The Texas BBQ Forum

Wasn't quite sure where to put this topic, but:

Kitchen knives.

What brands do you like? What knives do you have?

I use a few of what you would probably call girl-toy knives and some are better than others. I also have some Dexters, and a Victorinox chef knife. Usually I go to either the Dexters or some Kuhn-Rikons in pretty girly colors, lol.


Lately I have been yearning for an Old Hickory butcher knife. ;p

I just buy the cheap ones from Sam's. 2 for less than $15.00
I have the Victorinox 12" granton for brisket, ham etc.
Old Hickory? LOL, you been watching too much Pit Boys.
I've got some of them, they are hard to keep an edge on and they WILL rust on you.
I've even tried to season like cast iron to no avail.
Hope ya got a good knife sharpener and a can of food safe silicone spray.

For kitchen use? Global. Expensive but you only need a few of them and man do they hold an edge

Will have to check out those Globals. Been meaning to post the same question myself. Best knives I have are heavy blades; an Old Timer Skinner and a Puma lock back. Easy to keep razor sharp.

Had a Henckels utility that was a great blade for a long time but finally wore out.

Bought 2 Wustoffs; first was a Japanese profile but cheap Chinese steel. Bought it to try out but it wore out quick - garbage. Bought another heavier blade 8 inch chef later against my better judgment. Lasted about a year. I'll never buy another one of these dogs.

Need to find a good hard 10 inch Old Timer, like that exists. Will figure this out.

Good old carbon steel Old Hickorys.
Cheap and you can get them scary sharp.

dub(it's about time for another knife thread)

Too much Pit Boys? Guilty as charged! ;p

But even before I knew of them I liked that butcher knife profile. So there! ;-]

For most tasks I need a lightweight knife. The Dexters come sharp as a dream out of the box, but they're stainless and don't hold an edge forever (not that they should, lol).

But I'm a failure at knife-sharpening. I have one of those round steels that fits in the knife block and I'm not even good with that; DH has some kind of stone. It's been years since he sharpened anything.

Is there some kind of YouTube guide for sharpening stainless knives?

Yep there is.

Just google "lansky"

dub(anybody can use one)

I have a Gatco. It's supposed to be easier to use than Lansky.
Don't know, never used one.
Here's the one I have.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DB9CQS/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M2T1_ST1_3p_dp_1

BTW, a STEEL is just for maintenance and not for sharpening.

Looks real similar,Gunny. Same idea.
The Gatco guide rods are shorter.
The Lansky blade clamp is aluminininum.
I got my Lansky setup for about $30.
I'm a spaz at freehand sharpening-with this apparatus
I can make any kitchen blade shave.

dub(YMMV)

Jarhead wrote:BTW, a STEEL is just for maintenance and not for sharpening.

Yep, just to straighten the edge.

Jarhead wrote:I have a Gatco. It's supposed to be easier to use than Lansky.
Don't know, never used one.
Here's the one I have.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DB9CQS/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M2T1_ST1_3p_dp_1

BTW, a STEEL is just for maintenance and not for sharpening.

Looks interesting, but might be dangerous for the likes of me. Too many chances for slipping up?

For slicing brisket / ribs I use a Victorinox 12" Scimitar w/ Granton Edge and Fibrox Handle. SS, NSF etc. Great knife.

For prep I have a set of Henckels. They aren't the best (made in Thailand) but are a big improvement over what preceded them. Also have a couple of Kitchen Aid knives that never seem to get dull and they were bought on the cheap at Bed,Bath & Beyond.

On the wish list are a cordless electric knife and a chef's knife made from Damascus Streel just because I like how the blade made with that material looks. The wish list is several years old.

Google Petter Custom Damascus Chef and tell me what you think. A lot of money and not SS, but really like the design.

My brisket slicer is a serrated F.Dick Eurocut --16" of blade and 4" of plastic handle. Deals destuction in one swift stroke.
If I had to pick my Desert Island Knife-it'd be farandaway my Sanelli 8" chef's. Holds an edge scads better than any 'yuppie kraut' knife out there. I'd reckon Sanelli made gladioli for Caesar's Roman Army back(waaaaay back) in the day. tougher'n nails.
I also would give mad sick props to the Mundials in my collection. My parer and boner are yet to even touch my steel (also an FDick FWIW-sapphire cut-14") after nearly five solid years of use.
My 'tomater knife' is a 8" Old Hickory carbon steel cheffer. I put 17 degree bevels on it and it is hairpoppin scary sharp.
Knives need TLC. Don't just throw 'em in a drawer or dishwasher. Use a knifeblock or better a magnetic wall mount strip.

dub(dull knives are more dangerous than sharp ones)

Boots wrote:Google Petter Custom Damascus Chef and tell me what you think. A lot of money and not SS, but really like the design.

A little on the pricey side to be sure. Looks to be a great knife though.

I've found that I have to hold a knife to be sure its gonna work for me. Some aren't balanced right, some handles are too skinny, others too fat.