wisew
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2014
- Messages
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Hey all! I'm new here.
So here's the deal - back in August, upon moving into my new place, I bought my first Chef's knife that wasn't, ahem, bought by my parents from an infomercial (I'd rather not say which one...) - a Victorinox / Forschner Fibrox 8" Chef's knife. It was by far the best knife I'd ever used at the time - sad but true. However, in the 8+ months since then I've come to realize that it's woefully inadequate for some tasks - cutting large winter squash (no matter how much force I put into it, the damn thing always gets stuck and I end up swinging around a giant squash like a club :whiteflag
, crushing garlic (the blade is a little wimpy to me...), to name a few. Also, it doesn't do a great job of holding an edge and it's never all that sharp.
So, I started looking into other knives, and it seemed like for what I wanted, a German knife was the way to go (ie. a big-ass knife that can crush squash). I figured that I should, worst case scenario, start with a good German knife for a more solid point of reference so that, if I found it to be lacking, I'd know to move onto Japanese knives.
After days of painstaking research, I settled on a Messermeister Meridian Elite 8" Chef's Knife for $99 (which made it a seemingly awesome deal!), and being quite satisfied, I pulled the trigger and ordered it.
Unfortunately, in the time since I ordered it, I discovered this forum. :dazed: And basically, I'm wondering if I made the right choice right now. (It's in transit right now so I haven't used it yet.)
LOCATION
What country are you in?
United States
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Chef's knife, although if anyone has good suggestions for a paring knife too those would be welcome (I'm primarily looking for a chef's knife)
Are you right or left handed?
Right-handed
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
I'm looking for a comfortable, ergonomic handle (that is the one thing I love about the Victorinox Fibrox knives) - whatever style that happens to be.
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
8"
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Yes. Maybe some day I'll be able to manage a non-stainless knife, but as a recent college grad living in his first apartment, I need something that's relatively low maintenance and durable, especially since my roommates share my kitchen gear and will probably screw it up at some point.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Absolute maximum is $200, but ideally no more than $150.
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 (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)? (Please identify as many tasks as you would like.)
General purpose, but some examples: cutting giant winter squash, crushing garlic, slicing, chopping and mincing vegetables and herbs, chopping nuts, and if somehow it were possible, cutting a coconut.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Victorinox Fibrox 8" Chef's Knife
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch grip
What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)
Drawing, Rocking, Walking
What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)
Forged, sharper, better edge retention, thicker or stronger (whichever would help me power through those tough squash better), less food sticking would be a godsend. If it exists, I'd love a knife with a more comfortable handle than the Victorinox. In a nutshell, I would love a knife that would make prep work feel like less of a chore (or better yet, fun).
Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
Damascus is intriguing to me because it's made me wonder if it creates tiny air pockets that would make food stick less - likewise, I'm very interested in hammered knives that retain the "bumpiness". As far as handle material goes I don't know, but I would like something as grippy as the Victorinox (hard to find - that really is the best thing about the Fibrox knives). I've also looked into granton edge knives but it seems like they aren't worth it? It must be stain and scratch resistant.
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
The Victorinox is quite comfortable in my hand. If this could be improved though I'd be all for it.
Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?
Out of the box sharpness is very important because I have 0 knife sharpening skills. Smoother rock chopping and drawing is always welcome, and better food release as I said already would be a godsend.
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
As long as possible.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Yes (bamboo and cork)
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
No
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Not yet
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
Honing steels yes, but nothing more involved than that.
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I want a very strong knife, but it absolutely cannot be prone to chipping.
So, what do you all think? Did I make a mistake with the Messermeister or should it meet my needs for now?
So here's the deal - back in August, upon moving into my new place, I bought my first Chef's knife that wasn't, ahem, bought by my parents from an infomercial (I'd rather not say which one...) - a Victorinox / Forschner Fibrox 8" Chef's knife. It was by far the best knife I'd ever used at the time - sad but true. However, in the 8+ months since then I've come to realize that it's woefully inadequate for some tasks - cutting large winter squash (no matter how much force I put into it, the damn thing always gets stuck and I end up swinging around a giant squash like a club :whiteflag
, crushing garlic (the blade is a little wimpy to me...), to name a few. Also, it doesn't do a great job of holding an edge and it's never all that sharp.So, I started looking into other knives, and it seemed like for what I wanted, a German knife was the way to go (ie. a big-ass knife that can crush squash). I figured that I should, worst case scenario, start with a good German knife for a more solid point of reference so that, if I found it to be lacking, I'd know to move onto Japanese knives.
After days of painstaking research, I settled on a Messermeister Meridian Elite 8" Chef's Knife for $99 (which made it a seemingly awesome deal!), and being quite satisfied, I pulled the trigger and ordered it.
Unfortunately, in the time since I ordered it, I discovered this forum. :dazed: And basically, I'm wondering if I made the right choice right now. (It's in transit right now so I haven't used it yet.)
LOCATION
What country are you in?
United States
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Chef's knife, although if anyone has good suggestions for a paring knife too those would be welcome (I'm primarily looking for a chef's knife)
Are you right or left handed?
Right-handed
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
I'm looking for a comfortable, ergonomic handle (that is the one thing I love about the Victorinox Fibrox knives) - whatever style that happens to be.
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
8"
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Yes. Maybe some day I'll be able to manage a non-stainless knife, but as a recent college grad living in his first apartment, I need something that's relatively low maintenance and durable, especially since my roommates share my kitchen gear and will probably screw it up at some point.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Absolute maximum is $200, but ideally no more than $150.
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 (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)? (Please identify as many tasks as you would like.)
General purpose, but some examples: cutting giant winter squash, crushing garlic, slicing, chopping and mincing vegetables and herbs, chopping nuts, and if somehow it were possible, cutting a coconut.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Victorinox Fibrox 8" Chef's Knife
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch grip
What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)
Drawing, Rocking, Walking
What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)
Forged, sharper, better edge retention, thicker or stronger (whichever would help me power through those tough squash better), less food sticking would be a godsend. If it exists, I'd love a knife with a more comfortable handle than the Victorinox. In a nutshell, I would love a knife that would make prep work feel like less of a chore (or better yet, fun).
Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
Damascus is intriguing to me because it's made me wonder if it creates tiny air pockets that would make food stick less - likewise, I'm very interested in hammered knives that retain the "bumpiness". As far as handle material goes I don't know, but I would like something as grippy as the Victorinox (hard to find - that really is the best thing about the Fibrox knives). I've also looked into granton edge knives but it seems like they aren't worth it? It must be stain and scratch resistant.
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
The Victorinox is quite comfortable in my hand. If this could be improved though I'd be all for it.
Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?
Out of the box sharpness is very important because I have 0 knife sharpening skills. Smoother rock chopping and drawing is always welcome, and better food release as I said already would be a godsend.
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
As long as possible.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Yes (bamboo and cork)
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
No
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Not yet
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
Honing steels yes, but nothing more involved than that.
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I want a very strong knife, but it absolutely cannot be prone to chipping.
So, what do you all think? Did I make a mistake with the Messermeister or should it meet my needs for now?
