Chef Blades

[devilman]

hello,

I want some input in regards to buying a knife. I use my chef blade for pretty much everything, but it is kind of cheap, and I am going to buy up with something better. I know that I want it to be a wide blade, and probably a 10". I can't decide which make/line of blades I want to choose from. Any suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks!


devilman

[coolJ]

Mine are Henckels, I have an 8 and 10 inch chef knive, boning knife, bread knife and simitar ( steak knife) these are the twin master line, ( the one's with the yellow handles). I also have a Henckels four star carving knife and fork combo. I only use them at home though, because my boss provides me with knives at work. If your looking for a quality knife, Henckels is a good choice to start with, they are decent quality and depending on the line you choose, won't cost you an arm and a leg.

[scott123]

I have a 10" Henckels that I bought from Macy's 10 years ago and it's served me valiantly. I am hearing mixed reviews lately about Henckels, especially the lower end stuff. Wusthof Trident gets a lot of favorable press in the forums I've been frequenting. I can't tell the difference between the two but apparently Henckels has a proprietary technology for bonding sheets of metal together or some such.

Ultimately the blade that is best for you is the one that feels the most comfortable in your hand. If possible, cut on a cutting board with the knife before you buy. Both of these two tips are from Alton Brown. In his new book he devotes quite a few pages to what to look for in a chef knife. I don't agree with him all the time but in this instance he seems to have done his homework.

[Anneke]

Welcome to Cheftalk!

Have a look at some of the older threads as we've covered this topic quite a bit. Of course, It's a good topic to revive so I'm glad you brought it up. New products seem to be poping up everywhere and frankly, my own opinion on the subject has also evolved significantly.

I used to swear by my 10"henkel professional when I first started in the industry. It was not a very wide knife which was great for my small hands, but it had good weight just where it was needed, making chopping effortless.

However, chopping is not really what I do most of. You need to ask yourself what kind of work do you mostly do with your knife, and what your own preferences are.

These days I'm more partial to the lighter, thinner, shorter Japanese blades. Hattori is probably one of the best out there, but not necessarily available depending on where you live. I also enjoy Kazumi knives, though I do not own one. Very pricy.

In terms of new inovations, you really should check out Chroma's new line (301 steel) with a flat handle. It looks compoletely nonsensical, as thehe handle is wider than it is taller, and has a little button between the blade and the handle. They are one piece therefore more sanitary, and surprisingly light, which I favour. More importantly, they are incredibly comfortable to hold, and hold a pretty good edge.

That said, allow me to conclude rather anticlimactically, that my work knife is a $9 knife I bought in chinatown. It has a round plastic handle and is more like a vegetable cleaver than a chef knife. But it has a really thin blade which is perfect for more intricate work, and I even turn veg with it. As long as I hone it daily, it stays pretty sharp. This knife though, is an oddity and I was really lucky to find it. Who knew I'd prefer a $9 knife over a $200 one!

[elakin]

i switched from a wustof to a sabatier carbon steel 10" chef knife a few years back and i absolutely love it.

i will admit that i'm lazy and do not like to take a stone to my knives. realizing this, i switched to carbon steel knives. the steel is noticibly harder than that used in the alloys (henkels, wustof, etc..) so the edge stays sharp much longer.

henkels and wustofs are great when they're new, but eventually, they lose their edge and it's hard to get it back. cheap knives, like the ones we get from our knife service, are much easier to hone.

i only steel my sabatier carbons--i never put them on the stone. once or twice a year i take them in to be sharpened and that's it! and they are always very sharp.

the downside of carbon steel? it stains. your knives will turn black and rusty-looking, while henkels and wustofs will stay nice and shiny forever.

[dano1]

I too am switching to Sabatier carbon, after years of using Henckels, Whustof, etc..stainless blades. Am finding them much easier to keep a good edge without sending them out to the knife guy or hitting the norton every week.
Unfortunately i haven't run across a wide blade like the German knives in the sabatier line(carbon steel). But i am looking.
danny

[RitaFajita]

I love my 10" Henckel. The weight of it is great for how I use it, which is for pretty much everything (I also own some of the lighter, less expensive Henckels, which I don't like as well). My co-owner/co-worker prefers a lighter knife - he loves forschner, which I still use occasionally as well. They make a light, inexpensive 10" chef's knife that keeps an edge pretty well, as long as one is dilegent with the steel.

There are a lot of good knives out there. It just depends on what works for you. I agree with the try it out if you can idea.
RF

[Mezzaluna]

Eddie, good to see you!!

[dalix24]

I used to sale Henkels, they are very good quality knifes. That is all i use...................

I know there might be better, but this is what i like.

If you havent check out this website do it soon.
www.gourmet-gear.com

Dalix24

[AzRaeL]

go for a Global knife like Anthony Bourdain
or a Kershaw (or Kai) Shun like Alton Brown.

I'm not crazy about Henckels...goes blunt easiliy in comparison.

If you got cash to splash - Hattori