LOCATION
Canada
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in?
Chef
Are you right or left handed?
Right
Are you interested in a Western handle or Japanese handle?
I think a J could fit but I’m more confident a W would – see SPECIAL COMMENTS
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
8”
Do you require a stainless knife?
Preferably – I’d rather it doesn’t react (much) with food but am keeping my mind open
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
200$ CAD
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home
What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for?
As I sometimes don’t see much difference between culinary terms the way they’re broadly used (please tell me where does “mincing” is different from “finely chopping”, for example) I’ll tell you what I do most with what cutting motion:
- I push cut onions/shallots, celery, potatoes, leak;
-I rock cut mostly carrots (mostly at the heel), peppers (no heel involved there, tip and belly only), and stacks of thin cuts of fat meats like pancetta/bacon (mid tip to heel with slight progressive exaggerated pressure, where the heel mostly ensures visual separation) or rolls of fresh herbs in chiffonade fashion (whole belly with exaggerated rocking motion, like slice-rocking). This isn't scientific, just how I feel I'm trying to maximize my Chef's profile usually.
-I slice raw meat, mostly poultry, and a great deal of fresh tomatoes;
-I cross-chop fresh herbs when rough does the job, and a lot of crushed garlic.
Which leads to this other often used “motion” : I do smash/crush a fair share of garlic with a “flat n’ drag” (pardon the expression) of the blade… Wince all you want, that probably settles me up for nothing higher than 56-58 HRC I know. Most of what I do is clearly saying “WESTERN KNIVES” in headache inducing neon colors…
Other activities and produce come across obviously, but 95% of what I do is there; there are other knives for other jobs. Besides often using the flat of the blade on garlic and the occasional cross chopping, I’m truly not particularly rough in usage, limiting as much impact and grinding as possible against the cutting surface, and never cutting along/through bones with my chef knives. No frozen stuff.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Nothing worthy – see SPECIAL COMMENTS
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use?
Pinch for most job; obviously more hammer-like when cross chopping and flat n’ dragging.
What cutting motions do you primarily use?
...
What improvements do you want from your current knife?
Better aesthetics : see SPECIAL COMMENTS
Comfort: see SPECIAL COMMENTS
Ease of Use: want the best possible balance between what I do and ease of sharpening. Which implies: usable and preferably great OOTB; no need for thinning or re-profiling for as long as possible.
Edge Retention: average will do the job. We’d all love unlimited edge retention (in fact I feel none of you guys actually would on a personal level, although I’m sure it’s one of the holy grail as a professional bladesmith), but this is real life. I’ll have to get it to the stones someday somehow... more than one someday.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board?
Right now, bamboo and soft wood edge grain. Soon enough, soft wood edge grain and end grain only. Still the old trusty bamboo board might linger for a while… probably not for use with my best knives anymore though, come to think of it.
Do you sharpen your own knives?
Not yet
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives?
Absolutely
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives?
Absolutely
SPECIAL COMMENTS
The then, now, and about to become:
So that you know where I come from as I'm hunting for a better Chef's knife...
Aborted becoming
The Global stands as a great example of what I now know I DON'T WANT in a knife...
The line-up I still use more or less regularly - barring the Global...
The Global was in fact returned to the vendor, the credit used towards the purchase of an All-Clad frying pan.
A few facts:
Best knife used (sharpness): Victorinox Santoku (first from the top)
Best knife used (comfort): Cuisinart Santoku (second from the top), closely followed by the Victorinox...
Best Chef's knife used (profile): Cuisinart Chef (second from the right) - it's a bit too heavy, a bit too meaty, a bit too thick, a bit too much of everything, but for 30$ it fits my requirements to a much better extent than the Global could ever do. It's an almost perfect cheap Chef's knife... well that full bolster is killing me. But still...
My problems with the Global: it's TOO LIGHT so there's no real feel of balance; the HANDLE feels WRONG and unsecure and wobbled in my hand; the PROFILE feels OFF, like I never used a knife before, like it was all alien to just do a goddamn everyday cut, like either knife or cutting board were not continuous edge/flat surface; the flat of the blade flexes like hell and feels awkward with the flat n' drag technique.
What I really DON’T want : a so-called modern handle; a full bolster.
Profile: is it me or the handle of the Global goes completely against the profile of the blade? The whole knife has somewhat of a boomerang shape. When I look at all the other knives I use, I feel that the handle follows the blade's profile, and in use can feel the proper angle to cut with a specific area of the blade just by the way the weight will shift across the fingers wrapped around the handle, and eventually rest somewhere between bolster and pinch grip when using the tip. The Global felt the other way around, and weightless and awful.
I'm sorry that I don't have your knowledge and vocabulary to express what I see, and may look ridiculous here... still here it is put quite straightforwardly with pics, and applying both to my Chef's knives and Santokus more prominently... except the Global once again:
Santokus:
Chefs:
Global's profile (Chef's):
Cuisinart's profile (Chef's):
So... well... a knife that puts a cross on itself is made not to be chosen... I've learn that for myself if it doesn't make sense to you or seems stupid.
Help me choose better the next time around, please!
Canada
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in?
Chef
Are you right or left handed?
Right
Are you interested in a Western handle or Japanese handle?
I think a J could fit but I’m more confident a W would – see SPECIAL COMMENTS
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
8”
Do you require a stainless knife?
Preferably – I’d rather it doesn’t react (much) with food but am keeping my mind open
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
200$ CAD
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home
What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for?
As I sometimes don’t see much difference between culinary terms the way they’re broadly used (please tell me where does “mincing” is different from “finely chopping”, for example) I’ll tell you what I do most with what cutting motion:
- I push cut onions/shallots, celery, potatoes, leak;
-I rock cut mostly carrots (mostly at the heel), peppers (no heel involved there, tip and belly only), and stacks of thin cuts of fat meats like pancetta/bacon (mid tip to heel with slight progressive exaggerated pressure, where the heel mostly ensures visual separation) or rolls of fresh herbs in chiffonade fashion (whole belly with exaggerated rocking motion, like slice-rocking). This isn't scientific, just how I feel I'm trying to maximize my Chef's profile usually.
-I slice raw meat, mostly poultry, and a great deal of fresh tomatoes;
-I cross-chop fresh herbs when rough does the job, and a lot of crushed garlic.
Which leads to this other often used “motion” : I do smash/crush a fair share of garlic with a “flat n’ drag” (pardon the expression) of the blade… Wince all you want, that probably settles me up for nothing higher than 56-58 HRC I know. Most of what I do is clearly saying “WESTERN KNIVES” in headache inducing neon colors…
Other activities and produce come across obviously, but 95% of what I do is there; there are other knives for other jobs. Besides often using the flat of the blade on garlic and the occasional cross chopping, I’m truly not particularly rough in usage, limiting as much impact and grinding as possible against the cutting surface, and never cutting along/through bones with my chef knives. No frozen stuff.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Nothing worthy – see SPECIAL COMMENTS
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use?
Pinch for most job; obviously more hammer-like when cross chopping and flat n’ dragging.
What cutting motions do you primarily use?
...
What improvements do you want from your current knife?
Better aesthetics : see SPECIAL COMMENTS
Comfort: see SPECIAL COMMENTS
Ease of Use: want the best possible balance between what I do and ease of sharpening. Which implies: usable and preferably great OOTB; no need for thinning or re-profiling for as long as possible.
Edge Retention: average will do the job. We’d all love unlimited edge retention (in fact I feel none of you guys actually would on a personal level, although I’m sure it’s one of the holy grail as a professional bladesmith), but this is real life. I’ll have to get it to the stones someday somehow... more than one someday.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board?
Right now, bamboo and soft wood edge grain. Soon enough, soft wood edge grain and end grain only. Still the old trusty bamboo board might linger for a while… probably not for use with my best knives anymore though, come to think of it.
Do you sharpen your own knives?
Not yet
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives?
Absolutely
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives?
Absolutely
SPECIAL COMMENTS
The then, now, and about to become:
So that you know where I come from as I'm hunting for a better Chef's knife...
Aborted becoming
The Global stands as a great example of what I now know I DON'T WANT in a knife...
The line-up I still use more or less regularly - barring the Global...
The Global was in fact returned to the vendor, the credit used towards the purchase of an All-Clad frying pan.
A few facts:
Best knife used (sharpness): Victorinox Santoku (first from the top)
Best knife used (comfort): Cuisinart Santoku (second from the top), closely followed by the Victorinox...
Best Chef's knife used (profile): Cuisinart Chef (second from the right) - it's a bit too heavy, a bit too meaty, a bit too thick, a bit too much of everything, but for 30$ it fits my requirements to a much better extent than the Global could ever do. It's an almost perfect cheap Chef's knife... well that full bolster is killing me. But still...
My problems with the Global: it's TOO LIGHT so there's no real feel of balance; the HANDLE feels WRONG and unsecure and wobbled in my hand; the PROFILE feels OFF, like I never used a knife before, like it was all alien to just do a goddamn everyday cut, like either knife or cutting board were not continuous edge/flat surface; the flat of the blade flexes like hell and feels awkward with the flat n' drag technique.
What I really DON’T want : a so-called modern handle; a full bolster.
Profile: is it me or the handle of the Global goes completely against the profile of the blade? The whole knife has somewhat of a boomerang shape. When I look at all the other knives I use, I feel that the handle follows the blade's profile, and in use can feel the proper angle to cut with a specific area of the blade just by the way the weight will shift across the fingers wrapped around the handle, and eventually rest somewhere between bolster and pinch grip when using the tip. The Global felt the other way around, and weightless and awful.
I'm sorry that I don't have your knowledge and vocabulary to express what I see, and may look ridiculous here... still here it is put quite straightforwardly with pics, and applying both to my Chef's knives and Santokus more prominently... except the Global once again:
Santokus:
Chefs:
Global's profile (Chef's):
Cuisinart's profile (Chef's):
So... well... a knife that puts a cross on itself is made not to be chosen... I've learn that for myself if it doesn't make sense to you or seems stupid.
Help me choose better the next time around, please!
