dalstrong actualy not bad
So far I can't say I've been enthused by what I saw. Chinese knock-off VG-10... Actual detail pictures didn't look very promising (both in regard to profile & grind) and all 'reviews' I've seen are just paid advertisements (like that oh so 'reliable' Burrfection guy...).
Back the truck up son. Glad you weren't on my welcoming committee - I would have a drawer full of Richmonds and this place would be a distant memory.
Sorry if I came off as overly harsh... but after basically being asked to pick between the knife equivalent of a red Ferrari, a red Volvo SUV and a red Fiat hatchback, all selected only by virtue of being red, I had some difficulty to restrain my cynicism.
Thanks for the input guys! I am leaning towards the Tanaka R2. I'll be putting in an inquiry with James! :thumbsup: I've got a edge grain maple cherry butchers block currently. Not too bad. I'm trying to find an end grain cutting board that's 17" to fit my new sink.
Fit in it or on it? And getting an end grain board will certainly help edge retention, regardless of the knife you're using on it.
It sounds like you guys think Damascus steel knives are worthless.
It's not so much that they're worthless, it's just that they're a non-determinant factor in a knife's performance. They're basically a paintjob. They're like racing stripes. You can put racing stripes on a big freight truck, a racing car, an SUV, or a simple grocery shopping hatchback, but they'll have 0 degree on how they perform as a vehicle. It's the same with damascus.... it's okay to use it as one of the filters, but it's not exactly a good starting point. Especially since the big avalanche of crappy mainstream Chinese-made damascus knives.
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no) Would need more info as to what are the pros and cons
This one is far more important. Roughly speaking carbon steels give you much easier and faster sharpening... at the cost of having to baby them more. You can also theoretically sharpen them to a higher degree, but I'd say that's rather academic. By having to baby I mean having to wipe them after use, and not leaving them dirty on the board after dinner prep while having dinner... It's not like you have to oil them after every use, but you don't want to leave them wet and/or dirty. If you're the type who tends to 'forget' their knife after use, or doesn't want to fuss with at least some minimal caretaking then carbon probably isn't for you.
Carbon will also take a patina over time, which will make them less reactive and discolour the blade (sometimes in fancy ways). Whether you appreciate a patina or not is up to personal taste.
Dishwashers and throwing them around sinks is out of the question for both stainless (Japanese) and carbon so there's no difference there.
Also keep in mind that while harder metals are great for getting sharper edges and higher edge retention, they do go hand in hand with a higher brittleness. If you're the type who's abusive to their gear...well... you might want to steer towards softer steels.
What knife, if any, are you replacing? basic 8" kitchen aid chef knife
Whatever you do, hang on to the old knife. As I said the higher end blades can be more fragile. It's good to have an older beater blade for jobs that are inherently abusive (chopping through bone, cutting frozen foods, cutting lobsters, yadda yadda)
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) yes but would need to seriously improve before sharpening an expensive knife
What's your current sharpening setup? Keep in mind that getting a high end knife only makes sense if you are able to keep it in top form. While there's always the option of sending it out to get that done by a professional...that does add a running cost to the use of the knife.
Depending on what you have now you might have to reserve part of your budget for getting sharpening gear.
I'd also keep in mind that that I know almost no novice sharpeners who
don't negatively impact the aesthethics of their knife while they're learning to sharpen. While it is generally possible to correct these little mistakes, scratches, knicks and whatnot, I can't help but think that getting the prettiest most expensive knife you can afford as your 'starter knife' to start your sharpening carreer isn't necessarily the best idea. Even if you can afford it I would consider starting off with something on the simpler and affordable side...
