Advice For A First Good Chef Knife

I'm a home cook looking to get my first good knife. Every year I pick a new pursuit, and this year getting a decent knife and learning how to use/maintain it is my pursuit. Thank you in advance for your advice.

Location

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Knife Type

Chef Knife
Right handed.
Western Handle
8" Blade
I don't require or want stainless
Max Budget - $300

Knife Use

Slicing, Chopping, and mincing veggies. Slicing meat.
Replacing an 8" Victorinox Chef
I have no knife technique - It is something I am going to learn.

Knife Maintenance

Maple Cutting Board
I don't sharpen my own knives, but plan on learning. I'm also looking for sharpening products. I want a knife that will require I put time into maintaining it.

The western handle is limiting but for a first western handled carbon can't go wrong with misono swedish:

http://japanesechefsknife.com/SwedenSteelSeries.html#SwedenSteel

Can get the 210mm (8.2") right now for $100 and spend the rest on a lapping plate and a few stones. That's what I'd recommend.

Might also consider masahiro virgin carbon.

Thanks. I guess it doesn't have to be a western handle. It's just what I'm used to, but I'm willing to learn and change.

Welcome Soulfigter! I would suggest first enjoying this playlist of sharpening videos.

As for the knife, there is a good range of items that would fit your needs...how about something like this? It is a bit less than you are willing to spend, but would leave you a nice bit of cash to pick up a few stones and learn to sharpen. The vendor is very good and likely would be willing to do the initial sharpening if you order by phone and request it.

Cheers

I have the Misono Swedish 240mm dragon. Great knife but does have a F&F problem in that the spine, choil, even part of the bolster have sharp uncomfortable edges. Nothing that can't be fixed with sandpaper.

What about a Suisin Inox? Korin is still having its 15% off sale. $107 including shipping.
http://korin.com/Knives/Inox-Western-Style_2

So a cheaper knife that I can learn to sharpen properly before I spend the money on a better knife?

It's one of the most highly praised carbon knives with a western handle in that price range. (Misono Swedish)

It will save you lots of money for waterstones and maybe a petty or paring knife. Carbon is easier to sharpen and therefore will lead to a less frustrating experience starting out.

Inox is the short term for the long word that means stainless. Kind of conflicts with the "don't want stainless" part.

Suisin does make a nice carbon gyuto that's exclusive to Korin. Heard many good things but have never handled one. The Uraku mentioned above also has a good following.

Re the western handle being what you are "used too" may I suggest that you are also used to your Vnox- a plastic western handle, stainless knife with more belly than I have. As Monty used to say "Now for something completely different" Try the Wa, if nothing else it reveals the Japanese heritage of the new knife. And budget for sharpening stuff.

daveb said:

Inox is the short term for the long word that means stainless. Kind of conflicts with the "don't want stainless" part.

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Didn't know that.

Edit: Never mind, for some reason I thought the Suisin Inox was semi-stainless, must have confused it with another knife.

I would definitely recommend zwilling Kramer 52100, very good steel, easy to sharpen, nice fit&finsh, made in Japan, tall blade, good profile & geometry .

I spent the year working as a freelance chef, so got some knives that I could afford to lose or have damaged but would still do the job, and I must say I absolutely love these:

https://www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-professional-x50-chefs-knife-20cm-8

https://www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-professional-x50-precision-vegetable-knife-18cm-7

Okay so they're not fancy, and they're mass produced in a factory, but for the price I think they're great, and great for a starter/learner too. The metal is quite soft, but I don't actually mind, in fact it makes it as easy to put the edge back on as it is to dull it in the first place.

To me, the secret is to tune your knife as you would a musical instrument, as soon as and often as necessary. I use a good steel - honing not oval/sharpening steel - and I have an ace little sharpener that I use when any of my knives need a real sharpening, say, after I've julienned 20kg of onions

the sharpener I have is one like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00V4T05YC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

it sticks to a metal (or i guess smooth) surface and allows you to put a mean edge back on with a few swipes.

All my cheapy procook knives are as sharp as day one, its just a case of good maintenance I guess.

Of course, you could go the other way and visit www.blok-knives.co.uk at 1pm GMT each friday, get yourself and absolutely gorgeous knife for life like this one: http://www.blok-knives.co.uk/product/8-chef-knife-elm-burl/ - I'm on the waiting list for a set of three to be custom made (roll on next summer) but they sell their extra one-off knives on the site as first come first serve. It'll be a bit more than youre looking to spend but for $300 I'm sure you will get a top, top mass produced knife or a very good custom made knife from the states.

Time for another round of... IS IT SPAM?!?

spoiledbroth said:

Time for another round of... IS IT SPAM?!?

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Haha nice try dude but I'm a hippy not a capitalist. Not sure how it could be spam anyway, the thread was about knives, everyone else is listing knives.... Nope not sure what I did wrong there!

In fact I only registered with this forum to seek advice on where and how to best source knife blanks, so I you could point be to the right thread that would be lovely ��

tex_muldoon said:

Haha nice try dude but I'm a hippy not a capitalist. Not sure how it could be spam anyway, the thread was about knives, everyone else is listing knives.... Nope not sure what I did wrong there!

In fact I only registered with this forum to seek advice on where and how to best source knife blanks, so I you could point be to the right thread that would be lovely í*½í¸Š

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That may be the want to buy in BST or perhaps shop talk

Thank you tjangula