# Knives and Sets



## ntieu22 (Apr 29, 2010)

Hi there Im a student and im interning in a kitchen and I want to get myself a decent good set of knives. I mainly use chef knives. I like the 10 inch or 12 blade. I saw soem Kasumi and they are kinda high.. I wanan spend about 100 bucks just on a chef knife any ideas which brand is good and bang for the buck...

Thanks


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## jim berman (Oct 28, 1999)

Welcome to ChefTalk. If you do a quick search of the forums, especially the Equipment forum (with the knife sub-forum) you should be able to find an amazing array of opinions.

Good luck with school!


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

At around $100 for a stainless 23 or 27cm chef's, your best bets are Togiharu Moly, Misono Moly, Kakayagi, and Tojiro DP.  If you can live with non-stainless, you have more options.

Also, if you can live with a German steel, you might still be able to find a 10" Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu at Knives Cutlery and More. 

BDL


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## bandallarian (Jun 21, 2010)

To be quite honest, I feel like 100$ for a single knife when you just started your culinary training is a bit expensive.

Why not go for the less expensive brands, which tend to do the trick just as much? I've been working with my victorinox Santoku for a while now, and I still can't get around my wusthof and global knives.

In any case, it's quite your call.


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## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

My school suggested a set of Mercer knifes, link is below

http://www.knifemerchant.com/products.asp?manufacturerID=223&mtype=1#800

For what we (students) are doing when we are just starting those knifes will do just fine. If you're like me and want a good set of knifes I suggest first buying a cheap set and as you get an idea of what your looking for in a set then start saving for either a whole set or just buy your knifes one at a time when you can.


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## vdb1909 (Jul 6, 2010)

i go to lcb and i had to buy a whole set of wustof culinar great knives but before i started lcb i had mercer knives and they are great and and cheap knife. plus if some one steal your chef knife a mercer will only cost 20 bucks to replace but wustof will from 80 to 200 dollars. i recommend mercer cutlery/img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif


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## aric87 (Aug 6, 2010)

i got a nice set for school from a local restaurant supply company, but I have always used dexter russel knives in the two places I've worked. They seem pretty good and they are inexpensive. My suggestion... go to a local place and touch the knives.... a name is nothing if it doesn't feel right in your hand.


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## hausfrau (Aug 3, 2010)

I agree, as a student, in not spending a significant amount of money on knives just yet. 

I have two Henkel S series that I picked up at a restaurant supplier.  I was lucky that my chef/mentor took me to the CRFA trade show back in March and encouraged me to spend time with the knife suppliers.  It is a very good idea to handle the knives because you are going to be the one holding the thing for 8, 10, 12, 14 hours a day....it better fit your hand or you will be cursing it.  You don't want to spend a lot of money on a knife that you are going to find difficult to replace and be frustrated with.  Having said that...there was a Wusthof that didn't want to leave my hand...the back weight and balance was awesome!  But, I resisted the urge to splurge knowing that what I have will get the job done and I won't be stressed over needing money for other things in my tool kit.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

It doesn't matter what you buy if it isn't sharp. _*LEARN TO SHARPEN!!!*_ It will make your knives a lot more comfortable. I don't mean using the truing on the rod hone, either. I'm talkin' bout sharpening on stones or an EP. Pros should know how to use stones.

Oh, and do learn to use your hone too. If you're slaping the blade against the rod, or honing more than four or five times on each side of the blade, you're doing it wrong.

BDL


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## culinuthiast (May 4, 2010)

Still scared of trying to sharpen anything. I'm a year into my culinary schooling, sigh.

Having said that my knives still cut like butter, including my boning knife which has around 40+ notches for all the chickens I've slaughtered (i buy at least one chicken a week fer fabrication practice). i heard a rumour one of our chef's puts 4 cuts on a chicken then uses his hands to finish fabrication in less than a minute.

I want that knife.


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