😂 wow, I made that knife so long ago skills have come a long way since lol might have to make you a newer version. Yep, Lenny is still my brother inlaw 😂
I obviously don’t personally know you two but I’ve never once thought you were lying about anything - I think that’s why I appreciate your channels so much, because the authenticity is evident. Thank you for this very informative video!
Dear Andy, it’s impossible to please everyone and it’s easy to piss everyone off. Don’t let hater bring you down. Evil cannot create, only corrupt. Love the vids and you’re awesome. Keep helping us learn new thing. You rock! Groetjes uit Nederland (all the best from The Netherlands)!
Love the collection vid!! Just to clarify for you, that Miyabi knife is not a wusthof. Miyabi is owned by Zwilling. It is their Japanese line of chef knives! Great knives and great quality.
I like tell friends to get Victorinox knives too. Best bang for the buck and people are not afraid to us them. 10:51 Nakiri - Japanese vegetable knife 12:12 Santoku profile - The profile looks to be designed along a Japanese Santoku, but crossed with a Western style bolster design 12:50 Santoku - Japanese Multi-purpose knife 16:19 Yanagiba - Japanese sashimi knife 18:32 Miyabi is actually made by Zwilling. This one is another Santoku. 22:17 Petty - Japanese utility knife Seems you didn't like any of the Santoku profiles knives...which is understandable. Different cutting style from the chef knives with more pronounced bellies.😂 I also have a wine key in my car at all times too! Not a chef...but have way more knives and whetstones than I really should have...😆
I love my Japanese knives, was not even considering being a knife geek. 8 different Japanese style knives later, Oh my. But after slicing through food ( a tomato being the benchmark) and the smile it brought to my face, learning to be a home cook, and they being SO sharp. I had the german knives before and to be honest, they didn't keep an edge long enough. Carbon steel vs Stainless or V-10. Carbon hands down winner. Sure a bit more to maintain for sure, add the ceramic honing rod to keep the edge longer, it is still worth the investment. and that makes one more aspect of cooking enjoyable.
Really love your videos and your genuine approach. I'm an ozzie who really appreciates your recipes ... and also Marion's, you are from the same mold. Keep up the good work!
I've got the same sharpener, it's worth every cent. I bought some nice Vitrioniox knives but got too worried about messing them up with the stones. The chef's choice 15/20 and a good steel makes it so easy. I got the Chef's choice 15/20 for about $250 on ebay. I started with buying Kiwi knives to learn what shaped knives I liked. Now my kit is all Vitrioniox plastic handled knives, they are great for the home.
The boning knife, paring knife and fillet knife look like the ones I first got nearly 25 years ago for tech, doing London City Guilds. I used to see the victorinox knives i Bed Bath and Beyond in the states everywhere, but they tended to be more expensive than they should be. In America you can find good quality knives in most supply stores for kitchen and restaurant supplies.
As a knife geek, knowing what damascus steel is, the specifics of steel types, blade shape names, and anatomy is essential lol. He knows it, that's why he makes a disclamer that he is not a knife geek. He just has more knifes than most people due to his career. Andy definitely knows more about coffee than knifes IMO lol
I am knife geek. I got into knifes as my grandpa was blacksmith. Was into them before I got into cooking (I am home cook not professional BTW). 30 knives for all these years is nothing. Before I was 18 I already got like 300 knives and more than half done by myself 😅😅😅
@29:00 knives in the dishwasher. I'd really like more info on this, I was told the same after having our kitchen knives sharpened (refering to the edge). Our knives are stainless steel (Global if that makes a difference regarding the type of steel), I'd imagine the dish washer only gets to 100degrees Celcius; under what would akneel the steel? I used to place them 'edge up' and make sure they didn't bang into anything
Nakiri is the name of your Japanese knife mainly used for vegetables with that rectangle shape. The knife which is just larger then your paring is called a Petty.
I use a 25cm (10 inch) victorinox chefs knife with the "fibrox" plastic handle to dice 60lbs of boneless chicken thighs a day for tacos (plus various veg from cactus to tomatoes ). I started the job with my Wusthof classic 8" and soon found i was getting blisters and callouses. The fibrox handles are way more comfortable and the light weight of the knife makes it more useable for removing the tiny pieces of leftover bone. I keep it sharp with a pocket sized Worksharp ceramic rod that has a visual angle guide to maintain a consistent edge.
Zwilling J.A Henckels owns Miyabi, I think they bought a knife maker or some kind of factory in Seki Japan so they can combine their expertise and the Japanese one's to create a Japanese style knife line. They have expensive knives to very expensive ones. Tried a few and some lack balance in my taste but they're pretty ergonomic and pretty.
Happy to see you recommend victorinox. Another good value brand is Mercer. In the US Mercer is the stereotypical culinary student knife brand. Also, that new victorinox is not 30cm, it's probably 21, maybe 24. Unless you include handle length in Australia. one recommendation i have for a serrated knife is to get a curved or offset one so that you have knuckle clearance. those wine knives also go by "wine key" i used to use a electric sharpener similar to yours and a coworker used it, dropped it, and broke it. So I replaced it with a big tormek which is so intimidating I don't have to worry about other people using it. Also I'm relieved to hear you don't use your electric on your really nice knives.
Love this video, great to see some genuine thoughts on all of these beautiful knives. I'd love to see you do a similar video with all your cook books! What books do you have, why do you have them, what is your favourite recipe or thing you learned from each book? i bet you have piles of them!
You're even being honest about being honest "I try to be as honest... as I can" which is more honest than saying "I'm 100% honest all the time". Props Chef.
Hey Andy, I'm newer to your videos but this one was really cool! I love studying cooking history and cooking techniques so a knife breakdown was sick, even though I'm super late to the party! Since you've got a lot of knife knowledge I've been wondering if you'd have an answer to something I've thought about for a while; you mentioned that a blade curved all or most all along its edge tends to be called a "german" style knife, whereas knives with a flatter slope more suited for chopping or slicing rather than rocking are referred to as a "French" style blade - generally in cooking it seems that nowadays the "German" style is the popular choice for most all Western cuisine while the "French" style is for most all Eastern cuisine, is there a reason, historically, as to why we tend to see more of the traditional, curved "Chef's Knife" pattern knives in the Americas and Western Europe as opposed to cleaver and nakiri type knives being more promiment in the East?
That was great! I am happy to announce that I have, after 42 years of marriage and enjoying the art of cooking, all the essentials and most of the extras. Some are better than others. I am in the states and I purchased most of my knives, pretty early in our marriage, at... Garage/estate sales. They were used but most of them were virtually new without nicks or problems. If you are on a budget, get used ones! These have lasted me all these years, they are great! Happy cooking!
Iv had kiwi knives for years in fact I still have the first one I ever bought. It's a mid size Nakiri. Love it till the end. Don't worry I have some more traditional Japanese made knives that are amazing. But I'm not a chef either. Great work as always thank you both.
I was a professional chef and picked up a couple Kiwi knives. They are fantastic veggie choppers. My wife really likes them for the smaller handle and lighter weight than my Wusthoffs.
Brilliant video, I really like the last daily driver and Sunday drive comment. There are the very nice knifes that are a joy to use but they need to be treated carefully then there are the beaters that you don't need to care for as much. From your 4 knife kit I generally agree with exception to the boning/filleting knife I would sub in a cleaver then for the small knife there is a version that is slightly larger but essentially the same. For the cleaver, i picked up a cheap one of ebay and its amazing, thick steel that is easy to sharpen but I don't care when people use it or I hit a bone hard or something like that.
I got my cook book on Wednesday. I was so excited. Thank you for not being all “cheffy “ on us all. I’m so happy with the book. Thanks Andy, you’ve done an awesome job
Nice to see a chef who’s not a knife geek for a change. I personally use MAC Pro knives but, believe it or not, IKEA used to have a set called SLITBAR (translates to ”durable” btw) that were surprisingly good. I’ve still got 2 chef’s knifes of different sizes, a bread knife, a filet knife and a cleaver from that series. They’re 12 years old and still excellent.
Americas Test Kitchen reviewers say the Victorinox chef's knife is best value for money too! And it was my first chef's knife too! I have small hands so I really needed a slightly shorter blade for comfort and easy use.
I loved the walk through 🎉 I keep about six knives; 1. Serrated bread knife - Amazon 2. Fiskars serrated pairing knife 3. Regular pairing knife - Amazon 4. Handmade straight edge carbon steel chef’s knife 5. Handmade bowed edge carbon steel chef’s knife (Those two are about 650 USD 😬) 6. Big ass cleaver from IKEA Wish I could show pictures 😅
Love this episode! I think Rosewood was my first knife around 14 yo, brought myself a set of Global as university graduation … and played bagpipes with Hayden when I was young … small world!
@Andy the Diamond Honing Rod has just that, it has Diamond powder honing abrasives baked straight into the rod while it was being heat treated and molded so that every time a blade goes across its surface it scrapes the burrs off the edge to a fine minimum. And I agree, never hold over food, stove, counter when honing. I always hold over trash bin or sink with running water when im honing my blades with that tool. No more than 3 to 4 passes either side is all that takes to take off the burrs. If you find that your Knife isn't holding a cutting edge for a long period of time and you are having to go back to the honing rod after every few couple of meat, vegetable, or fruit selections; then its time for you to properly sharpen your knives. The Honing rod is only for de-burring the blade, not sharpening it. This helps it to travel through what its cutting with ease instead of getting stuck and "tearing" through material. Common misconception amongst blade owners and cooks alike.
Wusthof calls that one a sharpening steel, and I can tell on the TV it's not fine enough to hone. It's going to sharpen and create a small burr and is really only good for a quick touch-up if a regular steel isn't making the knife feel sharper. To hone a burr off completely you need a strop and some good, fine-grained honing compound. That Chef's Choice machine is going to work well for all but the most OCD of cooks, but the honing wheel can get filled with old metal bits from deburring, so it's not maintenance free.
My workhorse is the Sabatier version of your Victorinox. I bought it at a kitchen reject shop for £20 (it has some minor cosmetic issue on the handle meaning it couldn't be sold at full price of £65+). It's lasted 26 years so far and it's going to last until I'm too old/infirm to use it safely so hopefully another 25 years. I also have a fish knife, a boning knife, a large deba and a thinner chef's knife (great for slicing onions and other veg really finely) from IO Shen (UK brand of Japanese style blades with Western style chunky handles) but it's the Sabatier I used most often.
As a knifemaker in New Zealand i found this a great discussion about the use of knives in particular your thoughts on the difference between german and french shaped chef knives. I've always liked a bit of a hybrid shape with a bit more width towards the tip of the knife. After reviewing the collection I feel like I might need to make and send you a decent cleaver though... hoping to pick up some rosewood handle material next month...
Great video man, always love seeing something interesting. You can sharpen a bread knife, you'll need a fine round file like a chainsaw file or a round diamond file with a fairly small diameter. you could also use an oval diamond or ceramic "knife steel'' or hone and file or hone each serration. The opposite bevel or face is sharpened flat on a stone like a single bevel knife.
I know "value" knives are super dependent on where you live, and the stores near you, but the IKEA Vorda is a 20cm chef knife for $20 AUD, and it has been my favourite cheap knife by far. The rubber grip is comfortable and safe, and the blade profile is super useful for almost anything.
Also, having worked i the meat trade for many years, the health and safety inspectors like us to use the plastic handle knifes, for a hygiene point of view.. thanks again.
22 ish year ago i got a cheaper Sabatier set. my 8 inch chopper is now under 6.5, love how thin it is and how well it chops when sharp, but does it lose its edge in a hurry
The fake-Global-style (one-piece look) IKEA knives are absolutely great beater knives. The factory edge is aweful, but they're easy to get razor-sharp with a little TCL. Great for BBQs with lesser-skilled knife users around as they are almost indestructible, and you can touch them up on the bottom of a coffee mug.
Great video! @37:51 (and @19:00) That looks like a Santoku shape blade, though minus the anti-drag scalloping. I have a Wüsthof knife in that shape, it's my default kitchen knife. It stays sharp and I find the balance to be perfect. The Santoku is an interesting concept. The word means "Three virtues"; the three virtues of Santoku are "chopping, slicing and dicing" The TL;DR: is that the Santoku is the Japanese answer to the European all purpose chef's knife. Historically, Japanese kitchen knives each had their distinct role - Yanagiba [for Sashimi] , Deba [for processing whole fish], Usuba [for Vegetables], etc. The Santoku was created as an all-rounder. So, you could say that my German Wüsthof knife is a Western version of the Japanese version of a Western chef's knife. The irony.
Great vid, my favourite knife is my Yoshikane SKD Nashiji (but it isn't my workhorse). I love Japanese style handles for everything except cutting cheese and hard things, like pumpkin etc. I find it helps me grip the blade better instead of just holding the handle. If that makes sense. This is in the opinion of a hopeless armature. Side note, what was the pepper grinder you use? You mentioned it a month or so back and I can't find it now.
I did drop my Victorinox Santoku knive on the kitchen tiles, and it did bend. In the end I used a wetstone and had to grind of the bent tip of the blade, but continue using it.
That weird wobbly switch on the back of the Chef's Choice sharpening machine is for "dressing" the honing wheel. Use it lightly and only every several knives. It clears out some of the old bits of burr that it's pulled off the edges. But only some. The wheels eventually clog and stop helping. Also if you look under the machine there's a rectangular piece that you can pull out that has a magnet on it to catch the metal dust from the sharpening wheel. If you've never done that it probably looks like a caterpillar by now.
- Abattoir workers tend to machine sharpen their knives - with the hollow grind as an extra - regularly, they don't last forever - work hard die early, a production knife... Note, single bevel knives are handed - the flat goes against the stock (yep Andy said it 17:29... .... "Get mad" - any knife left with tomato juice on it - wash the acids off, even stainless knives get rust spots from tomato juice (etc..) (I do leave stainless knives to "drip dry" - it probably isn't great for the edges - ho humm, I can touch it up again... ) I like a Santoku blade - a little rocker for "rocking", enough belly to clear the knuckles (my knuckles don't get mashed into the bench "chopping") the "drop point" - enough of a point to score skins etc - not too much.. (straight hand position when on the board) great general purpose knife.. Nakiri - more of a Japanese cleaver with a straight edge (bluff nose) - great for julienning things a definite chopper - not a mincer.. A waiters mate - wine "knife" - very useful, I have one I bought touring europe 20 years ago, will always be in my kit.. lol (the odd free one lives in the top drawer...)
"Abattoir workers tend to machine sharpen their knives - with the hollow grind as an extra - regularly, they don't last forever - work hard die early, a production knife..." King Dick Usually sharpened on a large diameter, slow rpm WET STONE.
The Japanese knife @12:50 is a cheap brand called Tensyu. You can buy them at like TK Max etc for $13. Great all round knives for bashing about in the kitchen and practising sharpening!
I got that Victorinox knife at 7:19 as my first knife and I really love it! It has a nice weight and feel to it and serves me perfectly in everyday cooking. Btw: This knife is from Victorinox' Forged-Series, so it's not a newer version than the other victorinox in the Video.
I love seeing you two every week, sometimes it feels like i'm next to you in the kitchen. 😂 Also i wanted to mention, you both look amazing. Greetings from Germany. Love your book. 😍🤩
Hey so after 40+ years in the butcher trade I always had ‘go to’ knives like Dexter Russell & Swibo knives. But my first steak knife was a Victorinox 12” curved with wooden handle in 1980. I still have this knife but it’s about 3 inches shorter due to constant sharpening
Very informative Ty Andy. 👍 I also would be interested in the frypan, saucepan, explanations, eg, stoneware, against cast iron, stainless steel. My own preference is stainless steel. Cheers guys love your vlogs, both.
Advice for beginners: get a large chef’s knife - don’t be afraid of the big blade, big blades are useful, they’re for everyone, not just pros. Also get a small paring knife (regular small kitchen knife), and a bread knife (sort of medium size teeth, not to small, not too big). That’s it, you can pretty much get along with those for the rest of your life. At some point you might develop a taste for other blade shapes, you might have a need for certain special purpose knives and so on, but those three are the basics. Knife sets never contain those three knives, they usually contain a chef’s knife, a small knife and something you don’t need. Only buy a set if it’s cheaper than the two knives mentioned above combined. I use Wüsthof Classic knives - excellent value for money. I’m sure many others are good too, you should get what you pay for in that price range.
I use a chefs knife I bought at the local lidl for 3.50 quid in 2016. I keep it sharp AF and it's still chopping onions like a MF🤣 paring knife? 2.50 at the local sainsbury's, still cuts like a bish, I think I sharpend it twice in like 6 years. don't underestimate supermaket deals, you might find love there!
Even as a home cook, I can say these knives are bloody awesome. Knives like these makes me to cook better, experiment with different techniques, produce, proteins, you name it. I just love the way chef does chiffonade of herbs
We use a brand called Mercer Culinary which i feel is similar to Victorinox (decent steel and affordable). Would love to hear a professionals thoughts on these knives. Keep up the good work Andy (and Katelyn!)
I think, when buying your first Chef's knife, it is a great idea to go to a kitchen store and try several handle styles, blade lengths and weights, especially if you have small hands. When you find something you like, go online and find a sale. Thanks for such a fun video, Chef!
At 18:30 I think it's a collaboration between Miyabi and Zwilling, they still make really beautiful looking knives although I have no clue how good they are
Andy just got some new knives with olive wood handles. Handles ok to wash in soapy water in sink? Obviously not dishwasher safe as it said on label. I was going to buy food grade oil also for the wood.
I agree with everything you said and I'm just home Cook. Funny how your 5 top knives were the same as mine. Also, I have gotten over the years really nice carbon steel knives and cleavers at garage sales. Cheers
I think many people get it back to front, they pay too much for knives and not enough for the sharpening tool. Start with a good diamond steel, I also have the Wusthof shown. On knives I was surprised by the quality of some Ikea knives, softer but that does make them easier to keep sharpen at home, they have two ranges with timber handles at different price points, great for setting up your home kitchen. I have some Wusthof as well, terrific long lasting edges but they need a lot of work to sharpen if they get blunt or damaged. I also have some old Global and these are also easy to sharpen which makes them ideal for home, but the metal handles aren't the most comfortable and do get slippery doing some stuff.
I use the Chef's Choice on my Wusthofs and it's a breeze. Rarely need the first wheel and only 2 passes in the second gets me a fresh apex then the third hones off the burr. Takes longer to get it out than to use it. US$120 25 years ago and it's one of my favorite things.
Great video Andy and Caitlen Don't laugh, but the knife I currently use is a chef's knife purchased at Kmart. It's a 20cm Triple Rivet Chef's Knife $8.00. I come from the Hospitality sector. Our company sold the full range of professional knives, Oppenheimer, Global, Furi ,Ivo etc. Great knives, but at about $100 too much for home use. Save your money. I guess the guys I used to work for would scoff at this statement. Too bad, so sad. BTW, the videos are brilliant. Thanks for shaaring
I love my globals, but the steel is so hard i struggle to sharpen them myself. Do you recommend using the dudes with a sharpening wheel on the back of a motorbike?
I was so tempted to buy a beautiful knife set this past fall at our Toronto home show. I just couldn't justify the cost at that time. I may get them at a later date though
Hi Andy, I think the champion knife from New Zealand is a Nakiri used mainly for vegetables, this style is my wife's go to knife, she loves the shape, kia ora from Aotearoa
Those electronic diamond machines got much cheaper. I have a contact for a reasonably priced service and the premium brand sharpener was around 25-30 knives sharpened. So if you are buying those plastic handle knives you might as well save a bit by sharpening yourself. Otherwise services are often found at reasonable prices locally.
Love the back of house , just got the white Shiraz from the other post , do you drink chilled ? Out of the fridge ? Or room temp ? Keen to give it a go
As a european who uses the same chinese style cleaver (Tao) with the hardest steel you can find for literally everything and never bothered to learn about any other knives, this was pretty informative... especially learning the difference between french and german curves. That expensive sharpener also might be something I look into as I absolutely hate using my whetstones.
The knife Hayden made for you which you describe as a 'vegetable chopper' (which is correct) is a Nakiri pattern. Probably THE most common knife style in Japan among home cooks for general vegetable preparation. It has that tall sides but not so tall as the Chocha bucha (Japanese made Chinese style THIN vegetable clever). The flat edge and roughly 2" sides allow you to safely raise the knife higher to cut thick veg but it's great for any veg prep. Very versatile knife style from Japan 😊
I love the attitude and energy in this vid hahaha. Chef just wants pointy sharp object to make it through the day. After many years of trying to get onboard with Japanese knives everyday and having it fight me most of the time, I switched back recently to an old henkel and wusthof with the nice fat belly. I service the edge once in awhile on the back of my coffee mug because I don't want to soak sharpening stones anymore either. I could be less lazy, but I choose not to, it's working ok, and I'm happier for it haha. I mean, it's hard to tell if a mignonette has been crushed if the oyster is loaded with cocktail sauce, horseradish and mignonette 😂
You can buy splash-and-go stones that don't need soaking - Atoma diamond, Shapton Pro (kuromaku), Shapton Glass, Nanohone, what have you. You can buy thicker Japanese knives that don't chip so easily and are made heavier and with a bigger belly, they purposely made it that way for Westerners. This style is called a yo-deba (Western double bevelled butchery knife)... might or might not suit your needs. Don't blame me if your pocket suddenly feels emptier
I have Atomas, Shapton Glass & Pro, Choseras, and other stuff. It's all put away and the only decision I'm making right now is the back of a coffee mug, or the back of a serving bowl. I also have all kinds of Japanese knives in various thicknesses, got the lasers, got the fatboys, got em long and short and in different metals.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Well that set up perfectly for a sequel, can't wait for the Pots & Pans episode!
move over MCU
😂😂
Guess I'll have to do one now 😂
I'm waiting for the soy sauce episode 😅
Joking aside, it would be great to have a series of episodes on your various kitchen bits. pots/pans, utensils…even crockery!
😂 wow, I made that knife so long ago skills have come a long way since lol might have to make you a newer version.
Yep, Lenny is still my brother inlaw 😂
Hey mate, good to see you here!
Andy, don't pay any attention to the "naysayers". Your vids, info, demeanor and skills all speak for themselves. Keep it coming dude.
I didnt even know there were nay sayers. I can't imaging why.
@@potatopatch5202 watch the first 5 mins again.
Thanks bro
12:00, it's a Nakiri for anyone interested. My favourite blade shape.
Heavy Nakiri blades are so satisfying for veggie chopping
Thank you
Hmmm, think this will be my next knife, they look so good!
Mine too. That and a gyuto (chef knife) and you’re set.
Same. Never met a nakiri that i didnt love!!
I obviously don’t personally know you two but I’ve never once thought you were lying about anything - I think that’s why I appreciate your channels so much, because the authenticity is evident. Thank you for this very informative video!
Every time you said 'this is a knife...' I thought of Crocodile Dundee. 🤣😂 Made me smile and giggle lol. Great video and very informative. Cheers 🙂
😂
so true!😂
Could've titled the video 'that's not a knife, this is a knife...' :)
Dear Andy, it’s impossible to please everyone and it’s easy to piss everyone off. Don’t let hater bring you down. Evil cannot create, only corrupt. Love the vids and you’re awesome. Keep helping us learn new thing. You rock! Groetjes uit Nederland (all the best from The Netherlands)!
*Settles in to watch Andy talk about knives for 30+ mins*
Even I had no idea this is what my Sunday evening would consist of 😂
Andy should had the intro wearing a coat and then opens the sides exposing all those knives.
😆 glad you're here for it
Love the collection vid!! Just to clarify for you, that Miyabi knife is not a wusthof. Miyabi is owned by Zwilling. It is their Japanese line of chef knives! Great knives and great quality.
I like tell friends to get Victorinox knives too. Best bang for the buck and people are not afraid to us them.
10:51 Nakiri - Japanese vegetable knife
12:12 Santoku profile - The profile looks to be designed along a Japanese Santoku, but crossed with a Western style bolster design
12:50 Santoku - Japanese Multi-purpose knife
16:19 Yanagiba - Japanese sashimi knife
18:32 Miyabi is actually made by Zwilling. This one is another Santoku.
22:17 Petty - Japanese utility knife
Seems you didn't like any of the Santoku profiles knives...which is understandable. Different cutting style from the chef knives with more pronounced bellies.😂
I also have a wine key in my car at all times too!
Not a chef...but have way more knives and whetstones than I really should have...😆
Miyabi is a Japanese knife brand owned by Zwilling (Solingen, Germany). All Miyabi knives are manufactured in Japan.
12:11 santoku is my favourite by far, lovely shape and handle and so versatile.
I love my Japanese knives, was not even considering being a knife geek. 8 different Japanese style knives later, Oh my. But after slicing through food ( a tomato being the benchmark) and the smile it brought to my face, learning to be a home cook, and they being SO sharp. I had the german knives before and to be honest, they didn't keep an edge long enough. Carbon steel vs Stainless or V-10. Carbon hands down winner. Sure a bit more to maintain for sure, add the ceramic honing rod to keep the edge longer, it is still worth the investment. and that makes one more aspect of cooking enjoyable.
Really love your videos and your genuine approach. I'm an ozzie who really appreciates your recipes ... and also Marion's, you are from the same mold. Keep up the good work!
I've got the same sharpener, it's worth every cent. I bought some nice Vitrioniox knives but got too worried about messing them up with the stones. The chef's choice 15/20 and a good steel makes it so easy. I got the Chef's choice 15/20 for about $250 on ebay. I started with buying Kiwi knives to learn what shaped knives I liked. Now my kit is all Vitrioniox plastic handled knives, they are great for the home.
The japanese knife shape is called a Nikiri. It's often used for vegetables.
It's Nakiri
@@yhavin true, thanks for that
Nigiri = type of sushi, nakiri = type of knife, maybe you confused the two.
The boning knife, paring knife and fillet knife look like the ones I first got nearly 25 years ago for tech, doing London City Guilds. I used to see the victorinox knives i Bed Bath and Beyond in the states everywhere, but they tended to be more expensive than they should be. In America you can find good quality knives in most supply stores for kitchen and restaurant supplies.
Can you do a pan video? Maybe doing a white sauce and explaining the difference from each. Gas vs electric heat as well would be awesome
Thank you! Hope you cook some great things from the book
Thank you both for this. Was really interesting, informative and fun.
Glad it was helpful!
Andy: "I'm not a knife geek".
Proceeds to show 30+ knives and talking about all of them. 😎
As a knife geek, knowing what damascus steel is, the specifics of steel types, blade shape names, and anatomy is essential lol. He knows it, that's why he makes a disclamer that he is not a knife geek. He just has more knifes than most people due to his career. Andy definitely knows more about coffee than knifes IMO lol
25, the wine openers are Katelyn's.
😂 Just a collection that has grown after 20 years in professional kitchens
@@andycooksbackofhouse Never been a professional cook, I likely have a similar number and I am constantly giving them away.
I am knife geek. I got into knifes as my grandpa was blacksmith. Was into them before I got into cooking (I am home cook not professional BTW). 30 knives for all these years is nothing. Before I was 18 I already got like 300 knives and more than half done by myself 😅😅😅
@29:00 knives in the dishwasher. I'd really like more info on this, I was told the same after having our kitchen knives sharpened (refering to the edge). Our knives are stainless steel (Global if that makes a difference regarding the type of steel), I'd imagine the dish washer only gets to 100degrees Celcius; under what would akneel the steel?
I used to place them 'edge up' and make sure they didn't bang into anything
knives can chip in them dw, i never knew till i checked my knives and they were all damaged. and a damaged knife is super dangerous to use.
The heat in a dishwasher is not enough to anneal steel.
It could cause rust and damage the handles though.
Wooooo! Love your BOH vids Andy! I'm up late in the US, but that's the industry life
Love this episode as well as my Takedas that I was able to get my hands on. Cheers!
Nakiri is the name of your Japanese knife mainly used for vegetables with that rectangle shape. The knife which is just larger then your paring is called a Petty.
23:09 Laguiole (la-yol). They make beautiful knives, even if they're just meant for cutting an apple, and maybe some cheese.
Laguiole (say: "lahg-yol") is a type of knife, not a brand. And yes, they're more pocket than kitchen knives.
I use a 25cm (10 inch) victorinox chefs knife with the "fibrox" plastic handle to dice 60lbs of boneless chicken thighs a day for tacos (plus various veg from cactus to tomatoes ). I started the job with my Wusthof classic 8" and soon found i was getting blisters and callouses. The fibrox handles are way more comfortable and the light weight of the knife makes it more useable for removing the tiny pieces of leftover bone. I keep it sharp with a pocket sized Worksharp ceramic rod that has a visual angle guide to maintain a consistent edge.
Hey! Any chance you'd be able to let me know the model number for that Victorinox 25cm Chef's knife that you use? 😊
Zwilling J.A Henckels owns Miyabi, I think they bought a knife maker or some kind of factory in Seki Japan so they can combine their expertise and the Japanese one's to create a Japanese style knife line.
They have expensive knives to very expensive ones. Tried a few and some lack balance in my taste but they're pretty ergonomic and pretty.
Japanese ones* (plural, no apostrophe)
Would be awesome to see a video on different ways you can sharpen your knives. From using knife honers to wet stones and the pro's and con's of them.
... whetstones* (from "to whet" = to sharpen) / pros*, cons* (plural, no apostrophe)
I have 3 essential work horses, an 8” Chef’s knife, a boning knife, and a pairing knife. I rarely use anthing else. Top class video, Chef!
Happy to see you recommend victorinox. Another good value brand is Mercer. In the US Mercer is the stereotypical culinary student knife brand. Also, that new victorinox is not 30cm, it's probably 21, maybe 24. Unless you include handle length in Australia.
one recommendation i have for a serrated knife is to get a curved or offset one so that you have knuckle clearance.
those wine knives also go by "wine key"
i used to use a electric sharpener similar to yours and a coworker used it, dropped it, and broke it. So I replaced it with a big tormek which is so intimidating I don't have to worry about other people using it. Also I'm relieved to hear you don't use your electric on your really nice knives.
Love this video, great to see some genuine thoughts on all of these beautiful knives.
I'd love to see you do a similar video with all your cook books! What books do you have, why do you have them, what is your favourite recipe or thing you learned from each book? i bet you have piles of them!
You're even being honest about being honest "I try to be as honest... as I can" which is more honest than saying "I'm 100% honest all the time". Props Chef.
did he pay for the drink though?
Where do you stand on the pull-through knife sharpening gadgets? Do they damage your blade over time, thoughts?
I really don't recommend it. They chip the knife and make it last less time. I've seen a bunch of videos of it.
They are ok for cheap throw away knives.
I wouldn’t use one.
Miyabi is Zwilling and they have a factory in Japan. Watched a Paulo in Tokyo video on a day of a knife maker that followed a worker there.
13:43 japanese knives tend to be tapered like that, with a thin spine as well making them nicely sharp and fragile
Hey Andy, I'm newer to your videos but this one was really cool! I love studying cooking history and cooking techniques so a knife breakdown was sick, even though I'm super late to the party! Since you've got a lot of knife knowledge I've been wondering if you'd have an answer to something I've thought about for a while; you mentioned that a blade curved all or most all along its edge tends to be called a "german" style knife, whereas knives with a flatter slope more suited for chopping or slicing rather than rocking are referred to as a "French" style blade - generally in cooking it seems that nowadays the "German" style is the popular choice for most all Western cuisine while the "French" style is for most all Eastern cuisine, is there a reason, historically, as to why we tend to see more of the traditional, curved "Chef's Knife" pattern knives in the Americas and Western Europe as opposed to cleaver and nakiri type knives being more promiment in the East?
That was great! I am happy to announce that I have, after 42 years of marriage and enjoying the art of cooking, all the essentials and most of the extras. Some are better than others. I am in the states and I purchased most of my knives, pretty early in our marriage, at... Garage/estate sales. They were used but most of them were virtually new without nicks or problems. If you are on a budget, get used ones! These have lasted me all these years, they are great!
Happy cooking!
Iv had kiwi knives for years in fact I still have the first one I ever bought. It's a mid size Nakiri. Love it till the end. Don't worry I have some more traditional Japanese made knives that are amazing. But I'm not a chef either. Great work as always thank you both.
I was a professional chef and picked up a couple Kiwi knives. They are fantastic veggie choppers. My wife really likes them for the smaller handle and lighter weight than my Wusthoffs.
Brilliant video, I really like the last daily driver and Sunday drive comment. There are the very nice knifes that are a joy to use but they need to be treated carefully then there are the beaters that you don't need to care for as much. From your 4 knife kit I generally agree with exception to the boning/filleting knife I would sub in a cleaver then for the small knife there is a version that is slightly larger but essentially the same. For the cleaver, i picked up a cheap one of ebay and its amazing, thick steel that is easy to sharpen but I don't care when people use it or I hit a bone hard or something like that.
I got my cook book on Wednesday. I was so excited. Thank you for not being all “cheffy “ on us all. I’m so happy with the book. Thanks Andy, you’ve done an awesome job
Nice to see a chef who’s not a knife geek for a change. I personally use MAC Pro knives but, believe it or not, IKEA used to have a set called SLITBAR (translates to ”durable” btw) that were surprisingly good. I’ve still got 2 chef’s knifes of different sizes, a bread knife, a filet knife and a cleaver from that series. They’re 12 years old and still excellent.
Americas Test Kitchen reviewers say the Victorinox chef's knife is best value for money too! And it was my first chef's knife too! I have small hands so I really needed a slightly shorter blade for comfort and easy use.
I loved the walk through 🎉
I keep about six knives;
1. Serrated bread knife - Amazon
2. Fiskars serrated pairing knife
3. Regular pairing knife - Amazon
4. Handmade straight edge carbon steel chef’s knife
5. Handmade bowed edge carbon steel chef’s knife
(Those two are about 650 USD 😬)
6. Big ass cleaver from IKEA
Wish I could show pictures 😅
That earlier knife shape is sort of a tapered nakiri. The Myiabi is Zwilling...I got more knives than sense, I'm not even a chef. Send help!
Just like with (cook) books? If yes, no one can help you ;-)
Me and Andy have the exact same first knife owned. I used it for 10 years a chef and it's still the knife I use most often another 5 years later.
Loved this!! Would love a pot and pan video one day :)
Love this episode! I think Rosewood was my first knife around 14 yo, brought myself a set of Global as university graduation … and played bagpipes with Hayden when I was young … small world!
@Andy the Diamond Honing Rod has just that, it has Diamond powder honing abrasives baked straight into the rod while it was being heat treated and molded so that every time a blade goes across its surface it scrapes the burrs off the edge to a fine minimum. And I agree, never hold over food, stove, counter when honing. I always hold over trash bin or sink with running water when im honing my blades with that tool. No more than 3 to 4 passes either side is all that takes to take off the burrs. If you find that your Knife isn't holding a cutting edge for a long period of time and you are having to go back to the honing rod after every few couple of meat, vegetable, or fruit selections; then its time for you to properly sharpen your knives. The Honing rod is only for de-burring the blade, not sharpening it. This helps it to travel through what its cutting with ease instead of getting stuck and "tearing" through material. Common misconception amongst blade owners and cooks alike.
Wusthof calls that one a sharpening steel, and I can tell on the TV it's not fine enough to hone. It's going to sharpen and create a small burr and is really only good for a quick touch-up if a regular steel isn't making the knife feel sharper. To hone a burr off completely you need a strop and some good, fine-grained honing compound. That Chef's Choice machine is going to work well for all but the most OCD of cooks, but the honing wheel can get filled with old metal bits from deburring, so it's not maintenance free.
My workhorse is the Sabatier version of your Victorinox. I bought it at a kitchen reject shop for £20 (it has some minor cosmetic issue on the handle meaning it couldn't be sold at full price of £65+). It's lasted 26 years so far and it's going to last until I'm too old/infirm to use it safely so hopefully another 25 years. I also have a fish knife, a boning knife, a large deba and a thinner chef's knife (great for slicing onions and other veg really finely) from IO Shen (UK brand of Japanese style blades with Western style chunky handles) but it's the Sabatier I used most often.
As a knifemaker in New Zealand i found this a great discussion about the use of knives in particular your thoughts on the difference between german and french shaped chef knives. I've always liked a bit of a hybrid shape with a bit more width towards the tip of the knife. After reviewing the collection I feel like I might need to make and send you a decent cleaver though... hoping to pick up some rosewood handle material next month...
Great video man, always love seeing something interesting. You can sharpen a bread knife, you'll need a fine round file like a chainsaw file or a round diamond file with a fairly small diameter. you could also use an oval diamond or ceramic "knife steel'' or hone and file or hone each serration. The opposite bevel or face is sharpened flat on a stone like a single bevel knife.
I know "value" knives are super dependent on where you live, and the stores near you, but the IKEA Vorda is a 20cm chef knife for $20 AUD, and it has been my favourite cheap knife by far. The rubber grip is comfortable and safe, and the blade profile is super useful for almost anything.
Hi Andy, great content, love the vidio's. Over here in the UK, when talking about "Knife shape" we call it the "Profile" keep up the good work!
Also, having worked i the meat trade for many years, the health and safety inspectors like us to use the plastic handle knifes, for a hygiene point of view.. thanks again.
Thnks for the video chef! Cheers from Brazil, I normally follow your insta posts, keep`em coming!
22 ish year ago i got a cheaper Sabatier set. my 8 inch chopper is now under 6.5, love how thin it is and how well it chops when sharp, but does it lose its edge in a hurry
Who did your microcement splashbacks and the concreting for your outdoor area. Looks mad
Finally! Thanks! I've been waiting for this for a long time. I love the rosewood Victorinox chef's knives. Especially the 7 inch versions.
I have a set of knives from IKEA. They're absolutely fine. I'm very happy with them. I sharpen little and often to take care of them.
The fake-Global-style (one-piece look) IKEA knives are absolutely great beater knives. The factory edge is aweful, but they're easy to get razor-sharp with a little TCL. Great for BBQs with lesser-skilled knife users around as they are almost indestructible, and you can touch them up on the bottom of a coffee mug.
Thanks for the video! I use my good serrated knife for Pineapples too. So much easier to carve up.
Great video!
@37:51 (and @19:00) That looks like a Santoku shape blade, though minus the anti-drag scalloping.
I have a Wüsthof knife in that shape, it's my default kitchen knife. It stays sharp and I find the balance to be perfect.
The Santoku is an interesting concept. The word means "Three virtues"; the three virtues of Santoku are "chopping, slicing and dicing"
The TL;DR: is that the Santoku is the Japanese answer to the European all purpose chef's knife.
Historically, Japanese kitchen knives each had their distinct role - Yanagiba [for Sashimi] , Deba [for processing whole fish], Usuba [for Vegetables], etc.
The Santoku was created as an all-rounder.
So, you could say that my German Wüsthof knife is a Western version of the Japanese version of a Western chef's knife. The irony.
Pot and pan geek video next, cheers
Great vid, my favourite knife is my Yoshikane SKD Nashiji (but it isn't my workhorse). I love Japanese style handles for everything except cutting cheese and hard things, like pumpkin etc. I find it helps me grip the blade better instead of just holding the handle. If that makes sense. This is in the opinion of a hopeless armature.
Side note, what was the pepper grinder you use? You mentioned it a month or so back and I can't find it now.
I'm pretty sure it's called a pepper cannon
The Rosewood Victorinox was the first ever chefs knife I ever owned too. Copped it off Amazon after starting my first job down in Half Moon Bay, NZ.
I did drop my Victorinox Santoku knive on the kitchen tiles, and it did bend. In the end I used a wetstone and had to grind of the bent tip of the blade, but continue using it.
I don’t sharpen myself, I bring them to a specialist in the area once a year. And then I have a that honing steel before each use. Thanks for sharing!
My personal favourite knife is my damascus Santoku blade with a 6-sided wooden handle. Work of art, and a pleasure to use.
That weird wobbly switch on the back of the Chef's Choice sharpening machine is for "dressing" the honing wheel. Use it lightly and only every several knives. It clears out some of the old bits of burr that it's pulled off the edges. But only some. The wheels eventually clog and stop helping.
Also if you look under the machine there's a rectangular piece that you can pull out that has a magnet on it to catch the metal dust from the sharpening wheel. If you've never done that it probably looks like a caterpillar by now.
Great video, thanks. Look forward to the pan video! Greetings from North Wales UK. 🙋🏻♂🙋🏻♂
- Abattoir workers tend to machine sharpen their knives - with the hollow grind as an extra - regularly, they don't last forever - work hard die early, a production knife...
Note, single bevel knives are handed - the flat goes against the stock (yep Andy said it 17:29... ....
"Get mad" - any knife left with tomato juice on it - wash the acids off, even stainless knives get rust spots from tomato juice (etc..)
(I do leave stainless knives to "drip dry" - it probably isn't great for the edges - ho humm, I can touch it up again... )
I like a Santoku blade - a little rocker for "rocking", enough belly to clear the knuckles (my knuckles don't get mashed into the bench "chopping") the "drop point" - enough of a point to score skins etc - not too much.. (straight hand position when on the board) great general purpose knife.. Nakiri - more of a Japanese cleaver with a straight edge (bluff nose) - great for julienning things a definite chopper - not a mincer..
A waiters mate - wine "knife" - very useful, I have one I bought touring europe 20 years ago, will always be in my kit.. lol (the odd free one lives in the top drawer...)
"Abattoir workers tend to machine sharpen their knives - with the hollow grind as an extra - regularly, they don't last forever - work hard die early, a production knife..." King Dick
Usually sharpened on a large diameter, slow rpm WET STONE.
The Japanese knife @12:50 is a cheap brand called Tensyu. You can buy them at like TK Max etc for $13.
Great all round knives for bashing about in the kitchen and practising sharpening!
I got that Victorinox knife at 7:19 as my first knife and I really love it! It has a nice weight and feel to it and serves me perfectly in everyday cooking. Btw: This knife is from Victorinox' Forged-Series, so it's not a newer version than the other victorinox in the Video.
I love seeing you two every week, sometimes it feels like i'm next to you in the kitchen. 😂 Also i wanted to mention, you both look amazing. Greetings from Germany. Love your book. 😍🤩
Hey so after 40+ years in the butcher trade I always had ‘go to’ knives like Dexter Russell & Swibo knives. But my first steak knife was a Victorinox 12” curved with wooden handle in 1980. I still have this knife but it’s about 3 inches shorter due to constant sharpening
Very informative Ty Andy. 👍
I also would be interested in the frypan, saucepan, explanations, eg, stoneware, against cast iron, stainless steel. My own preference is stainless steel. Cheers guys love your vlogs, both.
Advice for beginners: get a large chef’s knife - don’t be afraid of the big blade, big blades are useful, they’re for everyone, not just pros. Also get a small paring knife (regular small kitchen knife), and a bread knife (sort of medium size teeth, not to small, not too big). That’s it, you can pretty much get along with those for the rest of your life. At some point you might develop a taste for other blade shapes, you might have a need for certain special purpose knives and so on, but those three are the basics.
Knife sets never contain those three knives, they usually contain a chef’s knife, a small knife and something you don’t need. Only buy a set if it’s cheaper than the two knives mentioned above combined. I use Wüsthof Classic knives - excellent value for money. I’m sure many others are good too, you should get what you pay for in that price range.
I use a chefs knife I bought at the local lidl for 3.50 quid in 2016. I keep it sharp AF and it's still chopping onions like a MF🤣
paring knife? 2.50 at the local sainsbury's, still cuts like a bish, I think I sharpend it twice in like 6 years. don't underestimate supermaket deals, you might find love there!
Even as a home cook, I can say these knives are bloody awesome. Knives like these makes me to cook better, experiment with different techniques, produce, proteins, you name it. I just love the way chef does chiffonade of herbs
The Japanese style knife by auden is a nakiri. It is a vegetable chopper, or" vegetable razor". I've bought a few on bay.
Great vid bro. I'm vaguely into knives but can't afford / bbe bothered. Great seeing someone who uses them more than me into similar aspects.
We use a brand called Mercer Culinary which i feel is similar to Victorinox (decent steel and affordable). Would love to hear a professionals thoughts on these knives.
Keep up the good work Andy (and Katelyn!)
Mercer make great knives that are good value.
Made in Taiwan.
I think they are the knife of choice for most USA catering schools.
I think, when buying your first Chef's knife, it is a great idea to go to a kitchen store and try several handle styles, blade lengths and weights, especially if you have small hands. When you find something you like, go online and find a sale. Thanks for such a fun video, Chef!
I love my Kiwi Steel knives. I have been using them for over 10 years.
I've had mine 5 years. My #288 might be my most used knife.
At 18:30 I think it's a collaboration between Miyabi and Zwilling, they still make really beautiful looking knives although I have no clue how good they are
That French one looks like a buttering knife to me. We use use it to butter toasts. It's pronounced "la-yol". Very nice to have!
Andy just got some new knives with olive wood handles.
Handles ok to wash in soapy water in sink? Obviously not dishwasher safe as it said on label. I was going to buy food grade oil also for the wood.
I agree with everything you said and I'm just home Cook. Funny how your 5 top knives were the same as mine. Also, I have gotten over the years really nice carbon steel knives and cleavers at garage sales. Cheers
I think many people get it back to front, they pay too much for knives and not enough for the sharpening tool. Start with a good diamond steel, I also have the Wusthof shown. On knives I was surprised by the quality of some Ikea knives, softer but that does make them easier to keep sharpen at home, they have two ranges with timber handles at different price points, great for setting up your home kitchen. I have some Wusthof as well, terrific long lasting edges but they need a lot of work to sharpen if they get blunt or damaged. I also have some old Global and these are also easy to sharpen which makes them ideal for home, but the metal handles aren't the most comfortable and do get slippery doing some stuff.
I use the Chef's Choice on my Wusthofs and it's a breeze. Rarely need the first wheel and only 2 passes in the second gets me a fresh apex then the third hones off the burr. Takes longer to get it out than to use it. US$120 25 years ago and it's one of my favorite things.
Great video Andy and Caitlen Don't laugh, but the knife I currently use is a chef's knife purchased at Kmart. It's a 20cm Triple Rivet Chef's Knife $8.00. I come from the Hospitality sector. Our company sold the full range of professional knives, Oppenheimer, Global, Furi ,Ivo etc. Great knives, but at about $100 too much for home use. Save your money. I guess the guys I used to work for would scoff at this statement. Too bad, so sad. BTW, the videos are brilliant. Thanks for shaaring
Wine openers... Wait... you don't make them dance anymore? That never gets old! Whenever I get one in my hands I always play 🤣
😂 every time I visit my mum's house I make it dance.. although I have influenced her to buy a waiter's mate now.
I love my globals, but the steel is so hard i struggle to sharpen them myself. Do you recommend using the dudes with a sharpening wheel on the back of a motorbike?
No.
Use a sharpener with diamond stones, they will make short work of it.
I was so tempted to buy a beautiful knife set this past fall at our Toronto home show. I just couldn't justify the cost at that time. I may get them at a later date though
Hi Andy, I think the champion knife from New Zealand is a Nakiri used mainly for vegetables, this style is my wife's go to knife, she loves the shape, kia ora from Aotearoa
Those electronic diamond machines got much cheaper. I have a contact for a reasonably priced service and the premium brand sharpener was around 25-30 knives sharpened. So if you are buying those plastic handle knives you might as well save a bit by sharpening yourself. Otherwise services are often found at reasonable prices locally.
Loved the Knivesplaining, can't wait for Pansplaining! 🔥🔥
Love the back of house , just got the white Shiraz from the other post , do you drink chilled ? Out of the fridge ? Or room temp ? Keen to give it a go
I had it chilled because they made it as a summer wine in Australia. Let me know what you think!
You should get a Peter Lorimer knife Andy. Beautiful kiwi knife maker in Otago.
As a european who uses the same chinese style cleaver (Tao) with the hardest steel you can find for literally everything and never bothered to learn about any other knives, this was pretty informative... especially learning the difference between french and german curves. That expensive sharpener also might be something I look into as I absolutely hate using my whetstones.
Love ya andy and katelyn, thanks for the videos. ❤
The knife Hayden made for you which you describe as a 'vegetable chopper' (which is correct) is a Nakiri pattern. Probably THE most common knife style in Japan among home cooks for general vegetable preparation. It has that tall sides but not so tall as the Chocha bucha (Japanese made Chinese style THIN vegetable clever). The flat edge and roughly 2" sides allow you to safely raise the knife higher to cut thick veg but it's great for any veg prep. Very versatile knife style from Japan 😊
Hi guys, the company called Zwilling sells Miyabi knives. They are great quality, good looking knives.
Love your videos, keep up the good work👍🏻
I love the attitude and energy in this vid hahaha. Chef just wants pointy sharp object to make it through the day.
After many years of trying to get onboard with Japanese knives everyday and having it fight me most of the time, I switched back recently to an old henkel and wusthof with the nice fat belly. I service the edge once in awhile on the back of my coffee mug because I don't want to soak sharpening stones anymore either. I could be less lazy, but I choose not to, it's working ok, and I'm happier for it haha. I mean, it's hard to tell if a mignonette has been crushed if the oyster is loaded with cocktail sauce, horseradish and mignonette 😂
You can buy splash-and-go stones that don't need soaking - Atoma diamond, Shapton Pro (kuromaku), Shapton Glass, Nanohone, what have you.
You can buy thicker Japanese knives that don't chip so easily and are made heavier and with a bigger belly, they purposely made it that way for Westerners. This style is called a yo-deba (Western double bevelled butchery knife)... might or might not suit your needs.
Don't blame me if your pocket suddenly feels emptier
I have Atomas, Shapton Glass & Pro, Choseras, and other stuff. It's all put away and the only decision I'm making right now is the back of a coffee mug, or the back of a serving bowl.
I also have all kinds of Japanese knives in various thicknesses, got the lasers, got the fatboys, got em long and short and in different metals.