Doing a little research I have found many good brands, but what type of knives would come in handy? I have a Miyabi santoku knife. What type of knives should I buy next?

The minimum set which covers 99% of home cutting is:
3-4″ paring/peeling knife;
6-12″ chef’s knife
8-12in serrated bread slicer.

After that you can add boning knife if you work with bony meat, poultry. BTW, boning knives are not the same as meat cleavers, i.e. not designed to chop through the bones, but to work around them.

Since you already have a santoku, you probably can skip the chef’s knife. I personally find them too short, but if you like it and it is comfy why not.

Few more pointers when shopping for the kitchen knife:

1) Do not buy a set. No matter what it will contain more than 1 knife that you don’t need.

2) Don’t believe all the marketing BS that good kitchen knives have to be forged, and have full bolster and tang. None of that is true. E.g. Stamped Globals are much better performers than most of the forged mainstream kitchen knives. katana swords and bowie knives are not full tang, yet they can cut through armor and leather, so I really doubt you need more strength than that. Bolsters make sense only on narrow boning knives to protect your hand from slippage, but on other wider knives blade choil area does the job, bolster just makes sharpening a nightmare.

3) Avoid both, Cutco and Furi knives. Both are real junk metal knives, except one is really outrageously priced, Cutco. Both have rusting issues, can’t hold the edge worth a dime and both have very misleading marketing.

Also, worth noting that Japanese knives are much harder compared to western counterparts and when abused might break or chip, but stay sharp a lot longer and cut a lot better too.
By the way, Global knives aren’t your typical Japanese knives, more western, in terms of hardness. 58HRC is quite close or same as many western knives.

Miyabi MC-66 blades go 66HRC, which is extremely hard and most of the high end Japanese knives are in 63-67HRC range. Harder to sharpen, but hold the edge superbly and you can grind very thin edges that cut better than a straight razor.

I suggest you read this article – zknives.com/knives/kitchen/misc/articles/kkchoser/index.shtml
On choosing kitchen knives.

And for helo with Japanese kitchen knife types this will help – zknives.com/knives/kitchen/misc/jpnktknvtypes.shtml

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Tags: boning knives, bowie knives, Bread Slicer, Cutco Knives, Furi Knives, Global Knives, Globals, Home Kitchen, japanese knives, Junk Metal, Kitchen Knife, Kitchen Knives, Knife 1, Knives Swords, Meat Poultry, Santoku Knife, Slippage, Swords Knives, Western Counterparts, Western Knives
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Tags: boning knives, bowie knives, Bread Slicer, Cutco Knives, Furi Knives, Global Knives, Globals, Home Kitchen, japanese knives, Junk Metal, Kitchen Knife, Kitchen Knives, Knife 1, Knives Swords, Meat Poultry, Santoku Knife, Slippage, Swords Knives, Western Counterparts, Western Knives

I’m a professional knife labourer. I’ve worked as a butcher, skinner, field harvest worker and with fish and seashells.

His advice is not bad, but it is lacking somewhat.

First of all. Most people only need a serrated knife and some good scissors in their kitchen. A couple of small peeling knifes may be of good use too (they cost about 5 SEK, where I live). Anything more fancy then that is usually overkill.

The most persistent myth about knifes are that the harder the steel, the better. WRONG! It was true 300 years ago (in Sweden, I don’t know anything about the historical skill of any other countries metallurgists). Even the knifes with the softest steel you can buy today, have harder steel then any knife you could get then. The fancy, very expensive, hard steel (or ceramic) knifes that are sold today are brittle and loose their edge really fast. Knifes with a softer edge last at least 40 times longer, before need of any destructive sharpening. The sharpest you can get a hard steel knife is like a razor-blade or a scalpel, I could never work with a knife that dull, my health would be destroyed within a week.

If you want to do your life complicated and don’t want to use a serrated knife. Look what factory workers in the food industry use, restaurant workers are amateurs when it comes to using knifes in comparison. I’ve probably used more then 100 different brands of knifes. I’m a huge fan of Frost’s knifes for industrial use (they cost about 10-80 SEK, depending on size), but their knifes marketed to restaurants and homes really sucks. Fiskar’s have some really good knifes, just avoid their expensive ones, they are not as good. IKEA have had some nice knifes and some really horrible. I’ve used 20 or so US brands of knifes, but none of them were any good, they couldn’t get sharp enough and were to brittle.

When you buy a knife for slicing, avoid knuckle busters.

Then you need a packer steel with a magnetic core for sharpening the knife. The smooth packer steel is the big secret in how to keep your knifes sharper then a razor-blade and the reason soft steel knifes has much longer life span then hard steel knifes. Always use this steel before you use your knife. Unlike a butcher’s steel, it will not shorten the life span of your life, it will prolong it. It doesn’t remove any material from the knife, it just straightens microscopic bends on the edge.

After a few years (about 4 months if you use the knife 40 hours a week), or if you have a hard steel knife, you will need a butchers steel. I find that most of these are a bit to aggressive and try to find those that are made in a rather soft steel with very little teeth. Ceramic ones can however replace a grinding stone, in the hands of a skilled sharpener (it took me a year to master).

As for actual grinding. If you take care of your knife and only use it in your home kitchen, you will not have to do this for decades. I prefer two kinds of rubber grinding wheels at high speed (with lots of water for cooling), one that don’t contain any hard particles and one that does (but very fine). I first use the one with a bite to form the edge, then the soft one for removing grades and then finish of with a packing steel. It take me about 3-5 minutes to sharpen a knife. Some days I have sharpened about 200-300 knifes (with assistance of someone with a packing steel), all sharper then a razor blade. Knifes sharpened with traditional sharping stones is much better if you need to cut into wood, paper, bone, marrow or something with mineral dust or sand on it, but it takes at least half an hour to sharpen a knife with them. If you use grinding stones, you sharpen the edge with very slow(!) movement against it. If you use a high speed rubber grinder, you sharpen with the movement in the direction of the edge. Always with the edge away from your body, especially with high speed grinders. Always use plenty of coolant (water is better then oil with most modern grinding material). Always use glasses for protection.

As for how to form the edges. I could write several book on the advantages of different angles and forms. The main rule is: a very sharp angle give a very sharp knife that is very sensitive to wear, less sharp angles gives less sharp knifes, but they are sturdier. You can get a good compromise by a two level edge, this gives an edge as sturdy as what you get with traditional really slow grinding, but is easier to use with a sharpening steel. As I live by my knifes, I use rather complicated edge forms depending on purpose, unless you don’t spend most of your time awake with a knife in your hand, you really don’t have to (e.g. if I will butch several hundreds of animal bodies and have to cut both through joints and meat, then I prepare a knife that have the edge sharpened for cutting through the joints near the shaft and the edge for cutting in meat in the top).

Never, ever use a knife to cut through bones or marrow, it will kill it. Use a saw or, on birds, a scissor. My opinion is that unless you saw bones for marrows (to bake and use as spread on bread, yummy), you commit a culinary sin when you butch an animal so that you have to cut through bones or marrow, but some of my employers don’t share my view.

If you have to cut dusty vegetables, always use a serrated knife or scissors. There exist good and cheap throw-away skinners knifes if you have to skin dusty pelts. For thin skins you can also use those cutters that are used for seatbelts (you should already have one handy in your car in case of an accident) or to open cardboard boxes, they can be better then a “real” skinners knife.

chef knivesGlobal chefs knives – 25th Anniversary

Global 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Knife Set

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Global knife brand, Global have issued a limited edition knife set that includes seven knives and a cordura knife case.
There are several exclusive new knife shapes to the set, and all knife blades are stamped with a 25th Anniversary logo.

The Global chefs knife limited edition set includes: The G-4A 18cm Oriental Cook’s Knife (new edition); The G-21A 16cm Flexible Boning Knife; The GS-54A 12cm Oriental Santoku Knife (new edition); The GS-11A 15cm Flexible Utility Knife; The GS-58a 11cm Oriental Cook’s Knife(new edition); The GSF-15A 8 cm Peeling Knife; The GSF-22A 11cm Utility Knife; And the G-666/7C Cordura Knife Case.

From their beginning in 1985 the Global brand has developed into one of Japanese industry’s success stories. 25 years later Global chefs knives

Make Cooking Easier with These Accessories

A well-stocked kitchen is one that contains modern gadgets, accessories, and kitchen tools that help to make cooking pleasurable no matter what the situation may be.  For many, cooking is preferred to be quick and painless. With the new products discussed below, you can be in and out of your kitchen quickly, with time to spare and a great meal in hand.

Knives

No kitchen is complete without a great set of hard-wearing, long-lasting, durable knives. No matter what you are cooking, it is almost certain that a sharp knife is going to be needed for something. Chopping, slicing, dicing, and peeling, can be so much easier with a set of great quality, forged steel knives that have handles that enable a firm, sturdy grip. Knife sets can be sold for a reasonable price at most retailers, and often include anywhere from five to twenty five knives each. Depending on your interior décor, you can also get colorful knives to match any kitchen theme. Store your knives in a clean knife holder for visibility and easy access.

If you are not keen on the knife idea, there are many other modern accessories that can replace knives in your cooking regimen.  Items such as a handheld mandoline slicer work to deliver five-star restaurant results without ever having to leave your home. This handy and easy to use product allows you to slice anything from vegetables to fruit and more in three different thicknesses. There is also a product entitled the Chop Wizard, which is wonderful for dicing food into the perfect form.  In one swift motion you can dice anything from cheese to vegetables in seconds.

If you find that you need a product that is going to be able to do more than slice or dice a few vegetables, consider a food processor. Food processors can finely chop anything from nuts to breadcrumbs while also being able to make delicious and smooth dips, salad dressings and smoothies.  Also supplying a no-mess cooking area, a food processor is simply one of the best food preparation accessories you will ever own.

Cookware

Most people who love to cook and be in their kitchen constantly whipping something delicious up, will already own a basic set of pots and pans with which they can cook most meals. However, there are a few more modern cookware products that you and your food can greatly benefit from by adding to your collection such as the cast iron skillet and the Dutch oven.

A cast iron skillet is an incredibly versatile and extremely heavy piece of cookware that enables the perfect cooking of any delicious meal. They are perfect for use on the stovetop, in the oven, on the grill, and even over a campfire. You can easily cook a steak, make cornbread, scramble eggs, or make grilled sandwiches all on the same item. The heavy cast iron surface makes it easy to cook every type of food evenly, without burning.

The Dutch oven is another heavily constructed product that can be a wonderful addition to your kitchen. Most Dutch oven’s are created from cast iron or porcelain-covered iron, and is guaranteed to cook better roasts, stews, soups, casseroles, chili, and more. A Dutch oven can easily go straight from the oven or stovetop to the tabletop without burning any of your furniture.

An adjustable tiered oven rack is also a great addition to the kitchen of a cooking lover. When added to your oven, an adjustable tiered rack can do a great job of helping you fit in more of the food that needs to be cooked. These products are great for when you are cooking for large family get-togethers, and can make cooking easier by saving baking time. The tiered oven rack with help you to make sure your dishes are ready at the right time without having to reheat your food when the meal is ready to serve.

Kitchen Gadgets

Modern kitchen gadgets can make a world of difference in your kitchen and in your cooking. With items that can slice, dice, and help to create mouth-watering entrees and snacks, you definitely want to consider investing in the handy kitchen gadgets discussed below.

A cherry and olive pitter is a great accessory that is also extremely helpful. Remove cherry and olive pits quickly and easily without making a mess, with the addition of a splatter shield on this die-cast zinc construction tool.

Make pancakes, waffles, and other delicious breakfast foods with the help of a great batter dispenser. The batter can be mixed in the dispenser, and then squeezed to dispense exactly the right amount of batter to produce perfect breakfast dishes. This products is easy to use, easy to clean, and is even good for creating home-made muffins and cupcakes.

A funnel pitches is another great tool for pouring items such as dressings and gravies. The funnel pitches is shaped like an ordinary pitcher but has an extra-long funnel that gives you much better aim for pouring sauces onto any meal. With this product there are no drips or splatters to worry about, which means less cleaning time!

Lisa Parker is a freelance writer who writes about cooking and other home products, often discussing particular types of items such as cooking accessories

There was a time when every singe piece of knife in the house were too worn out and blunt to cut anything. I don’t know how is that possible and i don’t know how the boyfriend manage to live without a usable knife in the kitchen… maybe he used scissors to dice his food -_-”.

So off i dragged him to the store to grab a few pairs of new and sharp kitchen knives. The problem is the both of us had no idea there were so many different type of knives and we ended up buying the wrong type. It was utterly useless. Slicing vegetables was so tedious and cutting meat was out of the question! I think we bought a bread knife hahahaha!

So, now that i’ve learnt my lesson, let’s share some useful information about kitchen knives.

First of all there are quite a number types of knives available but there are only 6 basic ones that is actually needed in the kitchen.

Chef’s Knife also called a cook’s knife or a French Knife has an all purpose design for all types of kitchen task such as chopping vegetables, dicing, slicing and mincing meat.

The curved design allows the cook to rock the knife on the cutting board for a more precise cut and it comes in various lengths of 6, 8, 10 and 12 inches. Get one that fits your hands because the bigger and longer it is the harder to handle.

A Paring Knife is a small knife with a straight, plain edge blade that is ideal for peeling and other intricate work like removing seeds or coring food and cutting small items. Generally 21/2 to 4 inches long, it’s easy to use and it’s designed to be an all-purposed knife much like the chef’s knife except it’s smaller.

Utility Knife is similar to the paring knife except it’s larger at 4 to 7 inches long. It’s a lightweight knife used to cut items that are too large for paring knife and too small for a chef’s knife such as cucumbers, apples and for slicing cheese or meat. They are also called the sandwich knives because of it’s general uses.

A Boning Knife is generally 5 to 6 inches long with a flexible narrow blade. It’s used to remove the main bone within a cut of meat. While a stiff and rigid boning knife is good beef and pork, a flexible one is preferred for poultry and fish.

The Cleaver is mostly a rectangular knife with wide rigid blade around 6 inches in length with a sharp cutting edge. The blade is thick and heavy for splitting or cleaving meat and bone. The flat blunt side of the blade can be used to pulverize meat. If the handle is flat on the end it may be used to crush seeds, garlic or other similar ingredients.

Finally, the Bread Knife which is a type of serrated knife is usually between 6 to 10 inches in length with 8 inches being a common length. The serrations on the blade make it ideal for cutting bread (and other foods with hard/soft composition).

My favorite knife of all if you would like to know is none of the above. Not that they are not good (they are of great use) but i find that i always fall back to using the Chinese Chef’s Knife.

A Chinese Chef’s Knife looks like a cleaver but the blade is not thick like a cleaver. Instead, it is thin bladed designed for slicing, chopping, and mincing vegetables, fish, and boneless meats. Often mistaken for a cleaver or a Chinese Cleaver. It’s is a all-purpose knife similar to the Chef’s Knife. I use it all the time.

I prefer the Chinese Chef’s Knife to the common Chef’s Knife because it gives a good grip and the wide, blade keeps the my fingers well off the cutting surface unlike the Chef’s Knife where my knuckles always knocks the cutting board whenever i chop or mince ingredients. Also, the wide blade offers a larger surface to scoop up chopped food into the bowl.

Happy cooking!

Confession time: I use terrible knives, and I love them.

I have one proper chef’s knife, which was a gift from a friend. And I will confess that there are some things where that knife will work and nothing else will – peeling winter squash. And… No, that’s the only thing I’ve found so far.

In moderate knives, I also have three different lengths of the standard CutCo serrated knife. I use these on big things. And occasionally to cut fresh meat.

For all other purposes, I use crappy steak knives from K-Mart. They’re awesome. They stay sharp enough for about three years, they don’t lose quality when chucked in a drawer, and it’s like $5 for four of them (note: my memory is not good enough to confirm that the brand linked was the same brand I bought).

And I’ve been putting off this post because it requires talking smack about Target, but since they’ve pissed me off this week, you’re in luck. After I had several years’ worth of joy out of the first set, I tried going to replace them at Target. But their crappy steak knives rust.

So how well do they work?

Great. You know what they’re really good at? Smooth, thin slices of tomato. I know. But the micro-serrations are just the thing for biting into the skin without putting any pressure on the flesh. My mother even raised me to peel tomatoes with a knife, instead of by blanching, and that works just fine with these crappy knives. They fit in the hand well and made quick work of pitting cherries, halving peaches, quartering apples, dicing onions, mincing garlic or ginger, removing the pith from the zest of an orange, and they’re even pretty good at cutting steak. Yes, I’ve used them to cut through slightly frozen meat for slivered stir fry meat and it cuts a great hollow for embedding garlic in a roast.

What it doesn’t do well is speed – it’s going to take more passes and it doesn’t have any weight behind it. It’s also not showy at all.

So aren’t you more likely to cut yourself badly with a crappy knife?

Well, I’ve certainly cut myself, but it’s most often like a nasty papercut – see the part where there’s no weight behind it and your pace is slower. Also, there’s less temptation to do stupid, showy cutting-esque moves when you’re holding a simple knife.

But feel free to try to convince me otherwise.

Black Paring

What is the most interracial peeling ….?

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