Kitchen knives

[il d00d]

I know we have a number of cook-gourmands on the forum, I am wondering if someone could recommend a good chef knife. 

I have been looking at the Japanese makers in particular - Shun Classic, Hattori HD, Tojiros, and MAC pro series. I would like something in the sub $200 price range - a sub as possible - and something that fits a larger-sized paw such as mine.  Damascus steel is real pretty, but, ya know...it doesn't cut up onions any better.  It would be some nice kitchen bling, but not a hard requirement.  TIA, y'all..

[Slide Panda]

What size? What about zee Germans? Henckles or Wusthoff?

[SacDuc]

I can't recommend a specific brand, I tend to buy knives the way I buy hammers, based on how balanced they feel in my hand and that will vary person to person. But I will share the best advice I've heard about buying knives: Don't but a knife because it can keep an edge buy a knife because it can get an edge.

Probably the best guy to ask is the guy you have sharpen your knives.

sac

[zooom]

sometimes you can find "good" older knife sets at pawn shops and so forth...

aside from that...all I can say is that my 15+ year old Henckels still serve me quite well...I run my big chef's knife on my steel every so often...

that said, the Hattori HD-5 Santoku looks like a sweet piece...

[WarrenJ]

The Ken Onion/Shun kitchen knives are awesome and pretty expensive.  The Forschner/Victorinox line of commercial kitchen and meat processing knives are very inexpensive, are easy to sharpen and maintain and they have excellent handles - designed for people that have to use a knife all day in less than ideal conditions.  The knives are also NSF approved which means that they have less places for bacteria and other nastiness to accumulate.

The steel is a little on the soft side but they take an incredible edge and when steeled as needed stay darned sharp.   The most expensive knives in this line are probably about $30.00   I have about half a dozen of them in the kitchen - I really like their 5" and 7" straight-stiff boning knives for heavy meat cutting, cutting up chickens and butchering - about $18.00 each. 

[il d00d]

As far as size goes, I'm thinking an 8'"/210mm would do me.  I have nosink against ze Germans, but it seems like more people recommend the Japanese knives these days for weight, hardness and sharpening angle.  "Keep a German knife around for butchering, heavy duties" is what I keep reading.  I have throwdown Kitchenaid I can probably use for that.

That's a good approach, Sac.  I'm planning hitting a food snob retailer to try some of these, but anyone's first hand (sorry) experience would be good to hear.

I read good things about the Forschner - I would buy those for myself.  This will probably be a Christmas gift from my wife, so I'm thinking something less strictly utilitarian.

[JBubble]

Mother and I have a small set of these Shun's:



I'm not really allowed to use them since I always manage to injure myself but he really likes them.

We also got a set of Hinckels as a gift and I love them.

[sugarcrook]

Why spend that much money?  The Forschner knives are routinely top rated by Cooks' Illustrated and they're a fraction of the price.  I own a couple and couldn't be happier. 

[il d00d]

Mother and I have a small set of these Shun's:



I'm not really allowed to use them since I always manage to injure myself but he really likes them.

We also got a set of Hinckels as a gift and I love them.

Beautiful    Doesn't look like they sell those any more...

Why spend that much money?  The Forschner knives are routinely top rated by Cooks' Illustrated and they're a fraction of the price.  I own a couple and couldn't be happier. 

Well, some would disagree on equivalent quality (some knife nerds, not me), but I am with you on the apparent bang you get for your buck.  This is going to be what Santa brings me, so I would prefer, but do not admittedly require something that makes me think "hey, I get to chop shit up with this cool knife" when I pull it out of my knife block.

[El Matador]

I used to sell knives for a bit, and I can honestly say that Shun routinely puts out the best product out there that's not stratospheric in price. Not that they aren't expensive, they are, but they're worth every penny.

[Jaman]

I have 3 different chef's knives that I grab, depending on what I'm cutting...

Wustoff Classic 8", kinda all arounder, had it forever, I prefer the shape of blade (more curvature), heft/feel over Henkels

Shun Ken Onion 8", fairly recent gift, seem to gravitate to it for chopping veggies alot...

Shun Elite 8" - i LOVE this knife.  my go to knife for onions, rarely shed a tear, chopping tuna up for poke, any "finer" jobs.  it is a little lighter than i would like, but I love that blade.

[Triple J]

I love my Shun Classic 8"...use it for almost everything. 

[JEFF_H]

One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of expensive well-known knife companies now also sell cheap made in china knives (wustoff, heinkel, sabatier, etc)

I want this forschner set for xmas
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/forschner18.htm

[GAAN]

Beautiful    Doesn't look like they sell those any more...

...yet, they are the 2011's

-correction-

according to my uncle those are the 2010-2011 Shun Premier set, I thought we had the classic

regardless, they are really nice

but

Carl makes a good point, we rarely use them because I don't want to sharpen them out of fear of make the beast with two backsing them up

so...they sit nice and pretty and we use the Henckels for everyday stuff

[superjohn]

I'm partial to my Global knives. I have ordered from www.chefknivestogo.com and received really good service.