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New knives for culinary school

1K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  cysoon 
#1 ·
So I start culinary school next month and I need to get some knives. I could have bought a whole set from the school but my father was a caterer so we have a bunch at home (half a dozen Wusthof, a few Henckles, and a couple random other ones. They're all at least 10-15 years old but well maintained). So I filled out my knife roll with what I had but I still need a 9" chef's knife (the ones we had are all either 8" or 10" and I'm going check with the prof if those are okay) and an 11" wavy edge slicer. My question is should I splurge and get another Wusthof, should I buy from the school (they use Mercer), or is there another brand that would work well that's not going to break the bank? I appreciate any input!
 
#3 ·
Wow! I was going to recommend you a Tojiro DP 240mm and it used to be $52 now it's $76 !  Still best performer for the money IMO.  Not too flashy, just don't talk it up to other students or it will get stolen.

Nothing wrong with 10" chefs.  I use a full size cleaver so anything less than 270mm gyuto seems short.  

Whatever you do, learn to sharpen.  
 
#4 ·
I know we have some sharpening stones somewhere but I never learned to use them. We send our knives out to get sharpened once a year but hone them on a steel every couple of uses.

As for price, I'd like to keep it under $100 if I can. But I also realize it's better to spend a little more up front, especially for something I'd use everyday, than buy a cheaper one that needs replacing every few years.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Whatever you get is sooner or later going to perform to the standards of the sharpening job it gets. Wuesthof, Mercer, or other, it's just a hunk of steel subject to physics and wear and all that, and it will likely need a proper sharpening to restore a strong fresh metal edge more often than once a year.
Might be worth investigating what stones yall have as the best long term solution to keeping a high level of performance regardless of whatever knives you have. This is one of the biggest things that affects lifetime of knives (usage patterns, maintenance and sharpening)

Another
 
#6 ·
"Professional" sharpeners vary widely in quality with the vast majority being a guy with a belt sander.   Taking too much metal off, not thinning the knife, heating the edge, ignoring geometry.  Buy stones and you can get ANY knife you want.  Use sharpening services and stick to cheap stuff because it will get ruined.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Get a victorinox, learn to sharpen it. Used one for a few years before switching to tojiro dp. The victorinox takes a pretty good edge considering that you are in school, edge taking is not the priority now but learning how to maintain it. And the victorinox is very easy to maintain. When I was still using them to work I regularly steel them and touch it up using a fine stone every 1-2 weeks till the point where I steel more, only then I sharpen it. I work in banquet so my knife does gets used a lot ( occasional 800-1000 pax banquets and smaller ones )
 
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