# Best Knives



## edwin fuentes (Aug 15, 2012)

What are the best Knives for a professional chef in everyones opinion???? I love the lightness of the mac and sharpness, but will they have longevity?


----------



## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

I started using my MACs in 2000, they're still working well.


----------



## iworktomuch (Aug 21, 2012)

kikuichi knives! Been using them since I started cooking professionally, about five years.  I was lucky though!  A local knife shop are going out of business, so I got all my mine at 40% off.  They are rather expensive, but wonderful to use.


----------



## arikzamorairl (Jul 29, 2012)

i agree with iworktmuch ive had the same 9.5 chef knife for 4 years and it is still sharp as hell.  The good thing about these knive is that they aren t flashy they just work. You can get them in carbon or in a stainless lamanent. Most i got mine on Knife merchant.  It really comes down to what style you like and how hard you are on your knives. Just try some out mix and match.  I myself have a great set of knives that are all different makes. I works for me I chose what i think are the best of each lines for the use that I need them for.

Buena Suerte..Z


----------



## atibbs314 (Aug 20, 2012)

in my opinion the best knives are whatever works for you.  you see people with 300 dollor shuns that freak out if you even look at them and you see the work horse prep cook with the 40 doller victorinox and hes cutting beets 20 times faster than the shun owner with the attitude.  plus drop a shun on a kitchen floor and see what happens.  i use a mundial 8 in chefs knife and its not the most expensive (40 bucks) but I take care of it and treat it right and it has a killer edge because of that and it i drop it im not gunna freak out and start looking for 8 in caskets and planning a funeral. whatever you like and feels good as long as you take good care of it and treat it well is the best knife.


----------



## atibbs314 (Aug 20, 2012)

oh and speaking of MACs i found a really old mac pairing knife at a garage sale and got it professionally sharpened and the edge reground and polished and its my favorite paring knife and works better and holds and edge better than the sous chefs wustof paring knife


----------



## shootoo (Jul 15, 2012)

My workhorse is a Wusthof classic 8" that's been used nearly every day for 4 years now. Hasn't been sharpened yet and still cuts like a dream. I've got a couple $2 pairing and bread knives from a website, I've got a Tojiro slicer I use to break down meat, and a Henkels boning knife that's used regularly. The only one I don't really use is a Henkels cleaver I got with a gift card I won from a food service show


----------



## cacioepepe (Apr 3, 2011)

Sorry to be that d-bag who thinks he's fancy, but I love the Japanese knives. My faves include:

Suisin western style slicer. 10.5 inches. Awesome edge and great handle with a tip that is great for detailed work.
Any Misono carbon steel. Yeah they tarnish, but they have a great edge and are easy to sharpen.
Glestain honesuki. My favorite butcher knife. Heavy handle for a solid grip, great weight and an edge that works awesome. Admittedly, I had the edge professionally sharpened just last week after 6 years, because it is hard to maintain the edge once it goes past a certain point. There is only so much time i can spend on the stone.


----------



## atibbs314 (Aug 20, 2012)

haha sorry if i made it sound like i thought people who like japanese knives are "d-bags" in fact couldnt be farther from the truth japanese knive are killer sharp they are cool just dont work for me is all i was sayin. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/blushing.gif


----------



## grillbeast (Jul 18, 2012)

I love my mixes bag. Henckels 8in chef, Fujiwara honesuki (love this boning knife!), cheap wustof flexible filet for small fish and more. I need a good serrated and slicer and I have my sights on a carbon gyuto down the road, maybe next tax return : )


----------



## davehriver (Jan 13, 2012)

My mother has a set of MAC knives that are about forty years old.  I sharpen them a few times a year with my Spyderco tri angle sharp makers and they still look like new and cut great.


----------



## poorpig (Aug 9, 2012)

I've had a forged Global chef's knife for about 2 years now and it's been a dear friend. Stays sharp for quite awhile,only sharpened it once about 6 months ago, and it is sturdy as hell. I've got really long hands and its long handle fits perfectly as well.


----------



## mortcanard (Aug 21, 2012)

If you go to your local asian market, there are often these carbon steel, single-bevel cleavers for less than $10. They're the ones with dark-colored blades packed in grease. A 6-8" model is sufficient for most prep work, there's no tip to break off, there's half as many edges to keep sharp, and if some bonehead steals it, you just go buy another. For fast casual cooking especially, it's hard to go wrong with this style of knife. Older carbon steel Henckels and Sabatier knives are also really nice and can be found for a few dollars used if you keep an eye out. MACs are awesome, Globals, Wustofs, etc. Hard to really go wrong these days.


----------



## chipsahoy (Sep 9, 2012)

Use what works, and what feels best, i prefer knives that stay sharp, if your righty use a righty knife. i use shun, had it for 8 years, stays sharp and works like a charm, i keep good care of it, i get angry if any of my knives are missing, i have a $7 serrated pairing knife red handle from jbprince.com and its missing its tip, however its a beautiful knife..just missing the tip.


----------



## chefpaul (Sep 16, 2012)

I have been hearing this question since Apicius wrote a cookbook. I have personally spend enough money on just cutlery to buy a decent SUV. The bottom line for all my effort is this. "It's only a tool" if it makes you happy use it! I have used plain stamped forschners as well as custom top of the line Japanese cutlery from Carter as well as other Japanese makers and as well as most everything in between. Let's face it someone has to pick it up and cut with it! If you worry about your knife getting dull, scratched or mishandled, don't buy it or buy it and start a shrine with it. Most things in a commercial kitchen get used hard! It's all about you and how deep your pockets are and what your willing to sacrifice!

Sharp knives rock! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif

Paul

Knife Geek


----------



## chef7734 (Apr 13, 2011)

I love Japanese knives. In the past I have used Hattori hd and kd but now use Hiromoto AS knives. Before, during, and shortly after school I used Wusthof classic knives. I got tired of the softness on the steel and saw the light of Japanese knives. But like others have said , use what works best for you.


----------



## captain konrad (Sep 16, 2012)

Sure, there are tools in the kithcen. But the Knife is an instrument.


----------



## sachef665 (Sep 17, 2012)

Looking to buy a fresh set of Messermeister San Moritz Elites...I had an 8" chefs knife like this when I first started cooking and didn't know how to treat it...Left it with my parents when I moved away and my dad sharpened it so much it looks like a misshapen filet knife now.  Still has a great edge though.  Now that I've got a Sous chef title and know how to treat a blade I figure I deserve something nice for me.  By the way isn't it funny how chef's, who do the least amount of actual prep work. usually own the best most expensive knives?


----------



## minas6907 (Aug 14, 2012)

Nice, you'll love those Messermeisters. I've never used the San Moritz, but have a set of Meridian Elites, best thing I've ever bought. When I was a line cook and didn't know what to look for I just a knife (8" meridian) cause I liked the weight and the look, but I didn't really know at that time what a great knife that was, 8 years later I still use it every day and it still looks good. 

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## rekonball (Sep 13, 2011)

Everyone has the same different opinion but if you can't sharpen them It doesn't matter what you buy. I prefer knives that I don't get mad about when they get accidentally thrown away or stolen. My Forcshners are sharper than most J knives or G knives. Although I have shaved with my Kamisori.


----------



## dezie (Oct 5, 2012)

This is my first post in the forum. 

I personally have a set of Professional S J.A. Henckels, a Miyabi Santoku, and my primary knife is an 8inch French made by a blade smith out of all recycled and reclaimed materials just for me to my design specs.

I agree with an earlier post that the best knife that works for you is the best knife. For some people the 40$ victorinox is all they need. For some a nice Japanese or German steel is all they need.

But myself? 

After I found about this whole custom made knife thing and I actually got the knife I’ve always wanted. I would never take anything less than this quality again.

It’s hardened to Rc 62 and this is very hard, I use my steel regularly and take it to a 6k grit stone once sometimes twice a week. All day, every day, day after day for months my blade has been razor sharp. I could still slice through paper after a day full of cutting 25 pounds of onions, the same of potatoes and other random chopping.

That was never the case with any of my other knives. 

But I really want to stress that you need the knife that works for you. If you just want a reliable tool there are dozens of brands who make really good quality knives, some aren’t too expensive either. Victorinox, entry level Wustuf and Henckels all really nice.

But when it comes time to buy your knife play with the knife before you buy it; go to the store and hold it, see where the balance point is and how that fits in your had for your chops and cuts and rocking (I’m assuming that the chef knife is your primary concern).

Also it should be something you feel pride for, the best chef I ever had a master chef told me once that I was an craftsman and an artist and you can’t be if you don’t have good tools cared for properly.

I really took that to heart, which is why I have a knife that holds a superior edge, is perfectly balanced; made of recycled materials by local craftsmen (my current chef calls it my hippy knife). And I take immaculate care of it, of all my tools in fact.

So ya my advice after all that rambling is you got to find what’s best for yourself, plus the adventure of searching is half the fun.


----------



## priem (Nov 24, 2012)

I will just give you some highlights of my experience buying high end Wusthof Knives.

First advice - DON'T DO IT.

Story -

Bought Wusthof Classic Ikons (the ones with the POM handles). Wusthof decided to send my entire set back to Germany because it was a run of "SOFT STEEL". They were junk. Burrs on the edges, indelible stains caused by just slicing an onion, and on and on.

Then bought a set of Blackwood Ikons. Of the set of 18 I had 10, YES TEN. defective knives. Missing epoxy between the tang and the wood, gouges out of the wood handles. dented sharpening steel, splintering wood areas, burrs on the chefs knife! Total CRAP! AND these were the so called "CROWN JEWELS" of the f-ing Wusthof line.

Conclusion - GERMANS AT WUSTHOF THINK AMERICANS are STUPID, so they send their SECONDS to America. It is not an accident that with two different lines of knives. purchased from two different retailers they are 90% defective.

Do not buy WUSTHOF.


----------



## adamburgerdavis (Apr 2, 2012)

I wholeheartedly disagree with Priem. I have almost the whole set of Wusthof Classics and I couldn't be happier. Perhaps the Ikons aren't quite as good as the Classics but dissing the brand as a whole is ludicrous. I have had my oldest knife (a 9" chefs) for close to four years now and I can still feel the ripples of my fingerprints when I run my hands across the blades. I'm not trying to sell anybody on Wusthof but agreeing with most of the people in this forum who are saying its all how it feels. It doesn't matter who makes it or how much it costs, I tried out Henkels, F. Dick, Shun and victronix knives and didn't care for any of them strictly because they just didn't feel right. Does that mean I'm going to tell everyone to boycott those knives? Heck no! Go for comfort and take care of your knives!


----------



## inomthings (Nov 21, 2011)

I started out with a Henkel but found that it took too long to sharpen AND couldn't keep an edge. I am in love with my Global now, she is my all-rounder. I also use a Wusthof paring, three years old and still decently sharp!


----------



## tjsbeer (Nov 4, 2012)

29 years in the kitchen and been through many knives. 

It's true, your knife is a very personal choice and everyone's favorite will probably be different. 

But, my favorite by far is K Sabatier. Balanced and comfortable. Stays sharp. And reasonably priced.


----------



## wizarddrummer (Dec 26, 2012)

Because of the topic, I thought it would be okay to introduce a related question in this thread rather than start a new topic.

I'm thinking about buying a set of these ceramic knives but I don't know anyone that has personally used this brand or any other ceramic knives as of yet.

Kyocera Ceramic Knives and Cutlery

Anyone have any experience with these or know someone that does?

Thanks.

Edit:

PS if the moderators of this forum think this deserves it's own thread then please move it.


----------



## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Next time, don't hesitate to open a new thread. 

Ceramic knives break easily.  Kyocera are among the best ceramics in terms of quality, workmanship, and so on, but are also among the most expensive.  The combination of fragility and price makes them almost uniquely unsuitable for a professional environment -- not that some people don't use and like them. 

The usual reason people are drawn to ceramic knives is the idea of never sharpening.  Actually, ceramic knives do dull although very slowly; and are more difficult to sharpen than ordinary knives.  Most cutters find it works better to solve the sharpening problem in some other way than ceramics.

Sorry to be Debby Downer,

BDL


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Something no one has mentioned:  You're a "private chef," maybe you want some knives that will, amongst the performance related issues, impress the client(s) also.  Shiny, stylish, elegant, etc, etc.  You're not doing tons of prep, correct?  Perhaps good performance but great looks are what to shoot for.  In the looks dept. any polished Japanese knife with an exotic wood handle does that for me, that or Western style with brass fittings will impress most folks, though the latter tend to be rather high-end.  Just another angle to consider.  Now just look through BDL's recent comments in other posts and you'll have plenty of examples to choose from.

Rick


----------



## patrick spriggs (Dec 12, 2012)

i use the "I.o.shen", basically a cheaper version of a shun. they work great, easy to sharpen and i like the balance of them. I also use victoronox paring knives, becuase they are super sharp, and when they go blunt i use them as oyster shuckers, lol.


----------



## raibeaux (Dec 21, 2012)

Hey Atibbs.  If I took a $300 knife to the restaurant and someone else used it,  my wife would make me preplan my own funeral.  Probably pine box with no vault, cremated in my smoker.

Shhh!  Looking for one for my house, though.


----------



## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

The best are the ones you like and feel most comfortable to you and your hand. They need not cost an arm and a leg to be good for you. I know guys that have $1500.00 worth of knives in their kitchens ,never use them and can't boil water.. So whats the purpose ?


----------



## inomthings (Nov 21, 2011)

wizarddrummer said:


> I'm thinking about buying a set of these ceramic knives but I don't know anyone that has personally used this brand or any other ceramic knives as of yet.
> Kyocera Ceramic Knives and Cutlery


Kyocera makes the best ceramics. When I worked at a vegan place, the chef there only used ceramic knives because of something about metal being 'ying' and some vegetables being 'yang'... It was a macrobiotic place, don't ask. 
Only problem is you have to baby it more than an expensive Japanese knife... Can't even put it in a knife roll, she had to put it in a special knife sleeve and then wrap that in a towels.


----------



## pirate-chef (Jan 25, 2012)

I agree with the use what works, in my roll you will find shun global whustof and i think maybe a henkel still along with my victorianox tornet knife. use what works. although i did watch a chef cutting lemongrass last week snap a new global leaving me with some questions and him with stitches ) handle broke off) besides that some of the best chefs i know have the cheapest knives and most of my best knives chill at home.. ( 10 inch shun 8 inch global chef knives and a few more... )


----------



## blackened1339 (Jan 14, 2013)

My knife kit consists of: 
My beloved MAC 8" chef knife. I've had it for a few years now and love it. It's light, fits my hand, and keeps an edge. I have used vintage MACs and they are still very good knives.
Victorinox paring knife (you can't beat it, for $4)
F Dick offset serrated
No-name cleaver
And two Santukos, a Forschner and a Dexter, both gifts that I mostly loan out and rarely use.
Plus a regular steel and a ceramic steel for the MAC.

I dislike Wustoffs, too heavy and often don't hold an edge well. 
Shuns, they just don't feel right in my hand. 
I dislike the handle on Globals as well. I have used Forschner chef knives, I had one until I loaned it out to a friend. I also look forward to trying out a Kyocera ceramic chef knife, but I honestly don't have much use for one. My MAC does everything I need it to. But the best knife depends on the person, everyone has differing needs and opinions.


----------



## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

My favorite brands that I have in no particular order:

Nubatama- Pretty expensive, I think my 240mm is around $830 right now, but just a stunning knife.

Moritaka- Superb HT on the Aogami Super steel.  Great edge retention, gets extremely sharp.

Richmond- CKtG has these "Japanese" knives made in Vermont.  My Ultimatum is M390 yet "only" $250.  Edge retention is maybe 3x/4x better than the best high carbon I've ever seen while getting 95% as sharp.

Akifus- I think Ikeda makes these.  The profile of my 240 gyuto is very flat and edge retention is second only to M390 in my experience.

Kagayaki- The CN knives are great tool steel knives for not much money.

Konosuke- I've only had mine for short time but at 240mm it's still only 4.5 ounces!  Stupid thin with a very sharp edge.

Hattori- Most of their knives are kind of "entry level" in that they mostly use VG-10 (a decent steel but long in the tooth).  Still, the fit and finish is about as good as you'll find under the $1,000 full on custom range.


----------



## adamburgerdavis (Apr 2, 2012)

I agree with the people that are saying use what fits your hand right. I disagree with people who trash knives other than the ones they use. If you think a Wusthof can't hold an edge, it's certainly not the knife's fault. It's you sir. If a knife doesn't "work" it's most like the person that doesn't. I myself have knives that range from $10 to $180 and they all can be sharpened rather quickly and hold their edge. If you can't sharpen a knife correctly...ask someone for help!! Don't waste the knife by sharpening incorrectly! And learn how to use a steel. It HONES not sharpens!


----------



## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

In all my 50 years cooking I never went by here say which is the better knife. If its comfortable to me, does the job, holds up thats all that matters. Personally I will take a good quality Japanese clever most ot the time. Concentrate mor on food and cooking skills and not cutlery, as you could own the best in the world and still be a lousy cook. They talk a great deal about their knives for their ego and to keep up with the Jones's and to impress others ,but can they use them?


----------



## blackened1339 (Jan 14, 2013)

AdamBD, 
To clarify, if you were in fact referring to my post in particular, which I'm not sure if you were, I wasn't trashing Wustoffs or any other brands b/c I don't use them. I was stating my own preferences. Just to affirm, I suppose, that knife preferences are certainly personal and subjective. I have had the opportunity to try many coworkers knives, some of which haven't been cared for properly, and it shows. If you treat a knife with disrespect, no matter the brand, it's rather difficult to restore the edge. Some knives hold an edge longer than others though, and some are easier to sharpen then others, which is I personally adore MACs, because they work well for me. Many people have favorites, and some of us are pretty vocal about them, while other people do just want a sharp knife that does the job. Neither way is better, although I do think it is healthy to remember that knives are tools and not status symbols.
I definitely agree about learning how to properly sharpen knives and not erroneously relying on a steel. When I didn't know how to sharpen, I asked a few people to show me how to use different stones and I think that I have become pretty good now through trial and error


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

In terms of "best" things just get better all the time.  CPM Alloys like s110v and s125v have grain structure even finer than White steel, more wear resistance than anything and are stainless to boot, though requiring more aggressive sharpening medium like diamond and CBN.  And I don't doubt we'll be seeing an equally fine-grained, high wear-resitant and more user-friendly carbon steel down the pike.

Rick


----------



## rsteve (May 3, 2007)

ChefPaul said:


> I have personally spend enough money on just cutlery to buy a decent SUV. The bottom line for all my effort is this. "It's only a tool" if it makes you happy use it! I have used plain stamped forschners as well as custom top of the line Japanese cutlery from Carter as well as other Japanese makers and as well as most everything in between. Let's face it someone has to pick it up and cut with it! If you worry about your knife getting dull, scratched or mishandled, don't buy it or buy it and start a shrine with it. Most things in a commercial kitchen get used hard! It's all about you and how deep your pockets are and what your willing to sacrifice!
> 
> Paul
> 
> Knife Geek


Great post! I wish I'd written it.

I've been paid to cook for 53+ years and spent a small fortune in search of that one knife that will always feel just right. The search is never ending, I'm afraid. Lately, I've been very happy using what most professionals would deem to be cheap crap. I had a gig at a synagogue for 260 with the protein being sweet/sour brisket of beef. The kosher briskets required extensive butchering. I was required to use the synagogue's kosher meat cutlery. Searching through a synagogue kitchen drawer I came upon a Kiwi (branded) light weight cleaver still in shrink wrap. I was amazed at how sharp and easy to use it was. When I checked on-line for the price of said knife, I had to laugh aloud...something like 8-bucks. Needless to say, I bought several knives and sizes. My Global, Shun and Henckels are at rest while I use the cheapies.

True story: Three weeks ago, I took a load of old clothes to a local Goodwill. Once there, I decided to nose around the store. On a shelf sat a filled knife block. The metal insignia on the block was Messermeister. I took a close look at the contents. Yikes! A complete 11-piece cutlery set of Meridian Elites, with the appearance that only one knife had ever seen any use. The price on the set was marked $14.99 and I was plenty nervous when I took it up to the check-out desk.

"Are you age 55 or better?"

"You're asking my age for ???"

"On Wednesday, if you're 55 or better, you get 25% off your purchase."

Upshot=I paid $12.04 for the complete set.

When I got home, I checked on-line for the price of this 11-pice set; $1053.00 MSRP

I sold it to my daughter for one dollar.


----------



## cowboy (Oct 1, 2013)

Just over a year ago I bought myself a present finally!! I bought 5 Kramers...chef, slicing, bread, pairing, 5" utility

I CAN NOT IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT THEM NOW!!

Yes they cost almost 5 grand but almost 20 years down in the business I felt it was time for some big boy knives plus the members love them when I do cooking classes!

I have used every make and model knife out there and these are heavenly!!

And it didn't take long for me to teach the staff that they will be filleted if they touch them/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


----------

