So a year ago or so I purchased two nice kitchen knife sets online. Both sets were forged blades and cost a little more than what I have paid for knives in the past. I purchased two sets because no knife sets that I was looking at had all the knifes styles that I wanted in one set, so I had to purchase two sets. While I was waiting for these to arrive in the mail, the wife and I had went to a garage sale and I had purchased a knife that resembled the "Old Hickory" type knives that your grandma would have had in her kitchen, but this particular knife appeared to have a stainless blade marked "Japan". The knife was a Kansas City 14404. I purchased it on a whim because it was cheap and because the made in japan aspect had intrigued me. I figured if it wasn't any good, I would use it out in the shop by re-profiling it into a work knife.
To make a long story short, unless I am cutting my steak, this is my go to knife. My forged blades sit in their blocks on the counter watching this garage sale knife do all the work day after day. It holds a pretty good edge, it is easy to sharpen and the design is out of this world. I can go from cutting carrots to using the tip to finely chop peppers for salsa without blinking an eye and am in total control with the perfect ergonomics. I hit the blade on the fine side of my Smith's sharpener once a week and maybe have to use the coarse side once every two or three months. Awesome knife and I would highly recommend getting one. Once you get it sharpened and begin using it, you will use it for everything and your high dollar knives will collect dust. These things are vintage and will pop up on evil bay from time to time. Get you one! They are fairly cheap, but I think you will be surprised by their performance. Get you a Smith's sharpener as well.
