Have we talked kitchen knife sets?

[masraum]

Paring knife, 7" santoku, bread knife, slicing knife (9" and thin[spine to edge] blade) and a knife for slicing large, really hard stuff, like watermelons and various squashes (11", less brittle steel).

I do want something more like a paring knife but sized between the paring knife and the Santoku.

[Jeff Alton]

We use these. We have 7 different shapes/sizes plus the carving fork. Love them. Amazing balance and stay sharp. Everyone who has helped prep a meal in our house thinks they are amazing. Plus I like the designer....

Got the first two as a gift over 10 years ago, then we added the rest of ours over the following couple of years.

[Zeke]

How are you guys sharpening these? Now don't go all YouTube on me, I can do that. I want to know what you do.

Out in the shop I have diamond stones, ceramic and Arkansas. To 6000 grit. I can shave my arm with a number of wood chisels and my wood carving set once stropped will cut you and you won't even feel it until you see the blood. Some of those are vintage English Buck Brothers, the only BB's to buy. Not today.

But I'll be damned if I can get that kind of edge on a Henkle. I was blaming the knives. These are not the Pro series.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Zeke

How are you guys sharpening these? Now don't go all YouTube on me, I can do that. I want to know what you do.

Out in the shop I have diamond stones, ceramic and Arkansas. To 6000 grit. I can shave my arm with a number of wood chisels and my wood carving set once stropped will cut you and you won't even feel it until you see the blood. Some of those are vintage English Buck Brothers, the only BB's to buy. Not today.

But I'll be damned if I can get that kind of edge on a Henkle. I was blaming the knives. These are not the Pro series.

i dont let mine get that dull to begin with.

but i have gotten lazy. real lazy. i can get a crazy toothy edge simply using my spyderco sharpmaker. i just touched up a Wustof yesterday and it was falling thru my garden tomatoes. i just use the bigger grit, and i dont move any finer, and i dont strop anymore. the slight tooth just saws thru things.

[javadog]

I have one of the simple handheld sharpeners that you can buy for $20 or $30 from one of the knife companies. Can't remember who made mine, Wustoff or Henckels, probably. One or two passes through that and my chef's knife is as sharp as I want it, the edge lasts for 6 months or so. It's technically not as properly done as what you might do with a chisel, but it works. My Cutco knives can be sent back to Cutco whenever I want for free sharpening.

[Evans, Marv]

I have the same as you Milt, with the addition of a water lubed sharpening wheel (mostly for tools), an electric kitchen knife sharpener (with the revolving wheels & ceramics), & knife belts on my benchtop belt sander. I usually only use the belt sander, whiich I assume isn't the best to use, to get an edge that's just good enough. I'm thinking spending some more time with the sharpening stones would give me better results.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Zeke

How are you guys sharpening these? Now don't go all YouTube on me, I can do that. I want to know what you do.

Out in the shop I have diamond stones, ceramic and Arkansas. To 6000 grit. I can shave my arm with a number of wood chisels and my wood carving set once stropped will cut you and you won't even feel it until you see the blood. Some of those are vintage English Buck Brothers, the only BB's to buy. Not today.

But I'll be damned if I can get that kind of edge on a Henkle. I was blaming the knives. These are not the Pro series.

On my previous kitchen knives, I used to use an electric Chef's Choice sharpener, quick, easy to use, consistent results.
https://chefschoice.com/collections/electric-hybrid-knife-sharpeners-for-the-home

It worked well.

On my new Shun knives, I use wet stones, 1000 grit and 3000 grit.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Zeke

How are you guys sharpening these? Now don't go all YouTube on me, I can do that. I want to know what you do.

Out in the shop I have diamond stones, ceramic and Arkansas. To 6000 grit. I can shave my arm with a number of wood chisels and my wood carving set once stropped will cut you and you won't even feel it until you see the blood. Some of those are vintage English Buck Brothers, the only BB's to buy. Not today.

But I'll be damned if I can get that kind of edge on a Henkle. I was blaming the knives. These are not the Pro series.

https://www.tormek.com/usa/en

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by RWebb

https://www.tormek.com/usa/en

They make good stuff that's a fact. I have one motorized water wheel sharpener. It has a 1000 grit stone on it. It's 8" and rotates horizontally. It hardly leaves the cabinet as I usually hand sharpen my tools.

But, I've never run a kitchen knife on it and I can sit there as long as it takes with no work involved. So, I might get it out since you brought these things up.

On one of my bench grinders I have a 100 grit stone. A lot of cutting tools like a bit of rough. Turning tools can be like that.

I only turn when there is a job. I don't do that for fun. In fact, that's how I feel about most machines. I don't play around on the table saw unless I have a job. This not my recreation. However, the big picture is fun including whatever it takes. But no more than that.

My favorite tool is a metal lathe but that won't help much with the knives.

[rusnak]

That Tormek T-2 looks like the SIHT. Spendy, but probably cheaper in the long run than using a mobile sharpening guy.

[RWebb]

I won't say how many $10 bills mine cost...

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rusnak

That Tormek T-2 looks like the SIHT. Spendy, but probably cheaper in the long run than using a mobile sharpening guy.

Originally Posted by RWebb

I won't say how many $10 bills mine cost...

There are a bunch on Amazon. They seem to start at around $400, and go up from there. I think the highest price that I remember skimming past was a $1600-1700 because it came with a slew of jigs. Most of their stuff on Amazon otherwise seems to be $400-1200-ish

[RWebb]

8 $10 bills

[vash]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alton

We use these. We have 7 different shapes/sizes plus the carving fork. Love them. Amazing balance and stay sharp. Everyone who has helped prep a meal in our house thinks they are amazing. Plus I like the designer....

Got the first two as a gift over 10 years ago, then we added the rest of ours over the following couple of years.

Those don’t get super slippery, say breaking down a chicken, or duck?

[Jim Bremner]

My go to knives are these four.

The top two are Kiwi brand vegetable cleavers, they get used most. They're $10 or so on Amazon and we toss them in the dishwasher etc. I hit them with a steel weekly.

The Ken Onion Rain is a workhorse. And have nicked myself several times. Hard blade to sharpen but holds an edge for months

The "Old Hickory" aka kitchen Saber holds a wicked sharp edge

There's a few other knives in the drawer but the top three are used two to three meals a day.

[Jim Bremner]

Loops here's the pic

[Jeff Alton]

Originally Posted by vash

Those don’t get super slippery, say breaking down a chicken, or duck?

You would think that would get slippery. When we first got them I though the same thing. But the handle has a nice flat top and bottom that allows you to push/pull without the typical finger radius's found in wood handled knifes. They are the inverse of all other wood handle knives. You don't have to squeeze it at all to hang on to it. Plus, if you look closely they have small dowels protruding form the front edge of the "handle" that make position the knife against your fingers to prevent fore/aft movement and maintain balance.

On another note, by former BIL was a very successful chef and he swore by Trident knives.

Cheers

[RWebb]

thread's on p.4

don't we need a rousing argument bout stainless vs. carbon?

[gchappel]

I will admit my sharpest kitchen knifes are so dull they are childproof.
Ok, as I am cooking more I am looking at knives, so this thread has been helpful.
Question- what about the ceramic knifes?
We have a small paring type ceramic blade- cheap- but it is sharp and has held its edge well.
Any thoughts and/or brands?
I know they do not have the history or feel of steel- but really I just want to cut some food.
Thanks
Gary

[javadog]

I hate ceramic knives. Wouldn't buy one.

Not going to buy carbon steel either, except for a Chinese cleaver.