what is your favorite knife?

Masamoto KS 270mm wa-gyuto. It's disturbing to me just how easily it sharpens, how sharp it gets, and how easy it is to handle in everything from big vegetable mounds to fine herbs to detail work to meat portioning. It cost a pretty penny, but it was worth every one.

K-Sabatier au carbone 10" Chef's.  I've had it forever.  The knife is so good that Linda whom I've only known for 7 years thinks of it as "hers."

I also like my Nogent 6" slicer which I use as a "petty" quite a bit, it's pretty much replaced 3 other knives in my block.  But how can you compare a petty to a chef's?

For what it's worth, Chris's Masamoto KS gyuto is also on my short list of Best Practical Kitchen Knives at any Price.

BDL

my favorite knife is an old black steel (I call it that cause the blade is black from age and not SS) Dexter fillet knife about 8 inches in blade length and is shaped like a regular chefs knife.  The metal is super thin, like razor blade thin from spine to edge all the way back to the tang where it gets it thickest, almost as thick as a dime. the tip has chipped off and it does leave a black line if i don't remember to wipe it down before slicing, I don't care, it can out slice anything you care to match it against and hardly needs sharpening as I think the edge actually disappears in to a wormhole. I have tried and tried to find it online but the numbers are hard to read as they are faded into the wooden handle. it's probably from the 50's, I really don't know, and will cry like a baby when it gets broken.

now with pics:

Alongside my work knife

the Spine

The edge

and flexed

If I could only take one knife to work It'd have to be one of my beloved chinese cleavers, my favorite of which is a CCK 1102 with a custom handle.  All knives of this type will eventually spoil a cook but the CCK 1102 is as thin as a good japanese blade and easy to sharpen.

A close second would be my Misono UX10 24cm gyuto.  Whatever steel they make these out of is incredible.

where is a good place to order online for knives i like the 10inch to 12 inch chef knives,. and decent chef knives you guys suggest

ntieu,

What do you say you start a thread in the knife forum with your question? We don't want to hijack this one, which is very interesting on its own.

There are so many good knives and so many good sellers, you really need to limit the field for us.  

Anything you could add about ability to sharpen would be helpful, also whether you're limited to stainless or are willing to use carbon, and give us an idea of your price range.

BDL

I pefer stainless steel. my budget is about 120, somethign that will last me and that is sharp...i know there are alot of expensive chef knives out htere,.. i like to use the 10-12 inch chef knives.. i use that to do everything

I use my hattori kf 9" gyuto for 90% of the time.  The other 10%?  Kitchen shears from mundial.

I was given a set of Sabatier knives when I got married (more years ago than I care to admit).  They are STILL great knives!

Im thinking of the Misuno UX 10 8.25 inches.. that seems to be a nice knife at 160 or do you guys know any other kinfe that will perform just at good but cheaper please let me know

Before buying any big-deal knife, you really should consider how you plan to keep it sharp.  All knives dull eventually -- rather quickly in a pro environment -- and you'll need to establish and maintain your own edge. 

While the Misono is a wonderful knife it has some idiosyncracies and is not the best choice for everyone.  It's a very narrow knife, somewhat whippy, and many people find it difficult to sharpen (but not me).  It was an extremely popular choice a few years ago, but not so much anymore.  It's also well out of your stated price range in your preferred sizes (presumably 23 and 27cm).

In your stated price range, you might want to consider Misono Moly (widely available), Tojiro DP (widely available), Kakayagi VG-10 (from japanesechefsknifes), and either of the less expensive Togiharus, Inox and Moly (Korin only).   Kakayagi is JCK's proprietary name for a couple of OEM manufactured lines.  Their VG-10 is a lot of knife for the money, and if you don't need a roomy handle (like the Misono has), is certainly the best alloy, has good fit and finish (as Japanese knives go), a decent but smallish handle, and is probably the best vallue.

There are a bunch of good online knife sellers, including but by no means limited to:  Japanese Chef Knife; Epicurean Edge; Korin; Chef Knives To Go; A-Frames Tokyo; The Best Things; Japanese Wood Worker; etc. 

We can explore other choices, but as I said I'm not happy hijacking this thread.  If you have follow up questions, please ask them in the Knife section of the Equipment thread here on Chef Talk. 

BDL

Of all the knives BDL just listed the Tojiro DP is the one I'd most recommend.  Its great performance for the price so you'll be able to afford a big one.  It also comes with a 50/50 edge which you may find easier to sharpen if you are used to German knives.  Those Tojiros seem to hold up better than some of the other stainless clad knives that I've seen.

There does seem to be a certain percentage of knife people who deeply hate the feel of the Tojiro. I think it's the handle. For this reason I tend to push the Togiharus, which everyone seems to like, although certainly they're not the best knives available. But they may possibly be among the best for the money -- and since you can find them on Amazon these days, and various others, they're readily available and pretty cheap.

I'll keep my Masamoto, but it's nowhere near the OP's price point.

A few decades ago when I donned an apron for pay I had a great knife, a 10" carbon steel blade that was a pleasure to wield.  Sad to say I can not remember who made it or what happened to it.  Is it still in good hands, or laying abused and battered, getting knocked about in some forlorn kitchen drawer?

For quite some time my favorite was an eight inch Chicago Cutlery chefs knife.  It was made back when the brand carried some weight in the butcher shops, back when there were actual butcher shops and not just plastic wrap technicians at the mega mart meat counter.

These days, though, my favorite knife is a money is no object item.  It did not cost me a cent.  It is a New West Knifeworks Nine - I was the lucky winner of a drawing here on Chef Talk.  I was a bit skeptical at first, but within a week or two had adjusted to it.  It is a nice knife, I like it.

mjb.