What knives to buy?
 

I enjoy cooking and was looking at buying some high quality cutlery to replace my crappy set I have now. I'm looking at the Chroma Cutlery FA Porsche 301's, the Wustuf Culinar,or the Kershaw Shun damascus series. Anyone used any of these knives?

No, never used any of these.

I would recommend, though, that you look at the care these knives need and compare them. How often do they need sharpened? They are probably not dishwasher safe, but is there any special care needed in washing them?

I have some friends with some high quality knives that spend alot of time after they are done cooking caring for their knives. Perhaps on of the sets you are looking at is a bit easier to care for? How is it recommended you sharpen them? Those sharpening poles are awfully ticky.

BTW, I use knives that come with sharpening sleeves every time you put them away, they are sharpened. These are not the highest quality, but I don't have to use the same level of care.

Re: What knives to buy?
 

havent used the Culinar (looks damn sexy tho!) but i've got 3 standard Wustof knives, and i adore them.

Def. my recommendation for a brand of knife. good shit.

:)

Secret Method's journal points us to not look at Henkel Intl blades but the actual Henkel Inc blades...something about steel quality.

The Wusthof Culinars are a great knife. I have the Grand Prix and they are awesome. They both have a great weight to them so that you know that you have a knife in your hand and can control it. Don't worry about slipping if your hand is wet with the Culinar either. (as I had once thought would happen when I first saw one)

Kyrocera great brand

If you are just getting into it, I would recommend a cheaper set of knives.

Just make sure they are full tang, sturdy handled and nice and heavy.

I have a small set of Martha Stewart knives from K-Mart (the shame of it all!) and they are suprisingly good.

Decide if you can handle the maintainance of wood handles, or the convenience of plastic/other handles first.

Stay away from knives that are "self-sharpening" or claim to be made from extra hard steel or cold-hardened. Basicly anything that claims to have a extra long lasting edge is going to be very difficult to sharpen when it does go dull, and proper sharpening is an art unto its' self. Ceramic blades are expensive, brittle, and nearly impossible to sharpen once they dull.

The best knives are made from softer steel like good old carbon steel. They dull quicker, but they can be kept sharp with a few passes of a sharpening steel. Those steels don't truly sharpen but that's another subject.

I use Chicago Cutlery. The wood handles are a pain in the ass to keep in good condition, and if you aren't carefull to keep them out of the sink the blades may even rust. However, they are razor sharp and a few passes over a steel before every use keeps them that way.

I'm not saying that's the brand you should buy, it's just an example. Most people want bright shiny stainless steel with super hard steel because that sounds like a good thing, and most of the big companies cater to that. It just isn't really the best thing to buy in the long run, and it's more expensive to boot.

Pay the money and get a set of good quality knives. In 10 or 20 years you'll still have them and you won't have any regrets.
Take the time to learn how to sharpen your knives and how to maintain the edge. Invest in a knife holder rather than putting them in a drawer, I prefer a magnetic strip that you hang on your wall rather than a wood block.

I have the Wusthof Trident 11 piece calssic set and they are simply amazing. $400 is a bit for a full set at once, so It may be better to go for Just a few of the knives and then add on later as necessary, but if you can afford it you will not be disappointed!

I just got a set of Henckels Twin Select knives (with the stainless handel). They cost a small fortune, but they are by far the finest knives I have ever used (I tried the Wusthoffs and the Kershaws, too. No comparison).

My g/f is in the cullinary arts and she uses Henkle Professional S and Global knives. The gear head in me asks, "Why not a complete set?"

She says it depends on comfort doing the job. Henkle pearing and bread knives and well as the cleaver, Global "chef" knives. What do I know...I just reap the benefits and do the dishes...LMAO

Globals are ok, WAY to light for me. Everyone seems to like the Henkles but they are very hard to sharpen.

If you can find them Forschner makes the best knives around, for the money IMO. They dont sell in many places, and they cater specificly tward the proffesonal chef, so they dont have crapy, flashy, knives. Just plain, sharp, and easy maintaning knives.

And how do I know this? Well I own a set, and it was recomended to me by the first chef I worked under. He is still a very good friend of mine, and he still has his blades (he bought them in the early 80's).

They are made by Victorinox, owners of Swiss army. So I think they know a few things about knives.


just my .02

I bought a set of Wusthof Trident knives about 14 years ago and I can honestly say it may be about the best investment I've made in my life. I don't know enough to comment on the particular brands or "models" you mentioned, but I definitely recommend that you buy high quality knives. I should be ashamed, but I have never sharpened my knives in all those years. They need it badly now but they still work as good as most. I think the big difference is that a good knife has a solid steel blade that can be sharpened over and over and it is always like new again. Among all the high end blades it's probably just about what looks good to you and/or feels good in your hand.

btw, if money is an issue, get the big chefs knife first. it's the best for slicing and chopping. And if you cook, you do a lot of that!

look into global. they are excellent knives. maintain a strong edge. sharpen easily. if you use a steel you should only have to sharpen them on a stone maybe every 6 months. also use a steel, not ceramic or diamond.

Alright i know you guys are gonna laugh but i bought a set of those Miricle Blade knives. you know the ones from those infomercials. They are actually pretty nice, had them for a year now and they are still just as sharp as when i bought them.

Henkles Professional and 4 Star are what I've used most.

AND LEARN HOW TO USE THE STEEL!!!

Using it regularly will keep your cutting edge nice and dressed so you won't have to have them sharpened as often (dull knives are not only a PITA, but they're dangerous as well).

I get mine professionally sharpened when necessary.

Reading back over the suggestions here, I see a lot of good ones, but the knives I've used for years (they're my mother's before me) are French, carbon steel, from Thiers-Issard.. the "French" shape of the blades is quite different from the more common "German" shape, and I prefer it.. it seems to be easier to control in my hand. All carbon steel knives WILL stain, so if you like pristine shiny knives these are not for you. (The worst of the stains can be removed with scouring powders like Ajax or Comet). Carbon steel takes an edge better than any knife I've ever seen.

I do agree with a previous reply.. someone mentioned not having an entire set from one company but having the knives they liked from a particular series.. the paring knives from one, the chef's knife from another. To me, this is absolutely the way to buy. Best of lucking finding knives you'll love and use for years to come. :D

i'm a culinary student (graduate in nine days to be exact) and i have a set of Wüstoff Classic knives that were included in my "tppl" kit... they have needed little to no sharpening, save a few passes on a fine grade stone, and the usual steel swipes before and after. i've seen hundreds of knives, and out of them i like to use the Wustoff line the most. i also enjoy the Kyoceera Ceramic series, somebody said brittle, they must have had a blade from 20 years ago that was left in the sun.. they stay sharp (as long as you arent using it like a utility knife and cutting things like rope, plastic, paper, etc.) for atleast five years.. and if they break, they will be replaced for free... thats my bit on the knives, get the Wustoff... you wont regret it

I've been using a Henckel Four Star for awhile now and I love 'em. Used a friend's Global set and was pretty impressed with those as well.

Wusthof is a pretty standard brand. My understanding is that if you go to a culinary school there's a good chance they'll make you buy a set of Wusthofs to learn with. It's tough to go wrong with a brand like that.

The Henckel blades are real nice but I really like the Cutco brand. They are just as good and have a forever guarantee so if they ever break or need sharpening you just send them back. A good set is around $400 and if you want the steak knives with it I think its about $600.

If you are just starting out you might just want to get a chef's blade and a paring knife. Both of those will take you through most kitchen needs. Also don't forget a good pair of kitchen shears!

Can't believe only a few people mentioned Globals. For my money Global makes the best Chef's knife on the market. I think Henckels and Wustoffs aren't nearly as sharp and are a pain to take care of.

IMHO, you should invest in a Global and take it to get sharpened professionaly every three or four months (unless you want to learn the fine art of sharpening with wetstones).

The only blade I've really gotten a chance to work intensely with is the Henckel, and I was really impressed by it. It held an edge, and was hefty enough to let you know what was going on.


Beware of the edge, though. Until I got my "guiding hand" technique down, I spilled quite a bit of blood in the kitchen I was learning in.

I have used alot of different brands over the years...henkel, wustoff, mircle blade, Wal-mart $24.99 39 piece set with free block, and two have risen to the top.

Cutco. Made in the USA and garanteed for ever, including free sharpening from the factory. Some of the best cutlery ever made. Their ambidextrous handle design (I'm a lefty) is actually on exhibit in the Muesem of Modern Art as one of the centuries most inovative engineering designs? They make those handles out of a bowling ball like material.

Sabatier. This is a French cutlery smithing outfit preferred by some of the most revered of chefs in the world. Alot come from France, sure, and those French are rediculously nationalistic (how else do you explain any renault, peugot, or citroen EVER being sold :) ), but in this case Sabatier makes some of the best stuff there is. One really awesome thing Sabatier does is they make odd sized and unique knives. Right in line with the model you own...all those strange, peculiar, interesting tools you rarely need are available for your variety.

-bear

Cutco, they can even cut through pennies.

I wish I had a pair of those cutco penny cutting shears. My Cutco set is probably 50 years old. Bought it from a newspaper ad. I couldn't believe it, entire set including stove top set (ladel, 2 spoons, one slotted, and a turner) for fifty bucks. Easily a $700.00 dollar set. Plus it's fifty freakin years old solid as a rock, straight as an arrow, and sharp as a razor...FIFTY years old. Those are some good knives.

I'm currently doing the starving college student thing (even though I eat better than most), so I don't have the cash to go investing in a wustof or henckel set (which from my limited knowledge of the high end stuff are the ways to go, just depends on what feel you like more), but I will say that the sabatier set that I have is decent for a mid-grade set of knives. They dull more easily that I would like, though some of that may be from my idiot roommates setting them in the sink despite me telling them not to (and almost losing a finger reaching into the sink to get something). They have a decent balance, good weight (depending on type), and seem to hold up well. For general use considerations I will say that I prefer a thinner blade, makes it easier to do fine work, though if you're not careful (or live with people who aren't) you can screw up the edge on a thin knife so that you have to put in some serious time on a stone. As far as cutco and global go I've never had a chance to use them.

Wow, after reading all these posts, don't I feel like a booger for suggesting picking up the basics at an oriental market. Making sushi and sashimi with shitty knives means you end up with REALLY ugly presentation, or if you're really anal, expensive cat food. I've been happy with the pieces that I've found, rather inexpensively, at the aforementioned asian markets.

Thanks for all of the information!

MIRACLE BLADE!!!

I am totally a Henckel man...I have had a few friends try to "close the deal" with me on cutco, but never tried em as it seemed wierd (like amway) to have poorly trained (read brainwashed) people that I had known as friends try to sell me knives...

I've been lusting after the Global knives for awhile now - I'll have to buy them whenever I have some extra cash... (After donating to TFP, of course!) :-)

I've had a few different type, but I have always like the Henkels the best. We just registered for a bunch of them for our wedding. I hope I get them all!

I have an asian Market MAC knife, the high end for a knife at asian markets, it is an amazing knife, holds an edge

Wuestof knives are great; we have a couple and they always work well, very strudy, good weight, and have a good feel.
I admit it, I was a big dork and got a job selling Cutco knives. You basically become a door to door salesman, and I stopped doing it. But the fact is, they are indeed amazing knives (I won't start ranting about all the benefits - there was indeed a lot of brain washing during training). The best part was, I got a 11 piece set for only 140-ish dollars (which I would use to show the products to potential customers)(It's awesome having my own full set of knives at college to use) and even after I stopped selling I got to keep the set. Yeah, it seems like a scam some how (because of the marketing and selling technique - highschool and college kids) but if you have a chance to buy them, they are probably the best you can get.

Uh-oh...don't kick my butt for the ranting long post here, but I've worked in the cutlery business for 2.5 years now ;)

Oh yes, and if you have anything that I may bash, well, um, sorry ;)

First off, in general:

Planned Obsolescence: Knives are made with this in mind. Truthfully, if you want to always have your knife cutting at top quality, most knives must be replaced within 1-2 years (if cheap) or 2-4 years (if high quality) of buying them. Of course, many people just live with inferior performance for years after they need to be replaced until they finally are forced to get new knives.

Forged vs. Stamped blades: It used to be thought that forged blades gave an advantage in how long the knife held its edge, etc. But experts now state that if properly heat-treated, stamped steels perform equally well as forged steels.

Wood Handles: STAY AWAY FROM THESE. Wooden handles are absolutely disgusting. Wood is a porous material and absorbs grease, bacteria, etc from everything it comes in contact with. Most wooden handles, when inspected under a microscope, are dirtier than your average toilet bowl. Not to mention that they're STRONGLY discouraged against being used in any place where food is prepared for others such as restaurants, hotels, etc, so why in the world would you use them for yourself? Not dishwasher safe.

High Carbon Steel: Not used too much anymore, but it too is pretty disgusting. High carbon steel is quite tough so it retains an edge fairly well, however it also rusts and corrodes fairly easily which is obviously unsanitary.

Plastic Handles: A different form of crap. Sanitary, unlike wood, but they're typically glued and pressed on and because of that come loose quite easily and eventually come off the blade. They chip, crack, and melt as well. Again, not dishwasher safe - the high heat can cause them to loosen and sometimes melt if it's hot enough.

Stainless Steel: Much more sanitary than high carbon steel, and what is mainly used now. Advantage is that it resists rusting pretty well. However, your typical stainless steel is a soft metal and therefore dulls quite easily. It also makes it difficult to sharpen.

Ceramic Blades: Almost impossible to sharpen when needed, but they do stay sharp for longer than steel. However, ceramic blades will break as easily as glass if any significant amount of sideways pressure is applied.

Titanium Blades: Again, very sharp, but near impossible to sharpen when necessary.

Construction: Be sure that the knife has 3 rivets and a full tang. A full tang means that the blade goes all the way to the back of the handle - and be sure that it's not just on the top or anything like that. The blade should be just as wide as the handle all the way down and the tang and blade should be one piece.

Rivets: Look into what the rivets are made of. Most rivets are made of brass and this is not good. Brass is used because it's cheap, however it has properties which cause it to expand and contract with changes of temperature, causing them to come out of plastic handles or create crevasses in wood handles for food and bacteria to reside.

Straight Edges: Make nice, clean cuts and are capable of being sharpened. However, since the cutting surface (not the food) is what dulls a knife, and straight edge knives have the entire blade hit the cutting surface when you use them, they dull fairly easily and need to be resharpened frequently. If not resharpened frequently permanent damage can be done to the blade. Most high quality cutlery, which is predominantly straight edge, comes with a honing steel for sharpening. The disadvantage to this is two-fold. 1) Most people have no clue how to use it in the first place and 2) even if you know how to use it, it's difficult to be sure you're honing the blade at the proper angle for that particular knife. (Different companies hone the blade at different angles, and if you hone it at an improper angle you're really doing more damage than good)

Serrated Edges: At first description you'll think serrated edges are better, but there's a reason high quality cutlery rarely, if ever, uses a serrated edge. Serrated edges are very nice in the sense that they stay cutting "sharply" much longer than a straight edge knife does. Serrated edges cut with the points on the blade and literally work like a saw however, ripping and tearing as you cut. If you're willing to sacrifice a clean cut (not really an option with tomatoes, etc however) then this doesn't really matter much. However, serrated edges also dull every time they hit the cutting board (of course, there's no such thing as a knife that doesn't dull over time). The BIG problem with serrated edges is that you can't sharpen them and once they're dull they need to be replaced. Obviously the better trade-off is to have a knife that can be sharpened, even if it needs it a little more often, and makes a clean cut.

As far as some major brands are concerned (in order of increasing quality):

Chicago Cutlery: Don't even bother. Wood handles, low quality stainless steel blades. It's not worth your time. We have a nickname for them - Chicago Dullery. Not dishwasher safe - wood handles.<a href="http://www.worldkitchen.com/faq2/faq3.asp?id=202">Chicago Cutlery's Guarantee</a> (Defects in material and/or craftsmanship)

JA Henckels International: This is Henckels crap brand (aka, "economic") In other words, they make better stuff that will last longer but they're still willing to make this crap to get people to buy it thinking they're getting something remotely close to Henckels quality. Why you wouldn't just get high quality in the first place? You've got me.

Wusthof-Trident: Good stuff. However, the hardness of the steel tends to be too hard and Wusthof is prone to chipping along the blade. Not truly dishwasher safe - handles will fade due to the dyes used. <a href="http://www.chesapeakeknifeandtool.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/wusthofguar.htm?E+scstore">Wusthof-Trident Guarantee</a> (Defects in material and/or craftsmanship)

Zwilling JA Henckels: NOT JA Henckels International - same company, much different quality. Awesome knives. One of only 2 high quality cutlery companies that cryogenically tempers the steel (other one is next). What that means is that the steel is first heated to VERY high temperatures (over 1000 degrees) and then put into a deep freeze. This helps a great deal as far as the strength of the steel is concerned and has a significant effect on how long the blade lasts.

Henckels best line is known as Five Star. It has polypropylene handles which is obviously better than your typical plastic. However, the handles are still not dishwasher safe - use in the dishwasher will cause the handles to fade. Here's the deal with the handles though: Awhile back Henckels made a line called Twin Star which had a coating on the blade meant to prolong sharpness. These are never a good idea and this time was no different. It was found that the coating came off over time and, consequently, ended up ingested. So, Twin Star is no longer sold by the large majority of reputable stores (you can see it in Williams-Sonoma catalogs for example, but they won't carry it in any of their stores), and Henckels had all these curvy handles sitting around in the factory. What did they do with them? Took the blade from Henckels Four Star, put it on the Twin Star Handle, and jacked up the price a few hundred bucks. Same blade quality, just a different handle (with no real benefits).

Nonetheless, Henckels Four/Five Star is the best in-store quality you're going to get. It's costly - a full set of Henckels Professional Series with 8 steak knives, sharpener, shears, and cooking knives <a href="http://ww2.williams-sonoma.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=schfname%7Cion%7Cp1%7Crshop%7Cshenckels&skus=63%5F4065710&root=shop">costs about $1100 on sale at Williams-Sonoma</a> - but they're well worth it. <a href="http://www.chesapeakeknifeandtool.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/henckelsguar.htm?E+scstore">Zwilling JA Henckels Guarantee</a> (Defects in material and/or craftsmanship)

Cutco Cutlery: Easily tops if you're looking for high-quality cutlery that will last a long time. Consumer's Digest rates it the Best Buy as far as kitchen cutlery is concerned. Cutco is the only other high-quality cutlery company that cryogenically tempers its steel besides for Henckels, and it is the only high-quality cutlery of any consequence that's American made. Cutco has been around for 54 years and, for the past decade or so, has been the highest selling cutlery in North America with over $250 million in sales last year. Cutco uses the same high-carbon surgical stainless steel which is used in medical instruments due to its sanitary, yet edge retaining qualities. (Note, Henckels uses excellent steel and the difference truly is fairly minor, so I don't mean to diminish the steel used in Henckels by ANY means.)

One of Cutco's primary benefits is in the handle. It's "Universal Wedge-Lock Handle" was designed by a guy named Thomas Lamb who studied 700 pairs of hands to create a design to fit most people's hand, be it left, right, large, or small. It has won awards and, as mentioned above, is in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Granted, the majority of the hands he studied were those of housewives since that is Cutco's primary market, but that does not diminish its comfort level for the majority of other people as well. The handle is also made of a thermo-resin material which is the same material used on the inside of dishwashers, bowling balls, and NFL football helmets. Because of this, Cutco can be put in the dishwasher and the handles won't fade, so it's fairly dishwasher safe. Still, common sense ought to be used as with any high quality Cutlery - don't put it in a position where it's likely to bang up against other things, and hand washing is always preferred. Lastly, the rivets in the handle are made from a nickel-silver alloy which is a material NASA uses for parts of the space shuttle due to its temperature resistant qualities. They are flush with the handle and don't expand or contract with changes in temerature so they don't come out of the handle or create crevasses where food and bacteria can reside. Overkill? Perhaps, but it ensures quality in the rivets. Most importantly, the rivets aren't brass, and neither are the rivets in Henckels or Wusthof.

There can be a downside to the handle however. If you've been trained in culinary arts and choke up on the blade when you're holding it, or if you picked this up somewhere along the course of your life, then the handle will not be comfortable for you. It is designed for your average home user and the way in which they typically hold a knife. Consequently, many chefs because of their training find Cutco uncomfortable and this also caused a very unfavorable rating in Consumer Reports since the person who tested the cutlery for them was trained to choke up on the handle. However, chefs who are ued to the Cutco handle love it because it's comfortable for them (and for the other reasons stated here of course). Not unlike most other brands of high quality cutlery, Cutco also has a advisory board of world-reknowned chefs. You simply need to think about how you hold the knife - it works for most but not for all.

As far as the blade goes, Cutco has a hand-applied recessed edge on the majority of its blades. It is called a "double-d" edge and, while it looks serrated, it is basically a straight edge for all intents and purposes. The way it works is that it has points which do not cut but instead protect inside straight-edge blades. Because of this, it cuts precisely like a straight edge, but the points allow a typical double-d knife to last 7-10 years with normal, everyday use (i.e. not in restaurants). Some edges are straight edge due to their uses, such as the chef's knife.

Basically, a double-d edge looks like this: /\_/\_/\ The points hit the cutting board and the straight parts are where the cutting is actually done. A normal straight edge is rounded in between the points and the points do the cutting (well, ripping actually).

In my opinion, the most significant advantage to Cutco comes in the guarantee though. It has been the same and has been honored for all 54 years of its existance. <a href="http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/journal.php?s=&journalid=4&action=view#Guarantee...">Cutco's Forever Guarantee</a> Basically, because of the guarantee a Cutco knife will always be as good as new. I've literally seen people simply send back a 40, 50, whatever-year-old knife and receive a brand new one to replace it - free of charge.

Lastly, the other downside to Cutco is that it's not sold in stores, so if you want some you need to look up the number to an office nearby to have a representative show you, or simply buy over the phone (products can be seen at cutco . com).

Why do I know all this? Well, I've worked for Cutco for the past 2 and a half years and am currently an assistant manager. I speak moreso from experience than training though - I've seen people's used Henckels, Wusthof, Chicago Cutlery, Ginsu - you name it - and I've heard their stories about them. And I've seen how well Cutco compares. I've also seen statistics, been to the factory, etc etc. So, yeah, I'm a bit biased, but facts are facts nonetheless.

My recommendation is that it really depends what you're looking to do and where you are in your life. If you're looking to buy cutlery that you intend to use for many years to come, then I'd recommend investing in Cutco. Or at least Henckels - it truly is great stuff. Save up the money if need be and get a $700-800 set of Cutco or a $1000-$1300 set of Henckels. Not meaning to make my bias too obvious, but with the Forever Guarantee you at least know you'll never have to buy cutlery again. Perhaps get some Cutco and then if you don't like it simply return it and get Henckels.

If you're a college student or something and are not looking to invest in high quality cutlery - paying at least $400 for a medium sized set (anything less is really too cheap) - then just get the really cheap stuff from your local grocery store for now and invest in high quality cutlery later on.

If you're truly interested in high quality cutlery, I'd recommend you request a Cutco demonstration from someone in your area. (Unfortunately, chances are, you may get one of the idiots who didn't pay attention to anything his managers told him. I deal with far too many of those *rolls eyes*)

I hope that helps and that, if purchasing high quality cutlery, you settle for nothing less than Wusthof or Henckels at least. It's amazing how many people have truly terrible knives even though it's one of the most used tools in the home.

Oh yeah, and as far as "brainwashing" that I saw mentioned a bit earlier concerning the method in which Cutco is sold, that's a whole other post, but suffice it to say there's a reason why we're written up in 8 different marketing textbooks and taught in 300 level marketing classes at Illinois State University, Purdue University, and others. ;)

I used to be a rep for Cutco Cutlery so I am very pleased to see it is still help is such high regard. I was very successful selling it because I had many pieces from other sets that I would give demonstrations with.....Cutco would always outperform all other cutlery on every level. My favorite piece is the scissors....the multipurpose ones that you can cut through pennies with and not even scratch it....good shit!

Being a salesperson, you have to firmly believe in the products you are selling and I woudl recommend Cutco over any other make.

Happy Chopping!

splk...I agree...I once was given a knife holder that fits in my drawer...loved it! Along with your advice about purchasing the best knife right away is a must....don't go cheap first...it's just frustrating and yes, you will own them forever!!!

Cutco Cutllery is the best I have used and it has a lifetime warranty

A comment on knife holders: Get the magnetic rack that mounts on the wall! Anything with slots, that doesn't come apart for cleaning, will get really nasty very quickly. So unless you want to wash and clean your knives before you use them, as well as after, don't get 'em!!

That is all.

Wow! It's nice to see so many people who love knives!

I'm a Global fanatic, myself. I love the lightness of the blades, and they're hard as hell. It's kind of a pain to sharpen them, but they maintain the edge for about 6 months of 2-person dinners.

The handle and the blade are made of the same piece of metal, so there's nothing to fall off. The handles have little dimples in them (the black bits) that make for a really nice gripping surface, even with wet hands. The bread knife is the best I've ever used. It makes you want to cut bread for fun.

I have the 5-knife plus flat block set. I think it came from amazon. It's about US$400, but they'll never need to be replaced in a home kitchen.

Switching topic slightly:
I can verify that the Martha Stewart knives are surprisingly good. One of my friends got a set and they take a very nice edge. The handle design is a bit strange, but they're cheap.

I have the direct opposite opinion. A good knife that is designed to give good leverage to the user is going to weigh too much for use with those magnetic things. If you're serious about cutlery and get high quality Cutco, Henckels, or Wustof, I would highly discourage you from using the magnetic strips. The knives will stick, but not strong enough to be sure they won't fall, which is obviously a major safety hazard.

Of course, I don't understand why you wouldn't wash your knives after using them each time in the first place *shrug*

messermeister all the way... but what do i know, i only work in a cutlery store. pm if want to know more

It seems as if it has all been said. I would say, get a few good knives and you can probably get by with three.

The most important is your chef's knife. Get a 8 or 10 inch depending on your preference. You will do 90% of your work with this.

You should also have a paring knife for more delicate work.

Don't forget to get a serrated blade for two important items that will be destroyed by other knives, no matter how sharp. Tomatos and bread have a tough exterior and a mushy interior is spared by the serrated blade.

Everything else is gravey and can wait. I bought a meat cleaver at the dollar store, and it is fine for hacking through bone. I also have a stainless steel paring knife that I can through in the dishwasher when I just need to do a quick job and I am trying to minimize cleanup...which is often. I also have a Henkles boning knife. I dropped it the other day and it landed at a funny angle at the tip of the blade. The tip broke off, but when I took it back to the store, they just handed me a new one. You have to love a lifetime warrenty.

I dunno, I have a nice selection of knives and not one of them has budged, let alone fallen off my magnetic strip. I guess you get what you pay for when it comes to the magnetic strips.
The main reason I went this route was to keep them out of reach of my kids and to keep the counter clutter free.

I owned a restaurant for 14 years...Almost everyone of my chefs and their assistants came out of Johnston & Wales, the CIA, or the New School in New York...I have never seen a Cutco knife used by a professional yet. I have seen chefs brag that their 25 year old knife(forged/full bolster) were so sharp that they could shave with it, and did! As far as wood handles, no self respecting chef would ever put thier knives in a dishwasher (nor thier favorite saute pans either)...At one point the board of health made restaurants stop using wood prep areas and cutting boards because of bacteria build up, but that was proved unfounded...a little clorox will kill any bacteria. Just my thoughts and observations:-)

You're saying that high end knives need to be replaced after 4 years? I don't buy that at all. With proper care a knife will last many many years.

Can't think of any one I know that puts their knifes in a dishwasher. (maybe that's why yours lasts only 4 years?)
I think with proper care and cleaning a wood handle will last just as long as a plastic. I can't see it being any different than using wood cutting boards as far a cleanliness. (note: I don't own a wood handle knife)

Keep in mind I'm talking about your average home-owner. Someone who takes COMPLETE proper care of their knives (i.e. a professional cook) will definitely get more use out of their knives. There is a huge difference though between the way a cook takes care of their cutlery and the way your typical home-owner does. Henckels used by a cook will most certainly last more than 4 years before needing to be replaced, but someone who is not well-trained typically does not take as good care of their cutlery not to mention that most average home-owners either 1) flat out don't use their sharpening rod or 2) don't use it properly.

I only know what I've seen dealing with hundreds of home-owners in and around Chicago. Obviously someone who is more educated than your typical home-owner is going to get more use out of and take better care of their knives. I just believe in the less-hassle approach ;)

hotdogg, regarding chefs and use of Cutco, I think I mentioned before that especially due to the way in which they are trained to hold a knife, most chef's find Cutco uncomfortable. I do know that there are chefs which use it however - Abbey Dodge, who is associated with Fine Cooking Magazine is the first person that comes to mind for me at the moment. Still, Cutco was designed with the average home-owner in mind, so if you're someone who is professionally trained, then things like the handle which was designed to make holding the knife easier and more comfortable for your average person are going to get in the way of how you do things.

honestly ive been using a 10 us dollar butcher style knife for everything the past 3 yrs- i sharpen it like every 3 times using it and its the best -heavy, and accurate

Wustof Trident Grand-Prix Hollow-Ground Santoku

<img src="http://store4.yimg.com/I/ultimatechefstore_1770_138338853"></img>

I've owned this knife for one month short of 3 years, and I will have to say that it is the BEST knife I have EVER owned. For the price, ($100) I have not found another knife that is comparable.

-SF

Oh, and if you frequant Williams Sonoma around the christmas season you may find this knife for a signifigant savings.. ..I did. ;) Cough50bucksCough

if money is no problem than one of the best knife company's in the world is mac from japan i belive.

mac- one of the hardest blade's in the industry if you follow company sharpening suggestions thatn a fairly easy knife to sharpen but a few specialty tools are recomended.

Global- i have used globels limitedly they are fairly easy to sharpen if you remeber that they use 2 different blade angles so sharpening requires a litttle more skill and a better understanding of angles. also they are very light and have a very thin blade which does make more accurate cuts but can be painful until you have a true chefs calus.

wustof- currently if have a partial set of wustof (10" french"chef's" wide blade, 8" french, 6.5" santoku) as daily use in the kitchen and love them easy to sharpen, and maintain. with enough weight so that the knife cuts not you.

forschner- best value for the money. great knife all around.

henckles- again .inc not international better quality similar to wustof

but finding what you are the most comfortable with is more important. and when buying don't be afraid to ask questions

a good starter set includes- a French(chef's), pairing, bread(serrated) knives they are the most versital and most widely used

again this is just my opinion

Chef'd for 8 years. I always used run of the mill, high carbon steel commercial kitchen knives for day to day stuff. When it was time for fancy stuff, then I'd break out my knives. I like my Sabatier, high carbons best as a chef's knife. Yes they CAN rust if you leave them wet, so don't do that and you're good. Most of the brands mentioned here are made of very very hard steel. The edge lasts quite a while, but once you've thrashed it a few times, it's done. You need a full sized stone and some skill to bring it back to life. I prefer the softer steel, which gets very sharp, very fast. But in all honesty, the knife doesn't make the cook. Give me a Wal-Mart knife and I'll flute a perfect mushroom, filet a flounder, or debone a whole bird faster than you can read the consumer reports article. What you learn to do with your knife is ten times more important than what overpriced hot-rod knife you buy. Spend your money on a good cooking text book, and find a friend who has the misfortune of beeing a professional cook and get a lesson in knife skills. Once you have the skills, you will know what to look for in your knives.

Don't feel bad, I bought my cleaver for 6$ in Chinatown, it weighs a ton, it's ugly as hell, but I've taken good care of it and I can split a chicken with it like you wouldn't believe.

Like pchef33 said, it's not so much the knife as it is the cutting technique.