Buying knives

Nesbits have a store on Moore Street if you’re in Dublin. You can test the knives there and then if you want.

Same here re: knives. Me and my pal Gordon Ramsey (joke) say you only need two knives: an 8" cooks knife, and a breadknife. And maybe a small paring knife if you want.
I've bought loads of knives over the years, but now I only use one: a Wusthof Classic 8" without the bumpy thing at the start of the blade (makes it far easier to sharpen).
Make sure you buy the magnetic scabbard with it.
I bought a Wusthof 3000/8000 water stone along with the knife. Pricey but good.
I learned sharpening techniques on Youtube videos.
I sharpen the knife about once every six weeks and it'll slice paper, shave my arm, etc.
During lockdown we went vegetarian for a couple of months until we got fed up of the taste of vegetables. But vegetarian living involved a huge amount of slicing and dicing! It is an absolute pleasure to have have a well-balanced and sharp knife to do the work.
Obviously there are lots of brands other than the above-mentioned, and I would highly recommend any serious cook to get yourself a quality 8" knife along with the neans to keep it sharp.

Feisar wrote: »

Realistically a Victorinox Fibrox Chef's knife is going to do the job as good as or better than most of the sexy knives available. And as someone who was a barman in a fair few places with kitchens its what most chefs use.

Learn to sharpen. I recommend a waterstone of 3000 grit and a little and often approach. Three licks each side before and after using.

Great advice. I'd add learn to use a steel too. I was a butcher many moons ago and always used Victorinox. I still have and use the steak and boning knife in the kitchen. Both are about 25 years old!! Using the steel properly will save using the stone so much. It also lets you set the direction of the edge which is a huge help cutting soft veg/fruit and will stop a knife digging into a bone.

I’ve bought of knives and tools a few times, never any issues. Just got a Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter of them, was delivered Friday.

Was thinking I may have come of as dismissive in my previous post. If you want to buy a sexy knife or set work away, I was just saying above a certain price point yer buying a luxury item and not a tool.

It all comes down to personal choice and preference. Nothing wrong with using a fancy Wusthof or using a knife from Dunnes if it does the job. Just make sure it's sharp. If your choice suits you it'll still get the job done once it's looked after.

Zascar wrote: »

What am I missing?

I think you're missing the point 😂 as above, quality, material, weight and weight distribution...

dickdasr1234 wrote: »

In the latter years I was introduced to the wonders of the 'multicut' steel (a Dick, I think). For those who think a steel cannot be used to sharpen, think again!

I can virtually guarantee that using these two in combination will yield an orgasmic edge of the tantric variety.

Was that the blue handled square one with 2 rough sides and the other totally smooth? I couldn't go back to a regular steel after using it.

Also I remember Sheffield Steel knives being terrible in the early 90's. The boning knives were very brittle and always chipped or snapped with heavy use.

I've never found a sharpening system that works for me.

I tried stones but they just didn't work for me - perhaps I bought crappy stones or perhaps my technique was poor. I borrowed a spiderco system and wasn't impressed, either - maybe it was a bit worn out - or maybe it was technique, again?

I currently use a combo of a metal steel, a pull through thing that is really just 2 angled steels and another pull through v type thing with a course v and a ceramic v. Using various combos of these, I get a reasonable edge but not as I'd like and the v thing is probably pretty harsh on the blades. I don't have high end knives. I have a cheap Japanese sandoku which I love and various paring knives (mostly victoriaknox) and a few Analon knives. Perhaps, I'm just expecting too much from these knives?

Anyway, on your recommendation (no pressure😃), I've just ordered the Work Sharp guided sharpener. We'll see how I get on with this.

I currently use a combo of a metal steel, a pull through thing that is really just 2 angled steels and another pull through v type thing with a course v and a ceramic v. Using various combos of these, I get a reasonable edge but not as I'd like and the v thing is probably pretty harsh on the blades.

These pull through sharpeners are knife eaters, they are usually carbide and shave steel off your knives. The abrasion is also along the edge, where it's better at 90 degrees to your edge.

I don't have high end knives. I have a cheap Japanese sandoku which I love and various paring knives (mostly victoriaknox) and a few Analon knives.

Perhaps, I'm just expecting too much from these knives?

Not at all, all knives can be made sharp, how well they hold that edge is down to geometry and heat treat (hardness).

Victorinox and F. Dick knives have served me well, and still do. The Japanese and other exotic stuff is thinner, harder, smaller carbides, yadda yadda, does the same thing but a bit "more" in some aspects. They cut well and polish up nice, they don't make me a better cook or even a better food prepper! I can't do that speed cutting stuff, I just wince at how hard they whack the edge on the cutting surface.

Anyway, on your recommendation (no pressure😃), I've just ordered the Work Sharp guided sharpener. We'll see how I get on with this.

This at least removes some variables, the cutting action of the stones is 90 degrees to your edge, the angle is set and constant, once you apex the edge (raise a small burr) you can flip the knife and do the exact same to the other side.

The options are starting to come to use more specialised stones, tapes, diamonds..... they are all just abrasives to grind an edge.

How refined you feel you want to go is up to you and the performance.

That's often forgotten, a toothy 400 grit edge will bite into a tomato skin better than a mirror polished 60,000 grit edge. The mirror edge is sharp, but what performance improvement is it bringing? I do like a mirror polish just because, but really most commercial knives get a 220 grit edge and a buff on a strop or buffing wheel...job done.

Well wear on the Work Sharp, it should be a major step up from the pull through edges!

Since I recommended it, if you are actually unhappy with how it works after a testing period, I will buy it from you so you don't suffer a loss.

I don't expect you will be unhappy with it, but I'd hate to see you stuck with another piece of kit you don't feel does what you want it to do.

If you still have the sharpening stones, I might have some videos up on Youtube that might help with those, or I can record some if it would help.

That's an extremely kind offer, Deise, but I'm really happy with the Work Sharp guided system, so far.

I sharpened the three knives that I use most to an edge that I am very happy with and they seem to be maintaining it pretty well with just the odd rub of a steel. I'd imaging that the basic system will do me fine - I don't see the need for the finer stones/rods or abrasives. I'm just happy to have a decent edge on my knives.

Thanks for the input. I was coming to the same conclusion. I also think half the knifes from a set wouldn't be used.

I decided to try and buy two decent knifes from knivesandtools.ie that would definitely be used so I went for

• Eden Classic Damast carving knife 20 cm https://www.knivesandtools.ie/en/pt/-eden-classic-damast-carving-knife-20-cm.htm
• Eden Classic Damast santoku 18 cm https://www.knivesandtools.ie/en/pt/-eden-classic-damast-santoku-18-cm.htm

For storage, I think she would be happy to keep them in the box when they aren't being used.