Steak Knives

[KJT]

Just up for some quick suggestions. I'm tired of using paring knives...

Looking for a good combo of form, function, and price.

Love these, but they're too expensive:
Shun 4-Piece Rosewood Handle Steak Knife Set

amazon link

Cook's Illustrated recommends these - not a huge fan of the styling, but I trust their advice:
Forschner Rosewood 6-pc. Steak Knife Set Forschner Rosewood

Link

Gilt has a set of 8 of these for $80:
J.A. Henckels Twin Gourmet 8-Piece Steak Knife Set with Box

Apparently amazon has the same deal

Yup - not sure which way to go.

 

[impolyt_one]

Get a set of Jean Dubost Laguioles off eBay, they're insanely underpriced in America. Weighty hand feel is off the charts.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

Get a set of Jean Dubost Laguioles off eBay, they're insanely underpriced in America. Weighty hand feel is off the charts.
The ones in America from Dubost are cheap tinny, lightweight garbage. That is why they look underpriced. They do look really nice.

 

[Invicta]

Originally Posted by KJT

Just up for some quick suggestions. I'm tired of using paring knives...

Looking for a good combo of form, function, and price.

Love these, but they're too expensive:
Shun 4-Piece Rosewood Handle Steak Knife Set

Have these, love them. Highly recommended.

 

[KJT]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

Get a set of Jean Dubost Laguioles off eBay, they're insanely underpriced in America. Weighty hand feel is off the charts.

Originally Posted by iammatt

The ones in America from Dubost are cheap tinny, lightweight garbage. That is why they look underpriced. They do look really nice.
That's been my experience. I do like the way those knives look, but the ones I've seen have been exactly as iammatt describes.

 

[impolyt_one]

That's really disappointing. I was ready to buy a lot of them (haven't really been to a housewares store in America since I basically left the country the day after high school ended, and never went back).... ate a ****** steak at the local Park Hyatt with a good, really heavy Laguiole not long ago, I couldn't get over it - felt like I could've driven a car over it and it wouldn't have bent.

 

[impolyt_one]

I also got duped and bought a pair of the Chinese-made Zwilling Henckels unknowingly earlier in the year, if that says anything. 3 months in they're as sharp as a butter knife.

 

[foodguy]

i got a french-made laguiole carving set from a generous friend for christmas ... they can make some really good products. here's a guide to them. they are not inexpensive.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by foodguy

i got a french-made laguiole carving set from a generous friend for christmas ... they can make some really good products. here's a guide to them. they are not inexpensive.
Yup. The nice ones are great.

 

[kwilkinson]

Do not get Shun steak knives.

 

[foodguy]

to a certain extent, i don't worry that much about steak knives at all. hopefully, i'm never going to be serving something so tough a great edge is required. my house steak knives are a really cool set of antiques with metal handles shaped like charging bulls. or, when i'm serving pork, they might be recumbent pigs.

 

[KJT]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Do not get Shun steak knives.

any reason why?

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by KJT

any reason why?

Well, there seems little reason to pay a premium for the Shun name for steak knives. Don't get me wrong, I currently own two Shun knives and love them both. But to me, it just doesn't make sense for steak knives, and I can't imagine the rosewood handle or blade combo looking very good at most table settings.

 

[KJT]

Originally Posted by foodguy

to a certain extent, i don't worry that much about steak knives at all. hopefully, i'm never going to be serving something so tough a great edge is required. my house steak knives are a really cool set of antiques with metal handles shaped like charging bulls. or, when i'm serving pork, they might be recumbent pigs.

I agree with this in part. I don't need hand-held saws for my guests to eat their meat, whether it's pork or steak, because as you say, I don't plan on ever serving something that tough. But it is sometimes a pain to use regular table knives on whole pieces of meat. Also, there's just something about pulling those steaknives out. Makes it special I guess.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Well, there seems little reason to pay a premium for the Shun name for steak knives. Don't get me wrong, I currently own two Shun knives and love them both. But to me, it just doesn't make sense for steak knives, and I can't imagine the rosewood handle or blade combo looking very good at most table settings.

Agree totally. Way too much money, and the extra performance you are paying for is not needed to cut steak.

Then again, if you just like the way they look and have the cash to burn, why not.