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RE: Best Quality vs. Value Chef Knife

post #1 of 184
8/14/10 at 8:35am
Thread Starter 
I'm looking for a quality and affordable Chef's Knife Standard 8"
What do you folks recommend?

Is Damascus Japanese steel worth it?

How much should I spend?
Is 50$ too cheap?
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post #2 of 184
8/14/10 at 10:06am
These are some pretty good choices if you want to spend more. I really think you can get a lesser quality knife if you need to, and just keep it sharp. http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DM0706-Cl...1791284&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/sthof-979783-C...1791309&sr=8-1
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post #3 of 184
8/14/10 at 12:03pm
The Cook's Illustrated gang has been recommending the Forschner knife ($40) for a decade at least. Actually, Amazon has it for $30: http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-475...1798417&sr=8-1
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post #4 of 184
8/14/10 at 12:21pm
Without a doubt, the Forschner knives are the best quality. The first Christmas gift given to me by my wife, but then girlfriend, was a Forschner Chef's, boning, and steel. I still use them as my go-to instruments.
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post #5 of 184
8/14/10 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blazingazn View Post
I'm looking for a quality and affordable Chef's Knife Standard 8"
What do you folks recommend?

Is Damascus Japanese steel worth it?

How much should I spend?
Is 50$ too cheap?

Dude- damascus can be made of all sorts of different steels. It's only as good as the core steel if it's done san mai style, and only as good as weakest steel if done in another folding style. In general it's performance is sub par for the money you pay, but it looks very pretty. Japanese steels (VG-10, ATS-34, etc.) all vary greatly in composition and heat treatment. What this all means is don't bother unless you can tell the difference without knowing what's behind it.

Forschner is the way to go for the money. They're actually cheaper than $50 too!
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post #6 of 184
8/14/10 at 3:01pm
i have the forschner knife. i am quite quite satisfied. as i am a noob i highly doubt i will have reason for a better quality japanese knife
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post #7 of 184
8/15/10 at 8:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianVarick View Post
These are some pretty good choices if you want to spend more. I really think you can get a lesser quality knife if you need to, and just keep it sharp.

http://www.amazon.com/sthof-979783-C...1791309&sr=8-1

I have this ^ and think it's a great knife.
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post #8 of 184
8/15/10 at 11:47am
nth'ing the Forschner
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post #9 of 184
8/16/10 at 1:27am
Eh, for our purposes Damascus is really just pretty. Though Shuns are absolute sex. And they feel great in the hand. I bought a used Henckels for $30 on ebay. All it costs you then is a sharpening. The only advantage of something like that to the Forschner is that the forged blade is a bit heavier, making the weight distribution a little more pleasing to handle/use. But the Forschner is by all accounts a great buy.
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post #10 of 184
8/16/10 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alimentarius View Post
Eh, for our purposes Damascus is really just pretty. Though Shuns are absolute sex. And they feel great in the hand.

Indeed. The wife and I registered at William Sonoma just because they carried the Shuns. I played with the Shuns, Henckels and Wustoffs at the store and the Shun felt the best in my hand and looked the coolest.

That being said, I wouldn't have bought them myself. Just like I wouldn't have bought the DeWalt drill we got as an engagement present. I would've gone Ryobi but if someone wants to buy me an expensive gift, who am I to decline?!?!
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post #11 of 184
8/16/10 at 11:39am
Funny thing, though, the Shun Elite -- which uses better steel than the Shun regular line -- does not have the Damascus pattern.
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post #12 of 184
8/16/10 at 1:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manton View Post
Funny thing, though, the Shun Elite -- which uses better steel than the Shun regular line -- does not have the Damascus pattern.

It's a bitch to laminate super steels.
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post #13 of 184
8/16/10 at 1:19pm
I got my girlfriend the Forschner (Victorinox) 3 piece set (Chef, Slicer, Paring) and they are great value for money (somewhere around $60 when I bought it). They've taken quite a beating over the last year, though I need to get around to sharpening the Chef's...
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post #14 of 184
8/16/10 at 1:28pm
depending on where you are in the cooking thing: a) forschner (cook just so you can eat); b) MAC (cook to eat and starting to have fun with it); c) Wusthoff (really enjoy cooking and want to make it a part of your life); d) something like a Misono UX10 (if you are a vox among cooks ... in other words, you have every basic knife you could possibly want and are curious about trying something cool and currently stylish).
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post #15 of 184
8/16/10 at 4:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manton View Post
Funny thing, though, the Shun Elite -- which uses better steel than the Shun regular line -- does not have the Damascus pattern.

Quote:
Originally Posted by HgaleK View Post
It's a bitch to laminate super steels.

to a point, probably, it is tough to laminate steels like VG-10, etc, but I do know it happens.

But I think (iirc, and I'm not going to look it up) the deeper point is that damascus treatment of steel was used as a way to forge out impurities from inferior steel and create something better than the initial quality of its components. Also not uncommon in reclaimed steel.

But at the price points and quality levels at which Shun operates, I suspect it's strictly a matter of aesthetics and consumer preferences.
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