Henkles, Wusthof, Global, OH MY!!!

SWISS_CHEF · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Switzerland

Go to http://www.shopping.cutlery.com/ and search "carbon"

I also noticed a link in the "How to cut up a chicken" thread that there was a link showing a chicken being cut up by a carbon steel knife. You can see how the knives develop a patina over time. Each one is different.
See: http://www.courier-journal.com/features/2004/08/11/gallery_cutchicken/10.html
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The sound of a cork being removed from a bottle of wine is surely the sound of a man opening his heart.

brighidsdaughter · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 233 Location: Canton, TX USA

Swiss Chef wrote:
Go to http://www.shopping.cutlery.com/ and search "carbon"

MWAH! (blowing a kiss toward Switzerland) I'll have some new knives very shortly. Thank you! Very Happy

Brighidsdaughter
doing the new-knife happy dance

SWISS_CHEF · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Switzerland

Hi Everyone,
I just found out something interesting. Sabatier is a style of knife not a company. Just like Laguiole knives, lots of different companies make them. This accounts for the variation in quality. I checked my knives and sure enough some are made in Paris and some are from Thiers-Issard and so on. Some (not mine) are even made in china so be careful! Confused

Here are some pictures of my babies.
My Sabatiers:

My Wüsthofs:

My Nogents: (These are the knives that Julia Child used on her earliest cooking programs and are said to be her favorites.)

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The sound of a cork being removed from a bottle of wine is surely the sound of a man opening his heart.

Erin · Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:38 pm Post subject:

Swiss Chef they are beautiful!! I had no idea about them being styles and not brands, I will keep that in mind!
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Rainey · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 5:51 pm Post subject:

I went out and bought myself a santoku knife over the weekend and I've been having fun playing with it.

I ended up with a Wusthof partly because it had the combination of blade length I wanted and the hollow-ground edges. But another important factor was that I could hold it in my hand and determine that it felt great. I had expected to get a Global knife 'cause I like the one I have so much. My expectation was dimmed when I saw the Global knife wasn't hollow-ground. Nevertheless, I was still interested until it became clear I couldn't even hold it.

Oh, the nice saleswoman at Sur La Table (an upscale store for serious cooks and confirmed Yuppies) went through box after box looking for the one that had a stock # corresponding to the knife I wanted. And she was even willing to take the inner box out of the protective one and slip off the decorative plastic sleeve. But the knife was secured in its box with a nylon cable tie and it was verboten to remove that unless I committed to buying the knife after I held it. Question

huh? So all I could do was hold the box. Shocked

I wonder what information the store thinks that provides when you're thinking of making a serious purchase of a piece of equipment on which you will rely daily for many years to come!?!

You know what? I think I'm going to copy this exact note and post it to Sur La Table mentioning that I've expressed my consternation here among serious cooks. Perhaps it will make them rethink the needs of their customers. You think?

SWISS_CHEF · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Switzerland

You can't touch it? Ridiculous! Run from the product and run from the store! The very least they should is have a display out with each of the knives. To me, that is just arrogance! I would write Global too.

Did I mention I am a consumer's advocate?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/swissconsumersforum

Ed
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The sound of a cork being removed from a bottle of wine is surely the sound of a man opening his heart.

SWISS_CHEF · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Switzerland

Dull knives? I found this on Egullet: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=26036
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The sound of a cork being removed from a bottle of wine is surely the sound of a man opening his heart.

Rainey · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:45 am Post subject:

Erin · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:32 pm Post subject:

Rainey,
Is your Wusthof a Culinar or Classic? I mainly have the Culinar, I love them because they are heavy. Have fun with your knife, I love my santoku.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Ronnie · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 7 Location: Chicago, IL

Does anyone have any experience with or can comment on MAC knives? I look to improve my (currently mediocre) knife collection and have been intrigued with MAC due to their growing popularity in recent years (most likely due to endorsements by several chefs -- Keller, Trotter, Nobu Matsuhisa) and very positive testimonials by several eGullet posters.

Most importantly, my mom had several MAC knives while I was growing up and to this day they are still in great condition! I'm wonder if the quality has changed over the years. However, from what I have read so far, I don't think this is the case.

Many thanks!

Erin · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 3:34 pm Post subject:

First off, welcome Ronnie!!! I do not have any experience with Mac knives. I don't say this very often but if Thomas Keller actually uses them in The French Laundry or Bouchon then I would snap them up. I have never seen a chef so meticulous and choosy as he is. If it is only an endorsement then I would think twice. Good luck!
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Ronnie · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 7 Location: Chicago, IL

Thanks for the warm welcome, Erin! I like how you pointed out the difference of an endorsement vs. Keller actually using it. From what I've read (on other boards), he does use it but I've seen nothing concrete coming from his camp. I do know, however, that his line of knives are made by MAC.

Nevertheless, my fondness for MAC is more for nostalgic reasons. At this time, I'm leaning toward the MAC Santoku, but for a chef's knife, going the Wusthof Grand Prix II route given its weight and more "sturdy" feel. Makes sense given the Japanese knife is made by a Japanese line and the Western knife is made by a European line. However, given your raves of the Wusthof Culinar line, I will definitely have to check that out! It's definitely an aesthetically beautiful line of knives.

DrBiggles