Cooking with Jonny69: Picking cooking knives. BIG SHINY ONES!!!

[glitch]

I am buying my father one good knife for his birthday, which one should I get him?

I think that's quite a tricky decision, depending on your father's needs. I'd be mortified if someone bought me a knife that I didn't get on with and I'd much rather be bought something that I knew I wanted and had handled before.

Why not take the old boy down to your local cookware store (find a good one with a large range though) and tell him he's got X amount to spend.

Or if he'll go with whatever is bought, I'd recommend the 14cm Global Vegetable Chopper. It's the one 'under' mine and ought to be extremely versatile in the right hands. Loads of good recommendations in the thread otherwise.

 

[Glaucus]

I love Globals, brilliant sexy looking knifes, a shame I can't afford them, Love cooking round my sisters, she has a full set with a magnetic block, so dont lose any sharpness through storage.

Good knifes really do make such a difference.

 

[Bobbler]

We got ours at the pro-cook store and they are very good IMO. Far better than the Sabatier ones that we had before them, and the less said about the shopping channel Titanium 2 knives the better.
Keep them sharp using a decent whetstone after finding using a steel was a bit hit and miss for me.

 

[platypus]

Can't beat Global imo

 

[Jonny69]

Those Shun knives look good, I've seen a few now with that layered feathered steel. Quality Shun marketing video here: http://www.altonbrown.com/shun/shun_flv_sm.html

I hate trying to prepare food with blunt/ crappy knives, and ironically I find its more of a problem chopping vegetables than cutting meat.

The worst is anything with a skin, especially tomatoes and peppers. You're there sawing away pressing down way too hard and it's just too easy to slip and go through your fingers. A sharp edge just drops through it with one slide of the knife

Interesting how many people like Globals. I just can't get on with them find that the metal handle makes my hand sweat (even when it's cold) and they get slippery.

 

[Glaucus]

Interesting how many people like Globals. I just can't get on with them find that the metal handle makes my hand sweat (even when it's cold) and they get slippery.

I cant say I've noticed that problem. Globals are a good blend of quality and price. But like most things it comes down to preference.

At the min and for the foreseeable future I'm stuck with a block of £10 knifes which need sharpening after ever meal. . I may just have to steal my sisters collection.

 

[Col_M]

I was tired of using cack, cheap, serrated knives so on the recommendation of my friend i'm going to get a Global too.
I'm going to find a shop that stocks them here and have a good feel of the ones i have shortlisted

 

[Jonny69]

I was tired of using cack, cheap, serrated knives so on the recommendation of my friend i'm going to get a Global too.
I'm going to find a shop that stocks them here and have a good feel of the ones i have shortlisted

Yeah it's a shame you can't try them out in the shop really. I'm on my second set because my mum stole my Sabatiers but I knew exactly what I wanted in that second set.

 

[NokkonWud]

Thanks Sloth, definitely like the look of the Wusthof, looks a cracking knife. The Globals look a little... I don't know, I just don't think he will get on with the design of that with it having a metal handle.

 

[Col_M]

Yeah it's a shame you can't try them out in the shop really. I'm on my second set because my mum stole my Sabatiers but I knew exactly what I wanted in that second set.

Well i've just found a chain of stores that stocks them here so i may go there after work and have a good feel to get an idea of the weight and feel

 

[alexakasloth]

Thanks Sloth, definitely like the look of the Wusthof, looks a cracking knife. The Globals look a little... I don't know, I just don't think he will get on with the design of that with it having a metal handle.

I know what you mean with the globals and the metal handles, seem like they could get annoying.

 

[wez130]

Those Shun knives look good, I've seen a few now with that layered feathered steel. Quality Shun marketing video here: http://www.altonbrown.com/shun/shun_flv_sm.html


The worst is anything with a skin, especially tomatoes and peppers. You're there sawing away pressing down way too hard and it's just too easy to slip and go through your fingers. A sharp edge just drops through it with one slide of the knife

Interesting how many people like Globals. I just can't get on with them find that the metal handle makes my hand sweat (even when it's cold) and they get slippery.

I agree with you with the Globals, especially if you are using for a long period of time, they made my hand blister, that is the only thing that put me off them, and the reason i went for the shuns in my own collection, they are just so comfortable to use, btw, i'm a left hander and the shuns are designed for right handers yet they are still comfortable for me. They are easy to keep sharp. And remember kids, a sharp knife is a lot safer than a blunt knife

 

[-Ad-]

I know what you mean with the globals and the metal handles, seem like they could get annoying.

My housemate has about 8 of the globals and they are simply sublime. Maybe for full time chefs the handles will get sweaty, but i use his plenty and they are a joy to work with.

 

[Jonny69]

Tholy bread hevival ratman!

Before that I used to use a MinoSharp Water Sharpener which kept my Global nice and sharp.

In addition to what Jonny says, don't think that a steel will sharpen any knife. It'll only keep a sharpened knife sharp; you'll need a whetstone (or similar) if yours has lost it's edge. Best to take it to a pro if that's the case.

I just went out and bought a knife sharpener with stones and it turns out it's this one. I'm no good with a whetstone so I wanted one that would re-grind the edge at the right angle without my input. At 8 years old even with regular use of a steel my knives were getting harder and harder to keep sharp. I was starting to doubt the 'knife for life' adage but they all seem to have come back up nicely with a new edge and I'm dead chuffed.

 

[Cosimo]

Tholy bread hevival ratman!

... and what a hevival it is ratman. Never let sleeping dogs lie for more than thirty months.

 

[HumanShield]

Tholy bread hevival ratman!


I just went out and bought a knife sharpener with stones and it turns out it's this one. I'm no good with a whetstone so I wanted one that would re-grind the edge at the right angle without my input. At 8 years old even with regular use of a steel my knives were getting harder and harder to keep sharp. I was starting to doubt the 'knife for life' adage but they all seem to have come back up nicely with a new edge and I'm dead chuffed.

Is there any reason why these sharpeners are suggested for Global knives, and no others? Marketing?

We have only a Steel for sharpening our Henckel knives, which we are both useless at doing, so I am on the lookout for something similar to this.

 

[Mark M]

Is it worth getting a whetstone? Ive got 3 global knives that I regularly sharpen with the global ceramic "steel" If so which one would you recommend?

 

[Flibster]

Tholy bread hevival ratman!


I just went out and bought a knife sharpener with stones and it turns out it's this one. I'm no good with a whetstone so I wanted one that would re-grind the edge at the right angle without my input. At 8 years old even with regular use of a steel my knives were getting harder and harder to keep sharp. I was starting to doubt the 'knife for life' adage but they all seem to have come back up nicely with a new edge and I'm dead chuffed.

Got a couple of these now. A 3 roller and a 2 roller. They are really quick and easy to use - much more than the whetstones I also have.

Is there any reason why these sharpeners are suggested for Global knives, and no others? Marketing?

From what I gather, the Global knives have 2 different angles on the blade, same as most knives do, but the angles on the Globals are the opposite way round to most knives.

No idea if thats true or not, but mine are suitable for Global knives, and that is all I use.

 

[glitch]

Tojiro Senkou knives are supposed to be brilliant.... even Heston Blumenthal uses them. Bit out of my price range though.

I can confirm that they are the best knives I've ever had the pleasure of using. I'd been a fan of Global knives for many years but have spent the past few months testing out various brands as I wanted to invest in a new set.

And having tried some of the best, nothing comes close to the Tojiro Senkou. Admittedly their range isn't as extensive as some, but it has everything I need and they are sublime to use.

Is there any reason why these sharpeners are suggested for Global knives, and no others? Marketing?

A bit of marketing and a bit of technology. I've heard the same story as Flibster about the angles on the Global knives and I know that Minosharp make two different models (SH-220 and SH-440) with one catering for Global knives and one for 'everything else'. I've never compared the two grinding stones to see if there's a difference though.

Is it worth getting a whetstone? Ive got 3 global knives that I regularly sharpen with the global ceramic "steel" If so which one would you recommend?

The Minosharp whetstones are pretty effective. They're what I've used for years, although mine is double-sided (one for sharpening and one for finishing) and I'm not sure they still make that...

But you might get some mileage out of the Minosharp Water Sharpener as it will do much the same job. The three 'wheel' one might be the best investment, depending on how knackered your blades are.

 

[Rich_L]

I have a 8-piece set of Henckels 'Twin Pro S' knives which we got as a wedding present....except they are still sitting unused in their box in the States pending my arrival some time next year *cries*

Only thing its missing is a cleaver/10" chefs knife, which I think I'll treat myself to for Christmas to have over here in the UK