Using your knives in the kitchen.

[midnight flyer]

I mean, if we're going to start sharing our kitchen knives...

10 inch carbon K Sabatier, the first boning knife I ever bought, an opinel that does triple duty as the picnic/vacation - pocket - dough slashing knife, and one of those roach bellys I use as a steak knife.

Wow... look at that old Sabatier! What a workhorse! Hard to imagine the millions (literally...) of people that have trained on that knife or its cousins. I learned to chop, cut, dice, slice, and all kinds of knife skills when I got a cousin to that classic design a few decades ago. Years ago among the cooking set the Sabatier brand was easily as well known as any of the German brands. I don't know where their quality is now, but at one time their carbon steel knives competed with anyone in that market. They were considered "the working chef's knife", not a safe queen. I think that even today you can buy a fully forged 10" carbon steel chef knife from them (with a lifetime warranty!) for about $125.

Good stuff.

Robert

 

[Puleio]

I mostly use kitchen knives in the kitchen, but have been known to use my belt knife (Bradford Guardian 3) to do things like open bags of frozen veggies, peel & chop fruit or veggies, or other light use. However, usually the dedicated kitchen knives are used so I don't need to clean the blade both before and after using it, like I (usually) do with the Guardian since it is used for a lot of other stuff outside the kitchen.

Of course, the kitchen knives I like and use most are Henckels 10" & 8" Chef knives, the 6" utility, and the paring knife. I also use the Oxo Santoku I got for my wife and her ergonomically picky hands. It all depends on what I am doing and which knife makes the most sense for the task.

Enjoy.

 

[anthonycastorena2014]

I use my Spyderco Mantra 1 for all sorts of food related tasks. In fact, it's just about all I use.

Now that’s impressive. Patina pics please?

 

[anthonycastorena2014]

I use my folders in the kitchen all the time man. The FFG Endura 4 is about the best chicken knife money can buy. I use the stretch (vg10 and super blue models) most of the time. The control is awesome and I get wanting to use them in the kitchen. Why not?? I also use the delica to peel potatoes!

More power to you buddy! Happy slicing!

 

[Pilsner]

I mean, how could you not want this?!?

10 inches of laminated VG-10 pure sexy for under $150?!? Heck, buy it just to get a slab of bacon and make your own slices, for Scagel's sakes. Go "sha-shingg!" and "wu-shaa" while you are doing it.

You know you want to.

Now that looks great! Forgive my ignorance but could you tell me what it is?

 

[Ourorboros]

I have never followed why a bunch of knife fanatics who love debating the fine points of the proper knife design for a specific task, would use knives not designed for the kitchen in the kitchen.

It's a odd "bias" against kitchen knives, like they aren't "real" knives somehow. Its interesting how many folks here wouldn't think of spending $200 on a kitchen knife, but would spend $200 on a folder in a heartbeat.

It may be that kitchen knives are practical knives that have a use everyday and so they lack as much fantasy element, as opposed to a thick harpoon spined ti flipper that can pry open a tank as we Rambo/Bear Gryllis through the countryside.
Yes, I am aware there is real bush crafting, hunting, & cattle neutering. Not talking about that.
As another said, there may be a cooking isn't manly element, but kitchen knife forums are mostly populated by men.
It's also true that a person can learn a lot about knife handling through food prep.

 

[miso2]

I love folding knives and enjoy cooking.

I do use dedicated kitchen knives (Takamura chef knives) for cooking most of the time, particularly when I need efficiency (when my kid is hungry) or best slicing ability (when making thin sashimi slices).

Occasionally, I use my folding knives when I travel. Last week, I stayed in a student dorm with a shared kitchen in Austria and used Spydiechef for cooking. The knife worked good enough.

I would like to use my beloved folding knives on the go everyday to cut things like breads and apples as well. But the knife law in Japan prohibits knife carry and use in public almost completely.

So, I use my folding knives in my kitchen whenever possible. Sometime they actually work better than my chef knives because my wife also uses them and abuses the edges.....

 

[Ourorboros]

But knives from Target can probably be sharpened and maintained a lot easier than higher end knvies as they are going to have have softer steel.

Isn't this also true about EDC knives if they get used? But 420HC, 8CR13MOV, & AUS-8 aren't held in high regard in EDC oriented forums. EDC knives made for big box stores - the equivalent of that Target kitchen knife - are met with some disdain here, aren't they? And many, many posters question why Moki knives should cost so much when the blade is AUS-8.
What happens to a person new to the EDC world who asks for recommendations? Are they recommended easy to maintain knives & told ways to sharpen? Or would they be recommended every super steel knife that fits in their budget & usage requirements? Isn't this the same sin?
And for knife users who regularly use their EDC knife, what business do they have cutting into bone with a thin, hard blade?

Better at what is the question? I think this is straying a bit from my OP. Just was curious as to who uses their collection knives in the kitc/QUOTE]
Actually you ending your OP saying that in cooking & knife forums you found that $100 was considered expensive and wondered what they would think of a Chris Reeve or even a Bugout.
Many are pointing out (not necessarily intentionally) that those knives wouldn't be as eye opening and overwhelming as you seemed to think, since they are clumsy tools for this job.
A $300 knife may be overkill, but if you can sharpen it will handle & cut much better than a Target knife. Not only will food prep time be more efficient, but using it will be more enjoyable. That isn't for everybody, I understand that. But even a good $100 blade (non-Shun/Miyabi/Wusthof/etc) is a huge upgrade from whatever Target or Wal Mart sells. I do believe that home users benefit just from the reduction of aggravation. The more you use a knife, the more you will notice the flaws - true if you cook for two people a day or 100 people a day.
I didn't list those price brackets to suggest people should spend that much, but to give insight into how that part of the knife world thinks. A budget knife will be more than the average user - even a pro - needs, just as a $50 EDC knife is more than most owners need. There is a reason why knives tend to be <$50 or >$100 - most people never made the jump and those that do often want to go higher.
On the plus side, you can get hand made chefs knives in each price/quality bracket.

For the food prep you showed, I would suggest a nice 125-150mm petty knife, $75-$150. Not to split a pineapple though.

 

[marcinek]

Someone without much experience with knives in general and little knowledge of steels, grinds etc(which probably is going to be most people casually looking for a kitchen knife)....

We are not talking about them, we are talking about us.

If you want to use the wrong knife for the job, please feel free.

 

[l1ranger]

usually, in the kitchen I use....wait for it....kitchen knives.
I have a mix of low and higher end kitchen knives as well as a few that were made by my fathers uncle.
I enjoy using each of them for their own tasks.

but that doesnt stop me from using my EDC if I get the urge. usually for simple quick tasks like slicing a orange, etc - such as i did this morning for my lunch. slice, wipe, and back in the pocket - where if i had grabbed a kitchen knive, it woudl have been slice, wash, dry, leave on the drying mat, kids uses it to open a soup can, drops it in the sink, drops a million thigns on top of it, sits in water for next 12 hours, gets thrown in the dishwasher.....and so on

 

[BubbaGump]

We are not talking about them, we are talking about us.

If you want to use the wrong knife for the job, please feel free.

The only wrong knife for a job is a dull one.

 

[BubbaGump]

Isn't this also true about EDC knives if they get used? But 420HC, 8CR13MOV, & AUS-8 aren't held in high regard in EDC oriented forums. EDC knives made for big box stores - the equivalent of that Target kitchen knife - are met with some disdain here, aren't they? And many, many posters question why Moki knives should cost so much when the blade is AUS-8.
What happens to a person new to the EDC world who asks for recommendations? Are they recommended easy to maintain knives & told ways to sharpen? Or would they be recommended every super steel knife that fits in their budget & usage requirements? Isn't this the same sin?
And for knife users who regularly use their EDC knife, what business do they have cutting into bone with a thin, hard blade?

But most people with real world experience with knives know better than to do something like hack into a bone with a thin and hard blade. But that's besides the point. The truth is, the typical EDC task of the avg owner is simply opening the occasional UPS package or sectioning a cardboard box. And what people recommend to someone else is not anything I can control. I don't personally care what others prefer or choose to buy. Its not my money. I never really get involved in the 'what should I buy?' threads. And when it's all said and done, what I said still mostly holds true. A novice user who will actually use their knife in the kitchen on a daily basis is probably better off with the less expensive Target knife as a starter before throwing down the money for an expensive knife with high grade steel. This applies to both the dedicated kitchen knife or a folder or any knife for that matter. Using a premium, hard steel in the kitchen on a daily basis is asking for trouble for the inexperienced knife user. The blade is probably going to get chipped or marred in relatively short order. Then, when the knife eventually dulls and they try to sharpen it, they will purchase a $1.99 pull-through sharpener on Amazon and damage the blade even further. Then they will run to a forum and declare 'this knife sucks. Don't buy it.'

 

[Pilsner]

We are not talking about them, we are talking about us.

If you want to use the wrong knife for the job, please feel free.

I still would love to know the name of that beautiful looking Japanese laminated VG10 knife you showed. Pretty please?

 

[Cow51]

Now that’s impressive. Patina pics please?

Oddly enough, it's not really taking on a patina. one side has a slight patina and the other has none at all. Very disappointing because I was hoping for one.

 

[marcinek]

I still would love to know the name of that beautiful looking Japanese laminated VG10 knife you showed. Pretty please?

Sorry...that is a Tojiro DP series 270mm sujihiki.

 

[marcinek]

The only wrong knife for a job is a dull one.

So a sharp Opinel is a good chopper. Got it.

 

[Pilsner]

Sorry...that is a Tojiro DP series 270mm sujihiki.

Many thanks!

 

[BubbaGump]

So a sharp Opinel is a good chopper. Got it.

Assuming we are talking food here. If its all you had, it would work. Grab the back of the spine with index finger and thumb with both hands and chop and dice. But I would choose to chop with a heavy knife from the collection like the 2 pound 1911 Bowie with thin edge and 17 inch blade. It would do the job quicker. Would choose the Bowie over a kitchen knife as its heavier.

 

[marcinek]

Assuming we are talking food here.

Once again, you are making assumptions to suit your need to argue about this.

You said "The only wrong knife for a job is a dull one." No "food" in your statement.

Again, it is clear that you feel that statement is true. And that is fine. I happen to believe that the wrong knife for a job is one that was not designed for that job. I don't chop logs with Opinels, I don't slice cherry tomatoes with machetes.

If doing things like that and feeling that "The only wrong knife for a job is a dull one." suits your level of knife interest, passion, and sophistication, then great! I am always glad when people enjoy using knives.

Enjoy your knives.

 

[herisson]

Assuming we are talking food here. If its all you had, it would work. Grab the back of the spine with index finger and thumb with both hands and chop and dice. But I would choose to chop with a heavy knife from the collection like the 2 pound 1911 Bowie with thin edge and 17 inch blade. It would do the job quicker. Would choose the Bowie over a kitchen knife as its heavier.

Using your knives for preparing food is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to enjoy your knives. Some of my favourite kitchen knives are hunters or skinners by design. But I also have an array of dedicated kitchen knives for serious work.... and that's yet another enjoyment. If you're really into cooking, go with dedicated kitchen knives and forget the Bowie. When you say "doing the job quicker", I hear a host of cooks laughing (or at least shamelessly giggling...)