Kitchen Knives

[British Red]

I'd appreciate that Hugh. No rush, just as and when. Pic of the profile and depth measurement too if that's not asking too much?

Nudge me on Monday

 

[Laurentius]

I don't believe there is a general “right” number of kitchen knives since it is dependent on what the individual prepares, how often, and their preference.

I have had a lot of conversations with people who rave about their kitchen knives who haven't actually used a high performance blade and who rely on some nasty pull through sharpener. That they prepared fantastic meals goes to show that for most food, the knife isn't really that important. So it comes down to what you want out of your kitchen knives.

Ahead of everything else, I want my kitchen knives to take and hold an edge and cut really well. Having used and sharpened both I think Global are junk and wouldn’t thank you for a whole chest of Victorinox. That doesn't make them junk! Its just that I don't value what they offer, and I do value that which they do not.

I am generally against kitchen knife sets for several reasons. First, the content of the set was the manufacturer's choice, meaning that there are likely to be knives in there that you never use or that don't suit you. Second, good knives are not cheap and buying as a set, while invariably better value per knife, means that you either have to be able to pay a lot in one go, or will be compromising something, like steel or cutting performance.

Its like buying all your camping gear all at the same time from Mountain Warehouse, or Cotswolds, or shopping for an entire work shop of tools from Screwfix or Halfords.

My mum was a cook, when she did her City and Guilds she was required to have a set of Sabatier knives and to be able to keep them sharp (to the point where you chuck it in the bin when there is too little blade left to sharpen) Unfortunately after she died her knives were stolen in a burglary.

 

[Moondog55]

I could make do with about 5 or 6 good knives but it is such a pleasure to use the right tool for the job that I don't think I'd find cooking such a blast if I had to scale down my collection. The youngster will most probably get most of them and my library of cookery books too.
Not sure who'll get the collection of khukris /bayonets/fighting and bushcraft/"survival" knives but selling them might partially fund somebodies university education.

 

[TeeDee]

I could make do with about 5 or 6 good knives but it is such a pleasure to use the right tool for the job that I don't think I'd find cooking such a blast if I had to scale down my collection. The youngster will most probably get most of them and my library of cookery books too.
Not sure who'll get the collection of khukris /bayonets/fighting and bushcraft/"survival" knives but selling them might partially fund somebodies university education.

Make do sounds like fundamentally essential -which would work for me.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I have more kitchen knives than I need or use regularly. This is because I have been given knives I never use, and have made knives that replace previously used ones.

Functionally, I use:

Either a 10 inch VG10 core chef’s knife, or a 7 inch Hitachi Blue Steel core santoku. I almost never have both in play at the same time. One is on the counter in use for everything, chopping veg, slicing ham for sandwiches and cutting bread, while the other is in a drawer….then I might switch them. The 10” size is better for bread and ham, but the santoku’s steel and edge is better for veg.

Paring knife. I have three I have made, only one used at a time. Wouldn’t want to use any for cutting runner beans against my thumb, would 100% cut myself, but I don’t get beans but once a year, so that’s not a problem.

Boning knife I made. Was using it for slicing ham and bread too, both of which it did brilliantly…then while cutting a bagel I drove the point through a finger. Nasty. Haven’t used it for anything other than raw meat cutting since. I had wanted one for years for that job, so worth having for me.

Fish fillet knife by Mora. I don’t get full fish to fillet, so this is mainly used to take skin off purchased fillets, so stays sharp. Would not be worth having a more expensive knife for what I do.

I think a long I would like a straight, thin edged slicer that I could use for ham, roasts, and bread would be nice. I made such a knife for my dad, thinking it would be for carving roast only, but he uses it for more.

So, five knives, but not all would need to be of equal quality.

 

[British Red]

I'd appreciate that Hugh. No rush, just as and when. Pic of the profile and depth measurement too if that's not asking too much?

Fillet knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

A bit longer than I remembered - between 3 & 4 inches but if you build one, I would stick to 3

Fillet knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

 

[HillBill]

Fillet knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

A bit longer than I remembered - between 3 & 4 inches but if you build one, I would stick to 3

Fillet knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Thanks Hugh.

That probably started life as a 4" then, just lost some with use and sharpening over the years.

Yeah, 3" is what i was aiming at.

 

[British Red]

Thanks Hugh.

That probably started life as a 4" then, just lost some with use and sharpening over the years.

Yeah, 3" is what i was aiming at.

I suspect you are right. Short is good for a B&T. 3" is ample for goose so ....

 

[Broch]

I agree, for birds and rabbit etc. a nice short 3-4" knife with a thin blade is ideal. However, for filleting large fish I want a thin, flexible, blade that will go right across is one stroke. Mine is a relatively cheap Robert Welch one. The blade is only 1mm near the handle and about 0.7mm near the tip and about 14cm long (the knife on the right below).

I've made a few chef/cook's knives but always for presents - I really must make myself some