Thread: Knife people lend me your wisdom

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

if by tired you mean your current knives are blunter than a blunt thing...give them to me for a few days and will give them a good going over..I can get most knives back to reasonable sharpness.

Sorry I should clarify. I have a decent knife set (scanpan) that I got as a wedding gift 15 years ago. They are still going strong and are easy to sharpen. I guess I’m just a bit bored with them. I’ll still keep them as general family use, but would like to have a small set just for my own personal use.

Originally Posted by zeropak

Japanese knives are lovely to use but they require more expertise to sharpen them. They are made from much harder steel than the German knives and really need to be sharpened on water stones, which take some time to learn, they are usually sharpened to a 15 to 17 degree edge. Because of the fine edge and the hard steel they can also be easily damaged (chipped) if misused. Having said all of that they are a true knife lovers knife. Take a look at this website. https://www.prochef.co.nz/ Give them a call and talk to Jurgen if you are unsure what to buy.
These are the real deal and the prices are excellent I have purchased several knives from Jurgen.
If that does put you off then go for a German style knife like the Global, as already mentioned by @AndyAnimal. the German knives are softer steel, more easily sharpened Global knives are not cheap but are an excellent example of German knives. The there's the Victory knives which are excellent no frills quality, They are widely used in the meat industry and have a great reputation for durability.

Awesome thanks I’ll have a look!

Originally Posted by No good names left

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and love the look/style of Japanese knives but I've found that my hands are just too big to hold them comfortably for long periods of time. I'd recommend trying whatever you decide on to see if they fit your hand well

Have you tried handling the Shun knives.
They are a blend of Japanese and European style, might suit your ergonomics?
I find the D-handle quite comfortable.

Originally Posted by Moutere

Have you tried handling the Shun knives.
They are a blend of Japanese and European style, might suit your ergonomics?
I find the D-handle quite comfortable.

Beauty of buying from a proper Japanese knife shop is they handle them on site so you can just request a larger handle. Or just buy a western handled japanese knife to start with.

Also a knife thicker at the spine will be more comfortable in a pinch grip for someone with big hands. Plenty of those available in japanese knives too.

I run Shun knives. Laminated blades, they are fine and need some care when using and afterwards. No tough use and no dishes . The fine tips are the danger area.

I bought mine from the US. Cheaper than local. If you have a good water stone, sharpening is not hard. Two knives is enough.


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Global

Hi! Have you considered a Chinese cleaver? Multi function and can last for generations. Simple to take care of and does not break the bank.
There is a good video on YouTube about a retired Chinese chef in America, made by his son is a good intro.

My experience is get one that fits your hand and it becomes an extension. It’s not necessarily the most expensive but the most used and feels good in hand.

Mine set is a collection through the decades of a Santoku(Japanese style), a bone cleaver (western) a Chinese cleaver (Chinese ), a daba( Japanese or Chinese’s im not sure), and a sashimi knife (Japanese).

Have a global santoku and it does not get used much as it just does not feel right in the hand. The Chinese cleaver a cheap knife from Ali express and has been brilliant.

Hope that helps from a different perspective. Happy for discussion

So I bit the bullet and ordered three knives. I wanted some variety in style and steel. Have gone with a Gyuto in sg2, a Petty with a SLD core wrapped in stainless, and a Nakiri VG10 Damascus. Below are the Gyuto and Petty, the Nakiri should be arriving tomorrow. I cooked tonight and just wow, they cut veggies like soft butter. I am absolutely in awe, and can’t wait to cook again just to use them!