preserve the edges in use? I have ordered a pair of teak wood steak servers and am considering also getting a set of plain edge sharp steak/table knives from Opinel. Getting tired of the saw edged poor excuses for knives generally sold as steak knives.
 
We use the "saw edged poor excuses for knives..." quite successfully. I have a set of full tang Kutmaster steak knives from the 70's that are still going string. A little touch up on the serrations from time to time and they work just great. Personally, while I don't care for serrated edges on my outdoor knives or kitchen knives, I like them on a steak knife. I think you'd have to continually sharpen a plain edge steak knife considering the surface the steak is usually on - china or metal.
 
I don't really understand the complaints about cheap serrated steak knives. Their purpose is to cut the steak into small enough pieces for me to eat, I've never had any problem at all doing that with any steak knife I've ever used, it's not even difficult to cut steak with a butter knife if you have to.
 
Would you consider buying some wooden boards to serve as plates? Your knives will keep their edge longer and it looks all manner of manly... :)
 
Unless you're using plastic or wooden plates I don't think you'd really actually prefer plain edge steak knives if you actually tried to use them.
The serrations tips dull, but they are there so that the actual cutting edge does not touch the dulling surface.
Also, even a moderately dull serrated knife will still out slice a plain edge when cutting steak in my experience, you can have a knife be super thin at the cutting edge and hair shaving sharp like the Benchmade 746 but it will not cut through as easily.
 
Of course if you've got good steak and you're cooking your steak properly you shouldn't need steak knives...but this is a knife forum not a cooking forum and we do like our knives here ;)
 
I live to cut my steak with a plain edge bc it doesn't rearrange the meat at all, guess I do t want to "disturb" it until it hits my teeth.

Anyway, yes, wooden platters wood be the way to go ;) punny

When I use my opinel I have to do a little dines to avoid touching the plate, cutting mostly through, then flipping the meat I cut over with a fork and finishing the cut. Well nit flipping over, more like spreading open..
 
I don't obsess about preserving the edge. Just sharpen them every so often. Never have had wooden plates. Whenever I cook steak, if I don't screw it up ;), it's not difficult to cut, it'll just pull apart fairly easily.
 
My steaks are blood rare to medium rare so are as tender as the grade and cut of meat can be other than comparing it to slow cooked pulled pork that is literally falling off the bones. Having tried both serrated and truly sharp knives on my steak I just prefer the way that the sharp knife cuts. Too many inexpensive steak knives have the very small micro serrations on the blade edge which are almost impossible to sharpen in my experience.

I note that I have never seen a serrated edge large carving knife for meat other than electric knives with their doubled blades so why are serrated steak knives almost universal other than their allowing a dull knife to still work adequately.
 
A plain edged steak knife would dull rather quickly cutting on a corelle plate, if they cut things like my wife does. For some reason, she cuts like her life depended on how hard & fast she cuts. Like she is in a contest cutting to china. A single swipe on each side of a plain edge steak knife after washing, on a quality Butchers Steel would keep it sharp. You can find a quality, made in America, Butchers steel for around $30+ shipping.

 
I slice meat for a living and never use serrated.

But i guess if you have no sharpening skills serrated is needed.
 
Use a wharcliffe paring knife as a steak knife. The straight edge makes it so only the point contacts the plate and the rest of the edge glides through the cutting medium without dulling.
 
Mephtyrm said:
Unless you're using plastic or wooden plates I don't think you'd really actually prefer plain edge steak knives if you actually tried to use them.
The serrations tips dull, but they are there so that the actual cutting edge does not touch the dulling surface.
Also, even a moderately dull serrated knife will still out slice a plain edge when cutting steak in my experience, you can have a knife be super thin at the cutting edge and hair shaving sharp like the Benchmade 746 but it will not cut through as easily.
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Wouldn't that depend on the quality of the steak and the knife as well?

Had a cheap steak in a Chinese restaurant in San Fran, spent a full minute trying to cut through the steak, but it got stuck on a tendon. Pulled out my Kershaw RAM and sliced through the sucka in one cut. One cut VS sawing, seems like a no brainer.

As for dulling the knife, I typically avoid that by putting the steak on top of something else, say another piece of steak. I don't expect other people to do so though, so if this topic were about steak knives for other people to use, I'd stick with serrated. But if we're talking about personal use, than I guarantee you that even my XM-18 with the super thick spanto grind will out cut any "steak knife" in any restaurant.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Use a wharcliffe paring knife as a steak knife. The straight edge makes it so only the point contacts the plate and the rest of the edge glides through the cutting medium without dulling.
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There's actually no need for that as you can simply raise the knife until only the point contacts the plate.
 
Here's what I use.
2013-03-03_12-39-31_16_zps84682a87.jpg
 
I also use my EDC to eat steak occasionally, being very careful not to touch the edge to the ceramic plate. I usually cut halfway through, flip the steak, and then finish the cut.
 
Moses2792796 said:
You've got to be kidding me. Who is that picky?
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I think it's part of being in the moment and enjoying your food to the max - if I may.
I really enjoy using a sharp knife (hope that doesn't sound too Dexterish) - and find it paticularly enjoyable when cutting steak or eating an apple. You know, cut a piece and chew thoroughly (though I have been accused of being a garbage disposal at times). Anyway, I use a plain edged steak knife and try to avoid any hard contact with the plate. Just more satisfying for me. In restaurants, I will pull out my EDC if the serrated scrapmetal I'm given is too far gone. Mike
 
Or you can sidestep the controversy and just bite chunks off as you grip the steak with your hands. :D
 
I like a plain edged steak knife over serrated. It does not take that long to keep them sharp and because they get much sharper if you use decent steel you dont have to saw on the plate to get the steak cut. A well sharpened knife will slice with little effort and not much contact with the plate is required. I wouldnt use a really difficult to sharpen steel though. The edges last longer but I find them a pain to resharpen.
 
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