# 12 inch knife recommendations?



## ElaineP (Sep 26, 2017)

Hi all, new here. I have decided I'm done with trying to cut a very large "whatever" with an 8" carving knife. I can't even properly cut a very large cantaloupe or large round loaf of bread lengthwise with it, or heck, even cut off a slice from a very large turkey  I'd like to find a 12" carver or other style to make my life easier whenever this kind of thing happens again. I've read as many of the reviews here as I could, but with 115+ pages worth, it starts getting confusing, sorry 

I am a long time enthusiastic home cook, and I understand full well the importance of good knives. I do not need a truly top of the line restaurant/professional knife, but I do want a decent one. Serrated knives have their uses, but as I can't sharpen them, I don't really use them all that much. I received a very nice 8" Sabatier carver as a wedding gift back in '71  and still use it, duly sharpened as needed. I regularly use my steel on the knives I do have, so I know how to do that, and it works well. I also know they can be VERY pricey, and while I'm willing to pay for a good one, I'd like to stay below $75 *if possible*. I also know there are a lot of options, weight, balance, type of metal, etc etc, but if there is a decent knife that you can recommend for someone like me, I would appreciate. Let me know what questions you might have and I'll be glad to answer.


----------



## scott livesey (Jan 25, 2013)

for occasional use for 'big' stuff, i would say a bread knife. I have an old Gerber 13" bread knife i found in a thrift store for $2. good for melons, squash, will slice roasts ok. 
something like this would work also, https://hydestore.com/hyde-tools-68300-semi-hollow-ground-safety-knife-sharp-314.html


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

I used a thin and flexy 7.5" carving knife for years and cut everything with it, but it certainly isn't the preferred. I'm also guessing you don't keep your knife very sharp, which makes the tasks you mention rather brutal.

12" BK why not. I wouldn't as I am rather particular about the quality of cut, especially with fruit, but should let that stop most folks. You could also do a cake knife (no scallops) or cake saw (shallow scallops). If you have a problem with sharpenning then stick with the scalloped edge.


----------



## DmitryZ (Sep 6, 2017)

my favorite








about 100$ only
and its good for everything


----------



## S. Peterson (Sep 27, 2017)

ElaineP said:


> Hi all, new here. I have decided I'm done with trying to cut a very large "whatever" with an 8" carving knife. I can't even properly cut a very large cantaloupe or large round loaf of bread lengthwise with it, or heck, even cut off a slice from a very large turkey  I'd like to find a 12" carver or other style to make my life easier whenever this kind of thing happens again. I've read as many of the reviews here as I could, but with 115+ pages worth, it starts getting confusing, sorry
> 
> I am a long time enthusiastic home cook, and I understand full well the importance of good knives. I do not need a truly top of the line restaurant/professional knife, but I do want a decent one. Serrated knives have their uses, but as I can't sharpen them, I don't really use them all that much. I received a very nice 8" Sabatier carver as a wedding gift back in '71  and still use it, duly sharpened as needed. I regularly use my steel on the knives I do have, so I know how to do that, and it works well. I also know they can be VERY pricey, and while I'm willing to pay for a good one, I'd like to stay below $75 *if possible*. I also know there are a lot of options, weight, balance, type of metal, etc etc, but if there is a decent knife that you can recommend for someone like me, I would appreciate. Let me know what questions you might have and I'll be glad to answer.


----------



## S. Peterson (Sep 27, 2017)

A 12 inch knife is primarily used in a restaurant for a cook who is chopping vegetables all day. I suggest taking a knife skills class.


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

A 12" bread knife is one thing, a 12"chefs is another, to some extent, you might just keep it to 10" for the chefs except that the 12" Vic can be had for as little as $35 and the low on the 10" is over $40 (cheftalk won't accept the big amazon link addy for the 10").
http://productshow.ispeboston.org/attendees/after-party/

Why not a 12" BK and chefs? You can have both for under a hundred, and you might get a kick out of having a knife about the same proportions as a Roman short sword.


----------



## ElaineP (Sep 26, 2017)

rick alan said:


> A 12" bread knife is one thing, a 12"chefs is another, to some extent, you might just keep it to 10" for the chefs except that the 12" Vic can be had for as little as $35 and the low on the 10" is over $40 (cheftalk won't accept the big amazon link addy for the 10").
> http://productshow.ispeboston.org/attendees/after-party/
> 
> Why not a 12" BK and chefs? You can have both for under a hundred, and you might get a kick out of having a knife about the same proportions as a Roman short sword.





rick alan said:


> I used a thin and flexy 7.5" carving knife for years and cut everything with it, but it certainly isn't the preferred. I'm also guessing you don't keep your knife very sharp, which makes the tasks you mention rather brutal.


I DO keep it very sharp, and I know HOW to do that just fine, but that's not the problem. I have found that when trying to slice some things, including but not limited to, as mentioned, a very large melon, the 8" is just too short. They grow VERY large melons in the South 



rick alan said:


> 12" BK why not. I wouldn't as I am rather particular about the quality of cut, especially with fruit, but should let that stop most folks. You could also do a cake knife (no scallops) or cake saw (shallow scallops). If you have a problem with sharpenning then stick with the scalloped edge.


I'm not a pro as noted, I just want to cut the darned cantaloupe or whatever for home use so the "quality of the cut" is just not relevant *to me*, so at times, I really wish I had a longer bladed knife for these more or less specialized uses.


----------



## ElaineP (Sep 26, 2017)

rick alan said:


> A 12" bread knife is one thing, a 12"chefs is another, to some extent, you might just keep it to 10" for the chefs except that the 12" Vic can be had for as little as $35 and the low on the 10" is over $40 (cheftalk won't accept the big amazon link addy for the 10").
> http://productshow.ispeboston.org/attendees/after-party/
> 
> Why not a 12" BK and chefs? You can have both for under a hundred, and you might get a kick out of having a knife about the same proportions as a Roman short sword.


Heh! Sounds good to me


----------



## ElaineP (Sep 26, 2017)

S. Peterson said:


> A 12 inch knife is primarily used in a restaurant for a cook who is chopping vegetables all day. I suggest taking a knife skills class.


My knife skills are pretty good for a home cook, but while I hear you, it's not about volume of chopping veggies, it's about slicing thru large items like melons and maybe other items, large poultry or the like.


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

In all seriousness, I think you'd enjoy both knives I mentioned (well actually I was not at all specific about the BK). But since you know how to sharpen, myself and some others here should make a few more suggestions to you. I for one will get back to this when I have a few moments.


----------



## scott livesey (Jan 25, 2013)

i wasn't kidding when I recommended this https://hydestore.com/hyde-tools-68300-semi-hollow-ground-safety-knife-sharp-314.html should end up costing about $60 with shipping. would be the perfect special use BIG knife, with a 14" blade this should easily take care of cutting big stuff.


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

I have been worked in kitchens for a few decades and do over 95% of my knife work with one chef's knife. Everything from watermelons to cherry tomatoes. I generally use a knife that is 10-12" although for a couple of years, I did use an 8". Occasionally people would make fun of my 8" knife, but the funny thing is on prep projects, I not only kept up, but was usually was ahead of them.

It ain't the instrument, it's the player. :~)


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

All right I've thought it over. The OP knows how to sharpen, doesn't care about looks, is going through big melons, can't really justify spending a lot. Get the 12" Vic for $35.

It's nicely thin at the edge, much more so than just about any other knife that price, a good all-rounder, won't flex too much on those big watermelons, stainless, you simply can't do better without spending significantly more.


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Cut half the melon at a time


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Well I believe that's what he's been doing, not fun really, especially with a wimpy little carver. You come across an all-rounder to beat the 12" Vic for $35?


----------



## ElaineP (Sep 26, 2017)

rick alan said:


> Well I believe that's what he's been doing, not fun really, especially with a wimpy little carver. You come across an all-rounder to beat the 12" Vic for $35?


Heh! I'm a She  but that's OK  I like to cut the melon lengthwise, which is where the issue came from. And you are right, it's not fun! Hence the original request  Where did you find the 12" Vic for only $35, if I might ask?


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/victorinox-forschner-fibrox/chefs-knife-white-handle-p131422


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vi...5KurejEFBn9f0UYUocKdHGKeUCEk7kFQaAgkcEALw_wcB

Sorry about the gender identity issue but, when it comes to talking knives anyways, ie, can take care of sharpening and likes big knives, you do sound more male than a lot of males who come here looking for advice. ;-)


----------



## scott livesey (Jan 25, 2013)

rick alan said:


> https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vi...5KurejEFBn9f0UYUocKdHGKeUCEk7kFQaAgkcEALw_wcB
> 
> Sorry about the gender identity issue but, when it comes to talking knives anyways, ie, can take care of sharpening and likes big knives, you do sound more male than a lot of males who come here looking for advice. ;-)


careful Rick, or you might end up in the same boiling pot as Cam Newton, LOL. to the original question, go to local restaurant store and see what they have. since it is an occasional use knife, try Target or another big box retail and see what they have in that size.


----------



## ElaineP (Sep 26, 2017)

ElaineP said:


> I'd like to find a 12" carver or other style to make my life easier. I've read as many of the reviews here as I could, but with 115+ pages worth, it starts getting confusing, sorry  I also know there are a lot of options, weight, balance, type of metal, etc etc, but if there is a decent knife that you can recommend for someone like me, I would appreciate.


Thought I would give a follow up. THANKS TO ALL WHO WROTE! I did indeed find a knife based on recommendations here. Since I had a couple of Amazon gift codes, the one I got is this one:
and I used it for Thanksgiving.

Since I'd never seen a 12" knife before, it was quite astounding! WAY bigger than I'd anticipated, although that's not a bad thing  It took care of that turkey beautifully, nice thin slices I've never been able to do before. The rounded tip I'd somehow overlooked (duh) was something of a surprise, as in the past I'd used the tip to help "separate" slices at times or dig into tight areas to slice, but it wasn't a deal killer, just have to get used to it. The granton "edging" is great! I hadn't been aware of it before, but apparently its use is to help keep a slice from sticking to the blade. Whatever  but it did that nicely. All in all, I'm quite happy with it, and thanks to all who wrote.

Elaine

PS I cannot resist telling folks who see it "Now THIS is a knife!" (thanks to Crocodile Dundee 

PPS I should also note this sucker is SHARP. I dinged myself twice while doing the turkey, the second time not by "slicing" a finger again but by inadvertently pressing fairly lightly on the edge just above the hilt. Neither cuts were bad, but wow! It got my attention! The turkey was fine, no blood got on it


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

URL was too big to accept here, is this it? https://tinyurl.com/ydcwow9d


----------



## ElaineP (Sep 26, 2017)

I'm so sorry! Probably, if it's the same as this one: *https://tinyurl.com/yan8lqpm*


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Yeh that's it. Good choice, the chefs would have been a little better with big melons, but the slicer sounds a better all-rounder for you.

"PS I cannot resist telling folks who see it "Now THIS is a knife!" (thanks to Crocodile Dundee "

Ahaha, I told you not far off from a Roman short sword. And thanks for the follow up, we really enjoy hearing about the actual purchase.


----------

