re: Knife buying help

Does anyone know anything about this knife? I've been looking at it. I like the look and I can use a 6 inch, plus I just like having a variety of knives in different shapes and lengths.

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Does anyone know anything about this knife?

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I have a set of their Gladiator series that I was given for my birthday and they have been very solid knives. I have had them for a year and only had to sharpen them once and I use the set almost daily. The chef knife has been put through its paces and is still razor(for German steel) sharp and forgiving. For the price, I say go for it.

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Not committed at all, open to all suggestions. I want a good value but dont mind spending $150-$300, if its a great knife.

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Are you partial to heavier or more nimble knifes?

I got a Miyabi Santoku knife a few years ago for Christmas and I love it

Thank you. I’ll look ok at those.

FWIW I haven't come across someone yet that doesn't love their Kramer (Carbon version). I'm thinking about splurging on one myself because I'm in love with it. The Wusthof Ikon Chef is a great knife too, but it doesn't really have the sex appeal of the Kramer.

The three you have are all solid choices. I would go to the store and handle them and see which one speaks to you. If you want something that feels sturdy the Wusthof and the Kramer are going to be more up your alley than the Miyabi's.

People are recommending a handmade carbon Japanese knife. I wouldn't go that route unless you're a real knife nut and enjoy the process of sharpening on whetstones. Those knives are only as good as the person maintaining them.

Honestly, start at Sur La Table. Ask politely, and they’ll usually go in the back and get a carrot or two so you can actually use their knives for cutting. You need to decide if you want 8” or 10” (6 is just too small), whether you like a larger handle or a smaller one, etc. The thinner bladed Globals with unibody construction (ie, metal handles) are great knives, but the blades are thinner and not the traditional French v-wedge. Still, I have smaller hands, and I’ll reach for a Global if I’m chopping 10 lbs of onions, as it’s a bit lighter. Sur La Table should offer sufficient variety to help you figure out what you want.

I’m not a fan of decorative stuff (like Damascus) or fancy handles or handmade. A plastic handled Dexter from a restaurant supply house will absolutely get every job done at a fraction of the cost.

Also, please forget “professional sharpening” merely 2-3 times a year. Even the most expensive knife needs to be sharpened quite frequently. If you don’t want to learn to use a steel or whetstone, a simple pull-thru sharpener (I have a Global w/a little water reservoir) does the job. If you’ve hacked something or done crazy cutting, you might need professional attention, but otherwise, keep good habits: handwash, sharpen, put away. A magnetic knife strip is the best/easiest way to store (I found one on Etsy that sticks to the side of the fridge).

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Go here and go to the forum. Ask there, they have a template to answer questions. You’ll get a better knife than you will get from the factory.

Mostly depends on what you want the knife to do. I spent $140 on a Japanese gyuto and it’s a bad arse knife and sharpens way easier than anything else I’ve ever had.

They have both handmade/forged knives and they have some from small factories in japan.

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This is excellent advice and exactly what I did.

I have this bad boy on order right now:



ETA: And before anyone comments, I've been sharpening my Henckels with multiple grit japanese water stones for a while now, so no issues for me keeping a high carbon japanese blade maintained properly. Although I do need to invest in a pond so the wife stops nagging me about getting the sink full of stone grit.