Using your knives in the kitchen.

[BubbaGump]

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.

This whole thread and conversation was about food. Not wood.

And who argued? Not me. I just made my original post asking who uses their collection knives in the kitchen. I did not ask what is the best knife to use in the kitchen. Then people took it off base and joined the conversation to argue I was using the wrong tools and should be using a kitchen knife because they choose to use dedicated kitchen knives. I have never argued people should be using this or that knife for any particular task. My only 'argument' is that I see no need to buy dedicated kitchen knives. What I have in the existing collection is more than adequate to prepare food.

 

[BubbaGump]

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...)

Probably true about the Chef's laughing. But its kind of silly and moot. We are talking about food here. There are serious issues in life to get worked up about. What knife is best to use to slice an onion or prepare meat is not one of them.

 

[herisson]

Probably true about the Chef's laughing. But its kind of silly and moot. We are talking about food here. There are serious issues in life to get worked up about. What knife is best to use to slice an onion or prepare meat is not one of them.

The Chefs tend to be quite serious about their work. The best knife to slice an onion or meat is not a silly and moot point for them. It's quite the opposite. They are not knifenuts (like we are), they have a job to get done and quickly. I lent some knives I like a lot (dedicated and not dedicated kitchen knives) to cooks I happen to know. Their comments were quite enlightening. Hence my comment, totally food related, and totally not a jab at you enjoying your knives your way. As I said, I like to cook with non kitchen knives, too. Sometimes.

 

[Pilsner]

Probably true about the Chef's laughing. But its kind of silly and moot. We are talking about food here. There are serious issues in life to get worked up about. What knife is best to use to slice an onion or prepare meat is not one of them.

Here’s my take.

I do sometimes use my other knives in the kitchen. But that is for one of two reasons:

1) It is a new knife and I am testing its slicing and cutting attributes.

2) I am going on a trip into the great outdoors, and am deciding what knife to take that will also serve for food prep.

Now, I do a lot of cooking. Partly because I enjoy it, and partly because I, my wife and my three kids (two still at school and therefore still at home), need as much fresh, nourishing, decent food as possible. I cook from scratch, all fresh, with the exception of frozen peas. Also, because I like to eat interesting food and a wide range of cuisines, this can involve a lot of flavours, which means a lot of chopping, slicing and dicing.

I’ve been doing this for many, many years, and have been competently taught in technical culinary knife use. Recipes which take me 25 minutes to prepare will take a lot of people more than twice as long.

I have a paring knife, filleting knife, 10” heavy chef’s knife and a very useful, very thin 5” utility knife, carving knife and bread knife. All of them get used multiple times every week, with the exception of the filleting knife.

These knives are miles better for fast, accurate kitchen work than any of my other knives, with the exception of the very slicey Spyderco, and that’s no better than my kitchen knives. That is my experience.

 

[Pilsner]

@marcinek

Thanks for the steer, man. I’m going to pull the trigger on the 240 length - found a UK supplier.

Just need to sink a few more glasses until recklessness makes me go to checkout, and when SWMBO finds it in the kitchen knife drawer, I’ll just say, “Marci made me do it!”

On second thoughts, she might get the wrong idea. “Marcinek made me do it!” is what I will say.

Hey, I just got offered a permanent position and a pay rise; that’s my next line of defence...

 

[BubbaGump]

Here’s my take.

I do sometimes use my other knives in the kitchen. But that is for one of two reasons:

1) It is a new knife and I am testing its slicing and cutting attributes.

2) I am going on a trip into the great outdoors, and am deciding what knife to take that will also serve for food prep.

Now, I do a lot of cooking. Partly because I enjoy it, and partly because I, my wife and my three kids (two still at school and therefore still at home), need as much fresh, nourishing, decent food as possible. I cook from scratch, all fresh, with the exception of frozen peas. Also, because I like to eat interesting food and a wide range of cuisines, this can involve a lot of flavours, which means a lot of chopping, slicing and dicing.

I’ve been doing this for many, many years, and have been competently taught in technical culinary knife use. Recipes which take me 25 minutes to prepare will take a lot of people more than twice as long.

I have a paring knife, filleting knife, 10” heavy chef’s knife and a very useful, very thin 5” utility knife, carving knife and bread knife. All of them get used multiple times every week, with the exception of the filleting knife.

These knives are miles better for fast, accurate kitchen work than any of my other knives, with the exception of the very slicey Spyderco, and that’s no better than my kitchen knives. That is my experience.

Fair assessment.

The Spyderco Endura and Byrd Cara Cara was the impetus for the original post. It is the best slicer I own and I use it almost exclusively for that task in the kitchen because it does it so well. I have used it from everything to filleting fresh catch on the beach, dicing onions, slicing chicken strips for stir fry, whatever. etc...it will be the knife I grab for these tasks. As far as cleaning, it isn't a big deal. I soak it in the same dishwater I use for other kitchen ware then hose it off. Have used it for years without any signs of rust or breakdown and contrary to what people think, the liner and pivot doesn't gunk. up. Everything washes right out just fine. Just routine cleaning and stripping, which I do with most of my folders anyways. There are knives I like better but for general duty work around the house and in the kitchen, its my go-to user. And yes, I wash it before using it for food.

 

[navman]

Not everyday, but yes I have had, on occasion, used my EDC as an impromptu kitchen knife. Here is one example.

I routinely carry a Spyderco CALY 3.5, its thin, sharp and relatively people friendly. A few years ago I worked at Joint Staff in Suffolk (old JFCOM). The command has a policy that no large knives or "weapons" are allowed in the building. We were hosting a fundraising Taco Tuesday and were using the kitchen facilities to prep and serve, assuming the kitchen would have at least large utensils, such as spatulas and kitchen knives. Spatulas and serving spoons, yes....knives, no. (but they did have cutting boards :/

I had my Caly in my pocket and started slicing onions and cutting tomatoes and lettuce. Not as effective as a Santoku or Chef's knife, but worked perfectly adequate and I was VERY impressed with the edge that VG-10 maintained, no rolling, chipping, dents...just vegetable crud in the pivot.

 

[Pilsner]

Fair assessment.

The Spyderco Endura and Byrd Cara Cara was the impetus for the original post. It is the best slicer I own and I use it almost exclusively for that task in the kitchen because it does it so well. I have used it from everything to filleting fresh catch on the beach, dicing onions, slicing chicken strips for stir fry, whatever. etc...it will be the knife I grab for these tasks. As far as cleaning, it isn't a big deal. I soak it in the same dishwater I use for other kitchen ware then hose it off. Have used it for years without any signs of rust or breakdown and contrary to what people think, the liner and pivot doesn't gunk. up. Everything washes right out just fine. Just routine cleaning and stripping, which I do with most of my folders anyways. There are knives I like better but for general duty work around the house and in the kitchen, its my go-to user. And yes, I wash it before using it for food.

For sure, the thin Spyderco’s are excellent slicers. I guess I am lazier than you, or more time challenged, but I value being able to put the knives in the dishwasher, with the exception of my Global paring knife, and that can drip dry.

 

[BubbaGump]

For sure, the thin Spyderco’s are excellent slicers. I guess I am lazier than you, or more time challenged, but I value being able to put the knives in the dishwasher, with the exception of my Global paring knife, and that can drip dry.

I actually have a few pairing knives and a general user kitchen knife and an old chefs knife somewhere. They are sharp. I just never reach for them, except occasionally. I have no logical answer to give as to why I prefer other knives in the kitchen. To me it is more enjoyable to use the same knife to prepare food with that I hunt with, clean fish with or field dress game etc..It is about enjoyment I guess. Feel more connected to the task rather than using a kitchen knife. Does it mean its better? No. Just what I prefer. There is something raw and 'natural' feeling about preparing my food with these types of tools.

 

[Pilsner]

I actually have a few pairing knives and a general user kitchen knife and an old chefs knife somewhere. They are sharp. I just never reach for them, except occasionally. I have no logical answer to give as to why I prefer other knives in the kitchen. To me it is more enjoyable to use the same knife to prepare food with that I hunt with, clean fish with or field dress game etc..It is about enjoyment I guess. Feel more connected to the task rather than using a kitchen knife. Does it mean its better? No. Just what I prefer.

I am a big fan of doing things one enjoys! Vive la difference!

 

[Eagle Scout]

I do sometimes use my other knives in the kitchen. But that is for one of two reasons:
1) It is a new knife and I am testing its slicing and cutting attributes.
2) I am going on a trip into the great outdoors, and am deciding what knife to take that will also serve for food prep.

+1. Just picked up a BG4 off the exchange here and am doing exactly the same. GTG.

 

[basmca]

Cut up a tasty mango with the opinel nrm8
This thing is a crazy slicer.

 

[Pilsner]

Okay, thought I’d bump this.

I’ve got a pork loin roasting in the oven, and the plain old PM2 was used to score the skin for crackling. I realised that this is the one time where I do use a folder out of choice - it is a perfect blade for that task.

 

[91bravo]

My bk15 has been relegated to kitchen duty...

 

[eisman]

I have a number of kitchen knives, and they get used. But I keep this one around too for simple stuff like this. One of the best knife deals of the past 30 years, a Beretta marketed Bob Loveless design.

 

[anthonycastorena2014]

I use my folders in the kitchen all the time!! I use a delica to skin potatoes, an endura to cut chicken (very few beat it), And a stretch for just about anything. I say if you feel like using it, use it! I have used several in the kitchen. They work and its fun, that's what it all boils down to.

 

[chambelona59]