What’s your favorite beater knife?

[Matt Jacobs]

newer style Sabatier olive, I thinned and etched. I love that guy. I also have a dragon storm 9.5 inch gyuto I keep in my travel trailer its in BDN-1. Not necessarily a beater but I only sharpen every couple of years and never worry about rust.

 

[Arkman]

For poultry bones - Wusthof Classic Chef

For cans:

 

[SiDave]

This carbon knife I was gifted from a good friend. Hell of a work horse

 

[Gshep91]

I have a princess house 8in chef that my wife got as a wedding gift which I use whenever I want big and stainless or if I’m just lazy and don’t want to clean anything.

Other is a 8in who knows what steel from “trusted butcher” that I couldn’t tell you where it came from. It’s worth about $9 on eBay but it does it’s job.

 

[SwampDonkey]

I suppose another way of defining 'beater knives'—are those I'd feel comfortable lending to a knife-novice/friend/relative to assist with prepping. In my kitchen, they'd probably get: Masamoto HC, Sabatier, Mac, Wustof, Misono UX10, CCK.

If we go by those definitions I've got a Makoto Ryusei 210 that I lend new folks in my kitchen. The VG7 is tough enough to survive most fools but it cuts so cleanly that people realize they don't need to to hammer away on it. Curvy profile accommodates the inevitable rock chopping.

 

[DitmasPork]

If we go by those definitions I've got a Makoto Ryusei 210 that I lend new folks in my kitchen. The VG7 is tough enough to survive most fools but it cuts so cleanly that people realize they don't need to to hammer away on it. Curvy profile accommodates the inevitable rock chopping.

Friends/family sometimes want a recommendation—I try to ascertain what's a step up from where they're coming from, how serious of a cook they are, what they're objectives are, how much they want to spend. If they're fixated on a Shun or Global, I'll offer alternatives, but won't rain on anyone’s parade if they're really set on a Global—some also want to get started with a higher tier knife (Kato, Shig), which I won't dissuade if they have the $$$ and know what they're getting into.

If I were setting up my kitchen knife set for AirBnB usage, I'd most likely buy a bunch of Victorinox knives—solid, cheap, ...won't cry if one goes MIA or gets destroyed.

 

[btbyrd]

A good western deba can stand up to all kinds of abuse. Soft carbon Sabs are nice too, especially the old ones with a lot of distal taper and a bunch of thick metal behind the edge at the heel. It's a shame that there's a bolster there, because I'm sure the heel would be useful for popping holes in olive oil cans.

 

[demirtasem]

This carbon knife I was gifted from a good friend. Hell of a work horse View attachment 274588

Oh man! What is this? Not a Kanehide Komagiri I think?

 

[jacobwilder5]

Mac

 

[noideaatall1]

global for can, random cleaver I got from the asian store for bones

 

[DitmasPork]

My mom's beater knives, circa 60s, still going strong. Mac the knife.

 

[Keithpaints]

My favorite beater chef knife is 56hrt K-Sab carbon steel. Cuts up frozen fruit almost everyday for power smoothies. Also removes seeds from avocados.

For serious jobs you wouldn't use chef knife for pull out my CCK Kau Kong chopper. It's there when I need it. Soft carbon is way superior to soft stainless. Easy to put back sharp edge no matter what the abuse.

 

[Keithpaints]

My mom's beater knives, circa 60s, still going strong. Mac the knife.
View attachment 276597

You had better seal up the Mac handles for her little epoxy do the trick.

 

[maxxpup]

Abusing tools is a sin imo, but for tough jobs that require some muscle, I reach for my Henckels Chef's knife. Pretty much bullet proof.

 

[DitmasPork]

You had better seal up the Mac handles for her little epoxy do the trick.

Nah, ...I'm in the process of getting her new knives. Got her one, and there will be more to come.

 

[Taurahe]

My mom's beater knives, circa 60s, still going strong. Mac the knife.
View attachment 276597

i have a three knife set of these i have put together after refurbishing ..... awesome slicers and razor sharp

 

[Keithpaints]

I've sharpened plenty of the old Puka blade Mac knives. Many Older households have them like DitmasPork's parents. Back in 60' & 70's were sold at Longs Drug Stores in Hawaii. When first started working in kitchens bought nice Japanese slicing knife from Longs & Forschner 10" chef knife from resturant supply store. Around 7 dollars in 1971.

 

[DitmasPork]

I've sharpened plenty of the old Puka blade Mac knives. Many Older households have them like DitmasPork's parents. Back in 60' & 70's were sold at Longs Drug Stores in Hawaii. When first started working in kitchens bought nice Japanese slicing knife from Longs & Forschner 10" chef knife from resturant supply store. Around 7 dollars in 1971.

Sad that Don Quixote in Honolulu stopped stocking Mac since the pandemic.

 

[Hockey3081]

Kamon

 

[DitmasPork]

 

[Taurahe]

My beater knife... the one that I mistreat and put through hell with reckless abandon, is my Mercer Millenia 8 in chef knife. Its what i go to for cutting squash, watermelon, dense root veg etc. All the things i dont want my japanese knives to do lol

 

[M1k3]

My beater knife... the one that I mistreat and put through hell with reckless abandon, is my Mercer Millenia 8 in chef knife. Its what i go to for cutting squash, watermelon, dense root veg making vent holes in oil cans, cutting frozen stuff, loaning to coworkers to smash lemongrass, etc. All the things i dont want my japanese knives to do lol

I agree!

 

[blokey]

Every time I tried to have a beater knife it just don’t work, I never reach for it, there’s no task I need it for. The closest thing is possibly Masahiro VC

 

[SABOL BROTHERS]

Basically any decent knife in 14C28N with great geometry and heat treatment.

 

[jaydee]

Knives that took (because they can) many loud bangs on the cutting board:
Used to be a MAC pro 270 (molybdenum steel at ~58RC) and now is a Zakharow 220 (N690 at ~61RC).
Most of the time they could be brought back easily to tomato skin piercing sharp with a piece of cardboard.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Every time I tried to have a beater knife it just don’t work, I never reach for it, there’s no task I need it for. The closest thing is possibly Masahiro VC

This is me. Maybe all my knives count as beater knives?

I just have no desire to own a knife I'm afraid to cut stuff with. You can have slicey and not afraid at the same time.

For that matter, I think knife vendors waaaaay over hype the supposed fragility of most Japanese knives.

 

[SABOL BROTHERS]

Knives that took (because they can) many loud bangs on the cutting board:
Used to be a MAC pro 270 (molybdenum steel at ~58RC) and now is a Zakharow 220 (N690 at ~61RC).
Most of the time they could be brought back easily to tomato skin piercing sharp with a piece of cardboard.

N690 at 61 Rc is a bit surprising since it has relatively low toughness and chipping resistance.

 

[jaydee]

N690 at 61 Rc is a bit surprising since it has relatively low toughness and chipping resistance.

Yes, would have guessed it is similar to VG10 at that hardness.
Had a Tojiro DP (~VG10?) that chipped easily with tougher jobs but it also was thinner than this blade and without micro-bevel.
Also, 61-61.5RC is what Zakharov states. Not sure how exact that value really is.
At low hardness it seems tough(er) and a favourite for outdoor knives.

 

[Taurahe]

A cardboard crusher makes em small enough to put in the trunk , but ya gotta be careful you don't pop the body and make a mess

If you don't cut through bone, how do you get em in the trunk?
(Come on, it's Halloween!)
‐------------------
The old Chicago that's been in the family since the'70s. It's probably cut 80 tons of everything.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

I wouldn't push my beater into a can.