Spec me a Kitchen Blade?

kai

kai

kai

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Wales.
As the title really, willing to spend a decent amount on a professional kitchen / Chef knife. I am looking for a universal blade i can use for various culinary tasks.

I have a set of jean patrique knifes and their just Rubbish.
 
what do you call a considerable amount.

Really it is down to preference and the only way is to go to a kitchen shop and try them out. see how they fit in the hand. I find global handles to small and to slippery (I have hot hands). Equally I find henckles to heavy and handles are to big.

I.O.SHEN
Global
Henckels
Wusthof


The knife I use time and time again is a ~6.5" chefs knife.
 
AcidHell2 said:
what do you call a considerable amount.

Really it is down to preference and the only way is to go to a kitchen shop and try them out. see how they fit in the hand. I find global handles to small and to slippery (I have hot hands). Equally I find henckles to heavy and handles are to big.

I.O.SHEN
Global
Henckels
Wusthof


The knife I use time and time again is a ~6.5" chefs knife.
Click to expand...

The knife is will be used by the Family. As for budget i would say £60 - 70 is a decent amount for a good quality knife?
 
I've always sworn by Globals, but you're not gonna get one blade suited to everything. If you're using one for so many tasks, don't get a decent blade - you'll only ruin it, and embarass yourself in the process. Best to splash out on 6-piece set and a pair of nice steels.
 
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The best advice I can give is to go to a cook shop and have a feel, as kitchen knifes are a very personal thing. I personally use Globals, but I know others hate them. Brands to look out for are Global, Wustof, I.O Shen and Henckels as AcidHell2 has said.

As for a universal knife look for a normal cooks knife with a fairly large blade, just don't use it to cut things it's not designed for.

Please make sure you look after the knife, invest in a decent steel to maintain the blade edge (avoid cheap diamond steels, a normal steel for £20-£30 will do) and a whetstone to sharpen when it needs it. Ensure you use the steel before and after every use as that will keep the knife at its best.

Have a read of this, definitely one of the best guides out there about looking after a knife.

Also never use a glass chopping board, make sure it's wood or plastic at the very least.
 
I've been looking at buying two decent kitchen knives as I think that will be all that I need (currently have loads of odd ones but looking to replace the lot) and have been looking at the Hattori HD ones as they look beautiful aswell as having a reputaion of being very well made. I reckon I will get the Gyuto 210mm and a Nakiri 165mm and see how I get on, if I need something smaller then I will get a Petty 150mm
 
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gw020-ginsu_knives.jpg
 
I've got a set of Sabatiers that are fantastic. A decent wetstone will stand you in good stead too.

Universal is where you'll struggle - as a bare minimum I'd say that a large parer, a traditional large chef's knife, and a carving knife are the 3 discrete essentials. A filleting knife and variety of parer sizes are also handy.
 
f.dick or victorinox, geisser/messer are also top quality, i work in the trade and you will see chefs using globals but dig deeper and you'll find they are given/paid to support their brand, i used a sabatier once i found it harder to put and edge on and it didn't keep plus i ender up snapping the thing they are a very rigid blade.

Global etc are fine for kitchen use but put them in the hands of a pro and they will more than likely tell you to bugger off, the lack of a hand guard is also very disturbing.

The ones i suggested won't be as easily available but they are worth it, have a nose in your local butches or supermarket the coloured knives you see will be the ones i suggested.

I've worked in a boning hall for nearly 20 years btw just so you know. :)

http://www.mansonscateringequipment.co.uk/products/Friedr._DICK_Knives_and_Tools.html
 
hux said:
f.dick or victorinox, geisser/messer are also top quality, i work in the trade and you will see chefs using globals but dig deeper and you'll find they are given/paid to support their brand, i used a sabatier once i found it harder to put and edge on and it didn't keep plus i ender up snapping the thing they are a very rigid blade.

Global etc are fine for kitchen use but put them in the hands of a pro and they will more than likely tell you to bugger off, the lack of a hand guard is also very disturbing.

The ones i suggested won't be as easily available but they are worth it, have a nose in your local butches or supermarket the coloured knives you see will be the ones i suggested.

I've worked in a boning hall for nearly 20 years btw just so you know. :)

http://www.mansonscateringequipment.co.uk/products/Friedr._DICK_Knives_and_Tools.html
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Sniggers immaturely
 
I've got a set of Wusthof 'Le Cordon Bleu', chosen due to their 'pre-ground' bolster (i.e. they don't have one). I wanted this as it's part classic kitchen knife and part modern 'Japanese-style' thin blade and no bolster.

http://www.wusthof.com/desktopdefau...ies-140/tabid-94/184_read-1229/categories-210

Very sharp and high quality. Pleasant to use, the right heft and well-balanced of course.

If you have the money, their Classic Ikon range is superb.
 
An interesting thread. I have lived most of my life with a useless knife I picked up for a fiver from Asda. I am really thinking about getting some new knives but my question is:

If you get a largish cooks knife for multi-purpose, what sort of things would you not use it to cut? People often say to avoid cutting tomatos, why?

Edit: I have no knowledge of knives what-so-ever.
 
physichull said:
An interesting thread. I have lived most of my life with a useless knife I picked up for a fiver from Asda. I am really thinking about getting some new knives but my question is:

If you get a largish cooks knife for multi-purpose, what sort of things would you not use it to cut? People often say to avoid cutting tomatos, why?

Edit: I have no knowledge of knives what-so-ever.
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Nah I don't know anything about knives myself. But when you say cut a cucumber when a crappy knife it'll make an indent before actually cutting it, where as with a decent knife it won't. That's my test anyhow.
 
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