novocaine
Established Member
think you are a bit out of my price range at this point so I bow to the knowledge of those that have spent already. I'm happy with my 30-60 quid Stellar knifes.
Kitchen Knife Set - Recommendations Please?
- Thread starter Sawdust=manglitter
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ey_tony
Established Member
As well as a love for good quality tools, I also love cooking and just before Christmas last year I decided to replace the kitchen knives we'd accumulated over the years with a purposely selected group of knives to meet my cooking demands and I plumped for a decent assortment of Victorinox knives and I've found they're excellent quality without paying the earth and best of all they hold their edge remarkably well so that they don't need continual sharpening.
In fact after around 9 months of daily use since then, only one knife actually needs a wipe over the sharpener to bring it back to it's former glory and that's only because my OH abuses that particular one as it's her go to knife. When she first started using the new set she couldn't believe how much easier it was to prepare meals with really good quality knives.
There are complete sets out there but as someone has already mentioned, avoid buying a set unless it has all the knives you will need and use. Better to choose the individual knives you personally will use rather than a bunch of knives put together by someone else.
In fact after around 9 months of daily use since then, only one knife actually needs a wipe over the sharpener to bring it back to it's former glory and that's only because my OH abuses that particular one as it's her go to knife. When she first started using the new set she couldn't believe how much easier it was to prepare meals with really good quality knives.
There are complete sets out there but as someone has already mentioned, avoid buying a set unless it has all the knives you will need and use. Better to choose the individual knives you personally will use rather than a bunch of knives put together by someone else.
AJB Temple
Finely figured
I struggle with bread knives. I've tried the Mercer (which is frequently recommended and is only £14 on Amazon), I have a much used Kasumi serrated knife and I eventually bought the longest (forged) Gude.
My problem is I bake my own bread, sourdough 99% of the time, and I use the cast iron pan method to keep the steam in. When I slice the loaves I always struggle to cut through the loaf bottom. It needs a cut on the pull stroke. The Gude does the job but it is still hard work. I am still looking for the perfect solution.
My problem is I bake my own bread, sourdough 99% of the time, and I use the cast iron pan method to keep the steam in. When I slice the loaves I always struggle to cut through the loaf bottom. It needs a cut on the pull stroke. The Gude does the job but it is still hard work. I am still looking for the perfect solution.
Sawdust=manglitter
Established Member
Well there are loads of suggestions here. Food for thought indeed.
Lots of recommendations for the Global knives. They may be excellent knives, but i'm not sure if i like the looks of them or the handles. The handles on the larger Global knives don't look very comfortable... do any Global owners here have any comments on the handles? Does anyone know if there are any high-street retailers other than Lakeland that stock Global knives?
Well those are very attractive Pete... I bet it feels very satisfying to use them!!
Lots of recommendations for the Global knives. They may be excellent knives, but i'm not sure if i like the looks of them or the handles. The handles on the larger Global knives don't look very comfortable... do any Global owners here have any comments on the handles? Does anyone know if there are any high-street retailers other than Lakeland that stock Global knives?
Cocobolo and O1 steel knivesWell those are very attractive Pete... I bet it feels very satisfying to use them!!
I've got a few Robert Welch knives that I'm very pleased with.
On a different tack, I recently was recommended Kiwi brand knives, made in Thailand. They're so cheap that I picked up a few, and they're really excellent. Ludicrously sharp out the box!
https://www.chopchopchop.co.uk/kiwi-knives.html
Other than those, I have a 10" Henckels chef's knife which I've had for 10 years and is like an extension of my hand at this point. Also a little paring knife (think it's a Stellar) takes/holds an edge fine and a Sabatier bread knife which gets used for cutting bread and performs that task as well as I could hope.
https://www.chopchopchop.co.uk/kiwi-knives.html
Other than those, I have a 10" Henckels chef's knife which I've had for 10 years and is like an extension of my hand at this point. Also a little paring knife (think it's a Stellar) takes/holds an edge fine and a Sabatier bread knife which gets used for cutting bread and performs that task as well as I could hope.
Coyote
Established Member
I can't say I've noticed them being an issue, or at least I don't notice them at all so I guess that's a positive. It might be different if I was using them for 8 hours a day in a professional kitchen but for a maximum of 10 or so minutes when knocking up dinner they would have to be woeful to cause a real problem.
Like I originally said, I didn't have to buy mine but I don't know if I would buy again if I was in the market. They are good, don't get me wrong, and I'm happy to use them, but I don't think they are necessarily that much better than other cheaper options mentioned here. I've also got a Procook X50 Santoku knife which I think I got cheap when buying a pan and I'd happily buy more of them if I ever had to. It's just a good as the Globals in my unprofessional experience. You could buy a whole set of them for half your budget. 25 year guarantee too. Are they gorgeous handmade works of art? No. Will they chop up your chicken and vegetables? Yes.
NickDReed
Established Member
F. **** good knives. Great name.
I have a few Shun knives. Look nice, still damascus looking after about 10 years. They only get hand washed and I sharpen them up on diamond plates (the same ones I use for my tools). They seem to hold an edge just fine. I find the handle and blade shapes very comfortable - the 10" chef's knife is my go to for most tasks.
I also have a couple of "V" sabatier knives by Richardson, they are much more affordable, but seem to sharpen up very nicely and have proper riveted handles, not a half inch tang into a lump of plastic.
I also have a couple of "V" sabatier knives by Richardson, they are much more affordable, but seem to sharpen up very nicely and have proper riveted handles, not a half inch tang into a lump of plastic.
Noticed you’re South Wales if you’re ever near Cardiff you could stop by and try out some of mine to see what you like profile wise.
Japanese Carbon steel will give you the best price to performance ratio in your budget. With Damascus, unless you go for something like the Takamura or Saji pieces pictures earlier in the thread you’ll be compromising performance for looks. (Note most Damascus knives are laminated around a central core, so it’s effectively mono steel at the cutting edge).
Japanese Carbon steel will give you the best price to performance ratio in your budget. With Damascus, unless you go for something like the Takamura or Saji pieces pictures earlier in the thread you’ll be compromising performance for looks. (Note most Damascus knives are laminated around a central core, so it’s effectively mono steel at the cutting edge).
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
I seem to remember reading long ago that both Sabatier and Richardson licenced the use of the name, Sabatier to a multitude of producers. Apparently there was a better chance of buying good Sabatier in the States than here as their trading laws were different. Whether or not this is correct, I know not, but I've had Sabatier that's been superb and Sabatier that's been poor. I've not yet come across anything by Richardson that was anything other than poor.
I cull deer for a living. In the larder we use victorinox knives. I use victorinox knives for butchery and I use them for cooking as well.
Personally I wouldn't buy a made uo set but just get two small ones, a bread one a medium size one and a breadknife.
As you don't eat meat I can see why you might THINK you don't need a cleaver but I assure you, everyone needs a cleaver. What else are you going to use to halve mars bars?
Personally I wouldn't buy a made uo set but just get two small ones, a bread one a medium size one and a breadknife.
As you don't eat meat I can see why you might THINK you don't need a cleaver but I assure you, everyone needs a cleaver. What else are you going to use to halve mars bars?
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
I have a large butcher's knife from Sheffield Knives - I paid £2 for it at the market to use the steel for a centre marker for spindles, but when I saw a name I looked it up and kept it. It's a cracker.
(Ideal for hacking up meat to put in the the Le Creuset skillet I paid a fiver for, new
)
(Ideal for hacking up meat to put in the the Le Creuset skillet I paid a fiver for, new
)
AJB Temple
Finely figured
Jealous. Next time, send me a present please.I have a large butcher's knife from Sheffield Knives - I paid £2 for it at the market to use the steel for a centre marker for spindles, but when I saw a name I looked it up and kept it. It's a cracker.
(Ideal for hacking up meat to put in the the Le Creuset skillet I paid a fiver for, new
I have a set and a couple of extra globals. I bought them before I knew not to buy sets, but most do get used fairly often. The big cook's knife gets used the most. I find the handles a bit thin and they can be slightly slippery with wet hands. With that said, I could use the knife to prepare a massive meal for the family without it causing me pain or much annoyance but it is the only slight negative that I have. I must have had them 15 years, they hold an edge well. They were probably about 300 back then.
Recently I bought a victorinox semi flexible boning knife based on a YouTube recommendation. 12£ and ugly as sin. Handle is a bit fat, and made of fibrox plastic. I appreciate that I am not selling it well but it is actually very good. I bought it to test how useful it would be before spending a lot on a decent version of the same. Tempted to rehandle it instead!
Also. One further point.
Your avatar is Ron ******* Swanson and you don't think you need to own a cleaver.
You need to take a long look at yourself son.
Your avatar is Ron ******* Swanson and you don't think you need to own a cleaver.
You need to take a long look at yourself son.
Marineboy
Established Member
+1 for Wusthof. I had a set of Henckels for some years and thought they were good but when the handle on the large cook’s knife disintegrated (probably due to putting it in the dishwasher) I tried the Wusthof. Massive difference in quality, the balance and feel in the hand is perfect and it keeps its razor sharp edge with only an occasional wipe on the steel. Needless to say it does not go in the DW.
Sheffield Tony
Ghost of the disenchanted
Looking at Sheffield Knives, I'm left feeling disappointed. Looks like the blades are not forged, but just cut from sheet stock. Not to say they won't work well like that, but looks cheap to me.
Of the Richardson knives, I think the 1839 range are the only ones which actually say they are made in Sheffield. Which makes me presume the others aren't.
Of the Richardson knives, I think the 1839 range are the only ones which actually say they are made in Sheffield. Which makes me presume the others aren't.
Not sure if this is too late to be helpful, but I don't like the global handles on anything over 5" or so. I have a couple of small pairing knives from them and a small veg chopper (which is great) but beyond that the handles are too small for me.
I'd really encourage you to find somewhere with a range of stock and actually handle some - I think you'll find you have a preference. One thing in particular to look at are the Japanese vs Western handle styles. You can find Western blades with Japanese handles and vice versa now, so this isn't totally limiting even if you do have a preferred style.
Trainee neophyte
Established Member
The last time I had a Mars Bar it was so small that cutting it in half would have involved quantum mathematics.
