Henkles, Wusthof, Global, OH MY!!!

Erin

I have been inspired through recent posts and messages concerning my protective nature towards my knives to start a thread! What are your favorite knives, style or brand?

I love my Wusthof Culinar knives in general. I love their style, balance and weight. Unlike most I like the weight of a heavy knife, I feel it gives me better control.
My number one choice of course for obvious reasons is the 10' chefs knife. Then the santoku, that I don't know how I ever did without. Then there is the giant scary looking butchers knife my father-in-law gave me. I don't even know what brand it is, but it really shows garlic whose boss.
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

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

I'm a knife nut too and have loads of them and change them from time to time. I really like antique French carbon-steel knives because of their sexy form and also because they take an edge very quickly. I like my Wüsthof Classics too but the steel is very hard and they are much harder to get sharp. I also have a full set of Sabatier carbon-steel knives and I love them. I'm not sure if Sabatier still makes them though. One of the most useful and funky knives I have is a truffle knife. Actually, its more like a tiny mandolin. I use it to cut garlic paper thin as well as truffles.
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Barbara · Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:57 am Post subject:

I'm looking forward to gaining some knowledge on knives. I have one good knife which I remember was very expensive at the time. However I just checked for the name and it doesn't have one etched anywhere so maybe we were ripped off. I sorry to say I don't treat it well. My son managed to break off the tip, I keep it in the drawer with the other knives and I think it may have snuck into the dishwasher a few times when I wasn't looking.
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Barbara

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

SWISS_CHEF mentioned Sabatier carbon-steel. Oh, yeah baby!

I *wish* I had a full set. I have the utility and chef's knives that I got over 20 years ago, and they are still my favorite knives. In a *way* early post to this forum, I think I mentioned them in a thread on kitchen equipment. I'd love to have another of the utility knives, or a boning knife, but I'm not sure the metal composition is still the same. I love their ability to sharpen well and easily. I've seen some Sabatier knives on the internet, but from the lower price, I doubt they are the same.

The problem I have is very small hands -- regular ladies' gloves are always about an inch too long in the fingers. Most high quality knives have a handle that is uncomfortably large for me.

Hmmm. Maybe I need to go knife shopping!

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

I Googled. Mine look like the "au carbone" knives from Sabatier. Online shopping is turning up mostly *other* Sabatiers, though. Gosh, I hope they are still making these!

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

Bingo: http://www.greatcookstore.com/cat.php?cat_id=1101

I doubt if Sabatier has changed their quality much. In fact they are probably putting better handles on their knives these days. Some of mine from the 50's have a cheaper grade handle. The very old ones have better quality handles and the new ones I have seen have perhaps the best.

brighidsdaughter: If you have small hands you will like the 6 and 8 inch chef's knives, they are smaller and MUCH lighter than a Wüsthof.

Happy cutting, 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.

tea leaves · Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:24 pm Post subject:

Three years ago my husband bought me two excellant saute pans and two excellant Wusthof knives for Christmas ( what a good elf, the following year was a copper saucier). I use the 8" Wusthof EVERY day. Takes an edge very quickly, slices, dices and I like the size of it for my hand. We recently bought a Sankotu however and like others on this thread, how did we live without it? Two things leave the house in event of fire, my 8" knife and my perfectly seasoned cast iron skillet, which you can cook everything in, including the extra turkey breast for thanksgiving,on the grill outside...while swilling wine!
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"Nobody can teach you how to make the perfect cup of tea. It just happens over time. Wearing cashmere helps of course."

David · Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 4:37 pm Post subject:

Wow, I've got to investigate this knife thing and perhaps start whining for next Christmas. I have a drawer full of knives, all nondescript and unheralded. But I use only the 10 inch heavy one and my sharp little paring knife, oh and the bread knife but only for bread and very ripe tomatoes.
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zingor · Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 5 Location: Florida

I have been using the same four knives for the past 8 or so years, and I completely love them. I have 2 Forschner Victorinox chef knives (one serrated) and 2 of their paring knives (also one serrated). They perform beautifully, yet were inexpensive enough (under $25 each) that I don't feel bad if I abuse them, because I know I can just get another. I haven't had to yet though, and these guys have been through the wringer with me.

Kelly · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Sydney, Australia

I received a 10' Global knife for my 21st birthday some years ago. I was not a foodie at the time and it sat in my cupboard for a few years. When I finally grew up and started to enjoy cooking I dragged this knife out of the box and I just love it so I bought a smaller one... I bought a set of 7 last year however they are still in the box as I am flatting and other people are just not as appreciative of a good knife as moi. I have even found my knives in the dishwasher!

Erin · Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 3:29 pm Post subject:

Kelly,
My husband went through knife training before I would even let him look at my knives. I think putting them in the dishwasher would buy him a few nights on the couch.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Rainey · Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject:

My confession is that I don't know a thing about knives. When I got mine 20 years or so ago, (a basic set of Henkles) I got the best I could afford at the time. But they're all I know (except for one small Global paring knife).

It's a shame, when you're making such an expensive purchase, that you don't get to use several kinds of knives so you can make an informed choice. Who would buy a car without a test drive? So why do we (non-pros who have such limited experience with different manufacturers) have to purchase something we'll probably own much longer without a similar hands-on demo?

On the other hand, I'm not sure the difference between one good-quality knife and another matters so much to me because I have no knife skills and what gets the job done works at my level of proficiency.

Still, that being said, I love the light feel of that Global knife and would purchase a few larger knives if I could afford them. Alas, I can't...

Erin · Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 7:51 pm Post subject:

Rainey.
I am very surprised, normally you are a font of knowledge! Well despite a lack of knowledge Henkles and Global are great choices, I know many a chef that recommends them. They are too light for me, but I am kind of a weirdo when it comes to my knife preferences.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Rainey · Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 8:38 pm Post subject:

I love to experience and to cook food. I like to try everything at least once -- especially the most fundamental and old-fashioned techniques and recipes. I read a lot and enjoy sharing what I've picked up. And I do just fine in at home to my own standards. But I worked in my own kitchen for 30+ years in my own ordinary, pokey way before I had any idea what real knife technique was. By that time, I had well-ingrained bad habits.

Oh, and I'm really a baker at heart. That's where I excel and, although knife use is critical in baking, it's not until I give in and decide I can't eat the whole thing right then and there. Shocked

Rainey · Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 4:56 am Post subject:

Hey! Look at this: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article.php?id=39 I was surfing links from clotilde's blog and came across this other site with a page on comparing knives.

I hope it's useful to someone. The thorough approach of this blogger is also very interesting. Once again clotilde has come through with something marvelous! Wink