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edz

edz

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Having just returned from France, I spent a great deal of time admiring beautifully crafted steak knives from Laguiole, Le Theirs and Opinel. But i was hesitant in making any impulse purchases without research.

So whilst it isn't specifically a kitchen knife (mods please move this post if so), does anyone have experience with great steak knives that will cut through steaks like a hot knife through butter?
 
I've been eating steak on a weekly basis, more or less, for 50+ years and until last Christmas I never owned any steak knives. Because of my wife's insistence I bought a set of Wusthof knives as one of her Christmas gifts. So now when I fix steaks I would break out the steak knives except somewhere within the past month I stopped using them. Frankly I guess I just forgot about them until this thread popped up. What this tells me is, steak knives are just an extra piece of tableware cutlery that's not necessary.
 
In fact I find it quite useful. I've got a stainless one by Diamant Sabatier Forgé I use as well with fruit. It's sharper than most table cutlery but softer than my kitchen knives which makes sense as it might hit the plate. Maintain with a fine ceramic rod. Have the non-serrated version to avoid a bloody mess on your plate.
 
I think that I remember seeing a show a few years back that said in a lot of places in France they simply don't put knives on the table, you are almost expected to be carrying your own. Not sure if that's changed but that's what I remember seeing.
 
I was just thinking about steak knives yesterday, and possibly making some from some of my recovered band saw steel. I really like Chateau Laguoile's corkscrews, not so much their steak knives, and would one day like to "invest" in a juniper handled corkscrew. Custom Curling has a good selection of all that stuff. And as simple and inexpensive as they are, I'm a big fan of Opinel knives. I have several, including a carbon No. 8 pocket knife I gave to my dad back in 1978. I use it almost every day. Sorry for getting OT on the OT :)
 
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Everyone should cut their steak with their EDC. If you don't have one, get one.
 
Interesting discussion. I'm currently using a basic Opinel tableware set at the moment, which isn't too shabby at all, and I have an Opinel no 8 on it's way to me very soon. :)
 
EDC = Every Day Carry?

However you are not allowed to carry a knife in Norway.
 
oivind_dahle said:
EDC = Every Day Carry?

However you are not allowed to carry a knife in Norway.
Click to expand...

That's ridiculous, especially in Norway. I bet 90% of Norwegians didn't know knives could be used to hurt people.

You know, tableware is relatively new, only a few hundred years old. Most all meals used to be eaten with your hands, bread, and the knife you carried with you. A snooty rich man's knife was one that looked like it was only used for eating, because it was.
 
I have 4 Messermeister steak knives that I've had for years. I use wooden plates for steaks, easier on the edges.
 
99Limited said:
What this tells me is, steak knives are just an extra piece of tableware cutlery that's not necessary.
Click to expand...
+1 to this. The only time I need a steak knife is when I eat out or at a friend's house (and in those cases I prefer the EDC--though that can be uncomfortable at Jimmy's Steak Shack).
 
Given you are cutting against a china plate, really good steak knives seem like a total waste of time to me. Many of the "Laguiole" steak knives I've been handed in France were actually made in China to the general style. I have no problem with that given how I was using them.
 
Noodle Soup said:
Given you are cutting against a china plate, really good steak knives seem like a total waste of time to me. Many of the "Laguiole" steak knives I've been handed in France were actually made in China to the general style. I have no problem with that given how I was using them.
Click to expand...

Laguiole is a region - not a brand.

Many manufactures produce "Laguiole" knifes. Some are superbly crafted - others are absolute crap. A lot of the junk knock-offs are made in Pakistan (or China). Most of the Laguiole steak knives I've seen for sale in the US fall into the crap variety.

One of the quality manufacturers is Forge de Laguiole. I keep one of their "picnic" folders (3.5" blade & corkscrew) in my glove compartment just for that purpose.

DO NOT buy a Laguiole knife that was not made in France or you'll get exactly what you paid for....

James
 
I wonder if my wife will let me use my Opinel No.12 at the dinner table? Ima gonna do it... but I'll keep my No.8 close to hand just in case!

Seriously though, I like to use something straight-edged and disposable; ease of sharpening would be a big plus. Carbon steel preferred.

Currently, we (my wife and I) use these straight-edged Kiwi stainless fruit knives ($2 a piece) and they are sharp like scalpels. They dull real quick though and I touch them up with a diamond or ceramic hone.
 
Aren't there some high end steak houses that are now giving customers their choice of decent steak knives to use?
 
Considering there are places that give you a choice of what pen you sign the bill with, I would assume so.
 
My place must be high end... We offer two choices of pens...


Blue Bic or black Bic

Sometimes purple sneaks in there, but it gets lifted often.
 
This one is great for steak (or any other meat that needs cutting).

Tarani Buck Strider.jpg

For some unknown reason, my photos get reduced to thumbnails. Sorry about that.

Keith
 
jmforge said:
Aren't there some high end steak houses that are now giving customers their choice of decent steak knives to use?
Click to expand...

When I was at Barclay Prime (Philly) they did this. They brought out 4 diff knives: Shun, Global, Henckels and Wustof I think. Kinda pointless since the wagyu beef melted in your mouth but it is a showmanship thing I guess to impress people.
 
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