ATOT Kitchen Cutlery Thread

[lxskllr]

Foodborn bacteria die on contact in boiling water.

To kill or inactivate E. coli 0157:H7, bring your water to a rolling boil for one minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for three minutes) Water should then be allowed to cool, stored in a clean sanitized container with a tight cover, and refrigerated. Currently, there is no filter certified to remove bacteria from water. This issue is being studied.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/e_coli.html

 

[MrSquished]

I like my sexy wood cutting board. Has never killed anyone. My plastic ones kinda hang out as background noise.

 

[WelshBloke]

I like my sexy wood cutting board.

Which is kinda the point in expensive knives and boards. They aren't functionally that much better they are just more pleasurable to own and use!

 

[MongGrel]

Foodborn bacteria die on contact in boiling water.

Everyone was having a pretty good time in here.

If you want to start an argument and grief people for the sake of starting an argument, go back to P&N.

🙄

 

[MrSquished]

Which is kinda the point in expensive knives and boards. They aren't functionally that much better they are just more pleasurable to own and use!

It's also more practical. Given that it is this rather large hunk of wood, it doesn't move about when using it. Even if you stick a damp paper towel underneath a thin plastic cutting board so it doesn't move, it still does move a bit. Plus with a heavy wood board, I don't have to actually sticking a damp paper tower under it.

Big, heavy, wood. That's my favorite.

 

[agent00f]

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/e_coli.html

1 min is comically conservative. This is not a contentious matter. Even 15sec at only 160F will kill e.coli and such: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/oct/14/local/me-spinachbox14

Everyone was having a pretty good time in here.

If you want to start an argument and grief people for the sake of starting an argument, go back to P&N.

I'm just pointing out basic facts, which some are comically immune to.

 

[WelshBloke]

It's also more practical. Given that it is this rather large hunk of wood, it doesn't move about when using it. Even if you stick a damp paper towel underneath a thin plastic cutting board so it doesn't move, it still does move a bit. Plus with a heavy wood board, I don't have to actually sticking a damp paper tower under it.

I tend to use a different board for fish, meat, and veggies. And sometimes I'll be cooking all those in one meal. Having three thick wooden boards takes up too much room and I'm too lazy to clean it between uses. I'd rather work my way through a stack of plastic ones.

Big, heavy, wood. That's my favorite.

Heh. Heh heh heh!

 

[turtile]

Anyone use a sharpening/whet stone? Looking at getting a King medium (1000 grit) stone and a double-sided Taidea (2000/5000 Grit) stone to go along with the Shiro Kamo AS nakiri. I've only used inexpensive sharpeners with European-style chef's knives before, though, so I've been watching youtube videos on how to do it properly. Do I need a stone fixer as well?

I use whetstones. I have a king 1000 but it isn't great. However, the king 6000 works really well. If you want the cheapest combo, get the King 1000/6000. There's no point to moving from 1000 to 2000. You can easily jump to 5000 or 6000. You'll also want a low grit stone in case you get a major chip on the blade. I use the Shapton Pro 280 for this and still is very time consuming. It will take hours on an 1000 grit stone.

And if you want a step up:
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/imtwosi1kst.html

I don't think any wood cutting board is bad for a knife. The only cutting boards you need to avoid are glass ones. Being harder than steel they will dull and/or chip the knives.

The blood groove is annoying. It's like forks on chalkboard.

End grain wood is considered the best.

Restaurants use cheap soft steel because they are much more durable than expensive harder steel. Even soft German and French knives will damage much more quickly. The handles are also designed to prevent pathogen build up. The knives will be dropped on the floor, placed in the dish washer etc. A high end knife will be ruined in one day with that sort of treatment while the cheap knife will hold up just fine.

As for knife cost, you will definitely get a sharp edge that is noticeably better in the $50-100 range. And you'll usually get better cutting performance due to the knife design and better heat treatment at $200+ dollar range. But if you don't know how to sharpen, you're just wasting your time.

As for sharpeners, you also need to grind the knife even if you use an electric or handheld sharpener. The grind of the knife will keep getting thicker as you sharpen. I just use the whetstones to fix the blade up.

I currently have Takamura R2, Tojiro W#2 and Okeya W#2. I'd like to get a Blue #2 240mm chef, maybe a Yoshimitsu or a Konosuke (if I can afford it - not sure if it's worth it since I can't play with one).

 

[agent00f]

So in answer to this...

This... http://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/pt/-classic-fish-fillet-knife-7-18cm.htm

Or this... http://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/pt/-classic-flexible-fish-fillet-knife-8.htm#tabbutton3

I have a wustof set but have learned they live off the brand name. Eg. a wustof 10" forged is pricey: https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Classic-10-Inch-Cooks-Knife/dp/B00005MEGC, while that link I posted earlier has rather similar chro-moly composition forged for like $30.

The folded "damascus" knives posted are pretty, though, which is arguable more important in a home kitchen or I guess a known brand to some guests.

 

[lxskllr]

1 min is comically conservative. This is not a contentious matter. Even 15sec at only 160F will kill e.coli and such: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/oct/14/local/me-spinachbox14




I'm just pointing out basic facts, which some are comically immune to.

No, you're a dumbass who's as inept at life skills as you are at poltical analysis. You literally have shit for brains, and the tragedy of the whole thing is everyone else is subjected to your nonsense, while you think you're the second coming of Stephen Hawking.

 

[agent00f]

No, you're a dumbass who's as inept at life skills as you are at poltical analysis. You literally have shit for brains, and the tragedy of the whole thing is everyone else is subjected to your nonsense, while you think you're the second coming of Stephen Hawking.

Can't hope for a better demonstration of said immunity, or description of yourself.

 

[MrSquished]

I use whetstones. I have a king 1000 but it isn't great. However, the king 6000 works really well. If you want the cheapest combo, get the King 1000/6000. There's no point to moving from 1000 to 2000. You can easily jump to 5000 or 6000. You'll also want a low grit stone in case you get a major chip on the blade. I use the Shapton Pro 280 for this and still is very time consuming. It will take hours on an 1000 grit stone.

And if you want a step up:
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/imtwosi1kst.html





End grain wood is considered the best.

Restaurants use cheap soft steel because they are much more durable than expensive harder steel. Even soft German and French knives will damage much more quickly. The handles are also designed to prevent pathogen build up. The knives will be dropped on the floor, placed in the dish washer etc. A high end knife will be ruined in one day with that sort of treatment while the cheap knife will hold up just fine.

As for knife cost, you will definitely get a sharp edge that is noticeably better in the $50-100 range. And you'll usually get better cutting performance due to the knife design and better heat treatment at $200+ dollar range. But if you don't know how to sharpen, you're just wasting your time.

As for sharpeners, you also need to grind the knife even if you use an electric or handheld sharpener. The grind of the knife will keep getting thicker as you sharpen. I just use the whetstones to fix the blade up.

I currently have Takamura R2, Tojiro W#2 and Okeya W#2. I'd like to get a Blue #2 240mm chef, maybe a Yoshimitsu or a Konosuke (if I can afford it - not sure if it's worth it since I can't play with one).

I have a knife sharpener at the local farmers market. That runs from March/April to October/November. I'll just get it sharpened there.

 

[lxskllr]

I have a knife sharpener at the local farmers market. That runs from March/April to October/November. I'll just get it sharpened there.

Learning how to sharpen your own stuff is a valuable and satisfying skill. You can practice on your cheap blades til you get it figured out. If you keep up with sharpening, you'll always have a razor edge, and it takes little time to keep it in that condition. IOW, a quick dressing every(month for me, maybe more or less for you) is easier than sharpening an already severely dulled blade.

I use medium and hard Arkasas stones. For my straight razor, I use a water stone every so often, but that's mostly kept right by stropping.

 

[agent00f]

"Proper" knife sharpening is basically a hobby, used on pieces too expensive to replace. A few pulls through a modern carbide V will do as effective of a job until it really wears down at which point it's just more cost efficient to buy a new tool.

 

[MongGrel]

Learning how to sharpen your own stuff is a valuable and satisfying skill. You can practice on your cheap blades til you get it figured out. If you keep up with sharpening, you'll always have a razor edge, and it takes little time to keep it in that condition. IOW, a quick dressing every(month for me, maybe more or less for you) is easier than sharpening an already severely dulled blade.

I use medium and hard Arkasas stones. For my straight razor, I use a water stone every so often, but that's mostly kept right by stropping.

😎

I have several stones myself, someone stole a nice hard Norton Arkansas stone off me a few years again I'm still pretty PO'd about.

 

[turtile]

I have a knife sharpener at the local farmers market. That runs from March/April to October/November. I'll just get it sharpened there.

The thing is, if you put a very thin edge on a knife, it's going to need to be sharpened a lot. However, if you don't use the knife a lot, it should last at least 2-3 months. Also make sure they know what they are doing with Japanese knives.

"Proper" knife sharpening is basically a hobby, used on pieces too expensive to replace. A few pulls through a modern carbide V will do as effective of a job until it really wears down at which point it's just more cost efficient to buy a new tool.

Obviously, you've never used a properly sharpened knife. I'd like to see you cut a perfect slice of raw tender fish with a cheap knife ran through a cheap V sharpener. And I guess sushi chefs just spend every day touching up their blades up just for a 'hobby'. They also purchase knives made of very hard steel for hundreds of dollars so they can play around with the steep angle and play with whetstones...

For the average home cook, a cheap knife will do the job. But if you are serious about cooking, a sharp knife is very important. Clean cuts can change the flavor of food. For example, if you don't use a very sharp knife through fruit, it crushes the cells while a sharp knife will cleanly slice through it.

 

[turtile]

Learning how to sharpen your own stuff is a valuable and satisfying skill. You can practice on your cheap blades til you get it figured out. If you keep up with sharpening, you'll always have a razor edge, and it takes little time to keep it in that condition. IOW, a quick dressing every(month for me, maybe more or less for you) is easier than sharpening an already severely dulled blade.

I started on White #2 steel for this reason. It's very easy to sharpen and the cheapest of the high end Hitachi carbon steels.

 

[MongGrel]

NM.

 

[agent00f]

Obviously, you've never used a properly sharpened knife. I'd like to see you cut a perfect slice of raw tender fish with a cheap knife ran through a cheap V sharpener. And I guess sushi chefs just spend every day touching up their blades up just for a 'hobby'. They also purchase knives made of very hard steel for hundreds of dollars so they can play around with the steep angle and play with whetstones...

For the average home cook, a cheap knife will do the job. But if you are serious about cooking, a sharp knife is very important. Clean cuts can change the flavor of food. For example, if you don't use a very sharp knife through fruit, it crushes the cells while a sharp knife will cleanly slice through it.

I'm sure folks who cook for a living just aren't serious enough about it, and that those who don't "cook" at all are representative of others who do.

Personally I use a ceramic knife for delicate cuts, to minimize the amount of effort for what should be a simple task with a little technology.

 

[WelshBloke]

Thought I'd post a pic as well!

 

[umbrella39]

+1 for Wusthof Classics...

 

[ponyo]

Obviously, you've never used a properly sharpened knife. I'd like to see you cut a perfect slice of raw tender fish with a cheap knife ran through a cheap V sharpener. And I guess sushi chefs just spend every day touching up their blades up just for a 'hobby'. They also purchase knives made of very hard steel for hundreds of dollars so they can play around with the steep angle and play with whetstones...

For the average home cook, a cheap knife will do the job. But if you are serious about cooking, a sharp knife is very important. Clean cuts can change the flavor of food. For example, if you don't use a very sharp knife through fruit, it crushes the cells while a sharp knife will cleanly slice through it.

When you go to fish markets and restaurants in Asia, they're not using expensive knives to cut and slice the fish. And they slice and serve up lot of fish. Way more than sushi chef at fancy restaurant. Same with when you go to the fruit market. But the blades are very sharp. None of the home cooks with their expensive knives are going to cut fish better than some of the workers at the fish market. Cheap knives are good enough. Expensive knives are not going to help majority of home cooks.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

That's a pretty knife. I always wanted a Damascus blade. Haven't seen one with the copper inlays before.

Yeah, I like the copper inlay alot (even though its utterly non-functional other than to make the thing look pretty). The copper does make it a bit of a pain to maintain, as it will oxidize if the knife isn't wiped completely dry each time its washed.

 

[UglyCasanova]

I got the Shun Premier set for Christmas and it's very sharp and comfortable to hold (and pretty):

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/prod...-shun|shun-premier&&cknives-shun|shun-premier

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm surprised at the prevalence of Japanese style knives here tbh.
I think that I'd destroy one fairly quickly with my cooking habits!