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Are Zwilling JA Heckel Knives good? - Page 2

post #16 of 25
10/13/10 at 1:22pm
Those are the ones I meant... just looked at the two online
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post #17 of 25
10/13/10 at 1:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manton View Post
Maybe I got duds but my Henkel's have a hard time getting sharp and don't stay sharp for long.

My Wusthoffs don't stay sharp as Long as I'd prefer either but I'm not using them enough to matter these days nor am I really giving the edge the care they need. After having them professionally sharpened by one of the guys some of the chefs here use, I still don't feel they are sharp enough.

May e they see me coming and decide to give me the "safety edge"
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post #18 of 25
10/13/10 at 1:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cary Grant View Post
My Wusthoffs don't stay sharp as Long as I'd prefer either but I'm not using them enough to matter these days nor am I really giving the edge the care they need. After having them professionally sharpened by one of the guys some of the chefs here use, I still don't feel they are sharp enough. May e they see me coming and decide to give me the "safety edge"
That's odd - they should not get as sharp as japanese steel, but they should hold the edge a little longer because of their hardness - as long as you are honing regularly.
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post #19 of 25
10/13/10 at 1:43pm
Ron-

Unfortunately they are probably getting dull from LACK of use.
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post #20 of 25
10/13/10 at 1:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoRon View Post
That's odd - they should not get as sharp as japanese steel, but they should hold the edge a little longer because of their hardness - as long as you are honing regularly.
i think that's a little turned around. wusthoffs, henckels and other european knives are generally made with softer steel. this makes them easier to maintain (sharpen, hone), but they won't hold that edge as long. i wouldn't want to make an argument either way about which is "sharper" ... gyuotos do feel sharper, partly because they have very thin blades, partly because they hold that factory edge longer .... but they can be problematic to re-sharpen.
as i said earlier, the difference between the henckels and a wusthoff (my preference) or similar knives is probably so small even a medium-level cook wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
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post #21 of 25
10/13/10 at 2:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
i think that's a little turned around. wusthoffs, henckels and other european knives are generally made with softer steel. this makes them easier to maintain (sharpen, hone), but they won't hold that edge as long. i wouldn't want to make an argument either way about which is "sharper" ... gyuotos do feel sharper, partly because they have very thin blades, partly because they hold that factory edge longer .... but they can be problematic to re-sharpen. as i said earlier, the difference between the henckels and a wusthoff (my preference) or similar knives is probably so small even a medium-level cook wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Yes ... I think I had it backwards
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post #22 of 25
10/13/10 at 9:40pm
I like the kyocera ceramic knives for everyday cooking. Those shits chip easily though.
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post #23 of 25
10/13/10 at 10:03pm
Good advice here from Iammatt and foodguy. I've owned both Henckels and Wusthoff and prefer the Wusthoff shape and feel in the hand, but the best Henckels knives are great in a home kitchen.

I'm sure your mom will enjoy the gift. If possible, take her shopping. Just have the salesperson strategically remove the price tags when necessary.

Last but not least, don't let the (fantasy) perfect be the enemy of the good.
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post #24 of 25
10/13/10 at 10:03pm
A regular housewife only needs quality regular knives. Specialist knives require specific maintenance, so your uber expensive Japanese knife might end up in the bin because she's unable to sharpen it with a generic honing steel.

Looking at her current setup is a good indicator.
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post #25 of 25
10/13/10 at 10:29pm
Japanese knives are harder to maintain, but when they are in good shape, their typical 80/20-ish profile feel much sharper than the typical 50/50-ish profile of a western knife like a Wusthof. I find uses for both, and take my Japanese knives to a Japanese sharpening shop when I need to, rather than attempting it myself.
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