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RE: Best Quality vs. Value Chef Knife - Page 2

post #16 of 184
8/16/10 at 4:22pm
The Elite is billed as "powdered"; no idea what that means or if it is just aesthetic.
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post #17 of 184
8/16/10 at 4:26pm
I've been using this for the past 6 months and it works very well. It stays sharp longer than any other knife I own.
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post #18 of 184
8/16/10 at 5:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manton View Post
The Elite is billed as "powdered"; no idea what that means or if it is just aesthetic.

The Shun Elite is constructed from a powdered steel dubbed SG2.

I was shopping around for knives and ran across this interview with Alinea's Grant Achatz.

Quote:
What's your favorite knife?

Global. For the longest time I used MAC, and I still like them, but then a Global rep from Japan came to eat here and brought us a prototype for a 12-inch chef's knife. It's gigantic! I thought it would be unbalanced and uncomfortable, so I was polite to him but put the knife away thinking I would never use it. Then one day I didn't have any sharp knives around, so I gave it a try. And once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. It's very balanced and stays very sharp. Global GF35 is the model.

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/...w-grant-achatz
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post #19 of 184
8/16/10 at 5:45pm
when you get into it, knives and their construction are about as complicated as bespoke suits and their construction, and filled with just about as much pointless jargon. If you're really curious about the different kinds of steels, there's a good book by Chad Ward called "An Edge in the Kitchen." For most people, including the OP, it sounds like, the questions are more practical.
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post #20 of 184
8/16/10 at 6:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manton View Post
The Elite is billed as "powdered"; no idea what that means or if it is just aesthetic.

Powdered steel (where the steel is made into a fine powder before rolling or forging) is supposed to have a finer grain structure (which should lead to a finer and more polished edge if sharpened correctly).
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post #21 of 184
8/16/10 at 7:03pm
Henckels or Wustoff on ebay.

I feel like there are a lot of them in the 8" size in good shape (gifts that people thought were too big...upgrades to nicer knives, etc)...spend a few bucks on a pro sharpening and you are in business for <$50
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post #22 of 184
8/16/10 at 7:04pm
Interesting, they also produce a "powdered" effect on the main body of the blade which I assume is just for show, as it stops short of the actual edge.
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post #23 of 184
8/16/10 at 7:16pm
Global. You can get a nice 3pc set at Bed Bath w/20% off for less than $150. Saving that, go with the Forchner.
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post #24 of 184
8/16/10 at 7:29pm
if you think you might be interested in global, be sure to try them before you use them. i've used them and really hate them. or should i say, they're not quite to my taste. No, this is styleforum: they are the devil's spawn, teh culinary equivalent of sharp knees, and anybody who prefers them is obviously an idiot. whatever. they have metal handles and to my touch, they are just too cold. i also find the handles get somewhat slippery when breaking down meat, etc.
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post #25 of 184
8/16/10 at 7:30pm
I am not a fran of Global either but the cleaver is the best out there. It just has heft that gives it a hacking power that other models lack.
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post #26 of 184
8/16/10 at 7:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manton View Post
I am not a fran of Global either but the cleaver is the best out there. It just has heft that gives it a hacking power that other models lack.

come to my house and i'll show you my pre-war sabatier demi-hachette! we're talking 1 full pound of carbon steel baby. shaped like a chef's knife, heft like a cleaver.
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post #27 of 184
8/16/10 at 11:45pm
Back when I used to cook I had a 5pc set including the cleaver. The cleaver was the best one I could find by far. Had very good heft but wasn't bulky enough that I couldn't take it to some veggies. The knives are lightweight and nimble. Most importantly, they fit my hands and didn't cause cramps. I gave away a Whustoff because the fucker kept causing my hand to cramp up after 10 minutes of chopping.
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post #28 of 184
8/17/10 at 12:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
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).
Thanks to you heathens I have tried a bunch of knives over the last year or so. Now I am satisfied that I know what I like. Of all the knives I have tried, I hated the UX10s the most. Macs are very nice, but my Mac chef knife ended up being too rounded for me. I felt like I had to learn how to use a knife all over again. Among other knives I did not like were Shuns. Wusthofs are pretty damn good knives, and I use some but not the chef's for the same reason I ended up not loving my Mac. I have other Macs I do love. UX10s seemed to be the most overhyped product I have tried in a long time. I like Global well enough. They are light and easy to get super sharp. I just tired of them after some years. Bottom line is to find something that feels good in your hand. Oh, also I hate Santokus. They are, IMO, useless. Edit: Oh yeah, as to the OP, I think Wustohfs are the best value, even though they are far from the lowest price. I say that even having snapped one in two some years back -- I suggest using a cheap chef's knife if you are going to break down 25 lobsters at a time.
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post #29 of 184
8/17/10 at 12:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
Bottom line is to find something that feels good in your hand. Oh, also I hate Santokus. They are, IMO, useless.
Yay to the Santoku comment. Still can't understand the point. What brand chef knife are you currently using Matt?
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post #30 of 184
8/17/10 at 12:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rambo View Post
Yay to the Santoku comment. Still can't understand the point. What brand chef knife are you currently using Matt?
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