Knife Thread

glitch · 15 Mar 2012 at 18:35

TheDean said:
Had a set of Robert Welsh signature knives bought for our wedding. Won't be delivered for a bit, but look and feel awesome!

Comfortably the best mid-range knives on the market at the moment, but I can't quite get used to the chopping action required to use them efficiently.

Fantastic range available too - I can't think of a single blade type that is missing from the line-up.

Irish_Tom · 15 Mar 2012 at 20:22

Got a 20cm Wursthof Classic for Christmas.

It's incredible going back to a 'normal' knife after using it, although I have already cut myself with it.

HeadlessChicken · 15 Mar 2012 at 20:47

glitch said:
Comfortably the best mid-range knives on the market at the moment, but I can't quite get used to the chopping action required to use them efficiently.

Fantastic range available too - I can't think of a single blade type that is missing from the line-up.

Agree. I have the large santoku, so the curve is much less pronounced, and the chopping action is very different with a santoku anyway.

I was happily going to spend ~£80 - £100 for the santoku knife, I held Globals, Hacknels, Wurstoffs (sp?) I.O Shens and Shuns. The Shun felt fantastic but out of my price range. I.O Shen had a good 3-piece set, but the Welch just felt amazing, and was over half the price of the others. So I got that and a cast iron casserole dish for the same money

Dazzy · 15 Mar 2012 at 21:09

TheDean said:
Had a set of Robert Welsh signature knives bought for our wedding. Won't be delivered for a bit, but look and feel awesome!

I have some of these, they are very good. Much prefer them to the Global chefs knife I have.

Bossk128 · 16 Mar 2012 at 13:00

I have Global knives: I like them very much, but the GS handles aren't as comfy as the G handles.

TheDean · 16 Mar 2012 at 13:02

glitch said:
Comfortably the best mid-range knives on the market at the moment, but I can't quite get used to the chopping action required to use them efficiently.

Fantastic range available too - I can't think of a single blade type that is missing from the line-up.

Dazzy said:
I have some of these, they are very good. Much prefer them to the Global chefs knife I have.

Will look forward to getting my chop on after we get back from California!

CHokKA · 11 May 2012 at 11:03

Anyone got any idea what honing steel would be recommended for a Global knife? I really want to make sure I get something decent so that I don't damage the blade.

deepbroca · 12 May 2012 at 16:39

Youstolemyname said:
anyone tried the knives tesco are flogging via vouchers at the minute?

Got the kitchen scissors from this range...seem pretty good, worth the few quid I paid!

Flibster · 12 May 2012 at 21:04

CHokKA said:
Anyone got any idea what honing steel would be recommended for a Global knife? I really want to make sure I get something decent so that I don't damage the blade.

I wouldn't use a steel with Globals.
Get their whetstones or if you want something a little easier, there's a Minosharp device with 2 wheels that is specifically designed for Global knives.

It's not bad at all, but the whetstones are better.

Jolteh · 12 May 2012 at 22:23

Flibster said:
I wouldn't use a steel with Globals.
Get their whetstones or if you want something a little easier, there's a Minosharp device with 2 wheels that is specifically designed for Global knives.

It's not bad at all, but the whetstones are better.

Surely you wouldn't use a whetstone/sharpener in place of a steel? They do different jobs.

Glaucus · 13 May 2012 at 02:50

You get different grit levels on wet stones.

Global do an actual ceramic steel, but you might cry at the price.

CHokKA · 13 May 2012 at 11:17

I ask because part of the blade at the base has two chips. I have no idea how they happened, I take very good care of my knife, washing it after each use and then storing it in it's own magnetic sleeve to protect the blade. These chips are very tiny, and I think a honing steel will smooth them out and get rid of them. I bought a Minosharp 220 for the knife, it came yesterday, but I'm not sure that'll sort the chips out.

Glaucus · 13 May 2012 at 11:34

Chips will need a wetstone.

Kilkus · 15 May 2012 at 23:18

I get myself a set of ziganoff damascus knives last year for a bargain price, there great knifes, look nice to. Much prefer them to my housemates globals.

Burnsy2023 · 16 May 2012 at 11:35

When I was in Japan, I saw the most amazing knives in dedicated shops. Unfortunately, I couldn't justify spending £150 - £200 on a knife at the time, even if they were handcrafted.

Putty · 16 May 2012 at 12:33

Glaucus said:
You get different grit levels on wet stones.

Global do an actual ceramic steel, but you might cry at the price.

Blimey, those have gone up in price :eek:

Managed to pick one up a couple of years ago for about £35.

Flibster · 16 May 2012 at 14:01

Jolteh said:
Surely you wouldn't use a whetstone/sharpener in place of a steel? They do different jobs.

Keeping knives sharp? Yes, completely different jobs... :confused:

Globals are slightly awkward in that the blade angle is shallower than a lot of knives.

Jolteh · 16 May 2012 at 20:47

Hmm, could be mistaken but I was under the impression that a steel was for maintaining the edge, and you're meant to use it pretty much every time you use the knife.

Then actual sharpening is something you'd so every few weeks/months to properly get it back in shape.

Happy to accept that I'm wrong like (if I am), I've never felt that my culinary skill is on the level where dropping £100 on a knife is going to improve how my weekly spag bol turns out. Plus I have to admit that if anyone walked in on my gently whetstoning my cooks knife in the kitchen I'd feel like a bit of a spanner.

HeadlessChicken · 16 May 2012 at 21:58

AFAIK a steel is for honing, a stone for sharpening. Stones increase sharpness, steels straighten. I'm not a knife expert either, but have a few nice knives and from my research this is how I decided to care for them.

If you used a stone as much as you are supposed to use a steel you'd have no knife left!

haaammit · 16 May 2012 at 22:34

Flibster said:
Keeping knives sharp? Yes, completely different jobs...

Globals are slightly awkward in that the blade angle is shallower than a lot of knives.

Just to jump on the bandwagon - yes - whetstones and steels do very different and specific jobs. A steel maintains the sharp edge on your blade whilst the whetstone resets an edge that has worn out to such a degree that a steel will no longer keep sharp