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I mixed and matched depending on the deals. I've got a Wusthof Culinar chef's knife, a couple Classic IKONs and a Classic or two. They aren't on display or anything (in a knife drawer) so I'm not terribly concerned that the handles are all different.

Usually it would be deals like $50 off coupon at "Bed Bath and Beyond" + 10% off + knife already on sale, making a $169.99 chef knife on sale for $99.99 end up ~$45.


Wusthof Culinar

Amazon ran a lot of deals in their home and garden store trying to get it off of the ground. I didn't get any uber-expensive German cutlery (I already have a small Cutco set that I received as a gift), but I did get some great deals on flatware and pans. You might keep your eye on the prices offered there.

Still in love with my Wusthoff's after many years as well. Someone said there may be better. I don't think there really is very much better that isn't insanely expensive, at least for general-purpose knives. You might find some really excellent Japanese Santoku that's better, or some other specialty knife that's better. But for general chef's knives, they're right at the top.

Another vote for Wusthoff! I absolutely love the chef's knife I have (Classic). It makes such a world of a difference when you're cooking. They're expensive, but they do carry lifetime warranties. They dull faster than cheaper knives, but that can be attributed to the higher carbon steel amount; but they also can be brought to a much sharper edge than stainless knives. If you're willing, get a sharpening steel and a honing steel and learn how to sharpen them yourself. The only thing sharper out there, that I know of, are ceramic blades, but they have the obvious downside of being terribly brittle.

Make sure you file for the registry incentives. We got a nice Calphalon knife and an Alton Brown Paring knife free from that

I must re-iterate the problem of the registry - I can't register for stuff and assume my guests will get them on sale!

Is it bad to use different sharpening steels on mix-matched brands? If I get the sharpening steel from the series with the hardest steel, I should be ok? or is there more to it?

shouldn't matter, the steel doesn't really sharpen the knife, just hones the edge, for sharpening you'd need a stone.

To the OP, this isn't the same as the fake audiophile gear some people are selling for bahzillions of dollars. So many people (especially chefs) can't be wrong about it.
Not everything that's expensive is a rip-off.

I got a wustoff classic 8" chef's knife and 3" pairing knife today at macy's, 65% off. Seriously good deal, even though nobody pays MSRP for anything anymore.

SpotTheCat wrote:

I got a wustoff classic 8" chef's knife and 3" pairing knife today at macy's, 65% off. Seriously good deal, even though nobody pays MSRP for anything anymore.

That's not true, a certain brand of pc owners consider paying msrp quite an accomplishment. At any rate i really need to get some nicer kitchen knives. I haven't looked through this thread much nor do i know any good consumer brands with reasonable prices. Any suggestions?

Heiwashin wrote:

SpotTheCat wrote:

I got a wustoff classic 8" chef's knife and 3" pairing knife today at macy's, 65% off. Seriously good deal, even though nobody pays MSRP for anything anymore.

That's not true, a certain brand of pc owners consider paying msrp quite an accomplishment. At any rate i really need to get some nicer kitchen knives. I haven't looked through this thread much nor do i know any good consumer brands with reasonable prices. Any suggestions?

You can't go wrong with Wusthof or J.A. Henckels (not the "international" line, which are stamped blades made in china). There are other great brands out there, but most stores will have both of those.

If you go to any department store and ask for forged (not stamped) knives, they show you which ones. There is a steep price difference-I only got the good stuff because they were what I was looking for for less money than I was planning on spending anyways.

I got this and this for $75.

I'm thinking about getting a 5" santoku tomorrow, too. I don't know though.

Buy the pricey German-forged knives and tell yourself that you're amortizing the cost of that purchase over a lifetime. Treat them properly (never put them in the dishwasher, wash them as soon as you're done with them, always towel-dry right after washing, and then put them back home in the knife block), sharpen them regularly at home, and bring them to a professional sharpener every 3 years or so and your kids and grand-kids will be fighting over who gets Poppa's knives.

SpotTheCat wrote:

You can't go wrong with Wusthof or J.A. Henckels (not the "international" line, which are stamped blades made in china). There are other great brands out there, but most stores will have both of those.

Some of the "International" knives are forged, but just not as good of steel etc.

Watch out for brands that claim to be European but are made in Asia. Sabatier used to forge their knives in France and they produced some of the world's best. Recently they began forging them somewhere in Asia, and the overall quality of its knives went down. I own some original French ones and the more recent Asian ones; the Asian ones still cut fine, but they're definitely not as good.

mattsteg wrote:

SpotTheCat wrote:

You can't go wrong with Wusthof or J.A. Henckels (not the "international" line, which are stamped blades made in china). There are other great brands out there, but most stores will have both of those.

Some of the "International" knives are forged, but just not as good of steel etc.

I think they do some combo stamping/forging thing in spain that are a pretty good bargain.

The ones I was going to get are forged blades with stamped tangs welded on. I got the wusthof ones because they were a great deal on them. I need another general purpose fine edge'd knife, and I'm going back tomorrow anyways to pick up one last set of wedding dishes (at a different location).

Should I get a 5ish" utility knife (similar to a steak knife), or a santoku?

If the santoku will be your only blade with relief scallops, go for the santoku.

Action Jim wrote:

z-man wrote:

Why does that statement scare the hell out of me?

Yep, I don't want to know. Seriously, I don't.

Not everything I do is perverted and weird. I just want a diamond coated pan to sensuously rub up and down my sweaty body and use my own secretions to fry up some pierogis. That's all.

I'm really glad this thread got ressurected because I would never have had the pleasure of reading this little gem. Is this guy still around? If only I read these kind of comments on the forums today.

Heiwashin wrote:

At any rate i really need to get some nicer kitchen knives. I haven't looked through this thread much nor do i know any good consumer brands with reasonable prices. Any suggestions?

My suggestion: look through this thread, then come back and ask questions.

Wow! The way I used to type when I first started this thread some 6+ years ago is hilarious! Well sometimes (still) I resort to lowercase sentences (i, i'm, michigan, etc...) only because it's faster typing still.

Anyways - to report back to the relevant again here, is that my purchase of Wusthoff knives are still doing great to this day, 5-6 years after the fact! So now, even though I was so blinded about the cost, I can see why the investment is worth it!

(oh yeah, and I appended a RIGHT NOW? to the end of the title since it makes vrock jump for joy!) lol

thegleek wrote:

(oh yeah, and I appended a RIGHT NOW? to the end of the title since it makes vrock jump for joy!) lol

Fixed. The joke has run its course.

Thanks for listening.

...and TR forum rule #10 appears again.


Before thegleek raised this long-dead thread, there were other discussions on the topic.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79975
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69075

Ok, my apologies then. Feel free to lock this thread as JaE points out there are 2 others that discuss the same thing.

Huh? You need to cut up your stuff. I am still using the same cheap stainless knife I have had for decades. I have a medium stone in the drawer and I just touch the knife occasionally. The slightly ragged edge produced is very sharp and cuts with very little effort.

I have over the years been given a few knives, they sit unused in the drawer.