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My fiancée recently got me a $400 giftcard to “Knife”, a high end Japanese knife store in Toronto, and I’m trying to decide on the best way to spend it. https://knifetoronto.com/collections/knives?view=all I am not a Professional cook or chef, so this would be entirely for home cooking. There’s a few in the general price range of $400 I’m interested in, but I am willing to consider getting 2 more modestly priced knives if people think it will be the better value for me. My current collection is largely on the lowish end. Consisting of: 1. Kiwi Nakiri 2. Kiwi Bunka 3. Victorinox fibrox 8” chef’s knife 4. Victorinox fibrox santoku 5. Mercer offset serrated Bread knife 6. Shun Classic Western Chef’s Knife If this is going to be my one high end knife, it probably makes more sense to go with a gyuto, but I have recently been using a Kiwi Nakiri as a cheap way to try out that form factor and have really enjoyed it. I would prefer something double bevel and I’m open on handle shape. The knives that caught my eye right now are these: https://knifetoronto.com/products/nigara-kurouchi-tsuchime-gyuto-210mm https://knifetoronto.com/products/nigara-kurouchi-tsuchime-kiritsuke-210mm What are peoples’s thoughts?
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Mar 22, 2022 02:13
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| # ? Jun 8, 2024 04:13 |
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I would guess that the people at that store would be happy to have you browse and give you advice on knives. You’d be able to hold them. I doubt any of them are garbage that should be avoided, what you like and what feels good to you is way more important than what steel it’s made of.
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Mar 22, 2022 06:08
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16 of these lmao But as an actual answer, what Chemmy said.
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Mar 22, 2022 23:36
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cowboy
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Get a stone too. Practice on your current so you can keep your upcoming nice one nice.
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Mar 23, 2022 00:44
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My fanciest chefs knife is a Nigara 210 mm Gyuto and it’s an excellent knife. Different line and steel though than what you’re looking at. Food release is decent. Holds an edge great though it takes a while to get it razor sharp but that’s what happens with real hard steel. I don’t know exactly what gives knives these properties (edge grind and blade thickness maybe?) but some knives I have feel delicate like when you make contact with the cutting board it feels and sounds kind of brittle. My Yoshikane Gyuto and Kohetsu Nakiri are both like that. My Nigara is not like that, it feels sturdier and more likely to tolerate some abuse, at the expense of some sharpness maybe.
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Mar 23, 2022 02:35
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bird with big dick posted:My fanciest chefs knife is a Nigara 210 mm Gyuto and it’s an excellent knife. Different line and steel though than what you’re looking at. Food release is decent. Holds an edge great though it takes a while to get it razor sharp but that’s what happens with real hard steel. Harder steels can get a much sharper edge but can also chip easier on hard foods/small bones (I bought my dad and I a pair of matching Moritaka Hamano knives and he chipped his rather badly cutting raw pumpkin). The Nigara you have will likely be a lower percentage of carbon steel would be my guess, thus 'softer' steel. Easier to sharpen and less likely to chip.. but will need more regular touch ups and won't hold as well a super sharp edge for very long. I tend to try sharpen my work high carbons every 2 days on a stone but my workhorse knives I do maybe every 2nd week and just hone them some on a steel personally.
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Mar 24, 2022 13:53
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Sir Spaniard posted:Harder steels can get a much sharper edge but can also chip easier on hard foods/small bones (I bought my dad and I a pair of matching Moritaka Hamano knives and he chipped his rather badly cutting raw pumpkin). The Nigara you have will likely be a lower percentage of carbon steel would be my guess, thus 'softer' steel. Easier to sharpen and less likely to chip.. but will need more regular touch ups and won't hold as well a super sharp edge for very long. I tend to try sharpen my work high carbons every 2 days on a stone but my workhorse knives I do maybe every 2nd week and just hone them some on a steel personally. It's SRS-13, it's pretty hard.
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Mar 24, 2022 14:05
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Maybe just talking out of my rear end here, but the perception of delicacy is almost certainly based on the spine:edge ratio. It directly relates to the mass of the blade which directly relates to how fragile the blade feels. This would be almost entirely independent of whatever metal the knife is made of, if it's thin as hell it's going to feel more delicate and if it's thick it's going to feel less delicate. stringless fucked around with this message at 14:19 on Mar 24, 2022 |
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Mar 24, 2022 14:16
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bird with big dick posted:It's SRS-13, it's pretty hard. *: In general, although between different steels, in reality some really lovely steels are just bad at both and some ridiculously expensive "supersteels" are better at both. Sir Spaniard posted:I tend to try sharpen my work high carbons every 2 days on a stone but my workhorse knives I do maybe every 2nd week and just hone them some on a steel personally. mystes fucked around with this message at 14:42 on Mar 24, 2022 |
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Mar 24, 2022 14:36
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Probably a stupid question that I couldn't see in the OP: my gf and I have a Global chef's knife that she's had for like 3 years. Last time we took it to get it sharpened, it really didn't improve things, but I don't know what method the place we took it to uses, just a kitchen store in town. Is there a point where a knife is "too far gone" to have sharpened or am I just not looking in the right places for people who sharpen them? It's pathetically dull at this point, but I'm not super keen to replace it because otherwise it's a pretty great knife - and most importantly what we're comfortable with. To make a comparison to the sharpness, when she first got it she injured herself in a "needs stitches" way quite easily, whereas now, it slipped off onto my finger trying to slice a cherry tomato this week.
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Mar 25, 2022 18:57
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It is possible for a knife to be "too far gone" but you're definitely not running into that problem with a knife you've used at home for only 3 years and have only sharpened 1-2 times. (Sharpening a knife removes some of its metal, so eventually you run out of knife and end up with something like this. I'm sure you're not there, this only happens to multi-generation hand-me-down or professionally-used knives.) The unfortunate fact is... most places/people are terrible at sharpening knives, and most people just use dull knives or re-buy knives way more often than they actually need to. Your Global could be as sharp or sharper than it was out of the box, and if it's not that sharp immediately after sharpening, the sharpener did a bad job. (They also did a bad job if it dulls super quickly after that, but that's a different issue.) I'd look for higher-end knife or kitchen stores, or if you've got a guy in a truck that makes the rounds in your neighborhood, they're often good... or do what I did and buy some waterstones and learn how to sharpen knives (it's a pretty cool and useful skill).
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Mar 25, 2022 19:27
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aol keyword party posted:Probably a stupid question that I couldn't see in the OP: my gf and I have a Global chef's knife that she's had for like 3 years. Last time we took it to get it sharpened, it really didn't improve things, but I don't know what method the place we took it to uses, just a kitchen store in town. Is there a point where a knife is "too far gone" to have sharpened or am I just not looking in the right places for people who sharpen them? It's pathetically dull at this point, but I'm not super keen to replace it because otherwise it's a pretty great knife - and most importantly what we're comfortable with. To make a comparison to the sharpness, when she first got it she injured herself in a "needs stitches" way quite easily, whereas now, it slipped off onto my finger trying to slice a cherry tomato this week.
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Mar 25, 2022 19:35
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mystes posted:Consider that a brand new knife is completely dull when it made before it is sharpened for the first time. That's what I keep thinking. I'm like, it's just steel... Scythe posted:It is possible for a knife to be "too far gone" but you're definitely not running into that problem with a knife you've used at home for only 3 years and have only sharpened 1-2 times. (Sharpening a knife removes some of its metal, so eventually you run out of knife and end up with something like this. I'm sure you're not there, this only happens to multi-generation hand-me-down or professionally-used knives.) Thanks for this. The truck thing has always been suggested to me by people who are in the know.
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Mar 25, 2022 19:45
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mystes posted:Consider that a brand new knife is completely dull when it made before it is sharpened for the first time. I mean, the stereotypical professional-but-incompetent sharpening job done with a grinder and a heavy hand will absolutely mess up the heat treatment of a knife in ways that aren't immediately visible. That can be fixed too, but probably not with equipment that most people have at home. https://knifesteelnerds.com/2019/04/08/does-sharpening-with-a-grinder-ruin-your-edge/
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Mar 25, 2022 23:08
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I once asked at a Sur La Table and confirmed that they do, in fact, just use a pull-through sharpener. I strongly recommend not going to a kitchen store. I do my cheaper knives myself and take my fancy knives to a guy in a truck who makes the rounds at the local farmers' markets. There's also some guy who distributes ads for his sharpening service at places like Jo-Ann Fabrics. The specifics are unfortunately going to vary by your location.
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Mar 26, 2022 18:31
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Ooo that is good info on the joann and such. I did not realize they've branched as far as they have.
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Mar 26, 2022 23:12
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I think Guppy just means that's where the guy hands out his fliers.
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Mar 27, 2022 01:32
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Yeah, the store doesn't do it, it's literally some guy the store agreed to let leave his little leaflets out. I'm not saying your Jo-Ann Fabrics will have that, but people who frequent stores like that often need things sharpened and you might be able to ask around.
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Mar 27, 2022 01:58
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The local guy I found on google used a work sharp. He didn’t take off much metal and the knives were sharp, but the guide system left cosmetic scratches down the middle of each knife. It’s not a huge deal on the knives I had sharpened, but it’s something I’d be aware of if you have an expensive knife that lives on the counter because it looks pretty.
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Mar 27, 2022 20:33
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My kitchen scissors are falling apart, one handle is slipping off and won't stay on. What's a good entry level to midrange replacement?
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Mar 28, 2022 04:44
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TITTIEKISSER69 posted:My kitchen scissors are falling apart, one handle is slipping off and won't stay on. What's a good entry level to midrange replacement? I have a few oxo pairs that are somewhere between 5 and 10 years old that have functioned fine. About the only time I ever get frustrated with them is spatchcocking a turkey that isn't fully defrosted, and that isn't their fault.
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Mar 28, 2022 16:50
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TITTIEKISSER69 posted:My kitchen scissors are falling apart, one handle is slipping off and won't stay on. What's a good entry level to midrange replacement? i really like the feel of this pair i got to replace my last cheapo set of shears here i still have some heavy duty ones that are just for chicken/turkey bones but these are great for normal kitchen duties
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Mar 28, 2022 23:34
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Nephzinho posted:I have a few oxo pairs that are somewhere between 5 and 10 years old that have functioned fine. About the only time I ever get frustrated with them is spatchcocking a turkey that isn't fully defrosted, and that isn't their fault. I'm using an Oxo pair as well. My last Oxos died after about 8? years, but for <  I can't complain.
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Apr 2, 2022 02:42
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Kyocera knife owners, have you ever sent back a knife for sharpening? I've got a Kyocera 6" chef's knife I've had since 2016, and after failing to cleanly cut a tomato, I decided it's time and I'm going to send it in. How long should I expect to wait for it to come back? Also, are their sharpening & honing gadgets worthwhile? I'm reluctant to try to sharpen my ceramic knives myself, I have little experience with sharpening and it sounds like a great way to chip the blade.
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Apr 12, 2022 03:59
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The issue with ceramics is their hardness vs most stones. Chipping won't really be a concern, but without like a diamond plate you will probably not get good results in any reasonable time.
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Apr 12, 2022 14:10
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What's a good Chinese cleaver to get in the UK? I did see the CCK small cleaver mentioned in the OP but it's £80 now and that matches the comment that they've doubled in price. Is there any reason not to get a carbon steel one? I'm already hand washing and drying as soon as I'm done using it.
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Apr 14, 2022 08:55
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Sir Sidney Poitier posted:What's a good Chinese cleaver to get in the UK? I did see the CCK small cleaver mentioned in the OP but it's £80 now and that matches the comment that they've doubled in price. Is there any reason not to get a carbon steel one? I'm already hand washing and drying as soon as I'm done using it. There's no reason not to get a carbon steel knife provided you're aware of it's behavior. - Always wash/dry immediately after use. (already covered) - Regular use will cause carbon steel to develop a patina. This can be removed with vinegar, metal polish, etc., but it's something you'll probably either enjoy (it doesn't affect performance!) or learn to live with. More info here. - One downside of having "carbon steel" vs. a known alloy means that you won't know the actual hardness of the blade and how good the edge retention is until you've used it for awhile - so pay attention. Make sure you're honing it every time you use it, and keep a rough idea of when you first have to sharpen it (assuming it comes razor sharp out of the box).
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Apr 14, 2022 14:22
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My primary chef’s knife is carbon steel. I forced a patina on it and now it’s easy to maintain. Not as carefree as a stainless knife, but not something I have to fuss over.
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Apr 14, 2022 14:31
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:My primary chef’s knife is carbon steel. I forced a patina on it and now it’s easy to maintain. Not as carefree as a stainless knife, but not something I have to fuss over. What did you use to force the patina? And how long did it take?
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Apr 17, 2022 00:10
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You can force a patina with a few rounds of splattered mustard over the course of an hour or so. The white vinegar in the mustard is the primary agent.
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Apr 17, 2022 00:49
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Sir Spaniard posted:What did you use to force the patina? And how long did it take? Smeared it with yellow mustard and gave it I think 20 minutes then wiped it off. Ended up doing it with a paper towel that had an embossed pattern on it pressed into the mustard. Which gave an uneven patina that I really like. Haven’t seen a bit of rust since I did it. 
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Apr 17, 2022 01:16
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I have to touch up my yanagi weekly/biweekly and always use hot sauce to force a patina. I was going through mustard way too fast.
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Apr 18, 2022 05:33
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Why not just use vinegar, possibly diluted with water?
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Apr 18, 2022 16:40
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I went and ordered a carbon steel CCK KF1301 No. 1 small slicer, having thought about it for a few days I didn't really care the price had increased - it'll be pretty much the only knife I use, as is currently the case for my Shi Ba Zi stainless chopper.
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Apr 18, 2022 18:43
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Knife in Toronto has a 25% off sale so I made use of the gift card my fiancée got me  
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Apr 19, 2022 23:39
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Beauty. Can't go wrong with Nigara imo.
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Apr 20, 2022 00:12
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bird with big dick posted:Beauty. Can't go wrong with Nigara imo. It's my first real high end knife and I'm amazed at how effortlessly it cuts. Most of my others are Victorinox and my previous best knife was a Shun Classic western chef's knife. Need a better cutting board now, been considering a rubber one.
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Apr 20, 2022 00:59
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That is one pretty knife.
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Apr 20, 2022 01:05
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Great knife. Maybe I gotta get a bunka.
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Apr 20, 2022 01:44
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I don't think that's a bunka I think it's a double bevel kiritsuke.
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Apr 20, 2022 01:51
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