hey. Chef sorry I disagree, I'm proud of my Ikea knives i have a few sharpened and reworked, and they are great. it's a way to show young cooks skills are more important.
Hey Chef James? Have you heard of Ethan Chlebowski? You might find his channel interesting. I would like to see your reaction to his "garlic science (explained)" and "onions (explained)" videos...
Well done my friend. ...but you forget to tell your audience about the angles the way the knives are sharpened. And why this is the reason you have bring them to a pro knife sharpening shop.
I do hate the chunky heel on most western knifes. A few differences between Western and Japanese Chefknifes/Gyuto knifes. Japanese have a flatter belly compared to western a bit more rounded. So it can affect the way you are cutting/chopping your food. Some japanese have a 70/30 bevel. Japanese prefer the WA-handle compared to western that are bulkier. Another knife that is kinda underrated is the Chinese Cleaver. I just love it to cut up a chicken. No matter what knife you have. Make sure it's seriously sharp and never throw them in the dishwasher.
I use my pairing knife for cutting onions and for my 50th birthday I got two sets of knives and my brother loved my set that he bought his own knife set.
Great video as always, thank you! I was a butcher and fishmonger for years. My go-to knives were Dexter Russell. I never had to sharpen or put a steel to a knife while on the clock because, at that price point, I had six or seven of my most used knives (breaking, boning, paring, and filet) and at least three or four each of the lesser used knives. When a knife started feeling like it needed a touch-up, I'd just grab another from my kit. Each evening when I got home I'd mix a high ball, light a nice cigar, and whet my knives. The rotation key is that I'd bench the knife before it really needs sharpening, so touch-ups were quick and easy. Looking forward to many more of your great content!
I just upgraded from my $10 Kiwi 21 to a Kohetsu 180mm HAP40 Santoku... It's so much better than I expected! Chef knives are like headphones, if you've never tried a great one then you can't possibly know what you're missing
My goodness. I started cooking about 8 years ago. I've been buying knives, sharpening blades of all kinds from cutlery to axes, and steel-nerding for much longer than all of those. This is an absolutely fantastic and honest representation of the current knife market and the skills you want to have to work with them. The basic idea I would follow through on FIRST is learn how to sharpen a knife. Then you can use any knife you want, and focus on your grips, knife steels, etc.
I love my handforged Japanese knives. Nakiri, Bunka and Gyuto (Aogami #2) get a lot of use, but the Zwilling Pro 10" and various stainless petit knives are also a joy to use. Really just depends on what I need at that moment. I have absolutely nothing against a good Victorinox or Dexter either. At the end of the day, if it cuts well, holds an edge and works for the person using it, it's a good knife for them! Really enjoy the videos, James. This was another great one! Hope you are doing well, and we're looking forward to your upcoming videos. Thanks for making them!
Thank you for an amazing video. I am an environmental geologist. I clean up contaminated groundwater. I love to cook though. In exchange for never doing laundry, I do all the cooking for my family. I look to your show regularly and I love your videos! I watched them all the time back in the United States, and I still watch them now that I accepted a position here in Germany. Please keep making videos! If you ever make a road show and are in the Frankfurt, Germany area, please post so I can come see!
I have two chef knives, one 6" and one 8". They were both really affordable for this poor girl. I keep them super sharp, and they've served me well for 15+ years. I drool over the expensive ones, of course, but I'm just a housewifey cook. Thank you for the honest knife assessment.
Looking forward to the video about the steels/rods. Didn't knew there was a difference. Thanks for taking the time & effort to put this video together. Cheers.. 🍻
I find myself reaching for my medium santoku more often than for one of the larger chef's knives. This may be due to my age (old) and arthritic fingers, but I really have learned to appreciate the weight and shape of the santoku.
Love this video! My biggest issue was always my small hands. I actually used the pairing knife for more stuff then recommended🙈🤭 I remember my teacher walking by me in the restaurant and asking why I use it so much😅🙈
All your advice is good in this video. If I’m cooking in out of the home I’m using the Victoria Knox knifes. At home I’m using a variety of Shun, Myabi etc. I just gave my 45 year old Wustof knives to my son because they are still great knives even if the bolsters are getting worn down now. I learned with really old knives. Just have never could justify the expense of the $$$$ hand made Japanese aogami and shirogami knives.
Nice video. One thing to bear in mind with if you're thinking of buying a Sabatier knife is the term Sabatier on it's own isn't actually protected so there are many companies of different qualities who use it. Might need to do some extra checking on a potential purchase to ensure quality.
This is an infinitely sensible presentation. Although I am in my seventies and have collected many knives, I still often use my Victorinox knives. I get miserable if a bit of rust develops on my Japanese knives, and I find the Victorinox handles and ability to go in the dishwasher persuasive. I enjoy looking at Japanese knives, but if I have much to do, I often pick a Victorinox knife or a Zwilling knife, as both are real workhorses and have handles that last any abuse. My wife is a devoted Wusthof supporter and refuses to touch a Japanese knife. I have reduced my frequent use of knives to the same three and rarely use a carving knife, preferring to use a heavy chef's knife. However, there are times when specialty knives are invaluable. You emphasize choosing the most useful essential knives, and America's Test Kitchen would agree with you. They confirm that Victorinox knives do the job, and they also use them extensively. I agree with one of the comments about how important it is to sharpen your knives. I might sharpen my chisels with a stone, but I use a Chef's Choice electric sharpener for my knives. It makes sharpening a pleasure. I sharpen lots of knives and don't have the patience to spend the time using a stone.
My uncle is head of the culinary department at his church, now I know what kinds of knives to get him for Christmas;thank you chef 😊. I hope your recovery is going smoothly.
Most of my chef knives are 9.5 to 10 inches, but I tend to use my 8 inch knives more. I have a few 6 to 6.5 inch chef knives that I really enjoy using as well. They have the tall heel like a chef knife, but are as short as a petty. Really fun to use for smaller ingredients or confined spaces.
Very informative video Chef James! Keep up the Good work and Get Well soon! Wish you a speedy recovery! I will stop asking about Afghani Chicken till you get better now...
I have Shun, some old school Chicago Cutlery, and a victorionox. The shin an Chicago handles are the eeason i bought them. They fit the angle of my hand and are very ergonomically efficient. So many knifes are flat/straight handled and your hand and wrist have to accommodate them. I'm glad i found these.
I bought a Henckels 8" chef's knife in 1987 and it is still one of the two most freqently used knives in the drawer, along with a pretty Japanese 7" santoku with a carbon steel (blue 2) core. The second knife was an extravagance and it does nothing that the Henkels can't do. It's not even sharper, because I maintain my knives properly. Either knife can do almost anything -- but I don't even think about babying the Henkels when cutting through bone, frozen product, etc. 37 years and it's never let me down.
3:07 think wide serrations are nice and better at cutting than some smaller serrations which may require more of a sawing motion not having a big bolster can be convenient if you are gonna sharpen it, think thinner knives feel better with some vegetables
After a few years of experiments with knives, I discovered that buying a proper sharpener is a much better investment than an expensive knife. Now, my set is almost completely of Victorinox, which I sharpen with the Chef's choice every month. Literally, my sharpener is more expensive than all my knives. And I'm happy with it.
I started buying Dexter knives from a restaurant supply store. Got a chinese style chef's knife for about 40bucks and i've had it for years, been a great knife.
In Chinese cuisine, one great Chinese chef knife, the cleaver-looking one, covers pretty much everything in a kitchen. Some paring knives may be added for very delicate jobs.
I own a rather expensive imported Japanese knife that I really enjoy using, but even the importer who sold me it recommended what you are recommending here and it’s great advice. My other knife’s are a victorinox chef knife that i use for cutting stuff that will blunt it or damage it easily, and a couple of paring knives of the same brands. Also a Kuhn Rikon bread knife which looks silly but I really think is excellent, and a Sabatier carving knife. Don’t need any others but might add another Japanese crafted one just for fun, they are a pleasure to use.
Many, many years ago I was able to buy a WÜSTHOF block set. Since then I've added a WÜSTHOF Classic Peeling Knife and the same brand 2-stage Pull-Through Knife Sharpener. For me these knives are all I need.
Love this video. Some years ago I found the Victorinox 26cm breadknife for under 30 € and ordered 3 because you can't sharpen them yourself and a professional knife sharper takes 15-30 € for this kind of knifes here in germany. I love this knife because you can cut a cake and use it as a spatula. btw, Victorinox is swiss not german.
Thanks for the video, just bought another Wüsthof Chef knife. The reason I had to replace my previous Wüsthof (that I used and sharpened myself for many many years) is the bolster. I had a full-bolstered one and after sharpening it many times the blade would not touch the cutting board anymore near the bolster. This is because less steel would be taken away from the bolster during sharpening than the rest of the blade. So please mention this in one of your videos, the differences between full and half bolster when you are sharpening your knife and taking away a considerable amount of steel over the years. Thanks again for your videos, you have my full support. Enjoy the holidays!
I'm also a touch biased, I absolutely love Wusthof, another favorite of mine is Shun. I don't think anyone needs these knives though. Unless you're working, or like me, a huge nerd. Day to day I just use a Henkel I got for $35 at Canadian tire. I don't think you should skimp too much, since I fully believe the sharper the safer.
Thanks for the video I recommend spending tiny bit extra on getting a offset serrated knife it allows you to get a better angle when slicing and it's a lot more comfortable then traditional serrated especially with bread.
I have a ton of knives and never seem to use the bread knife. It's really amazing what a sharp chefs knife can do. Also Wustof classic probably has the most comfortable handle.
I have a serrated knife I bought from a supermarket years ago. It's still razor sharp. Really sharp ! It's lasted all these years, works fine, and cost me about $7
FWIW, I typically use 2 knives when I cook. I have a Dexter Russell SaniSafe paring knife for the small stuff. I used to have one with a serrated blade but it was lost. I have large hands and the SaniSafe handles are the most comfortable. For my big blade, I use a Mercer branded Nakiri knife. It's a great blade for $59.
chef knife and a good filet knife cover 90% of a my needs as a home cook/hack. (the filet knife can pass for paring and boning in a pinch) that said, a cleaver is really handy in certain situations.
I have two honing steels and recently purchased a ceramic honing rod which I love. Never thought ceramic would do such a great job of keeping my rather inexpensive knives well honed. Hey, how about a video on sharpening? Home devices, stones, etc.
very reasonable advice in my mind, well done. in addition to the knives you listed, i'd also recommend a cleaver, very useful for butchering meat and chopping large and dense vegetables like swedes and cabbages, much like the larger chef's knife you showed. another useful thing to have in a kitchen is cut resistant gloves, especially for beginners, drunk chefs or anyone using a mandolin. and the end of the day, a good cook can do more with a single cheap knife than an idiot "with all the gear and no idea", so i'd say most people would benefit from spending less on their knives and spending more on a steel and some whetstones and actually learning how to use and maintain what they have.
I have been sharpening my own knives, in fact, I did a bunch today, but I only have one REALLY good one. I wish I could use them better. This was a very insightful review, Thanks James.
Great video! I was gifted a set of Misen knives a couple years ago and I really like them. I know you mentioned you will make a video about honing, but could you also do one on sharpening?
Nice job. My go to kitchen chef's knife is my Victorinox. Inexpensive, easy to work with and easy to sharpen. I have a few others that are gifts, but they are more for show on my magnetic rack
Good stuff, chef. I'm also a fan of utility knives. Good, all-round beaters that are like oversized paring knives. They're especially great for carving jackolanterns.
i spent like $40 to buy what i thought was a "fancy" chef knife, its probably not to the level of one of these but it is way nicer than the cuisinart level of knives i'm used to and i use it all the time and glad i made the investment in a higher quality knife. anytime im cutting vegetables or a piece of meat i can feel the difference
I splurged on a Zwilling Bob Kramer Meiji 8-inch knife a year ago. I chose it because it was a nice balance between a European style chef's knife and a Japanese Gyuto. It's become my most used knife in the kitchen. Aside from cutting/slicing performance, the difference in comfort between that and my more budget-oriented Zwilling Santoku is very noticeable. Sometimes I wish I had it earlier in life, but I feel like I wouldn't have had the same appreciation for it.
@@ChefJamesMakinson The Zwilling licensed ones are pretty readily available and moderately affordable at around $300. I could never justify getting a hand forged Bob Kramer, as I don't have $22000 laying around to spend on a chef's knife. I could buy a couple more motorcycles for that much money. 😂
I think Victorinox are as a general the most multi usable, price worthy knives and they are easy to sharpen again! I’m particularly fond of their 20 cm long one with extra high blade to prevent my knuckles to hit the cutting board when I chop with my huge hand… 😊
Excellent video very well done. The necessities for sure. dalstrong knives can be a bit gimmicky but for the price the basic series is a good option also i believe.
Great recommendations. In a restaurant setting, we provide Mercer to the cooks, they are quite inexpensive. Some cooks bring in their exotic knives. I feel like they are motivated when they spend top dollars on pricey Japanese knives. I own Wusthof at home.
I find the 3 most used knives in my kitchen are the chef’s knife for 80% of the work, a cleaver (for bones, frozen stuff, and anything that I wouldn’t want to risk my delicate knives on), and a bread knife. Also stones for sharpening is something I can’t imagine not having.
Thank you Chef super helpful, I dont have a set of my own but maybe one my knife skill's improved. German and Japanese knifes always get the best highlights, I use 10 and 14 inch knives when I wedge potatoes, makes it more efficient to cut those big ones, serrated knife is underrated, sometimes I use it for citrus or tomatoes, can be useful! but if theres one chef knife available thats my go to knife!
Just bought my teenage nephew his first chef knife to help inspire him to cook. Got him a Zwilling Pro 7" with a white handle. Kinda jealous I have the black handle version. I may splurge on the white handle paring knife since I grow a huge amount of peppers that I make sauce with and like to remove the seeds.
When I was coming up, I couldn't afford anything fancy but I needed a long blade and I got a Victorinox 14", which was the best choice for someone who was tasked with turning 50-200lbs of winter cabbage into coleslaw. Its probably what saved me from getting tendonitis earlier than I did. The replacement for that one was the Brown & Co 8 inch veggie cleaver that intimidated everyone to stay away from it. Best $12 I ever spent. I still have them both 30 years later. The cleaver needs a sharpening more often, of course, as its a cheap knife, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
It probably is softer steel, but the cleaver blad probably is thicker and set at wider angle, so it rounds out quicker for that readon to. 10 Kilo of coleslaw that's at least a large manolin job but would say more of a mechanical slicer.
@perpetual4958 we used the shredding attachment for our floor standing Hobart mixer to shred the cabbage. But, I still had to quarter the heads and take out the cores. Some were nearly the size of a basketball
For home cooking I really like a small chef’s knife. Ingredient volumes are just way smaller compared to a kitchen and it’s much more handy during cleanup, in a drawer, etc...
Hi, Great video, only a cook here not a chef, but I do have a Wiltshire Carving knife that was a wedding gift, 39 years ago {It's lasted longer than my marriage 😂😅} it also has it own sharpener inside every time you use it... I would like your take on Chopping boards Knowing Hygiene issues {I no longer work in any kitchens just my small home one} I do not like plastic chopping boards because esch time eventually the plastic comes away...I have Wooden one which I clean with Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar... I have seen now some great metal ones, that do not blint knives when using and of course hold no bacteria...So great and my personal opinion is ALL KITCHENS could have these ..No more One color fir veggies, other for raw meat as it cannot hold any germs. Plus being here on the Canary Islands, would love you and Vincenzo to come here and put right the wrongs in so many {So called Italian restaurant} ... Enjoy some winter sunshine as well. 😂❤❤
I bbought a few of the Babish knives. I'm not a knife expert, but they seem nice to me and are *very* affordable. It's "German stainless steel". I'm sure it's whatever the major knife manufacturer in Germany is, rebranded. Will have to check your videos for knife maintenance/sharpening tips, I've been lazy and they've gotten dull.
My super good serrated knife is a lifesaver for all of the pineapples I cut up (and sourdough lol) Got a Dahlstrong Santoku knife last year and like it. Little heavier and great steel Few months back I got a JP knife that ended up being CN... and redistributed from JP satellite warehouse or something. 8" Gyuto and it still is awesome though. Nicked myself a few times due to not being around a razor edge for a while
I watched a video about knife sharpening and the sushi chef said along the lines of "If you take care of the knife, it should last a lifetime." His chef's knife went from being a standard chef's knife to being a parry knife, so it lasted him years and just changed it's purpose. Albeit, he is a chef that uses his knives more than the average person so it weathered down fast. Every knife in theory should be good enough and last long enough if you sharpen it regularly. Speaking of sharpening knives, you should do a video on that. I want to get more into whetstones (I have some) but I don't know if I'm doing it right.
honestly for non-pro cooks, getting a whetstone is prolly the more usefull and costeffective acquisition over any particular make and model of knives. personally for a chef knife, i like it when the bit that also functions as anti-slip-on-blade guard is as flat as the rest of the edge, as the thicker bolster bit tends to get in the way while resharpening. thick or thin works equally in stopping me from slipping onto the blade.
I was waiting for you to mention Zwilling knives. I've had a knife set of them for years (about 160 EUR) and I'm very happy with it. I tried to look in to santoku knives (because my chef knife has a bolster, some small issues with it) and wow, that's a rabbit hole. "don't hone with this rod" and "don't use plastic boards or wooden boards of a specific type with it" .-. edit: I might add, for deboning knives etc., there is F. Dick (really!) which is professionally used all throughout Germany at butcher shops etc. -- quite good value for the price if you go for the no-fuss versions.
In my opinion 8 inch chefs knife, bread knife, meat slicer, bread knife, boning knife, paring knife & bird beak knife, and a small steak knife. That’s all I ever needed oh also the Chinese clever is my favorite due to being super versatile
Have you a video or could you do one on sharpening knives and the various methods? You mentioned serrated knives being especially difficult to sharpen and i wondered how you would go about sharpening one.
I’ve been cooking professionally for 30+ years. I have many knives, too many knives. 😂 My go to knives I bought in the 90’s they were a set of Henkels. 8” chef, 6” utility and a pairing that I lost almost immediately. A set is a great deal especially around the holidays. My most used is a Victorianox 10” that I bought for $25 in 2004. It’s a champ. My Japanese knives are for special occasions like cooking demonstrations. I 100% agree that the cheap pairing knives are the best value because they’re about $10 and I buy a new one or two anytime I’m in a cooking store. I have enough that I will give them away to a cook that needs one.
Don’t know why but I never find myself using serrated knife, although this is something that is always available in my kitchen. Filet knife on the other hand is a must have.
Though I'm in Canada, my good knife kit is all Henkel 4 star because my dad was born in the area they're made and every time I go there I make a it a point to go at the factory shop and buy some kit. The steak knives I got there are actually B stock sold at a discount and a couple years later I noticed it was because the grind on the spine of the blade had a blemish but otherwise, those knives are perfect!! Like I said in your other video, learn how to sharpen your knives, get some good knives and you'll see how that mileage you get out of them goes a long way!!🎉
Tojiro Fujitora knives ordered from Amazon Japan (free international shipping to USA) are the best bang for the buck. $35-$50 a knife and hold an edge much better than any other knife for the price.
If you get the Dexter Russel, get the Sani Safe or the Vi-lo line, they are USA made, very sharp, and not too difficult to keep sharp. The Dexter Basics are hard to keep sharp, the steel is not the same. Mundial out of Brazil also makes a great affordable knife, Victorinox is great, Mercer is great. These are the minimum grade knives you want if you are stepping up your kitchen skills. And get a knife hone and use it.
I love a good heavy chef knife - better control when slicing etc. I've seem more injuries due to people using light weight knifes which are difficult to control as they have zero weight. That's my preference lol
@@ChefJamesMakinson I have quite a collection of knifes lol. But strangely a friend of mine bought me a cheap knife from a supermarket here in the UK and it had weight and was a damn good chef knife and never seen to blunt badly and sharpened like a dream sadly after 6 years of constant use it died on me - never replaced it as they discontinued that range (it was not bargain bin range a bit more pricer than that lol)
I agree wholeheartedly except I have come to rely on a cleaver to a large extent. It cuts, it scoops, and it is wide enough that you can smash garlic with it. I use it as much as my chef's knife
I think I am going to obtain a “Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor”electric knife sharpener. I tried a knife with a 15 degree edge and really liked it. I decided I am going to get the sharpener and convert half of my blades to 15 from 20degree edges- just a thought. I did some research and that sharpener looks like a good blend of quality and cost
I happen to have a (quite old) set of Ikea knifes, chef, utility, carving, etc. - horrible steel, very soft and does not hold its sharpness for a long time, but on the other hand very easy to re-sharpen. Brilliant way of learning how to re-sharpen knives. 🤣 I bought this when I moved into my first own appartment, about 40 years ago. I still use it today as it is easy to re-sharpen. I also have a couple of Japanese knives - chef, santoku, pairing, deboning, etc. The problem with those knives is, that they are hardened to the very extreme. They are incredibly sharp, but they can chip very easily and you can really spend a lot of time at your honing stone to get those knives back to factory sharpness - so never ever use those on a glass cutting board (worst!) and also some plastic cutting boards are not as nice to them as well. The German brands like Wüsthof are a bit softer. When it comes to filleting, I just love my old grand uncle's and my grand dad's knives - just carbon steel (I would guess a C45), so they will catch rust if not treated correctly, holding their sharpness over a long time, still easy to re-sharpen. One is about 60 years old now, the other over 80. My grand uncle used to be a fisherman himself, my grand dad worked as a cook on a trawler - they sure had the right knives for the job, and those knives will still do after all those years. I also have a serrated knife that is over 60 years old and beats any newer blade whithout having been re-sharpened for a very long time (if at all). Then I also have a hand-forged damascened knife from a German (Bavarian) blacksmith where I myself put a handle on (I just got the blade - the handle is European black elder with bronze plates in front and back) which I havened had to re-hone for about 6 years. That one I use almost exclusively in the outdoor kitchen. While I got some knives passed on to me from my family, I think it is very much worth while looking at flea markets. You might have to add in some muscle grease and a good honing device, but if you can get one of those brilliant knives there and restore it to its old glory, I am quite sure that it will still serve your grandchildren. Of course, you cannot put any of the really good knives in your dish washer. If they're carbon steel, they'll develop rust rather quickly, Japanese blades might be damaged, and besides most of them have wooden handles which will not like that kind of treatment anyway
I have some version of all of these except the 14" knife. I was actually thinking of getting something longer becauses the standard size feels a little short for some things. I only have one nice Japanese knife and I love the handle so I feel justified on the price but only because it was 50% off.
a quick hack probably most ppl know but.. to clean or sharpen your knife you can use back of a porcelain or ceramic plate like a steel rod. and always clean your knives with more care or even sharpen after you work with something acidic like tomatoes or lemon etc...
Great video, as per usual! I do have a question: What's with the 4-5" putty knife? Of what use is that? A bench scraper, I get, but this putty knife looking thing??? At 6:28, second tool from the left, I honestly don't know what I would do with that other than repair holes in the wall where I'd thrown something at someone for taking a plate that wasn't theirs. I actually saw a waiter run into the kitchen, ask for a side (or something) run out again, come beck in 20-30 seconds and see the very dish they had asked for (obviously for another customer) grab it, yell "thanks" as they ran out of the kitchen, this time with the chef chasing them with his knife in hand!! But, a putty knife?
i'm using some plastic putty knives to scrape pots, pans and benches with, it's convenient and i hope it wouldn't hurt them much. but it looks a little like a dough scraper or spatula, i don't know what that one is used for.
i'd mention that 8" Wusthof Classic with the integrated bolster is a terrible choice if you like to sharpen your own knives on stones. The bolster typically causes a recurve on the wusthof classic, however the Ikon series does not suffer from this flaw as there is no integrated bolster.
If you would like to see more knives be sure to see this video! ruclips.net/video/LgqoN2Duo5U/видео.html
hey. Chef sorry I disagree, I'm proud of my Ikea knives i have a few sharpened and reworked, and they are great. it's a way to show young cooks skills are more important.
What do you think about?
Zwilling J.A. henckels knives
Hey Chef James? Have you heard of Ethan Chlebowski? You might find his channel interesting. I would like to see your reaction to his "garlic science (explained)" and "onions (explained)" videos...
Well done my friend. ...but you forget to tell your audience about the angles the way the knives are sharpened. And why this is the reason you have bring them to a pro knife sharpening shop.
I do hate the chunky heel on most western knifes. A few differences between Western and Japanese Chefknifes/Gyuto knifes.
Japanese have a flatter belly compared to western a bit more rounded. So it can affect the way you are cutting/chopping your food.
Some japanese have a 70/30 bevel.
Japanese prefer the WA-handle compared to western that are bulkier.
Another knife that is kinda underrated is the Chinese Cleaver. I just love it to cut up a chicken.
No matter what knife you have. Make sure it's seriously sharp and never throw them in the dishwasher.
No way I was literally browsing for a new chef knife last night, this video came at the perfect time thank you
you are welcome!
I use my pairing knife for cutting onions and for my 50th birthday I got two sets of knives and my brother loved my set that he bought his own knife set.
I LOVE my Victorinox knives. Perfectly capable without breaking the bank. Nice grip, too.
Great video as always, thank you! I was a butcher and fishmonger for years. My go-to knives were Dexter Russell. I never had to sharpen or put a steel to a knife while on the clock because, at that price point, I had six or seven of my most used knives (breaking, boning, paring, and filet) and at least three or four each of the lesser used knives. When a knife started feeling like it needed a touch-up, I'd just grab another from my kit. Each evening when I got home I'd mix a high ball, light a nice cigar, and whet my knives. The rotation key is that I'd bench the knife before it really needs sharpening, so touch-ups were quick and easy. Looking forward to many more of your great content!
I am glad you have those nice memories of your Dad and I am happy that you are here sharing your knowledge and memories with us. Thank you James 🤗
Thank you so much Jerri ellen! I hope you are doing well! :)
I just upgraded from my $10 Kiwi 21 to a Kohetsu 180mm HAP40 Santoku... It's so much better than I expected! Chef knives are like headphones, if you've never tried a great one then you can't possibly know what you're missing
Well said
My goodness. I started cooking about 8 years ago. I've been buying knives, sharpening blades of all kinds from cutlery to axes, and steel-nerding for much longer than all of those. This is an absolutely fantastic and honest representation of the current knife market and the skills you want to have to work with them. The basic idea I would follow through on FIRST is learn how to sharpen a knife. Then you can use any knife you want, and focus on your grips, knife steels, etc.
London's number one fashion accessory.
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8 inch for stealth 14 inch for reach? :D
😂
I love my handforged Japanese knives. Nakiri, Bunka and Gyuto (Aogami #2) get a lot of use, but the Zwilling Pro 10" and various stainless petit knives are also a joy to use. Really just depends on what I need at that moment. I have absolutely nothing against a good Victorinox or Dexter either. At the end of the day, if it cuts well, holds an edge and works for the person using it, it's a good knife for them!
Really enjoy the videos, James. This was another great one! Hope you are doing well, and we're looking forward to your upcoming videos. Thanks for making them!
TThey are very pretty and I love love mine but I would use my German knives over my Japanese ones.
The best part of this video is how James advise people to hone their knife skills instead of spending money for a tool they can't even appreciate ...
Thank you for an amazing video. I am an environmental geologist. I clean up contaminated groundwater. I love to cook though. In exchange for never doing laundry, I do all the cooking for my family. I look to your show regularly and I love your videos! I watched them all the time back in the United States, and I still watch them now that I accepted a position here in Germany. Please keep making videos! If you ever make a road show and are in the Frankfurt, Germany area, please post so I can come see!
I have two chef knives, one 6" and one 8". They were both really affordable for this poor girl. I keep them super sharp, and they've served me well for 15+ years. I drool over the expensive ones, of course, but I'm just a housewifey cook.
Thank you for the honest knife assessment.
Thanks for this. I've had my Sabatier for 34 years and they need replaced.
Looking forward to the video about the steels/rods. Didn't knew there was a difference.
Thanks for taking the time & effort to put this video together.
Cheers.. 🍻
Excellent video, James. Saludos desde Monterrey, México!
Gracias!
I find myself reaching for my medium santoku more often than for one of the larger chef's knives. This may be due to my age (old) and arthritic fingers, but I really have learned to appreciate the weight and shape of the santoku.
Love this video! My biggest issue was always my small hands. I actually used the pairing knife for more stuff then recommended🙈🤭 I remember my teacher walking by me in the restaurant and asking why I use it so much😅🙈
All your advice is good in this video. If I’m cooking in out of the home I’m using the Victoria Knox knifes. At home I’m using a variety of Shun, Myabi etc. I just gave my 45 year old Wustof knives to my son because they are still great knives even if the bolsters are getting worn down now. I learned with really old knives. Just have never could justify the expense of the $$$$ hand made Japanese aogami and shirogami knives.
This video is cut to the chase and right on point! 👍
Nice video. One thing to bear in mind with if you're thinking of buying a Sabatier knife is the term Sabatier on it's own isn't actually protected so there are many companies of different qualities who use it. Might need to do some extra checking on a potential purchase to ensure quality.
This is an infinitely sensible presentation. Although I am in my seventies and have collected many knives, I still often use my Victorinox knives. I get miserable if a bit of rust develops on my Japanese knives, and I find the Victorinox handles and ability to go in the dishwasher persuasive. I enjoy looking at Japanese knives, but if I have much to do, I often pick a Victorinox knife or a Zwilling knife, as both are real workhorses and have handles that last any abuse. My wife is a devoted Wusthof supporter and refuses to touch a Japanese knife. I have reduced my frequent use of knives to the same three and rarely use a carving knife, preferring to use a heavy chef's knife. However, there are times when specialty knives are invaluable. You emphasize choosing the most useful essential knives, and America's Test Kitchen would agree with you. They confirm that Victorinox knives do the job, and they also use them extensively. I agree with one of the comments about how important it is to sharpen your knives. I might sharpen my chisels with a stone, but I use a Chef's Choice electric sharpener for my knives. It makes sharpening a pleasure. I sharpen lots of knives and don't have the patience to spend the time using a stone.
Thanks so much for your video's, your detailed and calm instructions have made the best cooking teacher I've had so far.
You are so welcome!
My uncle is head of the culinary department at his church, now I know what kinds of knives to get him for Christmas;thank you chef 😊. I hope your recovery is going smoothly.
Most of my chef knives are 9.5 to 10 inches, but I tend to use my 8 inch knives more. I have a few 6 to 6.5 inch chef knives that I really enjoy using as well. They have the tall heel like a chef knife, but are as short as a petty. Really fun to use for smaller ingredients or confined spaces.
Very informative video Chef James! Keep up the Good work and Get Well soon! Wish you a speedy recovery! I will stop asking about Afghani Chicken till you get better now...
Thank you kindly! hahaha thats okay
I have Shun, some old school Chicago Cutlery, and a victorionox. The shin an Chicago handles are the eeason i bought them. They fit the angle of my hand and are very ergonomically efficient. So many knifes are flat/straight handled and your hand and wrist have to accommodate them. I'm glad i found these.
I bought a Henckels 8" chef's knife in 1987 and it is still one of the two most freqently used knives in the drawer, along with a pretty Japanese 7" santoku with a carbon steel (blue 2) core. The second knife was an extravagance and it does nothing that the Henkels can't do. It's not even sharper, because I maintain my knives properly. Either knife can do almost anything -- but I don't even think about babying the Henkels when cutting through bone, frozen product, etc. 37 years and it's never let me down.
3:07 think wide serrations are nice and better at cutting than some smaller serrations which may require more of a sawing motion
not having a big bolster can be convenient if you are gonna sharpen it, think thinner knives feel better with some vegetables
After a few years of experiments with knives, I discovered that buying a proper sharpener is a much better investment than an expensive knife. Now, my set is almost completely of Victorinox, which I sharpen with the Chef's choice every month. Literally, my sharpener is more expensive than all my knives. And I'm happy with it.
I started buying Dexter knives from a restaurant supply store. Got a chinese style chef's knife for about 40bucks and i've had it for years, been a great knife.
Great basic rundown on knives. Accurate and concise, very nice.
Glad you liked it!
In Chinese cuisine, one great Chinese chef knife, the cleaver-looking one, covers pretty much everything in a kitchen. Some paring knives may be added for very delicate jobs.
Amazing video, thanks James. You come across as very knowledgeable and humble. Have a lovely Christmas.
Thanks, you too!
I own a rather expensive imported Japanese knife that I really enjoy using, but even the importer who sold me it recommended what you are recommending here and it’s great advice.
My other knife’s are a victorinox chef knife that i use for cutting stuff that will blunt it or damage it easily, and a couple of paring knives of the same brands. Also a Kuhn Rikon bread knife which looks silly but I really think is excellent, and a Sabatier carving knife. Don’t need any others but might add another Japanese crafted one just for fun, they are a pleasure to use.
Love the casual look
Many, many years ago I was able to buy a WÜSTHOF block set. Since then I've added a WÜSTHOF Classic Peeling Knife and the same brand 2-stage Pull-Through Knife Sharpener. For me these knives are all I need.
Love this video. Some years ago I found the Victorinox 26cm breadknife for under 30 € and ordered 3 because you can't sharpen them yourself and a professional knife sharper takes 15-30 € for this kind of knifes here in germany. I love this knife because you can cut a cake and use it as a spatula. btw, Victorinox is swiss not german.
Thanks for the video, just bought another Wüsthof Chef knife. The reason I had to replace my previous Wüsthof (that I used and sharpened myself for many many years) is the bolster. I had a full-bolstered one and after sharpening it many times the blade would not touch the cutting board anymore near the bolster. This is because less steel would be taken away from the bolster during sharpening than the rest of the blade. So please mention this in one of your videos, the differences between full and half bolster when you are sharpening your knife and taking away a considerable amount of steel over the years.
Thanks again for your videos, you have my full support. Enjoy the holidays!
Happy Holidays!
I'm also a touch biased, I absolutely love Wusthof, another favorite of mine is Shun.
I don't think anyone needs these knives though. Unless you're working, or like me, a huge nerd.
Day to day I just use a Henkel I got for $35 at Canadian tire.
I don't think you should skimp too much, since I fully believe the sharper the safer.
Thanks for the video I recommend spending tiny bit extra on getting a offset serrated knife it allows you to get a better angle when slicing and it's a lot more comfortable then traditional serrated especially with bread.
Top 3 must haves imo chef knife, paring, and serrated
I have a ton of knives and never seem to use the bread knife. It's really amazing what a sharp chefs knife can do. Also Wustof classic probably has the most comfortable handle.
Thank you for the info, I hope you are feeling better now.
Yes, thank you. little by little every day!
I have a serrated knife I bought from a supermarket years ago. It's still razor sharp. Really sharp ! It's lasted all these years, works fine, and cost me about $7
I lol'd at the 14"
Kinda overkill, I use a 10 inch to cut big pieces of meat, otherwise the 8 inch is perfect for most uses
At what point do you invest in a machete?
FWIW, I typically use 2 knives when I cook. I have a Dexter Russell SaniSafe paring knife for the small stuff. I used to have one with a serrated blade but it was lost. I have large hands and the SaniSafe handles are the most comfortable.
For my big blade, I use a Mercer branded Nakiri knife. It's a great blade for $59.
chef knife and a good filet knife cover 90% of a my needs as a home cook/hack. (the filet knife can pass for paring and boning in a pinch)
that said, a cleaver is really handy in certain situations.
I have two honing steels and recently purchased a ceramic honing rod which I love. Never thought ceramic would do such a great job of keeping my rather inexpensive knives well honed. Hey, how about a video on sharpening? Home devices, stones, etc.
You talking about learning with your dad, reminded me of my own experiences, man. =)
That's awesome! :) I hope you are okay buddy!
@@ChefJamesMakinson Dude, I'm STILL fighting this friggin germ, and I STILL have car problems. Ugh.
very reasonable advice in my mind, well done. in addition to the knives you listed, i'd also recommend a cleaver, very useful for butchering meat and chopping large and dense vegetables like swedes and cabbages, much like the larger chef's knife you showed. another useful thing to have in a kitchen is cut resistant gloves, especially for beginners, drunk chefs or anyone using a mandolin.
and the end of the day, a good cook can do more with a single cheap knife than an idiot "with all the gear and no idea", so i'd say most people would benefit from spending less on their knives and spending more on a steel and some whetstones and actually learning how to use and maintain what they have.
A fantastic video, thank you!
you are wecome!
I have been sharpening my own knives, in fact, I did a bunch today, but I only have one REALLY good one. I wish I could use them better. This was a very insightful review, Thanks James.
Great video! I was gifted a set of Misen knives a couple years ago and I really like them. I know you mentioned you will make a video about honing, but could you also do one on sharpening?
Incredible content! Can't wait for the next one!
Thanks a ton!
Great advice👍😊
Nice job. My go to kitchen chef's knife is my Victorinox. Inexpensive, easy to work with and easy to sharpen. I have a few others that are gifts, but they are more for show on my magnetic rack
Good stuff, chef. I'm also a fan of utility knives. Good, all-round beaters that are like oversized paring knives. They're especially great for carving jackolanterns.
Love your content ❤❤❤❤
Thank you!!
i spent like $40 to buy what i thought was a "fancy" chef knife, its probably not to the level of one of these but it is way nicer than the cuisinart level of knives i'm used to and i use it all the time and glad i made the investment in a higher quality knife. anytime im cutting vegetables or a piece of meat i can feel the difference
Very nice vid!
Speedy recovery Chef ✌️😊
Thanks 👍
I splurged on a Zwilling Bob Kramer Meiji 8-inch knife a year ago. I chose it because it was a nice balance between a European style chef's knife and a Japanese Gyuto. It's become my most used knife in the kitchen. Aside from cutting/slicing performance, the difference in comfort between that and my more budget-oriented Zwilling Santoku is very noticeable. Sometimes I wish I had it earlier in life, but I feel like I wouldn't have had the same appreciation for it.
really?! be sure to keep that one they are not easy to find
@@ChefJamesMakinson The Zwilling licensed ones are pretty readily available and moderately affordable at around $300. I could never justify getting a hand forged Bob Kramer, as I don't have $22000 laying around to spend on a chef's knife. I could buy a couple more motorcycles for that much money. 😂
I think Victorinox are as a general the most multi usable, price worthy knives and they are easy to sharpen again! I’m particularly fond of their 20 cm long one with extra high blade to prevent my knuckles to hit the cutting board when I chop with my huge hand… 😊
Awesome video chef 👏👏👏🍻
Thank you!
Excellent video very well done. The necessities for sure. dalstrong knives can be a bit gimmicky but for the price the basic series is a good option also i believe.
You always make My day 😊😊
You are so kind
Great recommendations. In a restaurant setting, we provide Mercer to the cooks, they are quite inexpensive. Some cooks bring in their exotic knives. I feel like they are motivated when they spend top dollars on pricey Japanese knives. I own Wusthof at home.
Mercers are pretty good for the price
Love this
I find the 3 most used knives in my kitchen are the chef’s knife for 80% of the work, a cleaver (for bones, frozen stuff, and anything that I wouldn’t want to risk my delicate knives on), and a bread knife.
Also stones for sharpening is something I can’t imagine not having.
Thank you Chef super helpful, I dont have a set of my own but maybe one my knife skill's improved. German and Japanese knifes always get the best highlights,
I use 10 and 14 inch knives when I wedge potatoes, makes it more efficient to cut those big ones,
serrated knife is underrated, sometimes I use it for citrus or tomatoes, can be useful! but if theres one chef knife available thats my go to knife!
you use a 14 inch for cutting potato's? haha yes it is much easier with the bigger potato's if you use a heavier knife
Just bought my teenage nephew his first chef knife to help inspire him to cook. Got him a Zwilling Pro 7" with a white handle. Kinda jealous I have the black handle version. I may splurge on the white handle paring knife since I grow a huge amount of peppers that I make sauce with and like to remove the seeds.
When I was coming up, I couldn't afford anything fancy but I needed a long blade and I got a Victorinox 14", which was the best choice for someone who was tasked with turning 50-200lbs of winter cabbage into coleslaw. Its probably what saved me from getting tendonitis earlier than I did. The replacement for that one was the Brown & Co 8 inch veggie cleaver that intimidated everyone to stay away from it. Best $12 I ever spent. I still have them both 30 years later. The cleaver needs a sharpening more often, of course, as its a cheap knife, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
It probably is softer steel, but the cleaver blad probably is thicker and set at wider angle, so it rounds out quicker for that readon to. 10 Kilo of coleslaw that's at least a large manolin job but would say more of a mechanical slicer.
@perpetual4958 we used the shredding attachment for our floor standing Hobart mixer to shred the cabbage. But, I still had to quarter the heads and take out the cores. Some were nearly the size of a basketball
For home cooking I really like a small chef’s knife. Ingredient volumes are just way smaller compared to a kitchen and it’s much more handy during cleanup, in a drawer, etc...
Hi,
Great video, only a cook here not a chef, but I do have a Wiltshire Carving knife that was a wedding gift, 39 years ago {It's lasted longer than my marriage 😂😅} it also has it own sharpener inside every time you use it...
I would like your take on Chopping boards
Knowing Hygiene issues {I no longer work in any kitchens just my small home one} I do not like plastic chopping boards because esch time eventually the plastic comes away...I have Wooden one which I clean with Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar...
I have seen now some great metal ones, that do not blint knives when using and of course hold no bacteria...So great and my personal opinion is ALL KITCHENS could have these ..No more One color fir veggies, other for raw meat as it cannot hold any germs.
Plus being here on the Canary Islands, would love you and Vincenzo to come here and put right the wrongs in so many {So called Italian restaurant} ...
Enjoy some winter sunshine as well.
😂❤❤
Looking forward to your steel video!
I bbought a few of the Babish knives. I'm not a knife expert, but they seem nice to me and are *very* affordable. It's "German stainless steel". I'm sure it's whatever the major knife manufacturer in Germany is, rebranded. Will have to check your videos for knife maintenance/sharpening tips, I've been lazy and they've gotten dull.
Babish has his own knives? hmm.. 🤔
Nice video. I love my Global knives 🙂
My super good serrated knife is a lifesaver for all of the pineapples I cut up (and sourdough lol)
Got a Dahlstrong Santoku knife last year and like it. Little heavier and great steel
Few months back I got a JP knife that ended up being CN... and redistributed from JP satellite warehouse or something. 8" Gyuto and it still is awesome though. Nicked myself a few times due to not being around a razor edge for a while
One of my favorite knives I own is Victorinox breaking knife. I use it more often than any other and it was less than $50.
I watched a video about knife sharpening and the sushi chef said along the lines of "If you take care of the knife, it should last a lifetime." His chef's knife went from being a standard chef's knife to being a parry knife, so it lasted him years and just changed it's purpose. Albeit, he is a chef that uses his knives more than the average person so it weathered down fast. Every knife in theory should be good enough and last long enough if you sharpen it regularly.
Speaking of sharpening knives, you should do a video on that. I want to get more into whetstones (I have some) but I don't know if I'm doing it right.
honestly for non-pro cooks, getting a whetstone is prolly the more usefull and costeffective acquisition over any particular make and model of knives.
personally for a chef knife, i like it when the bit that also functions as anti-slip-on-blade guard is as flat as the rest of the edge,
as the thicker bolster bit tends to get in the way while resharpening.
thick or thin works equally in stopping me from slipping onto the blade.
A cheap but sharp knife is all you really need! Everything beyond that is splurging on luxury, which is fine too, I spend a lot of time cutting
I was waiting for you to mention Zwilling knives. I've had a knife set of them for years (about 160 EUR) and I'm very happy with it.
I tried to look in to santoku knives (because my chef knife has a bolster, some small issues with it) and wow, that's a rabbit hole. "don't hone with this rod" and "don't use plastic boards or wooden boards of a specific type with it" .-.
edit: I might add, for deboning knives etc., there is F. Dick (really!) which is professionally used all throughout Germany at butcher shops etc. -- quite good value for the price if you go for the no-fuss versions.
They are the same as Wusthof, very good knives, but I did show Miyabi wich is owned by Zwilling
@@ChefJamesMakinson fair enough, thank you! :) keep it up!
In my opinion 8 inch chefs knife, bread knife, meat slicer, bread knife, boning knife, paring knife & bird beak knife, and a small steak knife. That’s all I ever needed oh also the Chinese clever is my favorite due to being super versatile
Have you a video or could you do one on sharpening knives and the various methods? You mentioned serrated knives being especially difficult to sharpen and i wondered how you would go about sharpening one.
I have one but I will make more
I’ve been cooking professionally for 30+ years. I have many knives, too many knives. 😂
My go to knives I bought in the 90’s they were a set of Henkels. 8” chef, 6” utility and a pairing that I lost almost immediately. A set is a great deal especially around the holidays. My most used is a Victorianox 10” that I bought for $25 in 2004. It’s a champ. My Japanese knives are for special occasions like cooking demonstrations. I 100% agree that the cheap pairing knives are the best value because they’re about $10 and I buy a new one or two anytime I’m in a cooking store. I have enough that I will give them away to a cook that needs one.
🤣🤣 it is easy to collect them
Don’t know why but I never find myself using serrated knife, although this is something that is always available in my kitchen. Filet knife on the other hand is a must have.
Though I'm in Canada, my good knife kit is all Henkel 4 star because my dad was born in the area they're made and every time I go there I make a it a point to go at the factory shop and buy some kit. The steak knives I got there are actually B stock sold at a discount and a couple years later I noticed it was because the grind on the spine of the blade had a blemish but otherwise, those knives are perfect!! Like I said in your other video, learn how to sharpen your knives, get some good knives and you'll see how that mileage you get out of them goes a long way!!🎉
Tojiro Fujitora knives ordered from Amazon Japan (free international shipping to USA) are the best bang for the buck. $35-$50 a knife and hold an edge much better than any other knife for the price.
If you get the Dexter Russel, get the Sani Safe or the Vi-lo line, they are USA made, very sharp, and not too difficult to keep sharp. The Dexter Basics are hard to keep sharp, the steel is not the same. Mundial out of Brazil also makes a great affordable knife, Victorinox is great, Mercer is great. These are the minimum grade knives you want if you are stepping up your kitchen skills. And get a knife hone and use it.
You talk quite frequently about your father, I sincerely hope we can see him in your videos some time ☺️
He passed away 3 years ago now 😔
@@ChefJamesMakinson I'm so sorry to hear that... May he rest in peace
@@ChefJamesMakinson so sorry! COndolences.
Pretty sure he was proud of you
We're so sorry to hear that, James 😕❤️
I love a good heavy chef knife - better control when slicing etc. I've seem more injuries due to people using light weight knifes which are difficult to control as they have zero weight. That's my preference lol
Me too!
@@ChefJamesMakinson I have quite a collection of knifes lol. But strangely a friend of mine bought me a cheap knife from a supermarket here in the UK and it had weight and was a damn good chef knife and never seen to blunt badly and sharpened like a dream sadly after 6 years of constant use it died on me - never replaced it as they discontinued that range (it was not bargain bin range a bit more pricer than that lol)
I agree wholeheartedly except I have come to rely on a cleaver to a large extent. It cuts, it scoops, and it is wide enough that you can smash garlic with it. I use it as much as my chef's knife
I think I am going to obtain a “Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor”electric knife sharpener. I tried a knife with a 15 degree edge and really liked it. I decided I am going to get the sharpener and convert half of my blades to 15 from 20degree edges- just a thought. I did some research and that sharpener looks like a good blend of quality and cost
I happen to have a (quite old) set of Ikea knifes, chef, utility, carving, etc. - horrible steel, very soft and does not hold its sharpness for a long time, but on the other hand very easy to re-sharpen. Brilliant way of learning how to re-sharpen knives. 🤣 I bought this when I moved into my first own appartment, about 40 years ago. I still use it today as it is easy to re-sharpen. I also have a couple of Japanese knives - chef, santoku, pairing, deboning, etc. The problem with those knives is, that they are hardened to the very extreme. They are incredibly sharp, but they can chip very easily and you can really spend a lot of time at your honing stone to get those knives back to factory sharpness - so never ever use those on a glass cutting board (worst!) and also some plastic cutting boards are not as nice to them as well. The German brands like Wüsthof are a bit softer.
When it comes to filleting, I just love my old grand uncle's and my grand dad's knives - just carbon steel (I would guess a C45), so they will catch rust if not treated correctly, holding their sharpness over a long time, still easy to re-sharpen. One is about 60 years old now, the other over 80. My grand uncle used to be a fisherman himself, my grand dad worked as a cook on a trawler - they sure had the right knives for the job, and those knives will still do after all those years. I also have a serrated knife that is over 60 years old and beats any newer blade whithout having been re-sharpened for a very long time (if at all).
Then I also have a hand-forged damascened knife from a German (Bavarian) blacksmith where I myself put a handle on (I just got the blade - the handle is European black elder with bronze plates in front and back) which I havened had to re-hone for about 6 years. That one I use almost exclusively in the outdoor kitchen.
While I got some knives passed on to me from my family, I think it is very much worth while looking at flea markets. You might have to add in some muscle grease and a good honing device, but if you can get one of those brilliant knives there and restore it to its old glory, I am quite sure that it will still serve your grandchildren.
Of course, you cannot put any of the really good knives in your dish washer. If they're carbon steel, they'll develop rust rather quickly, Japanese blades might be damaged, and besides most of them have wooden handles which will not like that kind of treatment anyway
I have some version of all of these except the 14" knife.
I was actually thinking of getting something longer becauses the standard size feels a little short for some things.
I only have one nice Japanese knife and I love the handle so I feel justified on the price but only because it was 50% off.
a quick hack probably most ppl know but.. to clean or sharpen your knife you can use back of a porcelain or ceramic plate like a steel rod. and always clean your knives with more care or even sharpen after you work with something acidic like tomatoes or lemon etc...
I have a Shun pairing knife and nakiri, I've never had the need for a serrated knife yet.
I use a short snub nose a bread knife and a long sharp thin meat knife
Great video, as per usual! I do have a question: What's with the 4-5" putty knife? Of what use is that? A bench scraper, I get, but this putty knife looking thing???
At 6:28, second tool from the left, I honestly don't know what I would do with that other than repair holes in the wall where I'd thrown something at someone for taking a plate that wasn't theirs. I actually saw a waiter run into the kitchen, ask for a side (or something) run out again, come beck in 20-30 seconds and see the very dish they had asked for (obviously for another customer) grab it, yell "thanks" as they ran out of the kitchen, this time with the chef chasing them with his knife in hand!! But, a putty knife?
A petty knife? you have use it for smaller things like shallots but in the end a lot of knives overlap with what they are meant for
@@ChefJamesMakinson Sorry, no. Now I'm finding it at 6:59. The Arcos set in the roll, 2nd from the left, looks like a spackle knife for drywall...
i'm using some plastic putty knives to scrape pots, pans and benches with, it's convenient and i hope it wouldn't hurt them much.
but it looks a little like a dough scraper or spatula, i don't know what that one is used for.
i'd mention that 8" Wusthof Classic with the integrated bolster is a terrible choice if you like to sharpen your own knives on stones. The bolster typically causes a recurve on the wusthof classic, however the Ikon series does not suffer from this flaw as there is no integrated bolster.
Thank u for this vid! I just ordered German made knives. Are they just as good as Japanese? I do own a santoku knife and I absolutely love it!!
Wüsthof has very good quality but it is not same as artisan knives