Recommend me a Cook/Chef's knife please

Liquidfox

Liquidfox

Liquidfox

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Joined
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Newcastle
I'm looking to buy my Dad a decent Cook/Chef's knife for his birthday, ideally spending up to £60. Is there any recommendations? His only request was that it was nicely weighted, his current knife is a bit light.

Many thanks :)
 
Liquidfox said:
Any suggestions on which shops would stock some decent knives for him to try out? I always just buy stuff off the internet, hate shopping :p
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Department stores like John Lewis often have a selection, but what you really want is a local independent kitchen shop, they should have a large range. Try in store buy online, if they won't price match. Everyone's hands are different so recommendations are pretty pointless.
 
For shops to goto to test the knives it might be worth going on the manufactures website and checking out there stockists, shops like John Lewis can be ok but not great value, what area are you in, there could be a nice little shop that specialises in knives thats hidden away down some back ally that you can try.
 
Liquidfox said:
Any suggestions on which shops would stock some decent knives for him to try out? I always just buy stuff off the internet, hate shopping :p
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Pretty much what Glaucus has said mate. By all means buy online if you can source the item cheaper but as said it's always best to try a feel for it first. No point buying a name regardless of how good it is if you later find it uncomfortable to use. Go on get out there and have a look around you, don't worry about fuel costs ;) you might actually like it :D
 
randal24 said:
Noob knife question - what's special about a santoku knife?
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Nothing technically. It's a Japanese style chefs knife. Instead of the rocking motion most chefs knives need, you chop with a santoku, up and down motion.

It's by far my favourite style of cooks knife, but I tested for a long time with a very cheap santoku from clahs ohslen (£5) before I invested in a decent one.

It;s all preference with knives, which is why no knife is right nor wrong.
 
richthomuk said:
For shops to goto to test the knives it might be worth going on the manufactures website and checking out there stockists, shops like John Lewis can be ok but not great value, what area are you in, there could be a nice little shop that specialises in knives thats hidden away down some back ally that you can try.
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I'm up in Newcastle mate :)

DirtyJester said:
Pretty much what Glaucus has said mate. By all means buy online if you can source the item cheaper but as said it's always best to try a feel for it first. No point buying a name regardless of how good it is if you later find it uncomfortable to use. Go on get out there and have a look around you, don't worry about fuel costs ;) you might actually like it :D
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I enjoy the driving, it's just the traipsing round the shops I hate, and so does my Dad :p
 
I have some Robert Welch knives and they have already taken a good slice out of me, was cleaning one, got distracted, looked away and wooosh straight through the top of my forefinger, cleanest cut ever so it healed perfectly after 2 weeks. Bled for ages though.
 
TheDean said:
We recently got a set of Robert Welsh knives and I can't reccomend them enough!
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Thirded.

I'll add my usual caveat which is that I really can't seem to get on with the 'rocking' motion you need to use them effectively, but that's only my issue as everyone else seemingly manages fine.

I'd also recommend the new range of Heston Blumenthal knives from Tojiro Senkou, albeit hesitantly as the Chef's Knife is a whopping 21cm.

The Cook's Knife comes in at a more manageable 15cm and is brilliant for the money. In fact, the entire range is superb - a worthy alternative to the Damascus knives from Tojiro in fact.

Good luck finding them on the high-street though.

Liquidfox said:
I'm up in Newcastle mate :)
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Visit John Lewis' and Lakeland, which should cover most brands, and buy from the latter if you can.

They are usually spot-on for price and you get the Lakeland 'lifetime' guarantee, which is a nice thing to have.
 
Have a robert welch santoku here too, handles very nicely and i dont so much chop with it as drive forward and down.

Brilliant bit of kit but the dimples in it dont stop things sticking!
 
robz21 said:
Have a robert welch santoku here too, handles very nicely and i dont so much chop with it as drive forward and down.

Brilliant bit of kit but the dimples in it dont stop things sticking!
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I made an amazing discovery today, I found 'Lakeland' have the Robert Welch range of knives.
Had the opportunity to have a closer look at Robert Welch santoku knife, lovely knife, definitely on my wanted list now.
 
Nightglow said:
I made an amazing discovery today, I found 'Lakeland' have the Robert Welch range of knives.
Had the opportunity to have a closer look at Robert Welch santoku knife, lovely knife, definitely on my wanted list now.
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Lakeland is a great shop. Caters for oldies and people who really need a melon baller, but also have some great stuff.

I'm luck enough to have a Lakelands, an amazing independent (looses) and all of the normal big guns in Norwich.
 
HeadlessChicken said:
Lakeland is a great shop. Caters for oldies and people who really need a melon baller, but also have some great stuff.

I'm luck enough to have a Lakelands, an amazing independent (looses) and all of the normal big guns in Norwich.
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Worked in Lakeland in Norwich for a good 3 and a half years, good shop and the staff there are absolutely ace :)
 
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