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wishiwasricher

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I used to go to mj balenbut I found their prices kept going up. The suits I had lasted well though.

I’ve also tried spier and Mackay who seem to be a forum favourite- it’s like a cult. Their suits were well priced and great quality for the price point.
 

Geoffrey Firmin

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Probably going to need to grab 2-3 suits soon for work (haven't ever worn suits for work), what's the go on entry level suits for work? MJ Bale? Suit Supply?
Patrick Johnson....Tailors.
 

Osiris2012

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Probably going to need to grab 2-3 suits soon for work (haven't ever worn suits for work), what's the go on entry level suits for work? MJ Bale? Suit Supply?

Suit supply is getting up there with this years price increases but overall the staples are still the best you can get for the price and with free shipping and a liberal return policy can't really go wrong. I was a big fan of MJB and still have some suits in the rotation but they've tightened their return policy recently on non full priced items and I'm not a fan.
 

LonerMatt

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Advantage of MJB is that I can try on in store. SS is only in Sydney, correct?
 

Geoffrey Firmin

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Foxhound

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In the market for a set of knives. Don’t need many, but would love Damascus steel. Are there good go to brands/sets that are on the cheaper side, but are great value for money.
 

LonerMatt

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IME, I prefer knives with softer blades that are easier to sharpen at home (but potentially more prone to shattering/chipping if you drop them) rather than blades that are massively heavy duty but need a professional sharpen every year or so.

Usually that means Japanese over German knives.
 

ryanohare

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Probably going to need to grab 2-3 suits soon for work (haven't ever worn suits for work), what's the go on entry level suits for work? MJ Bale? Suit Supply?

If you're prepared to wrangle your way through the madness, then I'd advise the MJB outlet stores in DFO South Wharf or Essendon. There's great deals to be had around the $300 range for suits in most colours and sizes. I pop in every so often and most of the time there's something worthwhile to be had.
 

Geoffrey Firmin

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@Foxhound LM is correct with the German Japanese option.

Trident, Dicks or Brazilian brand,made in a German plant & steel, Mundial.

I still have a couple I use which are 30 years old from when I was in the industry.

Global blocks are good for all purpose home use. Make sure you get a Japanese wet stone. Found it better than standard oil stone.
 
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Journeyman

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IME, I prefer knives with softer blades that are easier to sharpen at home (but potentially more prone to shattering/chipping if you drop them) rather than blades that are massively heavy duty but need a professional sharpen every year or so.

Usually that means Japanese over German knives.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, I prefer Japanese knives, too.

In reality, unless you are a professional chef, you really only need a couple of knives, rather than a full set.

Here's what I wrote some time ago about Japanese knives (although it was about buying knives in Japan): https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...his-is-all-about.518027/page-416#post-9087871

A lot of it depends upon yourself - what you cook, which hand you use, your own preferences and so on.

There are a large number of different knife types that you can get, probably 20 or more, ranging from cleavers to cut through bone, to small knives used to peel vegetables.

A lot of people probably only need one or two knives, such as a gyuto and a santoku. If you slice fish, you may also want a yanagiba.

Gyuto and santoku look fairly similar, but gyuto is larger and the two knives have different angles and different qualities.

My Japanese mother-in-law only has three knives that she uses daily - gyuto, santoku and nakiri. The latter has a square tip and is used for cutting vegetables. Despite its size, she also uses the nakiri for peeling vegetables, which I find quite amazing, but it's the result of decades of practice, I suppose.

With regard to price, you should be able to get really decent knives for $150 or so. Really, a lot of what non-Japanese people pay for in Japanese knives is appearance, rather than substance (rather like clothing), particularly the texturing/patterning on the blade, the material of the handle and so on. I still use a santoku that I bought for about $100 almost 20 years ago.

I prefer a Japanese-style, rounded handle but some people prefer the European-style shaped handle with the pins through it. You can usually find both handle types but the Japanese rounded handle will be more common.

See about getting a pair of kitchen scissors while you're there. Do be aware that they're not stainless steel and so the blades can show rust spots, but they will be the sharpest pair of kitchen scissors you'll have ever seen.
 

Geoffrey Firmin

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@Journeyman due to the state of late capitalist market society you can buy a block set cheaper than buying individual knives.
 

Journeyman

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GF - That is true, but it also depends on what knives. I've seen plenty of German-style knives in blocks, but I don't think that I've seen Japanese knives in blocks.
 

Gerry Nelson

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Geoffrey Firmin

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GF - That is true, but it also depends on what knives. I've seen plenty of German-style knives in blocks, but I don't think that I've seen Japanese knives in blocks.
Global.

Have use one in a commercial kitchen and home.

Thirty years ago it was all German knives.
 

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