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I'm not sure what I want, before I stumbled across GWS I had only done a little reading and it seemed like I wanted a forged full tang German steel knife then after reading some of this thread it was clear Japanese knives are the way to go. After some more Googling I came across what appears to be a super sharp Kasumi knife and heard talks of Moritaki. Originally I was going to get a 3 piece set but I'm very unlikely to use a bread knife so now I want a 2 piece set and save some money. I found the Tojiro DP 2-piece for $156CAD on Amazon but have since found a Wusthof Classic 2-piece for $155CAD on Williams Food Equipment thanks to the chef's knife being on sale. I don't have a huge selection to sample locally so it's hard to say what I want or what I need. I want a sharp, reliable knife that makes slicing, chopping & dicing a breeze when preparing meals. I want to quickly get through the prep without having my hands go tired. The only non Wal-Mart/cheap knife I've tried is the Zwilling Four Star that my sister and I gave mom a while back that I quite enjoyed.
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Jul 22, 2016 20:48
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whatupdet posted:I'm not sure what I want, before I stumbled across GWS I had only done a little reading and it seemed like I wanted a forged full tang German steel knife then after reading some of this thread it was clear Japanese knives are the way to go. After some more Googling I came across what appears to be a super sharp Kasumi knife and heard talks of Moritaki. With those preferences I would go with the Tojiro or some other J-knife. The heavier western ones will increase fatigue when doing a lot of prep work and will require more effort because they will not be as sharp. Just remember that you will need to sharpen them or have someone sharpen them at some point, no edge lasts forever and even the best edges made of the hardest steels only last 6 months or so before they start getting dull.
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Jul 22, 2016 21:40
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whatupdet posted:I'm not sure what I want, before I stumbled across GWS I had only done a little reading and it seemed like I wanted a forged full tang German steel knife then after reading some of this thread it was clear Japanese knives are the way to go. After some more Googling I came across what appears to be a super sharp Kasumi knife and heard talks of Moritaki. The Wusthof Classic 2-piece and the Tojiro DP 2-piece are really solid entry-level sets. Your instincts are right on the bread knife. Generally bread knives and honing steel can be purchased at thrift stores, it really doesn't matter -- just buy what feels good. Unless your slicing bagels all day bread knives just need a half decent serrated edge and some flexibility, also fairly long. I like my Wusthof Classics because of the heft they have to them. I also like that the steel is soft and I can get a good edge with some honing steel. A friend has the Tojiro set and I just was at his place today. The biggest difference is the Tojiros are very light and have hard steel. I would say it depends on your cooking style. I tried orbital motions for 'chopping' with the Tojiro and it just didn't feel right for me. However, the Tojiro slicing felt really good. I don't think you would go tired with either knife if they are sharpened, you generally shouldn't put much weight on a knife at all. Final advice: If you chop more go Wusthof, if you slice more go Tojiro.
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Jul 23, 2016 04:32
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Thanks for the suggestions, I ordered the Wusthof Classic since they came in cheaper but I'm still considering ordering the Tojiro DP as well.
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Jul 25, 2016 20:20
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Hey guys, I'm looking for a new knife, general prep workhouse, somewhere in the 240mm range. Something that gets razor sharp and stays sharp, but still feels robust in the hand. Budget is 200 or so, but I can go a little higher. Would something like the Shiro Kamo R2 gyuto work?
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Aug 8, 2016 13:16
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Pen Express posted:Hey guys, I'm looking for a new knife, general prep workhouse, somewhere in the 240mm range. Something that gets razor sharp and stays sharp, but still feels robust in the hand. Budget is 200 or so, but I can go a little higher. Would something like the Shiro Kamo R2 gyuto work? I have that knife at the 240mm size, it's very good and stays sharp for a long time. I remember seeing a few professionals on the CKTG forums who had tried it say that it's a really great knife in that setting because it's very robust but also really loving sharp and stays that way. You will want to sharpen it ASAP, mine came with a pretty bad edge but once I sharpened it it could go through stuff with almost no resistance. Also the damascus etching on the sides is pretty deep so you might end up wanting to sand the sides down depending on how you want the blade to feel when it travels through stuff. Just remember that it's a J-knife and will be pretty brittle compared to western ones, so no wedging in-between joints and such, also if you find some idiot using it to try to pry can lids or something stick what's left of the poor thing through their throat.
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Aug 8, 2016 16:19
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What would you guys recommend as a "boning" knife (99% of the work done would be breaking down chicken and only in a home cooking environnement) . Should I just buy a good cheap western boning knife like a sanelli (https://www.amazon.com/Sanelli-Premana-Professional-Flexible-Boning/dp/B00Q6NQUJA) or is it worth getting something like a honesuki from Tojiro? I already own knives from both brand and I really like them both. I kind of want to justify getting another tojiro and I like the nerd factor of the honesuki, but I don't want to make a dumb choice just for that either.
KingColliwog fucked around with this message at 18:08 on Aug 8, 2016 |
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Aug 8, 2016 18:05
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Whenever you see a a chicken broken down with a honesuki in the usual western way it doesn't look like there's any real advantage to using it over a petty or something similar. If you watch videos of Japanese breaking down chickens with a honesuki it's done in a different method, and I think there's probably more of an advantage to using it that way.
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Aug 13, 2016 06:46
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Re: chinese cleaver Got mine, a carbon steel forged one, for 40 bux (plus shipping) from a Chinese foundry. It is glorious. It is certainly sharper and heavier than I expected - I am trying to get the hang of it, but it seems to me that I should let the weight help me along when cutting. I can dice an onion pretty much effortlessly with one. Thing is, I am pretty sure I am not using it as well as I should, so is there a good guide or some sort of general instructions? For example, cutting meat feels a lot different coming from a chef's knife - I feel I am "dragging" the blade instead of slicing, which might be an adaptation issue, I don't know. But yeah, other than that, blade is god-tier. I storm through vegetables like no poo poo and I am far from having great knife skills 
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Aug 19, 2016 19:37
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Transmetropolitan posted:Thing is, I am pretty sure I am not using it as well as I should, so is there a good guide or some sort of general instructions? For example, cutting meat feels a lot different coming from a chef's knife - I feel I am "dragging" the blade instead of slicing, which might be an adaptation issue, I don't know. The second post on this thread from kitchen knife forums is a pretty good guide for how to hold a cleaver and how to cut with it. Who made your cleaver?
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Aug 20, 2016 02:49
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You guys have some really wonderful and noble looking knives, so I thought i'd offer a little change of tone. I was in Bombay in August and I fell in love with our host's veggie/paring knife. We went to the big rear end market neighborhood and found the gents selling their wares. And for thirty rupee ($0.44 U.S.)i bought my own veggie shiv. utterly dubious metal, random wood handle encircled by a layer of what i can only assume is aluminium, melts fruits and veggies. 
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Sep 9, 2016 02:16
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whatupdet posted:How do you like your Wusthof? I can't seem to make up my mind, I've been leaning towards Wusthof Classic, I've also considered Tojiro and because I get 20% coupons for BBB I considered Zwilling. I don't know if there's any major differences between Shun/Global/Zwilling/Wusthof, I know I have a cheap crappy set and the few times I've used a Zwilling (at friends and my parents) it was miles better than a cheap set. Wanted to get a chef, bread & paring knife plus a magnetic holder. I've never owned a Japanese knife but I have a Henckels four-star 8" chef (comparable to Whusthof Classic) and the Global G2. Both are very hard steel and hold an edge nicely. The Henckels is much heavier and has a thicker spine. I like the Global...it's sharp and sexy and just fine for most things...but it's rough on the hand if you're doing deep prep for more than a few hours. I use a blade grip, so my chef's callus reaally gets a workout from the square edge on the notchy thing where the bolster would be on any other knife. I've started reaching for the Henckels again.
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Sep 9, 2016 18:47
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pr0k posted:I've never owned a Japanese knife but I have a Henckels four-star 8" chef (comparable to Whusthof Classic) and the Global G2. Both are very hard steel and hold an edge nicely. The Henckels is much heavier and has a thicker spine. Take some sandpaper to the offending part of the knife, lots of people do that to the spine or heel if they are too sharp. You want automotive sandpaper since it is designed to wear down metal.
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Sep 9, 2016 18:59
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I have a Chinese cleaver that I took a dremel to the spine and bolster of because it was so angular and uncomfortable. Looks lovely now, feels great.
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Sep 9, 2016 19:03
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I bought a 10" Shun classic yesterday that I'm about to go return (too long and a strong internet consensus that they're overpriced), but I definitely got the bug for a proper chef's knife. Reading the thread it seems the Tojiro DP is the general recommendation, but the CCK cleaver looks like a good fit for prepping mass amounts of root vegetables. Is it still a good deal at $70, and are there any knives you'd recommend over those two up to around $150? Looking for an all-purpose knife for daily home use.
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Sep 14, 2016 19:38
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ItBreathes posted:I bought a 10" Shun classic yesterday that I'm about to go return (too long and a strong internet consensus that they're overpriced), but I definitely got the bug for a proper chef's knife. Reading the thread it seems the Tojiro DP is the general recommendation, but the CCK cleaver looks like a good fit for prepping mass amounts of root vegetables. Is it still a good deal at $70, and are there any knives you'd recommend over those two up to around $150? Looking for an all-purpose knife for daily home use. If you are impatient, just get the Tojiro. If you are interested in the CCK, I'd say go to Amazon or a local asian supermarket and buy a cheapo cleaver. See if you like the style of cutting it brings, and if you do go pick up one of the nicer cleavers on chefknivestogo. As much as I like my CCK I would not buy it at $70.
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Sep 14, 2016 19:50
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Also, if you like the knife and are comfortable with what you paid for it, gently caress the haters and keep the knife.
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Sep 14, 2016 20:05
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I've got the Shun 8" chef's knife and the 6.5" nakiri for veggies. Shun haters can get out. I'm happy with them - plus they were each a birthday gift from my parents (2015, 2016 respectively). I think a 10" would be too much for me, mostly because my kitchen is very small and I don't really have deep enough counters to utilize a 10" blade without feeling like I would bash the tip on the wall. Disclaimer: My occupation is not a chef, I only use these at home like 3 or 4 days a week. E:grammar extravadanza fucked around with this message at 20:34 on Sep 14, 2016 |
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Sep 14, 2016 20:28
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I have a Shun Elite that served me well for a decade. I don't really care if it was $20 or $30 more expensive than something just as good. It's a quality product and it'll last. The Tojiro is nice as well.
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Sep 14, 2016 20:59
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I think shuns are pretty and if someone gave me one I'd keep it.
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Sep 14, 2016 21:09
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There is nothing wrong with Shun as long as you like a lot of belly on your knives and don't mind paying extra for pretty looks over something like a Tojiro. I do think that a lot of the other J-knives are better but a Shun is still much better than most mass produced knives.ItBreathes posted:I bought a 10" Shun classic yesterday that I'm about to go return (too long and a strong internet consensus that they're overpriced), but I definitely got the bug for a proper chef's knife. Reading the thread it seems the Tojiro DP is the general recommendation, but the CCK cleaver looks like a good fit for prepping mass amounts of root vegetables. Is it still a good deal at $70, and are there any knives you'd recommend over those two up to around $150? Looking for an all-purpose knife for daily home use. As far as something that would be a step up from the Shun and under $150 this Takamura 210mm Gyuto is very good and on sale right now, I know a number of people who have gotten this knife and have been very happy with it, it's a very pretty knife too.
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Sep 14, 2016 21:24
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I don't mind the blade profile on my 8" shun and it's comfortable in the hand for long hours, but it absolutely does not have the edge retention I expected it to have. I can put a lovely edge on it at factory angles, use it carefully, keep it dry, and give it the occasional hone on a smooth rod, and it still just goes back to taking an unsafe amount of force to slice into a bell pepper's skin in about two weeks. The more I have to deal with the issue the more I'm tempted to just buy a quality gyuto and move up to 240mm and leave the shun at home.
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Sep 14, 2016 23:35
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Oldsrocket_27 posted:I don't mind the blade profile on my 8" shun and it's comfortable in the hand for long hours, but it absolutely does not have the edge retention I expected it to have. I can put a lovely edge on it at factory angles, use it carefully, keep it dry, and give it the occasional hone on a smooth rod, and it still just goes back to taking an unsafe amount of force to slice into a bell pepper's skin in about two weeks. The more I have to deal with the issue the more I'm tempted to just buy a quality gyuto and move up to 240mm and leave the shun at home. My Gyutos, a Shiro Kamo R2 240mm and a Konosuke Ginsan 240mm, both keep their edges for 4-6 months so you might have some better results with higher end knives. I will note that I'm a home cook cooking 4-6 nights a week, so this is lower usage than a line cook or something. One thing to note, the Konosuke is pretty delicate, the Kamo seems much more suited to heavy use, especially since it's made of steel meant to have very high edge retention.
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Sep 15, 2016 00:04
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AVeryLargeRadish posted:My Gyutos, a Shiro Kamo R2 240mm and a Konosuke Ginsan 240mm, both keep their edges for 4-6 months so you might have some better results with higher end knives. I will note that I'm a home cook cooking 4-6 nights a week, so this is lower usage than a line cook or something. One thing to note, the Konosuke is pretty delicate, the Kamo seems much more suited to heavy use, especially since it's made of steel meant to have very high edge retention. I've been eyeing the Shiro Kamo R2 240 for a while now, it seems like everything I want in a knife for work. I really just need to decide I'm willing to throw down that kind of money on a knife, especially one that will have to survive being in close proximity to my sloppy-rear end coworkers.
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Sep 15, 2016 00:30
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AVeryLargeRadish posted:As far as something that would be a step up from the Shun and under $150 this Takamura 210mm Gyuto is very good and on sale right now, I know a number of people who have gotten this knife and have been very happy with it, it's a very pretty knife too. I bought the Takamura for my brother's wedding gift and played around with it a bit before I sent it to him. It is significantly lighter than the 8" Shun classic that I use and is much sharper out of the box. If I ever manage to destroy my Shun, I will buy that Takamura without any hesitation.
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Sep 15, 2016 05:06
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If you like sharpening jigs, boy does some guy in Russia have a thing for you... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3SbEWFSA8s
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Sep 15, 2016 08:01
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TATPants posted:I bought the Takamura for my brother's wedding gift and played around with it a bit before I sent it to him. It is significantly lighter than the 8" Shun classic that I use and is much sharper out of the box. If I ever manage to destroy my Shun, I will buy that Takamura without any hesitation. I bought my mom that knife for her 60th birthday and it's pretty awesome for the money. Very light as you pointed out, much lighter than the knives I've been used to which was different, but man was it razor sharp out of the box. Really nice looking knife at the price point too.
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Sep 15, 2016 14:13
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Scott808 posted:If you like sharpening jigs, boy does some guy in Russia have a thing for you... For the machining on that thing $350 seems cheap.
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Sep 15, 2016 17:15
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deimos posted:For the machining on that thing $350 seems cheap. Ruble weakness coming into play? That thing is almost $100 cheaper than equivalent systems from Edgepro and Wicked Edge. Man I sorta want one, but I've already got a wicked edge.
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Sep 15, 2016 17:35
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Looks like a drat nice sharpener.
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Sep 15, 2016 23:56
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It does, but my $30 cheapo chinese knockoff works well enough
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Sep 16, 2016 00:08
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My chef girlfriend's birthday is coming up and she's long overdue for an upgrade to her chef's knife and has been hinting at that fact pretty strongly, so I want to get her something. I'm not sure exactly what she has now but it's a pretty cheap Sabatier that is somewhere around 8 inches to my eye. It's served her well, but I think she wants something longer and Japanese. The criteria I've come up with are based on conversations we've had with some of her knife nerd coworkers. Any recommendation for a knife that fits the following criteria would be much appreciated: - 240mm-270mm Gyuto - Western handle - Stainless clad (preferably) or some sort of stainless - Price range is around $300 but I'm flexible there I want to get good bang for buck. I know that with anything you start getting diminishing returns on your dollar the higher you go. Not trying to get something ornate. Just want something simple but high quality that she won't feel the need to replace for a long time. Any help pointing me in the right direction is appreciated. I work on cars professionally so I know the value of having the right / high quality tool, but I'm totally clueless when it comes to professional grade kitchen knives. eighty-four merc fucked around with this message at 19:26 on Oct 2, 2016 |
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Oct 2, 2016 19:24
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SLAMMYsosa posted:My chef girlfriend's birthday is coming up and she's long overdue for an upgrade to her chef's knife and has been hinting at that fact pretty strongly, so I want to get her something. I'm not sure exactly what she has now but it's a pretty cheap Sabatier that is somewhere around 8 inches to my eye. It's served her well, but I think she wants something longer and Japanese. The criteria I've come up with are based on conversations we've had with some of her knife nerd coworkers. Here are a couple knives I would recommend: Kikuichi TKC: 270mm/240mm: All stainless, monosteel knives, thin, sharp and fairly light, very well made. I've seen a lot of praise from professional chefs and line workers for these. Masamoto: 270mm/240mm: All stainless, monosteel. Not quite as thin and sharp as the TKC but it has more heft, these are almost ubiquitous in the Japanese food service scene, very well made and will last for ages. Right handed but you could use them left handed if you keep in mind that they have a 70/30 grind. Personally I would go with the TKC since I prefer a lighter knife.
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Oct 2, 2016 20:29
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Especially if she's a pro a knife is too personal to be picked out by someone else. Write her a nice card that says "let's go buy you a chef's knife together" or something.
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Oct 2, 2016 22:45
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We bought some kitchen knives from Ikea, they cut but to me they seem wobbly and unstable. I don't like using them and would like to get new, good, knives. My partner has a hard on for ceramic knives, I know nothing about this. Are they good? Better than steel? Anyone want to recommend a set? TBH I can probably afford even the best quality/brands so don't hold back on me. I'd just need a chef's knife, a paring knife and maybe a slicer. Thanks goons!
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Oct 3, 2016 02:50
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Jenner posted:We bought some kitchen knives from Ikea, they cut but to me they seem wobbly and unstable. I don't like using them and would like to get new, good, knives. I'm not a fan of ceramic, they are very fragile and you need to send them away to be sharpened. Here are some recommendations: Tojiro DP two piece set: This includes a 240mm Gyuto(Japanese chef's knife) and a paring knife, very good value for the money, stainless clad VG-10 steel at 58-60 HRC, not super hard but a big step up from your average Ikea knife. Tojiro DP Sujihiki: The 270mm slicer from the Tojiro DP line, all of the above still applies. Shiro Kamo R2 240mm Gyuto: This is my primary knife. A big step up from the Tojiro, very sharp, very long lasting edge. Very well priced for something made from R2 steel. Konosuke 270mm Sujihiki: I don't own this one but I do own another Kono which is a superb knife, very light, very, very sharp.
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Oct 3, 2016 03:36
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Tojiros are my workhorse knives. They take an edge quickly, and can plow though daily prep. I have HAP40 knives, spring steel, carbon, etc. The tojiro constantly do exactly what I need with little fuss. Are they the best? Absolutely not. Do they work the best? 9 times out of 10 you won't be disappointed.
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Oct 3, 2016 03:45
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Jenner posted:My partner has a hard on for ceramic knives, I know nothing about this. Are they good? Better than steel? Anyone want to recommend a set? TBH I can probably afford even the best quality/brands so don't hold back on me. Babby's first knife impression: Ceramics have pros and cons, mostly cons. Pros: -Holds an edge really well, rarely needs sharpening if done correctly. (But needs its own special sharpener when it does) -Mostly easier to care for. (Still wash your knives by hand, just put a little dishwashing liquid on a sponge or cloth) Cons: -Very brittle. If you drop them in the sink, the edge can shatter. Do not use on bones. So they're wonderful if you mostly cut veg or boneless meat, and they hold an edge forever. Every Food Network star puts their face on one for a reason- they're great for lazy middle-class people who want a sharp knife with basically zero maintenance. Even a lot of good cooks will still keep a couple cheap ones to use on general veg work.
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Oct 3, 2016 22:59
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.Z. posted:If you are impatient, just get the Tojiro. So I went this route and I have to say I like the knife, but a $10 knife just doesn't cut it. On affordable cleavers of CKTG appear to be the CCK at $70 or a Misono at $140, and maybe a Sugimoto at $165, along with some Richmonds. So, does anybody have a recommendation vis-a-vis Chinese cleavers or another source that has more/other options?
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Oct 27, 2016 16:40
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I had broke my drat toe. But I finally settled on a shiny. Pleb friends now tell me they're not going to use my knives unless I okay it first. Mission accomplished. Each one of those knives is amazing at what it does. Although it was hell finding a knife block. The deba is too fat for a standard 1/8" slot, the 9" slicer is too long. Finally settled on a magnetic contraption. Too much money spent, but for the Last Knives I'll Ever Own(tm), worth it. Between my roommate and I, we also have a full line of Victorinox, so these can just be my dress knives for nice meals.
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Oct 27, 2016 19:12
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