"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
10/16/2020 at 15:23 • Filed to: None
1
63|
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
10/16/2020 at 15:23 • Filed to: None | 1
| 63 |
For the 30 years my wife and I have been married, we’ve had terrible kitchen knives. Every time my mother comes to visit she complains because they all suck and can’t cut anything. So, I’m thinking of buying Mrs. Ttyymmnn (and, by extension, myself) a good set of knives for Christmas.
Does Oppo have any suggestions? I’m not looking to break the bank, but I’m also not trying to save any money.
Darkbrador
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:29 |
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Laguiole.
( The problem being that name was not trademarked and that “brand” covers all sorts of things, from really good to really shitty).
jminer
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:29 |
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As a budget knife I’d recommend Ikea knives. They’re cheap but hold up well and are decent enough steel they take and hold an edge well. Not a forever knife but in combination with semi-regular sharpening they do the job well.
I’m too cheap to buy nice expensive kitchen knives, which is strange as I own several $ 100+ hunting knives now that I think about it ... I see a problem in my logic
HammerheadFistpunch
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:29 |
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Buck 119 special.
Just kidding thats a terrible knife...that I love to have in my car at all times for ALL the things.
CalzoneGolem
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:30 |
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You might just need your current knives professionally sharpened. Mine are in dire need of this.
facw
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:32 |
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I have an older version of this Zwilling Henckels set and would recommend it:
I think it’s a lot of good quality knives for $200 but it looks like it’s periodically down to around $150 on Amazon if you want to set a price watch and wait: https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B01KNOK00C
If you are looking for something cheaper, try Victorinox, they usually run a bit less, but are still reasonably high quality. They often have pretty cheap looking plastic grips, but as with the four-star set above, that’s desirable, as they are easier to clean well, and less likely to be damaged by water intrusion along the tang.
UserNotFound
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:32 |
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My friend is a big fan of Wüsthof. My mom really likes her Shun chef’s knife. And of course there’s always Henc kel. Aaaand that’s all I know.
TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:35 |
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I’m a Morakniv fan myself. They make some great knives both kitchen and outdoor.
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jminer
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/16/2020 at 15:35 |
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I have two of them. They’re an excellent all around knife for bush work. Not too large or heavy when carrying but can be used to fell small trees as well as fine work like cleaning game.
When I go exploring my leatherman usually stays home and the 119 has a place on my hip. Mine have field dressed many deer and other woodland critters.
They even hold an edge well enough to butcher a whole deer between sharpenings. Not the best knife for it, but it does the job.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/16/2020 at 15:36 |
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huh, they make kitchen knives...interesting
https://www.buckknives.com/knives/cutlery/
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ttyymmnn
> CalzoneGolem
10/16/2020 at 15:36 |
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I did once, but they went dull very quickly. I imagine it has something to do with the quality of the steel.
ibRAD
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:36 |
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I don’t go for the fancypants boutique knives, but a good knife is nice to have. I’ve been using Henkel Professional series for about 20 years now. You don’t need a ‘set’ so much as a chef’s knife, boner (haha) and maybe a paring knife. My wife prefers an 8" (haha) but I prefer to whip out my big 10"
https://www.zwilling.com/us/zwilling-professional-s-10-inch-chefs-knife-31021-263/31021-263-0.html
Keep it sharp with this:
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/5286/smiths-tri-hone-sharpening-system
Doesn’t take much practice before you’re good at it. If you steel regularly you’ll only need to sharpen them infrequently anyhow.
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jeepoftheseus
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:37 |
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We got a set of Henckels Professional S series a few years back and they’ve been great. Now that’s not 30 years so I can’t speak to that but we chose them because my favorite chefs knife was a HEAVILY abused Henckel that survived college roommates and many trips through the dish washer (bad) before I knew better. Thing is probably ten years old and still does the job nicely.
Disclaimer: I am not a chef and there are probably some less mainstream knifeoppo answers out there that are probably cooler.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> jminer
10/16/2020 at 15:38 |
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Thats my 2 cents on it. Its the best worst knife for the job. Stipping kindling? spreading peanut butter? stripping heavy gauge wire? yup.
For Sweden
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:41 |
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Do you want to spend more or less than $10,000?
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:44 |
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We have a set of Wüsthof Ikons that are phenomonal and I couldn’t be happier with them. The Classics are nice as well, but I prefer the Ikons rounded grip to the Classics chonk.
lone_liberal
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:45 |
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I have some Zwilling J.A. Henckels “Pro S” ice hardened knives that are great but they’re, like, 15 years old and I don’t know if they even make them anymore. They were also not cheap, though not ruinously expensive.
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jminer
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/16/2020 at 15:45 |
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They’re even a solid step in for a hatchet if push comes to shove. It’s my camping/backpacking/hunting knife. I’ve also daily carried a few of their folding knives and while not the best quality do the job nicely.
Mine are both 15+ years old and hold up very well. One has some tarnishing as I made a mistake and put in the dishwasher (top rack) and it came out almost blackened. It’s faded a bit but still a darker color than the other.
Interesting on the kitchen knives. I’ll have to look into them...
Jb boin
> Darkbrador
10/16/2020 at 15:46 |
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The “real” ones are made by Tarrerias-Bonjean (TB-Groupe) which also makes the Peugeot knives among things.
I did a post a few months ago about the Peugeot knives i bought : https://oppositelock.kinja.com/i-am-now-a-proud-peugeot-owner-1844767796
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HammerheadFistpunch
> jminer
10/16/2020 at 15:47 |
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yeah I use mine a lot as a kindling hatchet. I dislike hatchets...just a single use tool that I have to carry. Pass. I’ll either use my full axe or the buck.
Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:47 |
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I recommend getting a new set of knives that are sharp.
I also recommend something made out of some sort of metal like steel. Don’t get ones made of plastic!
Oh and get ones that have a handle.
And that’s my $0.02.
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:50 |
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I have the 8" chef and two 4" pairing knives from JA Henckels. This is a good place to start. They have good heft and hold and edge. They don’t cost a fortune and will last a long time as long as you don’t try to use the bike knife like and AX to split a pumpkin and break off pat of the blade like I did.
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jminer
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/16/2020 at 15:52 |
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I do have a nice old hatchet I’ll keep in my car when car camping. My axe is a splitting maul which is a terrible tool for anything other than splitting large wood so the hatchet stays in the garage for smaller chopping duties and also serves as a nice hammer for driving in tent stakes.
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facw
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:52 |
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Oh, also general advice: It’s better to have three or four good quality knives than a dozen mediocre ones, so whatever you get, prioritize quality over quantity.
gettingoldercarguy
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:52 |
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Misen
You’ll have to spent more than 100 a knife to beat their quality. I use mac knives, but they’ve become very expensive lately.
Textured Soy Protein
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:54 |
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Shameless plug for my brother’s company: Town Cutler . Made in the USA in Reno, NV. They real fancy though.
The best suggestion I can give you is don’t buy a knife set. They include a bunch of shit you don’t need and don’t always give you what you do need. The knives I have in my block are all bought individually. A basic set of individually purchased knives should have:
Paring knife (3- 4")
Utility/Petty knife (5-6")
Shorty 6" chef knife and/or 7" Santoku (optional, but very handy for prep work that needs a proper knife—our shorty 6" chef is my wife’s favorite)
8" chef knife
Serrated knife for slicing breads & roasts
Douchebag 10" chef knives are optional if you’re doing large amounts of prep work that would be well served by this big of a blade but if you’ve never been like, “ya know, what I really need is a longer knife” you’re just going to slice yourself trying to use one of these.
Carving/boning/fillet knives are only necessary if you do these things.
For cheap/good western style knives, check out Mercer. They have several lines at various levels of quality and cost but their basic stuff is good. The cheapest plastic handle foodservice style line is called Millenia. The next step up that with soft rubberized handles and nicer finishing on the blades is Genesis. These Genesis ones are imho the best value in western style knives because they come with a good edge from the factory, they have both full and short bolster options (I and most chefy types prefer short bolster), they sharpen up great when done by someone who knows what they’re doing, the handles have a nice non-slip grip for people who aren’t knife experts, and they’re reasonably priced.
https://www.mercerculinary.com/product/genesis-paring-knife-3-1-2-8-9-cm/
https://www.mercerculinary.com/product/genesis-utility-knife-5-12-7-cm/
https://www.mercerculinary.com/product/genesis-short-bolster-chefs-knife-6-15-2-cm/
https://www.mercerculinary.com/product/genesis-granton-edge-santoku-7-17-8-cm/
https://www.mercerculinary.com/product/genesis-short-bolster-chefs-knife-8-20-3-cm/
https://www.mercerculinary.com/product/genesis-wavy-edge-bread-knife-8-20-3-cm/
You could also go for asian style knives, of which there are many. These have thinner blades that can produce cleaner cuts but require sometimes more frequent sharpening and have less weight to them. I have a mix of western and Japanese knives, and I loooove my Japanese knives (none of which are the popular Shun or Global ones, I got other shit that’s either cheaper or fancier than these). But these are a little more challenging of an entry point so I’d stick to the Mercers. Tojiro DP and Fujiwara FKM are fantastic entry-level Japanese brands. MAC is a nice step up from these. But like I said these wouldn’t be my recommendation for knife novices.
SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:54 |
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Engaged to a professional chef (Seattle area) years ago...
She swore there was only one choice.
shop-teacher
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:55 |
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My wife and I got a set of Wusthof knives from Bed Bath and Beyond when we got married 10 years ago. I’m sure there are better knives, but they weren’t crazy expensive and they’ve held up nicely.
farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:56 |
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victorinox makes pretty solid knives for a reasonable price
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-8-Piece-Knife-Block-Set/dp/B0000CF9AG
Future ND Owner
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 15:56 |
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I imagine that you are looking for a 8- 10 piece block set. You can go crazy expensive with knives; but the most important thing is that they are full tang.
Then second most important thing is that you buy a sharpener that is easy to use and that you will use often. I recommend Accusharp; they are dead simple to use so you won’t mind using them every month. They are only $15 as well.
Around the $200 price range you will probably be looking at J.A. Henckels. Great knives for the price (and what I own). Check out Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, and other stores for pricing.
If you want to spend more you can get into Wusthof, Kitchen Aid, Shun , & Calaphon. Check out Williams-Sonoma and the like for the fancier stuff.
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facw
> UserNotFound
10/16/2020 at 15:56 |
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I bought this Shun as a Christmas present for my brother a few years ago, he seems to like it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000Y7KPO
I haven’t ever used it though. I have used this set I got for my mom, and the santoku is a spectacular knife, considerably better than the santoku that came with my Zwilling set :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FMXUOQ
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HammerheadFistpunch
> jminer
10/16/2020 at 16:00 |
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my axe is a middling eastwing metal handle but its can’t be killed and it takes a nice edge , which is nice.
PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:02 |
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We l ike our Wüsthof knives. They seem to be mid-upper price range . They hold an edge REALLY well, if you take care of them. An d remember , sharp knives belong nowhere near the dishwasher.
We started with a half-filled block and I added more over a few years . This Amazon listing seems a little pricey but is fully complete.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JVUOBN2
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facw
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/16/2020 at 16:04 |
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Just ttyymmnn’s reference there are two types of Henckels knives. Zwilling (with the twin logo) is the premium German- made line. Henckels I nternational (with the single guy on the logo) is a level down, typically made in lower-cost places like China or Spain. They are still often excellent (I had, and have since given to my parents, a wonderful Henckels International bread knife, and I’ve had good luck with some other things from them), but at least from reading reviews, quality seems to be a bit more hit and miss, with more people complaining about rusting and the like. They are however clearly better than “cheap” knives, so it’s not just a case of a storied company putting their name on garbage, they seem usually to be decent value for the money.
MonkeePuzzle
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:13 |
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I cant throw a brand or model recommendation out, but I can say in my experience you mostly use one large chef knife for most tasks.
We spend some medium money on a new set of knives that have all the kinds of knives you want.
Then spent some absurd money on one excellent knife, and we take exceedingly good care of that one knife. Hand washed, never stored with the blade touching things etc.
The other knives get poorly handled, but that one knife has been worth every penny.
Pickup_man
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:20 |
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I want to get a really nice set of kitchen knives but even with our mediocre knives I can’t get my wife to stop running them through the dishwasher (and admittedly once they’re in there I’m usually too lazy to pull them out and hand wash them). I don’t think this would change with nice knives so I’ve resolved to just run them through a hand sharpener occasionally for now.
Sorry that didn’t help with your question.
gin-san - shitpost specialist
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:24 |
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You already have a lot of great suggestions here, but I’ll add my two cents.
I was recently gifted a Masakage Yuki Nakiri which runs for around 200 Canadian rubles before tax :
I really wanted this knife shape, but I think they have ones in the same brand/lineup that are like regular chef knives.
Compared to my older, budget knives which have been sharpened recently, this knife has a sharpness I’ve never experienced before. It’s great for chopping veggies since it’s a quick up/down motion for slicing, no back and forth or “rocking” like a regular chef knife. I personally prefer this, if you or your wife don’t, then the gyuto is a better option. After using this, I want to throw out my old knives and buy the gyuto and paring knife from the same maker.
A combination of this and/or the gyuto, along with a paring knife, will be what’s needed 95% of the time. More specialized knives like bread knives and filleting knives can be added depending on need, but I’d start with those two or three basic knives and then add a nice wood cutting board (if you don’t already have one).
Rather than looking for a full set, I’d go this route unless you absolutely need all the other stuff like the additional steak knives, additional utility knives, knife block, etc. or if your wife prefers that kind of setup.
AestheticsInMotion
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:25 |
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This is a fantastic knife for the money. I find I do 95% of cutting tasks with this one knife.
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2
CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:28 |
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I have a block from Victorinox (CAD $330) that I’ve had for a decade now. I used identical knives when I worked in a kitchen.
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wafflesnfalafel
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:34 |
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I’ve mixed/matched. We have our original cutco block set from when we got married, (a long time ago...) but I usually use one of two Global chef knifes, a standard flat and a scalloped blade version. I know they are kind of hipster/trendy and some folks don’t like them, but I love the thinner blade and solid metal handle (which are a bit smaller than many knives.) I don’t use any of the motorized sharpening machines, they seem to really chew up knives, but do regularly use a basic edge honing rod on them and they work great. I’ve also started to use the honing rod on my leatherman, scissors, etc and it works great on those too...
HoustonRunner
> Textured Soy Protein
10/16/2020 at 16:41 |
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Ditto for a good Sankotu. I have the 5 “ and 7 “ Wustof ones, and I us e those for pretty much everything.
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ttyymmnn
> For Sweden
10/16/2020 at 16:47 |
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I was hoping for less than $9,000.
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ttyymmnn
> SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
10/16/2020 at 16:48 |
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I’ve gotten numerous recommendations for that brand. Thanks.
Roadkilled
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:48 |
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Zwilling and Wusthof make some good knives, and if you plan to do a lot of work in the kitchen, they may be worth the investment. Consider Textured Soy Protein’s recommendation as well.
If you want to avoid spending much money at all, you can look at Chicago Cutlery. My wife and I got a set when we got married 30 years ago and we still use it. I have to hone the knives once a week, but I only need to pull out the whet stone once a year. The problem with Chicago Cutlery is that their sets can be hit or miss. Some are good and some our lousy. We bought the walnut handled knives ala carte with just a chef’s knife, a boning knife, a serrated bread knife and a paring knife. These were the knives that the company spent the money on the steel, not the appearance.
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ttyymmnn
> Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
10/16/2020 at 16:50 |
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I was thinking something like this.
Carbon Fiber Sasquatch
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:52 |
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My set is chicago cutlery, they’re pretty good. I’ve have them few years now and they’ve held up extremely well. My wife at the time said she got a crazy deal around this time of year when she got me them for Christmas. I think she found them at Kohls
Moltenburn
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:53 |
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Bitchin knives Best Kitchen knives we have bought to date. Spyderco.com Not a hige set of optiions but the few they designed are fucking killer. Game changers in the kitchen
Future next gen S2000 owner
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 16:55 |
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I sharpened/hone my almost every time I use them. I use Ikea stuff and them slice nicely after almost 8 years.
Hone and hand wash will do marvels for keeping knives in useful shape.
....... but I’m also not trying to save any money.
You can send some my way. I’ve “consulted” and as such, my mediocre opinions demand the highest compensation.
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Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 17:00 |
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Get a biodegradable one made of wood!
just-a-scratch
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 17:01 |
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My favorite at home:
barnie
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 17:02 |
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Lot of comments to this one and I’ve read a few. My solution isn’t like any of them. On Sparrow, down in the saltwater, steel doesn’t work for long. Everything rusts. So I bought a set of Chef’s Special knives from Costco. White plastic handles and stainless blades. Stainless does not keep an edge! So I’ve bought a series of cheap carbide-plate knife sharpeners from WalMart over the years. Same knives, annual sharpener. A couple swipes every few days keeps the blades sharp.
The edges on paring, filet and the big chopper knives are serrated by now. But they cut perfectly. Any for-aft movement cuts into bones. Maybe not for the pros out here but they work for me and don’t rust. I use the filet knife the most.
Chariotoflove
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 17:21 |
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A set of Wusthof or Henckels will be a good place to start. Get some good whet stones while you’re at it.
Verdog ~ manual Bro, Bro - HellHawk Equipped
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 18:04 |
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Shun or MAC.
SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 18:07 |
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Personal fan of the Dexter Russell range of professional knives...cheap, good steel. Especially the Green River carbon steel range. Some of the Victorinox butcher knives are good too. Avoid the F Dick brand...we have a set and, while the balance is good, the steel is not.
The other key purchase is a sharpening tool to fix the edge once the sharpening steel has little effect and for this we use the minosharp brand.
Azrek
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 18:17 |
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Go with these....they are sharper than the Devil’s tongue.
And they are easy to take care of...and seriously...they are sharp. Don’t fuck up.
https://materialkitchen.com/products/the-8-knife
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ttyymmnn
> Azrek
10/16/2020 at 18:20 |
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I’m thinking how of deciding which two or three knives I really need and buying them separately rather than getting a whole set.
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Azrek
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 18:21 |
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I’d get an 8in Chef Knife and a small 4in parring knife. That will give you the sense of what you really need. That is enough to do anything.
phenotyp
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 18:37 |
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https://oppositelock.kinja.com/weekend-project-cheflopnik-edition-1844045964
Probably something like an F Dick 1905, 8" for a chef knife-- not too fancy, soft enough steel to use with anything bony, easy enough to sharpen.
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gettingoldercarguy
> Verdog ~ manual Bro, Bro - HellHawk Equipped
10/16/2020 at 19:48 |
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I use mac and strop them. Disgustingly sharp. Misen looks amazing for value. Last time I bought a knife was 16 years ago.
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SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
> ttyymmnn
10/16/2020 at 20:05 |
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It’s weird how satisfying a good set of knives are. She earned a living at it, so was quite particular about her tools...
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phenotyp
> Textured Soy Protein
10/16/2020 at 21:33 |
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Wow, those Town Cutlers
are some nice-lookin knives. I’d love to take one for a drive.
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gettingoldercarguy
> ttyymmnn
10/31/2020 at 20:18 |
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Had to di g through your articles to find this. I purchased one of the misen knives I recommended to see how good they were (they were recommended to me by two chefs I know).
Damn sharp, wickedly well balanced. The handle is perfectly grippy. I’m buying my folks a set for their kitchen and a cutting glove. You seriously can’t beat this performance for the money spent.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/09/best-cheap-chefs-knives-misen-equipment-review.html
That’s right, $65 for a knife that can go head to head with my $180 Misono UX-10 or my $120 Wüsthof and come out the other end barely breaking a sweat.
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ttyymmnn
> gettingoldercarguy
11/07/2020 at 01:38 |
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I’ve had this tab open for days meaning to say “thanks” for making the effort to reply. I came across this knife brand in numerous replies, and it looks like I’m going to go buy specific knives rather than a set.
Thanks again. .
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gettingoldercarguy
> ttyymmnn
11/07/2020 at 03:14 |
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Awesome! I'll see you on DriveTribe.