[Ru]

We've had our current set of kitchen knives for 18 years. They're ok, a set of Zwilling and Henkels in a wooden block. But they're getting a bit rough around the edges. The pins holding the handles on have been corroded by dishwasher tablets, the steel has the odd rust spot (probably caused by dishwasher tablets) and the edges are pitted to the point that they won't sharpen properly without being re-ground. They could probably be given a spa treatment by a knife maker, but it's probably not worth it. I want a spangly new set. I do a fair amount of cooking and would like them to be good/very good. I hesitate to say money is no object because you can easily spend thousands per knife for some custom jobs, but I'm happy to go up to the upper end of normal manufactured knives. Can anyone recommend any? Always had a penchant for Global knives but I'm unsure if they are (90s) style over substance.

[Monolith]

It's possibly of limited help to you but we made a trip to this shop in Nara, Japan: http://kikuichi.com/en/honten.php

Purchasing a single hand made knife engraved with my name on was close to a ceremonial, religious experience. It's also the sharpest blade I've ever worked with and is a thing of beauty. 

Also, just noticed that they do sell online I think. Doubtless you'd prefer to fondle your prospective purchases beforehand though. A bit like buying a golf driver I should imagine.

[jshaw]

I have a couple of Global knives and they've been awesome. Seem to hold an edge for ages (Bought in Dec, only sharpened last month, used daily).

That being said, they're the first "proper" kitchen knives I've had so I don't have much to compare them to.

[galpinos]

Global are like a (used to be) trendy but not as good set of Zwilling. Best left in the cupboard with your VHS box set of friends?

My favourite knife at the moment is a Robert Welch but the handle won't be for everyone. I have always liked his cutlery though so am a little biased.

How many knives do you need? A chef knife does pretty much everything for me, though my wife like to use a vegetable/paring knife.

[dunnyg]

Whatever you get don't dish wash the new ones

[Falling Down]

W bought me one of these for Christmas.. http://www.blenheimforge.co.uk/knives-shop/new-petty it’s fantastic but obviously in the ‘special gift’ price bracket. 

One of these by Robert Welsh for filleting fish and stuff - super bendy and sharp https://www.robertwelch.com/m/kitchen/kitchen_knives/signature_knives/signature_flexible_filleting_knife_16cm.htm

A Wusthof paring knife - a super little thing.

Then some bigger ones from Tesco’s Finest Cookrange that are just brilliant and fantastic value for money.

[Will Hunt]

Despite the slagging they're getting, one of the nice things about Global knives is that they're one piece of metal, so you can dunk them with impunity and never fear about water ingress to the handle.

[dunnyg]

Still not meant for the dishwasher though. That Japanese shop looks incredible.

[Ru]

Whatever you get don't dish wash the new ones

It's not me that does that. I think it's inevitable that however much I look after them someone else will either dishwasher them or leave one out so that the cleaner dishwashers it. As has already happened.

[dunnyg]

Fair enough. I had to educate the other half early on on this too! I'd get the Japanese one but just because they look awesome. My mate had some similar posh Japanese knives in the Kitchen and they were the nicest I've ever used. One day....

[Yossarian]

I keep thinking about getting Japanese knives, but I think it’s a slippery slope...

My Henckels are getting on for 25 years old and still look fairly new. But then we don’t have a dishwasher.

Sharpening technique (with whetstones) is, IMHO, more important than what brand you go for. I find Global a bit light in the hand, but they are pretty.

[Johnny Brown]

Well, for a minute there I didn't think UKB could get any more middle class than this thread. And then...

or leave one out so that the cleaner dishwashers it.

[butters]

Sharpening technique (with whetstones) is, IMHO, more important than what brand you go for. I find Global a bit light in the hand, but they are pretty.

Absolutely with regard to the above and, IMO, the ability to be able to keep an edge on a steel but there are differences on opinion on the matter - some people just recommend you sharpen them on a whetstone when required. I am pretty sure that it was in this thread that it was discussed.

Personally I just use Wusthof Classic - they are perfectly serviceable at a decent price , they are well balanced and feel nice in the hand (which is ultimately what you need to aim for) and they keep a decent edge. Not going to deny that it would be rather nice to have something that is Damascus steel and all that but cost versus desire has to be balanced out somewhere.       

[Monolith]

Readers Knives.

[kelvin]

I forged my own last year, in damascus steel.




 I also have a typical Japanese knife in carbon steel also which is probably the thinnest and sharpest knife I have,handmade somewhere in the backstreets of Tokyo. If a good edge is super important then carbon steel is the way to go.
 My stainless blade is also Japenese, made by Kai. It's alright, well made and light compared to comparable German offerings. I recently gave away my German stuff as I just wasn't using them.

[Ru]

I forged my own last year, in damascus steel.

Did you pattern weld/billet forge the damascus?

[teestub]

New crosstraining for climbing: folding and hammering steel 200 times!

[Falling Down]

Readers Knives.

 

[tomtom]

Readers Knives.

 

Superb. Goal of the tournament.

[galpinos]

I forged my own last year, in damascus steel.

Wow, where did you do that. They are very pretty things......

As an aside, I still think it's amazing that we have been unable to reproduce Damascus steel. We can make steel look like it, we can make steel "better" than it but we can't make "it".

[SA Chris]

Well, for a minute there I didn't think UKB could get any more middle class than this thread. And then...

or leave one out so that the cleaner dishwashers it.

I thought the same thing..

[kelvin]

Did you pattern weld/billet forge the damascus?

I went to a guy in South EST London, on a three day course - he does do the whole iron ore to sharpened edge but that's a lot of money.

Can't speak for the others there but I was given a billet of steel made of two varieties folded into 140 layers about 80mm x 35mm x 5mm. Then used a tiny gas forge to heat and a big hammer to bash, slowly shaping the blade. The shape of the blade I wanted was to suit me, not too sure it's the best for others and the handle has a twist to suit my dodgy right wrist.

[kelvin]

Wow, where did you do that. They are very pretty things......

As an aside, I still think it's amazing that we have been unable to reproduce Damascus steel. We can make steel look like it, we can make steel "better" than it but we can't make "it".

Bushfire Forge, the owner Owen works from old family farm buildings in South London. Expensive but then he sells the same sort of blade for £400 roughly.

[duncan]

I went to a guy in South EST London, on a three day course - he does do the whole iron ore to sharpened edge but that's a lot of money.

You don't dig the ore out of the ground with your bare hands? Back around...

[Will Hunt]

This is probably a bit like walking into a group of hipsters who are raving about their sourdough, baked from a starter whose lineage can be traced a thousand years, and saying that Warburton's seeded batch is quite nice; however, I have one of these for sharpening my knives and it seems to do a very decent job to me.
https://www.johnlewis.com/minosharp-shinkansen-sharpener/p187303

It won't make you look as cool as using a steel or a whetstone though, and isn't that what really matters?

[kelvin]

however

I can only speak for myself but I've never had to sharpen a knife, just true the edge up on a steel.
I recently gave the new girlfriend one of my German knives I'd had maybe 8 years and in only a couple of months, it's kaput. IMO. She uses the same sharpener as yours.

[teestub]

Will, have a look at how much metal that sharpener grinds off each time you use it. They do give you a good edge but seem to need use frequently and therefore end up grinding away a lot of the blade. A steel doesn’t take much practice to hone a blade, and as Kelvin said, bar any major mistreatment this is all you need.

Been looking at investing in a whetstone for maintaining a Helle knife I got for outdoor utility stuff/fending off fierce wild animals/trying to look like Ray Mears. There seems to be a large array of options of grain, can anyone recommend what I should be looking for?

[Johnny Brown]

I use the one I bought for my chisels, it has two sides coarse and smooth, works great.

I've also got a kitchen devils roller like the above. Doesn't really work imho.

I'm pleased we've got the thread back to a point where Jim can wade in though.

[Ru]

I'm pleased we've got the thread back to a point where Jim can wade in though.

Until I spoil it again with references to a nanny, a second home in the south of france and something about Waitrose.

[andy popp]

I'm pleased we've got the thread back to a point where Jim can wade in though.

and something about Waitrose.

Booths, surely?

[TobyD]

https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/06/the-best-chefs-knives.html

[Muenchener]

This bad boy

[butters]

Been looking at investing in a whetstone for maintaining a Helle knife I got for outdoor utility stuff/fending off fierce wild animals/trying to look like Ray Mears. There seems to be a large array of options of grain, can anyone recommend what I should be looking for?

Simply put the bigger the number the finer the grain and the more time you have to spend to get a decent edge so don't make the numbers too big unless you are immortal, have so much money you no longer need to work or have a man servant who needs to be kept occupied.  Would suggest either a 400 \ 1000 if you treat said knife like an iron bar (and it has the edge of similar standard) or more likely a 1000 / 4000 if you look after it. The hard part will be keeping the angle consistent every sweep but as a rule go flatter on the coarse side and steepen the angle for the fine side.

[GraemeA]

Still not meant for the dishwasher though. That Japanese shop looks incredible.

I bought a lovely general cooks knife in carbon steel (6" blade) from http://kap-kam.com/index_en.html, absolutely gorgeous! Not for everyday use so haven't had to worry about sharpening yet - it makes short work of carving a roast chicken.

I will almost certainly be returning to Tokyo more than once in the next couple of years so would be happy to pick knives up for people on my next trip!