Tell me about knives.

Inquisitor · 23 Feb 2011 at 08:10

I'm in the market for a new kitchen knife and wondered if anyone had any specific recommendations for me

I've heard a lot about Global knives and I've been eyeing the G2 20cm cook's knife. I've also heard things about their "Santoku" knives but don't really know anything about them – comments? Any other brands that are worth considering?

I want it to be pretty versatile as I don't want to go buying more expensive knives any time soon

Also, how long do Global knives stay sharp?

Glaucus · 23 Feb 2011 at 08:30

As said get down a shop and try them as they all feel different and really depends on what you like, all the major brands are great.
Global
Henckles
Kasumi
I.o Shen
whustof

you will also need a steel to keep them sharp.

bsoltan · 23 Feb 2011 at 08:38

These other threads may be of some help:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18224651
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18218305
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18205065
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18108994
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18076980

Inquisitor · 23 Feb 2011 at 08:39

Yeah I'll have to go and try them out I guess. Which shops would have a decent range of knives though?

Also really liking the look of the three piece I.O. Shen set here!

Maccapacca · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:02

I always go by what the professionals use in their day to day jobs, painters don't use paint pods and chefs don't use flash expensive knives, buy a decent set of steel knives and a block or canvas pouch and learn how to sharpen them properly and also take them to be re sharpened occasionally.

Flash consumerism really, you don't need a £100 knife to chop lettuce and onions

[FnG]magnolia · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:06

^ I really don't think that is what the OP is after. Also, chefs can and will use very expensive knives. Where did you get this from?

Streeteh · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:07

maccapacca said:
I always go by what the professionals use in their day to day jobs, painters don't use paint pods and chefs don't use flash expensive knives, buy a decent set of steel knives and a block or canvas pouch and learn how to sharpen them properly and also take them to be re sharpened occasionally.

Flash consumerism really, you don't need a £100 knife to chop lettuce and onions

Not true tbh, a friend of mine is a chef in a relatively high end restaurant. They all use Sabatier Lion chef's knives that cost around £75 as a good price.

I got an I.O. Shen set under recommendation for AcidHell, i did try others such as global (handles = yuk!), but they turned out to be the ones i felt most comfortable using, they're also far more reasonably priced than globals. They're well over a year old now and are all still razor sharp, obviously i sharpen them frequently to allow this. Don't let them go blunt though as they're so resilient that they take ages to get back up to a decent edge.

Maccapacca · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:10

[FnG]magnolia;18528771 said:
^ I really don't think that is what the OP is after. Also, chefs can and will use very expensive knives. Where did you get this from?

5 years as a kitchen porter in a top restaurant, I wanted to be a chef but it didn't work out.

And yes the TV / celebrity chefs use very expensive knives, your run of the mill day to day chef will have good quality knives they can chuck around.

[FnG]magnolia · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:13

maccapacca said:
5 years as a kitchen porter in a top restaurant, I wanted to be a chef but it didn't work out.

And yes the TV / celebrity chefs use very expensive knives, your run of the mill day to day chef will have good quality knives they can chuck around.

Ah, that's interesting. I did some Portering myself as a student in two 4-star and one 5-star hotels and the chefs, to a man, used very, very expensive knives.

I've no idea what the celebrity chefs use, it'll all be sponsored anyway.

Streeteh · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:13

maccapacca said:
your run of the mill day to day chef will have good quality knives they can chuck around.

In the workplace maybe, but i bet you'll find that at home the majority will have some really decent knives. It's like anything in the workplace tbh, don't invest in anything too good as it'll likely get knackered.

Sherbs · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:27

Any one used the Cold Steel Kitchen Knife set?

http://www.coldsteel-uk.com/store/Kitchen-Knives.html

hyper_piper45 · 23 Feb 2011 at 10:24

I personally like the Wusthof 20cm Classic Cooks knife. I have tried Globals before but I dont like the handle and weight.

bitslice · 23 Feb 2011 at 10:27

Global don't feel right at all, I don't like the balance,
but every Japanese knife I've tried has been a pleasure to use.

Ant C · 23 Feb 2011 at 11:15

I bought my wife a Japanese damascus chefs knife last year that cost a fortune.

Within 2 months she had managed to take 2 big chips out of the blade putting it in the metal cutlery drainer.

Now replaced with a cheaper Kai Wasabi, which is still very good:

http://www.cooksknivesshop.co.uk/Knives/Kai__Knives/Kai_Wasabi_Black_Handled__Knives/2411

TwsT · 23 Feb 2011 at 11:19

sharpen them little and often, don't soak them in water and don't put them in the dishwasher and only cut food with them.

store them on a magnetice knife rack or a propper knife block.

do that and your global knife would last a very long time.

-BA- · 23 Feb 2011 at 11:20

Whilst this is a rehash of other recent threads, there is one question I would love the answer to. As the OP says, where is a good place to actually go and handle these knives?

LordSplodge · 23 Feb 2011 at 11:27

TwsT said:
sharpen them little and often, don't soak them in water and don't put them in the dishwasher and only cut food with them.

store them on a magnetice knife rack or a propper knife block.

.

What a lot of hassle. All I want to do is cut some food & chuck the knife in the dishwasher.

A.N.Other · 23 Feb 2011 at 11:29

Be very careful about buying Globals (or any other decent set of knives) online - there are an awful number of fakes out there. Global has a bit on their website about it, along with things to watch out for, but stick to the approved retailers if you can.

How long they're sharp for depends on your usage of them - get a steel, but buy some whetstones for sharpening them with. Use them properly - don't attempt to sharpen the knives with the steel by grinding away with it - that's not what it's for. Make sure you have a nice (flat) chopping surface and don't do something daft like use them on a glass board or something.

Aside from that, they're great, but you'll also love using any of the brands listed above. Get down to a decent shop and try them out for size, weight and balance.

A.N.Other · 23 Feb 2011 at 11:36

-BA- said:
Whilst this is a rehash of other recent threads, there is one question I would love the answer to. As the OP says, where is a good place to actually go and handle these knives?

Depending on the size of the store: Debenhams, John Lewis, Fenicks, House of Fraser, Selfridges etc. There's a store locator on the Global website, but any store that has a decent range of Globals will more than likely have a number of brands to choose between.

Noxia · 23 Feb 2011 at 11:56

Got a full range of Globals, if you go for them just look after them.

Tell me about knives.

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