(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best cutlery & knife accessories

At this point, I'd only really recommend Shun and Global, in that order. I started with Wustoff, and they did me alright, but I just don't like how their steel holds up, and really, I find the traditional European handle/bolster/spine to be really uncomfortable. Both Global and Shun make wonderful products, but I find the handles on Globes to be too skinny. Plus, as a super-mega-bonus, Shun allows you to return your knives back to them for the entire lifetime of the knife for sharpening, for free (you pay shipping to them, that's it.) It's painless and relatively fast.

They also have a much shallower angle on the edge, which I LOVE, though some people (usually those who are set on Wustoff/Henkles) only like a deeper edge. But goddamn they cut like butter. The only problem with the shallower edge is that you definitely don't want to A) use an electric sharpener on them (the edge is asymmetrical and the commercial ones out there don't have the proper angle) which is alright as they sharpen for you for free at the factory, and B) definitely DO NOT use a magnet hanger with these things. You'll bend the edge. If you go to Bed Bath and Beyond, you'll see it. They hang them all on those damn magnets and it ruins the blade. Get a nice block, or just get a Kapoosh (I have one and it works).

Look, if you want to completely flip his lid, this is all that any home chef really needs (IMO):

Shun 7" Santoku, hollow ground. This is my goto knife in the kitchen and it can do just about everything. I use it on 80% of what I do. When I upgraded from the standard Safeway $11 chef's knife to the Wustoff is was an amazing, night-and-day transition. The heavens opened up and I saw the light (and more importantly, what a sharp knife could do for you). When I bought this 7", it was exactly the same transition, only higher up. The balance, sharpness and quality of this knife over the Wustoff was what I had been looking for and it was every bit worth the money. Someone here mentioned that everyone needs a 10". This is overkill. It's like cutting onions with a samurai sword. While it looks cool, all the extra effort you need to exert for those extra 3 inches just fatigues the wrist and arm, which is not something you want when prepping a lot. 7" FTW.

Every chef needs a 7". Whether it's a european chef's knife or a santoku is up to the chef, though you'll notice that santoku's keep getting more and more popular every year. I think there's a reason for this.

So, too, does every chef need a good paring knife. They go hand in hand and you cannot do without one or the other. My 7" handles 80% of the work load, my paring knife handles 15%.

Shun also makes a wonderful 4" paring knife That's not very expensive. This thing will get in and get out, work in all the small spaces it needs to and do it with deft and ease. It's light, doesn't have much mass, and again, Shun's steel is wonderful (in my eyes).

The last 5% is for a good cleaver. Don't be fooled by big money in this category-- the cheap ones are the best. You don't need super knives here, they're for doing the hearty, down and dirty, bone-breaking work, and the nice steels wont hold up to this work. This is the greatest cleaver ever in the history of mankind. I have the No. 3. It is quite possibly the best $11 I've spent in the kitchen. I'd gone through about 5 cleavers before I found this one, all of them failed to hold up. This knife holds it's edge forever (seriously-- in the 5 years I've had it, I've only sharpened it once), it's got the heft you want in a cleaver and it's ridiculously comfortable to hold. I would suggest this with everything I have.

So there you have it. I firmly hold, and you will find others to agree, that all you need in the kitchen is a really good 7", a good paring knife and a quality, cheap cleaver. That's it. All those $600 sets with every kind of knife you could imagine are nonsense. I got a nice $150 boning knife as a wedding present and I've used it all of twice in two and a half years. Same with my carving knife. You just don't need them. They're totally nice when the need arises, but about 95% of the work in the kitchen can be accomplished by those three tools.

Take it as you will, and I wish you many fine meals prepared by him!

• Ah this is actually a big topic.
  
• For a hone, you have three options. A basic grooved steel, a ceramic rod, or a diamond coated steel. The grooved (most common) and the diamond will hone your edge but will also sharpen for better and for worst your edge at the same time due to the courseness of the grooving / diamond coating. The ceramic will do the same, however because it's smooth, it's usually designed to give you a very fine grit at most in it's "sharpening" process ie removes as little metal as possible, maybe at most polish the edge a bit which favors most nicer knife owners. For a western style knife such as yours, and especially stamped blade with a low hardness, your edge usually will roll and fairly often and thus a hone is actually best for you to own and use on a somewhat daily basis. I recommend any non diamond, grooved steel although I find that diamond steels grind far too much metal at inaccurate angles (due to the very wild free hand motion of steeling) but does help give you a quick toothy edge. My personal one of use is ceramic.
  
• As for sharpening, while I don't like pull through or machine sharpeners at all and personally use stones, I don't exactly recommend them for you. The reason is I just don't see the time spend hand sharpening on stones worth the blade/blade material. That is, your knife isn't designed to hold an extremely keen edge, nor is it designed to hold an edge for an insane amount of time, thus for me, when I use a nox or a stamped blade a pull through or a machine sharpener is fine by me. As recommended the accusharp , or any of the decent chefchoice sharpeners will work very well for you. However if you want to progress and learn, then I recommend a low to medium grit combo stone. Say 600 and 1000/2000 so that if you feel like it, you can reset the bevel and then give your knife a decent working edge.
  
• Now say if you upgrade to nicer blades, then by all means stones is the way to go if not an Edge Pro system. Reason for it is that your paying for very nice metal on your blade and thus the very aggressive grinding actions of machine and pull thru sharpeners hurts your investment far more than helps it. Further more, you control the angle and the fineness of your blade. Have Super Blue core steel? Hap40? Bring that sucker down to 9-10 degrees a side with a 20k mirror polished edge. I like to see a machine do that. Plus, usually, with these 'nicer blades' your often running into Japanese knives. J knives are usually made with pretty hard metals, hrc 60+ which does not work with many steels on the market since J knives aren't designed for that to begin with. J knives are designed to have keen, hard , steep edges that are meant to be held for a long time and most likely to chip than roll so whenever it's time to touch up, it's by stones only.
  
• Anyways thats likely more than you ever wanted to know, so to answer your OP, for a steel I recommend the Tojiro Sharpening steel, if you prefer the ideal of a diamond steel giving you a toothy edge while your hone then a DMT fine will suit you. If you want your hone to just hone and not sharpen, then the Idahone fine is pretty much everyone's favorite.
  
• For sharpeners the AccuSharp is my favorite pull thru sharpener, the Spydero sharpmaker wasn't too bad and any of the common electric sharpeners will give you a working edge pesto pesto "pro" or get a basic combo stone

Originally I wrote this as a reply to another comment, but it got nabbed by the automod for accidentally having one affiliate link, and it's not a reply to that comment really, it's a reply to OPs question, so I deleted it as a reply and am posting it top-level here:

-------- PART 1 of 2:

There are several choices now for (i) Japanese (ii) fully stainless (iii) gyutos/chef knives of (iv) either 210 or 240mm in length and (v) $80 or less, thankfully:

1 Narihira 8000 (210mm) or 240mm

2 Mac Chef Series (8.5")

3 Misono Molybdenum (210mm)

4 Fujiwara FKM (210mm) or 240mm

5 Tojiro DP (210mm)

6 Yahiko VG-10 Western (210mm)

7 Yaxell Mon (8"/210mm)

8 Shun Sora (8")

So, #s 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all made of "Molybdenum steel" or "Molybdenum / Vanadium ("MV") steel". This is typically harder than European knives but softer than VG-10, right around 58-59 HRC. #s 5, 6, 7, and 8 are made with VG-10 steel, typically around 60-61 HRC. The Molybdenum knives will be easier to sharpen because the steel is softer, but they won't retain that sharp edge as long as VG-10. VG-10 is more difficult to sharpen, but at least in my experience it's still not that difficult. VG-10 is also more prone to micro-shipping along the very edge, because it is harder and more brittle, but with good boards and technique I don't think that's a problem and even if it happens you can take the micro-chips out with sharpening. Personally I tend to value lasting sharpness over ease of re-sharpening, so if everything else is equal I would prefer VG-10 for my main chef knife.

(1) I don't know a lot about Narihiras. Hocho Knife sells them and confirms they are made in Japan (one Amazon listing said China, though the others said Japan as well) and they appear to arrive in the same style of clear plastic packaging other definitely Japanese knives come in from my local Asian ethnic markets, so. They are notably cheaper -- 210 gyutos for $44. They might be a great value and allow you to get a matching petty for your $80, or they might be awful. At least Amazon has easy returns.

(2) The Mac Chef series is known for the cheaper non-bolster handles and for the blade being especially thin, to the point of having more flex than a lot of people desire. I had one and found it just a little too flexy for me. Also the stainless MV steel in that line will pick up just a tiny bit of slight discoloration with certain foods, I learned. Not super popular because of how thin they are, but if you want super thin, the way to go.

(3) The Misono Molybdenum series are Misono's cheapest line (Misono makes the king of western-style stainless gyutos for pro chef use, the UX10, about $200), but the fit and finish and grinds are still excellent.

(4) Fujiwara FKMs are really well-liked. Very similar in pretty much all external dimensions to the Misono. The FKM handles might be just a tad (1-4mm?) narrower. Sometimes in the past these were reported to have a knife here or there with less than perfect fit and finish, but that appears rare.

Among the MV steel knives, if price is factor #1 I'd start by trying some Narihiras from Amazon given the ease of returns. If you want a knife as thin and light as possible, the Mac. If you want a tried and true maker in a traditional style, if 210 is long enough I'd lean toward the Misono. If you'd rather have 240mm, the Fujiwara.

(5) Tojiros are the classic VG-10 starter knife. They're just very good all-around. Some people find the handles a tad wide, but... it's hard to know what to make of that not having your hands and not being able to hold one. It's not *way* wide, it's still in the normal handle range I find.

(6) The Yahiko is a CKTG exclusive line and the site owner strongly suggests that they're rebranded Tojiro DPs but that stay at $59.99 at his website. There's a whole load of internet drama over that vendor and while I don't like censoring reviews I also have only had very positive experiences buying form there so I think it's all stupid internet drama and I don't care. Seems to be a very solid knife "identical in every way" to a DP.

(7) Personally, if I had to give a gift of an $80 gyuto to someone, or if a single $80 gyuto was going to be my lone knife pride-and-joy for a while, I would buy a Yaxell Mon. The design is less traditional but more special looking, and I have another Yaxell VG-10 gyuto, and all the other knives I've had that were as sharp out-of-the-box as the Yaxell were $200+. Fit and Finish was second only to the Misono MVs, which had a slightly more rounded spine for me. The handle is also a different shape in that it is a bit thinner but taller, and it is a material that is a bit more grippy than the others.

(8) Some people will balk at recommending something as corporate as a Shun, but it merits mention. I had one for a while. It was truly very sharp. It also has a different profile than anything else here, and different from anything else in Shun's catalog -- there is a bigger flat section before transitioning up to a very short and agile tip. I actually really liked this profile in use. The VG-10 is braze welded onto the edge rather than being a thin layer all through the in the middle as it is on the other knives. Theoretically maybe that means after enough use and sharpening that might be an issue, but honestly I think that would take 100 years of use. The big downside is the handle. The handle is grippy but irritatingly cheap feeling. It feels like hollow plastic. But it does work as a handle. And Shun will re-sharpen your knives for free for life if you send them out to Shun by mail, so that might be a plus.

Among the VG-10 knives, if I wanted the classic handle look, I'd buy a Tojiro or Yahiko (probably a Yahiko and save a few dollars). If I wanted to be impressed when I open the box and feel like I had a unique real Japanese knife or I wanted the ultimate in (initial) sharpness, I would get the Yaxell. If I really wanted a big really flat flat spot (for an 8" gyuto), I would get the Shun. That profile is unique...

Okay, where to begin?

​

Sharpening a knife is actually a very simple process. The overall goal is for you to maintain an angle throughout the sharpening process while sharpening from course to fine grits (Course = smaller #s and Fine = Higher #s). Often people use cheap knives and sharpeners and learn good habits (maintaining angles) before upgrading to higher tier stones. The issue you have is the you are dealing with a premium steel knife which is much harder, holds an edge longer( needs sharpen less often) and takes more time to sharpen with a majority of sharpening materials. If you are dealing with Elmax steel I would recommend that what ever sharpener you get it should have diamond and ceramic stones as these are harder than the knife material and can cut it efficiently unless you are using some belt or grinder system. Since you are a beginner I would recommend that you use a knife sharpening system as you could have more accidents sharpening the knife free hand. Believe me it sucks when you screw up a knife edge while sharpening and you have to spend way too much time fixing your mistakes so the knife can actually cut. In short I would use a test knife in any sharpener to see how it works properly and after you are more confident use the system you choose. Also some of these might be excessive especially if you only have a few knives. Some of the higher end sharpener are what professionals use in their shop (who knows if you get good enough you can make some money).

​

1. The Lansky Diamond system ($67) is a great place to start as it has 70/120/280/600 grits but you also have to purchase the C clamp stand ($15 and you do need it as you will get tired holding the thing) and higher grit (1000) ceramic stone ($13) and 2000 grit stone ($12). Leather strops with compound if you want an absolute finish. The only complaint I would have about this system is that the stones are not of the highest quality and stop working as the diamonds fall off. The sharpening guides also are fixed and you have to use a angle measure (your iphone can use its compass app) or some math (trig) to find the position to get an accurate angle throughout the blade. There is a work around stone holder ($60 )That can use Edgepro stones and is longer (better strokes). So with everything but the strop and the 3rd party holder you are looking around $120. $200 with the upgraded stone holder.
   
2. The KME sharpener is very similar concept except that the angle guide is moveable but I must still stress that the angle needs to verified again. Shabazz also explains this in his review. It also has a nicer case. I think you still need to buy the base for this one as well. Like you said it runs around $300 with every thing.
   
3. at $350-575 there is the wicked edge . Hear great things and it will get the job done faster but it is expensive! You can get a Tormek at that price now.
   
4. If you do not want to spend a ton of time sharpening and don't mind belt grinding the Ken Onion Sharpener ($126) is great. Note: it will create a convex edge and if that is something you want great! Video
   
5. Going off the deeper end we have the Tormek T4 ($400-550 or $700 for the full size) which is essentially a wheel grinder made for edge knives and tools. Considered by many to be the best you can get
   
6. There is also the TSprof ($700) which is essentially a bigger top tier KME sharpener. Video
   
7. If you want a simple top tier diamond system DMT Course Set and Fine Set =$200 total. Note that although expensive. These can be used pretty much for decades provided that you take care of them (use diamond abrasive fluid). You can also use water stones but there are so many out there I do not know which brands and how much you could expect to spend with those.
   
   ​
   
   Note that I only mentioned the higher end sharpening systems under the assumption that money is no objection and you wanted it to sharpen you knife efficiently but I wanted for you to see what types of systems are available are certain price ranges. If not mentioned above you might need a strop and fine compound to get a mirror edge.
   
   Okay now here are some cheaper systems that are similar to some of those above but cheaper.
   
   
8. 5 gen Sharpener (ebay) ($40). This is like the KME Sharpener but cheaper and you can get 3rd party Diamond Plates set (140/400/1000) cheap ($25)
   
9. Edge Pro clone - cheaper end copy of the Edge pro. I think you can also use the diamond plates as it is around the same size.
   
10. Lulu sharpener ($90) if you can find one... it is a copy of the Wicked Edge. Looks like it also uses the Diamond plates mentioned earlier.
    
    ALSO: get a ceramic honing rod ($20). Often times knives just need honing to get back that razor sharp edge and maintaining it with a rod will prolong your edge and mean you sharpen less.
    
    ​
    
    Hopefully this has helped you somewhat and sorry it took so long to respond, it just takes time to type all of this out(2hrs! where does the time go?) and cite the products. Personally for me, knives for me a fun hobby and it tends to have a meditative effect on me when I sharpen them. I also hope that you come to enjoy sharpening your knives just as much.
    
    ​
    
    And welcome to sharpening!

Cheap tips...

Rice Cooker, Slow cooker, Food Processor, Blender.

Zojirushi Rice Cookers are consistent and long lasting - I had one of these for 12 years, and it always got the job done right. When I moved in with my wife, she had a rice cooker that was old, but still worked (another Zojirushi). We recently splurged and got a really high end one. It's AMAZING, 10-15 minute perfectly cooked rice.

Cuckoo CRP-HV0667F IH Pressure Rice Cooker - For reference.

Anyways...

Get the simplest cheapest crock-pot - Less things to go wrong when it's as simple as this.

Get a cheap food processor

Get a decent blender - Don't go too cheap on blenders, you really get what you pay for in a quality blender. Blenders and mixers are the two things KitchenAid does best.

Now... The reason why I said get cheap stuff? Because you said you know nothing about cooking, and you might destroy a nice piece of equipment in your ignorance. It's bound to happen. Since you are going to be living on your own, if family gives you free stuff, don't feel bad about getting rid of it if the equipment sucks. They didn't want it anyways. Good tools? And you'll do a good job.

Watch this for other equipment...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-av6cz9upO0 - Gordon Ramsay may be a celebrity, but his kitchen knowledge is definitely high-end.

Personally don't skimp on the saucepans, frying pan, and the knife (honestly for 99% of jobs you just want a really good chef's knife, other than a pairing knife can do most everything). They will make your life easier if you have quality equipment. I disagree with him about the cutting board for 2 reasons (10 years in restaurants in the past here)... One, you are a beginner and might ruin a wood board. Two, wood boards can accumulate bacteria from meats if not taken care of properly. I advise this one...

OXO Grips Utility Cutting Board

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHRXUeVsAQQ - Great video showing you some good techniques in cooking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJy1ajvMU1k - Another video along the same vein, great techniques for cooking.

As others have said Budgetbytes is great.

Raw beans and raw rice are always going to be significantly cheaper than buying pre-made/pre-cooked. Use a slow cooker to cook beans overnight. Use google for a recipe.

Chicken skin-on, bone-in is always going to be significantly cheaper than not. Breast is usually drier/tougher but lower calorie per oz. Thighs are juicier/softer, but higher calorie per oz. Remove the skin if you want to be more calorie efficient. Keep the skin on for flavor. Personally? I always leave skin on, remove the bone (but use it for cooking to extract the flavors), and I always use a chicken thigh. Personal preference. A cool tip is to remove the skin, coat in olive oil, and fry by itself. Try that out, see if you like it. Fry till like crispy bacon. If you don't use the skin in cooking, you can use it like this as a snack later.

Seasoning things is really important. Don't over-season, less is more. Because you can always add more seasoning later. When I make chicken, I always put a pinch of salt on each side, grind some pepper (use a pepper grinder, it's always superior to that pre-ground pepper crap), slap that into it. Olive oil, don't skimp out on this either. Get stuff actually from Italy, larger bottles are usually a better deal. Chicken with salt, pepper, olive oil is simple and tasty.

Get some kinda meal prep containers...

https://www.amazon.com/Freshware-15-Pack-Compartment-Bento-Lunch/dp/B01IIINCRS - These should work great. I like having a separation point in the container.

Some simple recipes I like...

http://luckypeach.com/recipes/miso-claypot-chicken-no-claypot/

https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=slow+cooker - Anything here.

https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=easy - Again, using the search function at budgetbytes is huge.

One thing that helps is to develop your palate. If you will be doing okay for money, the occasional outing to a restaurant to try something new can be really beneficial. When you eat food out, imagine what possible technique they could have used to achieve a certain texture or taste.

I'm just rambling, but hopefully this will help a little.

Also agreed on the good chef's knife. However, you don't have to spend a lot. I can't remember the name of the best rated by Cook's Illustrated, but it's well under $100. I think I spend $40 on the one I bought for the ManBeast last Christmas. A nice thing to pair with that is a good cutting board. Oxo makes a great one that I highly recommend.

I love cooking in stainless steel pans, so I'd suggest those for pans. But if she's truly just starting, nonstick might be good. And perhaps a few plastic/wooden cooking utensils to use in said pan so that the pan doesn't get scratched up.

Beyond that, I really think it depends on what exactly she is getting into. I still love the hand mixer my parents got me YEARS ago, and am only replacing it this year because the ManBeast has agreed to go half in on a stand mixer for a mutual holiday gift for each of us.

You can definitely get a good chef knife in your price range. I would ask him if he prefers an 8 inch/210mm knife or a 10 inch/240mm knife.

First, a good knife. The Victorinox Fibrox is an excellent selection for a little less. They're durable as hell, take a good edge, and feel nice in the hand. I've seen more of them in professional kitchens than any other line, and for good reason. Mercer's Genesis line is an equally good but heavier option, if that's his inclination. He'll want a honing steel to go with either of those. If he likes the traditional wood handle on a heavy knife, a Mercer Renaissance is the same knife with a different handle. I really like the rubber/poly handles on the Genesis line, but it's a personal thing.

If you really want to blow him away, I have two suggestions. First is my favorite of the two, the Fujiwara FKM. Fujiwara's knives are comfortable and light. I consider them the best introduction to Japanese knives. The only possible considerations are the size of the handle and his handedness. These knives are ground 70/30 in favor of right hand users and those with larger hands find the handles small. I wear large gloves and find them perfectly comfortable. If he has macho man hands I would look at the Tojiro DP instead. It's a beefier knife, but it's still a bit lighter than most Western chef knives. With these knives he'll need some way to keep them sharp; they keep an edge longer, but not forever. The Fujiwara responds decently well to a honing steel, but the Tojiro is a bit too hard to see the full benefits.

Hi everyone!! Sorry for the late response, but basically I just used the recipe from sallysbakingaddiction with a few modifications from the first time I made these. (https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/lemon-bars-recipe/)

Some suggestions

• I personally didn’t melt the butter like the recipe says, and instead let it soften to room temp and then creamed it with the sugar like most recipes typically recommend.
  
• I also reduced the amount of sugar in the filling to 1 1/2 cup
  
• For the lemon juice, I definitely recommend using fresh squeezed lemons and I found it to be more like 6-7 lemons instead of 4
  
• I also strongly recommend using a glass pan and lining it with parchment paper
  
• For the crust, I found it better to blind bake it for much longer (closer to 25 mins) to make sure it didn’t end up undercooked (that happened to me the first time I made these and the crust ended up rock hard the next day)
  
• I also whisked the eggs separately first and tried to get them really well incorporated
  
• Sifting the lemon curd over the crust helped remove most of the bubbles, and the rest I just popped with a chopstick
  
  As far as cutting:
  
  I really didn't do anything special, but my best advice for smooth cuts is to wait until they’re firm but not too hard. After about an hour at room temp and then an hour in the fridge they were the perfect consistency to cut. I think it’s best to use a really sharp knife and make sure it’s not serrated! If you’re interested in the exact one I used, here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IBU9FW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (I used the 8-inch chef's knife). It also makes a huge difference if you wipe down the knife after every cut and if that still doesn’t work, try running it under hot water for a few seconds.
  
  (Also sorry just realised how long this is haha)

You don't need a set, you only need a few decent knives: a chef's knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife for bread. Maybe a fillet knife but unlikely.

I use this chef's knife, which is high-quality and inexpensive. The Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch also has a very strong cult following. However, you can also easily spend $100-200 for a good German or Japanese knife like Wusthof, Henckels, Global, etc.. The two most important things however are:

1. It feels good in your hand. If you're going to spend that kind of money I would definitely recommend going to a store (like Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma) and trying out a few to see what feels right. For $35 I was willing to take my chances on the Mercer and it worked out well.
   
   
2. Keep it sharp! I noticed you said it feels "dull and unbalanced". Great that you noticed those are two different but related things. Every time you use your knife, you should be honing it on a honing steel. Honing it trues the blade, meaning aligns the edge down the knife's centerline. Eventually, even honing it won't be effective, because the knife edge itself is dull. This means you should have the knife sharpened, which is typically done once every 6 months-1 year. Sharpening removes material so it shouldn't be done too often. I recommend going to a professional hand sharpening service which will typically do it for about $10-15 per knife. Some people do it themselves at home with a stone, but in my opinion this is not worth it and too easy to screw up.

I picked up a $39 John booze maple cutting board at bed bath and beyond… It would’ve been cheaper if I remembered my coupon but I never remember my coupon...

My current knife collection is a hodgepodge of cheaper knives that I bought at thrift shops, junk stores, or hand me downs that I was given.( I cook for a living and didn’t have time to wait to get all of my stuff shipped back from California !) And let me make one thing clear - A cheap little Rada Knife sharpener (https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE)

This will give you more mileage on your old dull knives! I would spend more money on a good knife sharpener then I would on getting “good knives” if they are still comfortable in your hand. Remember a knife is only as good as your willingness to keep it sharp. This little device will do the job!

Want to get more mileage for your knife spending dollar? Look at Kiwi knives!

https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Brand-Chef-Knives-172/dp/B008QPBPLO
(SUPERSHARP & VERY cheap knives...)

I did just find a really good deal on a Japanese style rubber cutting board… Those are really worth looking at - very amazing!

So with all due respect to the other commenters who insist that you will need to spend a lot of money I say poppycock! You just need to either sharpen what you have or buy within your budget.

I personally use a KME and a Strop. But I'd recommend getting one of those Lansky Sharpeners with the Deluxe Diamond stones. It's similar enough to a KME; with limited angle choice but 30 25 20 and 17 are good enough IMHO. It runs for only $56 on amazon compared to the KME $180.

I'd also recommend grabbing the Ultra Fine hone on amazon for an extra $9 so you can put a nicer finish on your edges.

Lastly you'll need a strop. You can find one around on the internet or on /r/KnifeSwap occasionally, which is where I found mine. There's a user there that actually makes them by hand and includes compounds with the strop if you're ever lucky enough to grab one from there. But the best alternative is (again on amazon) the Knives Plus Strop Block. It comes preloaded with compound, and a lot of compound, and I've heard nice things about it. It's only $29, or you can go on the Knives Plus website and grab it for $23, but I think its worth the extra six bucks to get free/fast shipping, and have it all come in on the same day/in the same box as everything else.

Hope this helped! :)

Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife (8 inch)

The Fibrox series is the classic chef knife series. Known for good quality and able to keep a good edge for a while. Can't go wrong here. Like other comments have said they also have paring knives and bread knives, all at reasonable prices.

Mercer Culinary M22608 Millennia 8-Inch Chef's Knife

The Mercer Millennia series is great if you're really on a budget. I own one of these but I will say that after about a good 6 months of use it is losing its edge quite a bit (also possibly due to roommates chopping stuff on the hard metal table. I'm a little bitter about it.) Came sharp and will stay sharp with some care.

Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Short Bolster Forged Chef's Knife, 8 Inch

Same company, forged blade. Little nicer, will most likely keep an edge a little longer.

As far as chef knives go, these are some budget picks and probably what most people would recommend unless you want something much nicer! :)

Edit: Also if you are looking for something much nicer, jump down the rabbit hole that is /r/chefknives

It's a steep slope lol

1. Make sure allllll of the important stuff is baby-proofed (e.g. knives/sharp objects, poisons, the stove, markers/crayons, etc.)
   
2. Pick your battles. Is it really that big a deal that she's getting into the kitchen cabinets? Sure, she will make a mess, but that's what toddlers do. If she wants to pull out all the canned food or storage containers and climb inside the cabinets, is she hurting herself? Is it really any different than dumping out all her blocks or rummaging through her toys?
   
3. Involve her in what you are doing. My son (21 months) likes to watch us cook. We build a kitchen helper stool so my son can stand at the counter and watch what we're doing. He likes to "help" so I'll give him his own bowl and measuring cup and a little bit of flour to "bake" or a cutting board with a plastic safety knife and a stalk of broccoli so he can "help" cut up vegetables too.
   
4. Get out of the house at least once a day. We go to the park a lot so he can run around and be crazy without making a mess in our house. He loves to chase birds and it tires the crap out of him. Or we go to the farmer's market or the store. We also have sidewalk chalk and bubbles in our backyard. Yes, he gets messy, but it keeps him occupied for a long time. If you have a lot of inclement weather, get some rain pants, a rain coat, and rain boots and go splash in puddles.
   
5. Look for unconventional places to play. My son loves to play in the car and I can easily kill 30 minutes or more there. I sit in the passenger seat, roll the windows down enough for a breeze to blow through, put the parking break on, and let him mess with all the buttons or wipers or whatever.
   
6. Get a membership to your local children's museum, zoo, play gym, etc. We go about once a month and it's a great backup activity when we can't figure out what else to do.
   
7. Let her wander around the house on her own. As long as you've baby-proofed and you're checking on her every couple of minutes, you don't need to be her constant play buddy. We let our son play on his own a few times a day and just check in on him every 2-3 minutes or so to make sure he's not putting something in the toilet. Now, I'm not saying let your child play completely unsupervised, but I'll take 20 minutes to do the dishes or some dinner prep and just poke my head around the corner to see what he's doing in the bedroom or his play area.

I actually use 2 of those cheap, flexible cutting boards. Same idea as the saran wrap, but the cutting boards hold up to the mallet. Some paper towels under the bottom board (and just poking out around the edges) will both keep the thing from sliding around, and catch any liquids pounded out.

Edit: also, for sanitation, I tend to have a 'raw hand' and a 'cooked hand'. I use one hand for handling the raw chicken (usally my left, since I'm right-handed), and handle my cooking utensils & the cooked chicken with my other hand. A bit tricky sometimes using only one hand for some things, but it works out most times. Also: Hit the nearest pharmacy & pick up a box of disposable medical gloves (100 cnt for ~$5 usually). They work great for doing messy cooking tasks like hand-breading cicken or mixing up the meatloaf - then when you're finished, just remove the glove and your hand is still clean. Saves bunches of time and hand-washing.

don't worry about knives. let him do that himself. I'd say get him a nice large nylon or whatever material cutting board. not wood. I have an OXO 'carving board' that I asked for for christmas, and it's fucking awesome. granted, you have to have the counter space for it... but prepping ingredients is SO MUCH more enjoyable when they aren't constantly rolling off the board and you don't feel cramped.

plus, cutting boards are one of those things that a lot of people would probably consider to be like a 'boring' purchase, whereas a good knife is something that a younger person might be more happy to spend their own money on. let him pick out a knife on his own... you cover the quality-of-life stuff that's less fun to shop for ;D

This is what I've used that either I've had for over a decade or else is obviously of good quality. Much of these have already been mentioned. You still have to know how to care for this stuff. Just because it can last your whole life, you can make it almost unusable if you don't know how to cook and abuse it.

1. Cast iron - keep it seasoned, never use dish soap, never put it in the dishwasher, never drop it on the floor.
   
   
2. All-Clad and Calphalon stainless pans - never burn the pan with too high heat (only low to slightly medium heat in stainless pans) and never use a metal scouring pad to clean them. Use a sponge and Barkeepers Friend if they get some tough grime on them.
   
   
3. I have some enameled cast iron that I like very much and use for braising. It's just awesome. But I'm sure that it will chip if I drop it or flake if I overheat it (400 degree max for Lodge, LeCreuset doesn't have a max temp). So I just don't drop it or overheat it.
   
   
4. You will want to invest in some good knives. They aren't cheap. You will need to learn how to maintain them and how to sharpen them, otherwise you can ruin them too. But any good knife, if properly maintained will last a lifetime. I decided that my price point, the sweet spot where I got the most performance for my money, was with the Global and Mac brands. They are excellent. You will need to buy a couple of good water sharpening stones from Chosera or King, and a good honing steel like a Henkel.

You have lots of good selections in your list. Dunno about the shoes, do they really have lots of holes? Mosquitos will LOVE that!

Here are some camp kitchen suggestions that add value w/out hassle

Thin cutting/prep surface

Cheap kitchen knife with sheath for easy stowage(pick one or two)

Cheap non-stick frying pan(I got one for a few dollars at a grocery store)

Cheap heat-resistant spatula

Exxxxtra loooong tongs for cooking over a fire. Them coals get HOT.

The amount of different meals you can make with these is amazing. Eat a steak or salmon instead of MRE's... Cook bacon, sausages and scramble eggs for the camp...

I also recommend a small vise-grip for when you're wrenching and need a third hand. I splurged on the Leatherman Crunch and I love it.

And to jump on the bandwagon, go for smaller tent and a hatchet.

We are not vegetarian, but I do think that plant-based is are a good place for kids to start. we've had a lot of luck with Mollie Katzen's books. The youngest likes Pretend Soup and my daughter likes Honest Pretzels.

Also, while I do think kids should learn how to use a knife, if your kids are like my 4yo who would lose a finger or an eye within 30 seconds, these are great.

>Care? honing
>
>Budget? 150-200

This part as a knife enthusiast bothers me a little.

Any knife you buy in your price range is going to benefit immensely from learning sharpening, otherwise it will be a loss for you. Whether you do it yourself or have them professionally sharpened is up to you, but if you have the time and inclination I highly recommend learning to sharpen, as it extends the life of your knife much more. No matter what knife you buy, it will eventually get dull and need to be sharpened.

If you don't feel like learning to sharpen, just get a cheaper nice looking knife, like a victorinox rosewood (or fibrox is cheaper though) or mercer renaissance (best bang for your buck forged steel knife). That way you can have them belt sharpened locally without worrying about the knife being damaged. most sharpeners will use belt sanders which will not be great for the knife, but it is a cheaper knife so no fuss. I would also recommend these knives if you are a beginner with knives.

If you will never sharpen your knives, don't read further.

If you want to go down the rabbit-hole of /r/chefknives, then get a stone. Decent quality sharpening stones begin at around 40 or so bucks. I recommend the king kds 1000/6000 as a good starting point. with a stone, you can get most cheap knives hair shaving sharp, but it requires practice. if you get a stone, get something like a Gesshin 210mm stainless chef knive. The balance, feel, fit and finish are all the best you can get at that price, and is about as high quality a type of knife you should ever go for a first knife.

This is the knife I learned on and have used every day of my professional culinary Career. I have a knife collection worth a few thousand dollars at this point but the one I use every day and trust to leave around. Let others use. Leave on kitchens knife bar. This one. It's sturdy. The steel is soft enough to be forgiving. Soft enough to learn to sharpen. But hard enough to keep an edge for a while. While you are learning take it to a professional once or twice a year to get a professional edge put back on. You can maintain that edge for months with a proper steel before and after each use. If you have questions you can always DM me I'm a professional chef for 10 years and currently still very much into knives knife skills and sharpening them.

Also I own this particular knife in 5 8 and 11 inches. The 5 is great for smaller projects that still need some heft. The 8 is what I use 90% of the time and the 11 I use pretty much only when like... I need to cut a huge watermelon or huge onions that when cut in half still need a big knife. Or like giant eggplants. You get the point.

I love these knives -- if you are not into the various colors, you can get them in a single color. I like having the multi colored ones because it is easy to remember that you use a certain color for certain things so you can grab it from the drawer more easily. But to each their own! Here is the link. I literally LOVE cooking with these knives.

Welcome/congrats on moving into your apartment!! I recently moved into my first apartment, and it drives me crazy discovering all the little things I need.

I suggest you get a good knife set (I bought this set for myself and I LOVE it) and a couple of cutting boards. The knives are great for a small space because you can just store them in a crock or whatever with the rest of your cooking utensils (thanks, knife covers!) and the cutting boards take up virtually no room in your cabinet.

Congrats again! I'd love to talk decorating or sometime, because I'm super lost in this whole living-on-my-own (college exuded) thing!

I’m not sure if you’re looking to sharpen kitchen knives or just the pocket knife, but I feel strongly enough about this sharpener that I dug through my Amazon order history to get you the link. I’ve had this since 2013 and every time I sharpen my knives it’s like they’re brand new. I’m sure there are better (much more expensive) options out there, but dollar for dollar the best sharpener I’ve ever used:

Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oDSVAbRRW5C5Z

Well, if your knives are not expensive, professional-grade stuff, you could always just invest in a new knife ¯\(ツ)/¯ You don't have to drop $100+ on a knife to get something decent. I own this one, and make a few passes with the sharpening steel every use, and it's still sharp as the day I bought it.

Otherwise, you could look into a sharpening system like the Lansky Sharpening System. It has a guide so you don't have to sharpen freehand. It's moderately pricey, and I would suggest buying one or two additional hones for it (the case has two extra spaces for them \^-\^) but if you have a couple knives you want to keep in good shape, its a good investment. I enjoy using it, it's meditative. It might take 30 minutes per knife to completely refinish the edge, or just a couple minutes to bring it back to sharpness.

Ahoy rahvin36! Nay bad but me wasn't convinced. Give this a sail:

Thanks db33511. At $100, would thar Suisin Inox be better than thar gesshin stainless? They d' look nicer though. Be thar difference a lot betwixt thar $60 MAC n' these 2 at $100?

MAC knife's BK80 at $110 be just $86 on amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RKQ3FY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1MOIDKF4ZO4UB&psc=1

It says Dis 8" chef's knife be heavier than thar HB-85 due t' a slightly thicker blade n' larger handle, but me don't know if dis be important, since it seems t' me that they use thar same steel as thar $65 HB-85, n' thus, maybe they have thar same performance.

But then, at $85, https://www.amazon.com/Misono-Molybdenum-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000XT4GJO/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1537599466&sr=1-2&keywords=misono+molybdenum would come out even cheaper.

Arggh, I be so confused. I'd like t' stay as low as possible, but then again, I be going t' use these fer a verily verily long time. Thanks fer all thar help.

Thanks db33511. At $100, would the Suisin Inox be better than the gesshin stainless? They do look nicer though. Is the difference a lot between the $60 MAC and these 2 at $100?

MAC knife's BK80 at $110 is just $86 on amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RKQ3FY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1MOIDKF4ZO4UB&psc=1

It says This 8" chef's knife is heavier than the HB-85 due to a slightly thicker blade and larger handle, but I don't know if this is important, since it seems to me that they use the same steel as the $65 HB-85, and thus, maybe they have the same performance.

But then, at $85, https://www.amazon.com/Misono-Molybdenum-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000XT4GJO/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1537599466&sr=1-2&keywords=misono+molybdenum would come out even cheaper.

From the looks in the pictures, I like MAC the least. But I'd put performance ahead of looks though.

Arggh, I'm so confused. I'd like to stay as low as possible, but then again, I'm going to use these for a really really long time. Thanks for all the help.

Your'e gonna want some awesome new knives.

this to keep all your cords in place.

this so you don't have trouble plugging in all your stuff.

this can be used to keep track of all the tiny pieces (e.g. batteries, screws, etc.).

I personally use this everyday, it's the best.

these to keep you clean.

everyone needs one of these.

gotta put all the shoes somewhere.

something like this will come in handy.

It's the small details that count.

this could help when moving everything in.

And then get one of these bad boys for you!

okay I think I put enough for now, hope it helps.

I use these ones:

Rust Eraser Sabitoru Medium and Fine 2-piece Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FS0BFJC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Cq3xzb7Y6N7MS

The red is a coarse and white is a little smoother. They sell individually too. Probably only need the fine (just search rust eraser on Amazon) one but I just like them. You just rub it on top of your water stone after it looks metallic/gray on the surface from all the metal clogged on top. This will rub it right off. Can also use to literally rub/erase rust spots off of a knife etc.

They feel like rubber sandpaper lol.

I suggested the Atoma 400 in our earlier posts too.. I found a new diamond plate yesterday.. I linked it in the big post I made with all the links. S & K sk11 plate. 160/600.

Check out virtuovice on YouTube

Yep this is the right answer. I have one of these knives and it's great. Also, make sure to get a honing steel to keep the edge nice. It's not sharpening, it's straightening the edge. This will keep your knife workable and sharp. Make sure to do this a few times right before you use the knife.

http://www.amazon.com/Henckels-9-Inch-Poly-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00004RFMA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1323750058&sr=1-1

BTW, I hardly use my bread knife so you can probably get away without getting one.

Mark Bittman agrees too, no need to spend a lot to get decent kitchen supplies: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09mini.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

Also, look up Alton Brown's Good Eats episode where he talks about knife skills and how to get a good knife. The episode name is "American Slicer" and it's on youtube.

Depending on how much you like to do you can buy appliances or short cuts. Like you can rice your own cauliflower or buy it done in a bag frozen. I don't like zucchini noodles. Buy what you'll use. Figure out what makes the most sense and go from there. Top things? Instant pot/or other brand of it, air fryer and sous vide. How much cooking do you like to do? Are you looking for easy? Gourmet? Quick or long? What's your proficiency in the kitchen? A few basics are knifes and sharpener. I use this. Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_d.JvDbP8D0K12 to clarify I do not buy high end knifes. It's great for cheaper knifes. Really expensive knifes do not buy this sharpener. I buy a clearance $40 set of knives. Buy cutting boards. Bamboo are great to start and cheap plus sustainable.

I’ve had a G2 for 20 years and use it nearly daily (home cook). I like it. The handle works for me. If you like to “choke up” on the knife, that is move your hand forward so your index finger is on the blade not the handle, it might take some getting used to. I also have a Global paring knife.

I’ve sharpened it on a stone and it was pretty easy. What works way better than I thought is this. I usually loathe this style of sharpener, but this one works for me. I only use it on my Globals.

Edge retention is good, I resharpen every 4-6 months. Steel as needed.

I was given a big block of Henkel 4-stars 25 years ago and they’re still in great shape. I’ve picked up a few other 8-10” chefs knives and cleavers over the years, but the G2 is probably my favorite. Just my opinion.

Edit: I guess the “choke up” grip I was describing is a pinch grip.

> i know that i could possibly just take any ol chef knife from home and pack it safely, but im thinking of like some sort of all purpose pocket knife or something along those lines.

Could you speak a bit more about a couple things? 1) What sounds appealing about a pocket knife version? 2) What sounds unappealing about carrying around a chef knife from home?

Does a chef knife from home seem too big? Do not want to pack your more expensive knives? Are you afraid of your packing failing and cutting things up in your bag? Does a folding knife just appeal to you? Or a smaller packable knife?

And in general, suggesting a knife is still wrought with personal preferences. Do you know how to sharpen? Do you like harder steels? What handle shapes do you like?

When I was stuck in a hotel for a couple months, I really appreciated bringing my 8 in chef knife. I packed it in a knife guard that clip around it. I've travelled tons and those cases have served me well.

For me, I wouldn't like using a folding knife for any extended period of time bc they would necessarily be back heavy and they tend to use meh steels (or super expensive otherwise).

So, tell me more about what you want/need.

After many years of working with what I thought were decent knives in my home kitchen (major European brand) knives, even sharpening them, they weren't up to some of the tasks and dulled quickly. Over time they degraded and weren't first quality although I paid a pretty penny for them at the time.

Spend some time researching and a bit more money for a first quality chef's knife and paring knife. It will last you your lifetime.

I finally settled on this for a chef's knife: its the best of both worlds, imo.

https://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Hollow-Chefs-8-Inch/dp/B000LY29NQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511524128&sr=1-4&keywords=mac+knife

There are a lot of considerations like type and treatment of steel, angle of the blade, balance and heaviness. Many of the Japanese knives are very thin and brittle, so their use as chef's knives require a lot of skill and care. This particular one is more 'European style' while incorporating the steel grade and angle qualities that maintain sharpness. It stands up to the heavier tasks well, like cutting through winter squash, and zips through chopping of onions or slicing softer fruits and vegetables well. There are many other brands of course.

and this for a paring knife:

https://www.amazon.com/Shun-DM0716-Classic-4-Inch-Paring/dp/B0000Y7KNG/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511524218&sr=1-4&keywords=shun+paring+knife

Here is where the Japanese blades shine. Super sharp and thin blades are ideal for paring. Again there are many other brands, these were just my choice.

Knives like these are incredibly sharp and stay that way. I've really hurt myself switching over from dullish knives to these. I got these until my skills improved. They are great. I don't use them as much anymore, but still do for particular tasks.

https://www.amazon.com/NoCry-Cut-Resistant-Gloves-Performance/dp/B06X1FBX81/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511524746&sr=8-3&keywords=metal+kitchen+gloves

Hopefully this gives you a little food for thought.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335807629&sr=8-1

finish off with

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Super-Sapphire-Polishing-Hone/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=pd_sim_sg_2

If you find yourself sharpening a lot of different knives you'll want

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Coarse-Diamond-Accessory-Silver/dp/B001KN3OTK/ref=acc_glance_sg_ai_ps_t_3

it moves the steel faster (for changing the edge the first time) and the stone holds up longer.

Long story short, it gives perfect consistency and has the super fine stones for giving that polished razors edge. It makes sharpening anything UNDER 6" a dream.

For knives LARGER than 6" I use

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/sanders/1-inch-x-30-inch-belt-sander-2485.html

with various ceramic belts from

http://www.trugrit.com/belts1.htm

It's also GREAT for doing convex conversions. Doing a flat grind on a concave edge takes a steady hand or a jig.

Practice on wood and scrap steel. You'll RUIN a blade in a HURRY with those coarse belts.

If the blade gets hot it will burn the steel and you will lose it's hardness. Dip it in cool water, dry with a towel, often. The tip is the most delicate part. Only grind for a second or two, then dip again.

Ah! I haven't tried using one of those yet. I'm talking about this. The issue I've had with exacto knives is that they can't turn corners cleanly, so I usually cut out block-text, then slow shave slivers off to get clean curves.

[Like this is really easy](
https://imgur.com/a/NjltA) on the cutting boards mentioned above.

This was one of the harder projects, forgive me I can't draw hands (and I wish I had beautiful penshipship like this sub to fill in a beauty & the beast quote ><)

drose6102 love the global knife. I have had it for about two years now with no complaints. If you're interested in buying I would recommend you get this sharpener http://www.amazon.com/MinoSharp-220-GB-Ceramic-Sharpener/dp/B00005OL3L/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417998479&sr=8-2&keywords=global+sharpener.

Zipvex143258 I ordered rare earth magnets that were 1/4in thick by 1/2in wide. So I planed the teak piece down to a 1/4in and after laying out my magnets plan I drilled through with a 1/2in bit all the way through so that the magnets fit in almost perfectly. Magnets in place I then glued up the face and clamped down a piece of veneer I had after ripping a 7/8 trim board to 3/4 on the jobsite. If you have the board you want to use making a venner with the table saw if pretty easy. After the glue set I router the edges, sanded, and applied three coats of mineral oil. A very simple look, but its very clean looking and minimal which I personally like.

I think that would be a great set. Just, I would trade out that sharpening steel with this.

Also, your bread knife, doesn't matter what brand really, it is just a bread knife. I would go with something that will fit the look of what you are already getting, but that is just my own opinion.

Also, add a few plastic blade sleeves. If you do not plan on having your blades out in the open, it will allow you to store it in a drawer without damaging the blade. It will also make it easier if you ever move, since you can just put the knife in the plastic sleeve, and not worry about it getting damaged, or flying loose. This is the one that I have, and it works really well.

I would also add a slicer knife, if you think you will use it, like this. It is amazing for slicing steak, chicken, brisket, ribs, and so on. I use my chef's knife to do it, but if you have a chance to get a knife that you can use JUST for that, go for it. Slicing cooked protein will dull a knife faster than cutting raw protein(in most cases.)

I would say get a petty knife, then get either a smaller paring knife or a larger utility knife depending on your needs. This is a good European value option, or you could get a Tojiro DP 5" petty if you want to try a more expensive Japanese knife. You can also get a 5" Victorinox if you want matching knives.

Depending on how bad your hand-me-downs are, you may want a good quality serrated bread knife.

As for storage, wall-mounted magnetic strips are great. Really, really great. Other options are a universal knife block (make sure that the rods holding the knives can be removed for washing), using blade guards or putting a knife organizer in one of your drawers.

I love both knives but I vote Global. I have had mine for years and use this to keep it razor sharp. It is much lighter than the shun and I like that. Although, I must admit that I do love the Ken Union Shun knives. Just don't want to pay up for them.

Which "super-fine" Lansky hone should I get to accompany the Deluxe Diamond Set that I purchased, seen here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Diamond-Deluxe-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-3&keywords=lansky

I feel that I would like to get a sharper edge than what I can achieve with this basic set. I was considering between the Ultra fine here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-11&keywords=lansky

or the Super Sapphie polishing hone

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Super-Sapphire-Polishing-Hone/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1452449613&sr=8-5&keywords=lansky

Both of which have been recommended, however I do think the ultra fine is better for sharpening, rather than polishing, no?

Mac Knife Chef Series Hollow Edge Chef's Knife, 8-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LY29NQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_o-.Pzb1QEFT9K
Best knife I've ever owned. Anybody who uses it loves it. Blade is thin and slices really well and stays super sharp. I couldn't recommend it more.

Mercer has been my new favorite knives for a couple of years now. German steel, great balance and heft, superior handle.
Three nice setups here for a home kitchen here - https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-6-Piece-Tempered/dp/B000IBU9FW
If you're looking for just one chef's knife, I use this at home, and couldn't be happier with it - https://www.amazon.com/ZELITE-INFINITY-Chef-Knife-inch/dp/B0110EKTUU

Thank you so much for all the info! So maybe something like these Zhen knives or this Tojiro knife?

Stupid question: I recall someone telling me once that high quality knives are not dishwasher safe. Is this true? If I buy these for her, we'll be hand washing them, correct?

For the wet stone: how much does the manufacturer matter? I was able to find this one and it seems well reviewed. :)

Thank you again for all the help!

Well, you're doing part of it right, anyway.

http://www.amazon.com/J-A-Henckels-9-Inch-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00004RFMA/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1381259811&sr=1-2&keywords=steel+sharpener

This will be your best friend. A few swipes across this before you use the knife — every time — will improve your game a lot.

I agree, this is just as or more important than your knife!

I suggest this one, as it's small enough to not cause clutter, large enough to do most of your prep work, cheap enough to afford a second or third one later on (for a designated meat/veggie board), and best of all it's dishwasher safe!

I copied my comment from another thread where I listed what he used that I could identify below. If you have any questions about technique I would be happy to try and answer them!

---

He's using a couple of things.

First, the white liquid is just some regular kitchen cleaner with a mild abrasive like soft scrub.

Next, the black whetstone looks like a welsh slate which is a type of natural whetstone. Could easily be something else, especially since welsh slates are usually rather high grit, but that was the first that came to mind. It could also be an oilstone, but they don't usually get muddy like the one he used did. Those are the only black whetstones I know of.

After the black stone he uses a rust eraser.

Next, the green block is honing compound. Green compound is usually around 1 micron.

Next, the progression of stones are all Shapton Pros.

Finally, he strops on this overprice Bob Kramer strop block.

---

What he's actually doing:

1. Scrubbing with cleaner to remove some of the rust
   
   
2. "Muddy" whetstone to remove more of the rust. Muddy stones work out unevenness in the blade.
   
   
3. Rust eraser to remove even more rust and give the start of a consistent finish
   
   
4. Green honing compound which he's using as a metal polish (which it effectively is)
   
   
5. Regular whetstone sharpening with a progression of 2k, 5k, 12k (Shaptons are color coded)
   
   
6. Leather strop

Haha I'm okay now. I laugh about it constantly and was laughing while in the hospital. Ps. I got you on the info-The knives that gave me the cleanest cut that all the nurses rushed to order! :-)

I'm searching for the same thing!! I just bought 3 Shun knives and need a honing steel to keep a nice edge. I've looked around stores and amazon and i think I'm going to buy the shun honing steel. its a little more expensive but it's the nicest I've seen by far. here are links.

The Shun:
http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DM0750-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B000139H7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346822054&sr=8-1&keywords=shun+honing

a good one also:

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-4473-10-Inch-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00009WDT8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_6

Shuns are alright, but they're japanese steel so they're brittle. They will chip guaranteed.

For that price range I'd recommend a wusthof, but if you're taking it to work and all that, I'd go with Mercer. It's a cheaper knife, but it's easily become my favorite.

Yes. There are two great chefs knives available for around that much that I recommend.

• Mercer Genesis 8" (forged)
  
• Victorinox Fibrox 8" (stamped)
  
  Of those two I recommend the Mercer most. I outfitted my kitchen with knives out of the Mercer Genesis range, and only the carving knife was a non-bargain.

I stumbled across this Rust Eraser Sabitoru Medium and Fine 2-piece Set on Amazon a few weeks ago and it's great. Literally just like an eraser, clean your knife off, wet the eraser, and the rust comes right off.

My son is 2 1/2, but he's been interested in cooking for a long time. I would let him help by rinsing the rice or beans. I just bought him these (Curious Chef 3-Piece Nylon Knife Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Q5YH9C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pev.ybE4KN2K6) to help chopping veggies and fruits. When he was younger it was just more mixing, pouring, and "washing" dishes.

I'm just curious as to why you'd prefer a set over a couple of good, individual knives? Not judging, just curious.

I'm actually thinking about buying my mom knives for Christmas, as I went over her house on Saturday and cooked for her and didn't think to bring my own (and nearly cut myself on a dull knife, sigh), but I'll likely buy her a nice chef's knife and a nice paring knife, as well as a honing steel. It will likely cost me about $100-200, and I'll likely go Wusthof.

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Gourmet-8-Inch-Cooks-Knife/dp/B0001FATMI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382997791&sr=8-2&keywords=wusthof+cook%27s+knife

and then this steel:

http://www.amazon.com/W%C3%BCsthof-4473-Wusthof-10-Inch-Sharpening/dp/B00009WDT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382997825&sr=8-1&keywords=wusthof+honing+steel

and probably two knife guards.

Global 7 inch Santoku Knife, they have an 8 inch but this one does a good job. This sharpener is also great.

Lots of pockets, $6.95 shipping

Prime Eligible

Since the order might be over $25.00 Here are a couple of add-ons that would be awesome. Add on 1 and Add on 2. If it's not eligible for add ons then this or this would be great!

Btw, learn to take care your knife so it cuts like it's brand new every time with a sharpening steel. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004RFMA?pc_redir=1404625086&robot_redir=1 you can get any brand for this. I try to use it on my knife once a week. There's a good clip on YouTube from Gordon Ramsay on how to use it.

My first stone was a Kai 240/1000, which I got because it was cheap. It got me started on sharpening technique, and I restored a few mangled knife blades out of it. It does a great job, despite its smaller size

My current stone is a King 1000/6000, priced at only $40. I've spent a lot of time practicing proper technique with the King stone, and can get my Henckels Santoku sharp enough to shave (which I think is impressive for a $40 knife). My Shun Chef is sharp enough to do surgery. Shun uses VG-10, a much harder steel (HRC around 60) which requires a very consistent technique to polish properly.

If you want to move up in quality after that, you're looking at $100+ per stone.

Yeah! Mine has the white handle too. They’re beautiful knives. Make sure when you wash it you DONT use a green scrubby...I was an idiot and scratched the blade with it...I had no idea it would scratch the blade. It wasn’t very abrasive at all. Also, that is carbon steel correct? Do yourself a favor and buy a Rada knife sharpener. Best sharpener ever made for carbon and they’re incredibly cheap.


https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE

I have a MAC santoku at home that is deadly sharp; so nice chopping with that thing because it's almost effortless. Not seeing mine on Amazon right now, but I'd be willing to bet this 8" chef's knife is great as well. There's also this set of 3 which might give your dad some more options.

I'd say a Japanese waterstone would be the way to go. They're not that hard to use. This Kai 240/1000 would even match most of his knives! A 1000/6000 would also be a good option paired with a fine diamond stone.

I understand that none of these would work particularly well for that half serrated blade. But a little Lansky blade medic could touch it up nicely.

The most important thing is just using different cutting boards for different things.

Have a cutting board that you use exclusively for meats. Ideally one for each type of meat (red/white/fish) but a "do all" will work. This board should also be plastic (because you can run them through the dishwasher and replaced on a fairly regular basis.

Your second cutting board should be wood, and used for the vast majority of your chopping needs.

I use this wood and this plastic cutting boards. Both have worked very well and I feel will continue to last a long time.

Remember for those with wood cutting boards to care for them properly with a wax/oil and if you can help it NEVER submerge them in water.

Snag these:
http://www.amazon.com/J-Henckels-International-Forged-3-Piece/dp/B00375MLSE/ref=sr_1_103?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1299527235&sr=1-103
And this:
http://www.amazon.com/Henckels-9-Inch-Poly-Sharpening-Steel/dp/B00004RFMA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1299527277&sr=1-1
And these:
http://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-4-Piece-Edge-Guard-Set-Black/dp/B002KKC312/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1299527361&sr=1-2
And you'll be good to go for life as long as you take good care of the knives!

With that budget and request, I'd take a good look at the MAC TH-80. I have the utility knife from this series, it arrives sharp as can be, holds a fantastic edge, and is light. Pretty much filling all of your requests.

I haven't tried those but I've been through a bunch over the years. I highly highly recommend the Mac chef's knife.

It is a real workhorse and stays sharp for a long time. I have this one, and the hollow edge 8 1/2" and the santoku knife. I didn't like the santoku at all (previously I only used a Victorinox santoku knife) and gave it away. Both chef's knives are very impressive for a home chef.

Something like below. They are pretty common and you should be able to get them at any super market.

https://www.amazon.com/MIU-Flexible-Cutting-Board-Set/dp/B00011RTE8

derp, I'll repost this just in case it didn't show for you

Misono Molybdenum sounds perfect for you. Its soft enough that you can get away with using a steel and can probably last a home cook forever.

The Messermeister may be a nice alternative if you prefer more weight to your blades. The Misono is like feather light by comparison.

Try flexible cutting boards instead. Like these. There pretty damn cheap compared to foldable cutting boards.

I've tried buying a few cutting boards with strainers and I think they usually just get in the way. I'd rather just have the extra cutting space.

Still want to strain? Just hotdog curve a flexboard and pour chopped stuff into a strainer/colander. Considering how cheap they are you could always drill some holes in them or something though.

They are thin and can get bends in them (i have a problem leaving them in my sink) but you can flatten them back out pretty well. Just leave a baking sheet on it for awhile. I've been using the same ones for a year now and the're still going strong.

I still keep a thick cutting board around but I hardly use it.

TL:DR Cheap flexible cutting boards > expensive folding cutting board

I’d say they’re not a scam, but they’re not an extraordinary value. They’re probably worth about what they cost, ~$23/knife.

A Japanese knife from a reputable maker like a Misono Molybdenum and a cheap paring knife (Victorinox, Opinel, etc.) or 2 might be a better expenditure.

If you're looking for a knife just as good as the Victorinox for the same price range, look at the Mercer Genesis same steel as Wusthof and Victorinox, much better fit and finish than the rubber handle of the Fibrox.
However, if you really want to step up a level in quality to a more mid-range knife, look at the Tojiro DP Gyuto

When I bought the set that contained this stainless Global GS-5, it came with this minosharp ceramic sharpener.

After sharpening it a few times and unintentionally rubbing the blade against the plastic guides on the sharpener, it looks like this. The scratches are not very deep and are not visible from every angle.

What is the best way to remove superficial scratches like this while keeping most of the vertical finish pattern?

The back of each stone would say something like "Coarse Diamond. Medium Diamond, etc" if they were.

You might want to get the Ultra Fine stone (https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481586284&sr=8-1&keywords=lansky+ultra+fine+stone). You're making a big leap in grits going from fine to sapphire.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000Q4I9LM

I got one of these as a house warming gift. Cleans easy and looks nice. I've got a ton of random knives, so this works well for that too.

I'd save your money and lean toward the victorinox, always found the global handles to get a bit slippery when wet. Mercer makes some good, affordable knives as well, worth checking out. https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Renaissance-8-Inch-Forged/dp/B002R1CGV6

The two main knives I use in the kitchen are these:

https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Ponit-21-Chef-Knife/dp/B001FEJ0WO

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000CF8YO


The first one is the one in the rib album. It's cheap, but lightweight and not full tang. Still versatile and a good purchase. I just try not to hack anything tough with it. If you don't have a honing steel, get one and learn how to use it. Basically any knife is usable with one. Any honing steel is probably fine, and I really like this knife sharpener. You shouldn't have to sharpen much if you use a honing steel, and your knives will last longer without frequent sharpening.

I think an 800 grit is a little too fine if you want to do any re-edgeing of blades, especially if you're trying to remove enough material to hide a nick in the edge. This Kai waterstone off Amazon is always my recommendation to friends as a first stone. The 240 grit is just coarse enough to do some re-edging work, and the 1000 is enough for some pretty fine edge.

Thanks! Will this one work about the same or is there something inherently better about the Brod Taylor models? Finally, does the pull through sharpener eliminate the need for one of these if get the pull through with fine and course slots?

Have you seen this kind of knife block: https://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM There's also this kind that has a longer and a shorter compartment: https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/countertop/kapoosh-hardwood-knife-block/12d?productId=10030947

It doesn't have slots, but flexible rods that fit a lot of knives of different sizes and shapes. The downside is that it can get messy, but it might be a good choice if you don't have a lot of space because it can hold a lot of knives.

edit: I just found this site that shows more interesting ways to store knives: https://www.core77.com/posts/26446/designing-for-knife-storage-part-2-beyond-knife-blocks-and-wall-racks-26446 I like the under-cabinet knife block. That may be a good solution for your space problem.

This is actually lower than your budget but I've heard good things about this knife. I'm about to buy it myself and my criteria is pretty similar to yours.

Edit: Removed affiliate link

I actually personally use this one:
Kai Japanese Professional Knife Sharpening Stone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZET0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fjMqyb445MVA8
I've had it for a solid year and every few months I sharpen all the knives in my house. Works just great. Although I use a sharpening steel to help keep them that way.

Get some super fine sand paper and cut out little strips to fit over your current stone.

Use thin fabric tape (micropore or whatever) and cover your stone, then rub a bit of metal polish on the tape and strop away.

There is this thing too:

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=pd_sim_200_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000B8L6MC&pd_rd_r=VCNW54N3201JCD57VZ2Y&pd_rd_w=SeDKC&pd_rd_wg=OFdHc&psc=1&refRID=VCNW54N3201JCD57VZ2Y

You can put polish on the ceramic stone too like the tape.

Print your desired image on paper, use 3M Super 77 to adhere the paper stencil to a thin plastic cutting board, and then cut the stencil. Then use the Super 77 to adhere the plastic stencil to the wood (just a light mist will work fine).

Are you still excluded/special (mil/fire/police/ems)? Gerber has an authentication, I think through idme, and you prefill the auto acknowledgment.

I have a Lansky 5 Stone and purchased a couple extra stones off the recommendation of some people on this sub and it’s pretty damn groovy. It works well and has made everything I’ve put on it shaving sharp. The additional stones are an Extra Coarse Diamond and a Super Sapphire They also have angled stones for serrated sections. I also picked up a few strops off of r/knife_swap from u/jester002100 which he hand crafts and are of utmost fit and finish.

I'm also using long, bent-tip tweezers, a straightened paperclip, good for getting a good contact on the final bonds that enclose a piece, and much thinner than a toothpick and, Exacto knife, also this little guy keeps your blades like new.

Another idea that I use/have used, numbered ziplock bags for larger projects, page#=bag#.

There are literally hundreds of gimmicky knife sharpening tools out there. Some of them actually work, but none will yield a finer edge than a Japanese water stone, imho.

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Professional-Knife-Sharpening-Sharpener/dp/B000UZET0M/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1322240668&sr=1-1

If I were you, I'd pick up one of these bad boys and learn how to use it. Practice makes perfect!

PS- there's tons of videos on the youtubes on how to properly use and care for these, so don't feel intimidated!

All knifes need sharpening at some point, my best knifes are actually some I got at the flea market ... instead of investing in very expensive knifes buy a good knife sharpener. Here is mine:
$26 on Amazon

It’s just the name. It’s probably just a finer ceramic. It feels like it does nothing but it turns gray so it’s removing metal and makes the difference between razor sharp and hair splitting sharp

Lansky S2000 Super Sapphire Polishing Hone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lSjaCb240NSWP

This is what they recommended when I took some classes at the local culinary school.

​

Any of the forged sets from Mercer

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-6-Piece-Tempered/dp/B000IBU9FW/

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Renaissance-6-Piece-Tempered/dp/B004A8NMEO/

They sell similar with different holder, count etc...

They're as good a value as you'll find. You can get the whole set for the price of a single Shun, Henckles etc... Also note that Henckles sells many different grades of knife. This knife is just as good as the bulk of them.

RE cutting board... Just get a decent thick wood cutting board... (Never Glass)

An electric knife sharpener ended up being an amazing purchase this year. It was around $25 on Amazon. Easily transforms shitty knives into high-quality pieces you can actually use. Way cheaper than buying a bunch of "top quality" knives, which isn't always a justifiable purchase if you're a novice cook.

Link for those interested.

After reading through the comments, you really can't go wrong with either the BM940 or the ZT0450. Also, a cheaper and just as great sharpening set is the Lansky System. All you need to add to it are the Leather and Diamond strops, oh and the Stand.

I believe your standard cuisinart food processors come with a huge amount of attatchments and modifications for all kinds of wacky things, like turning it into a meat grinder or a deli slicer. I have not tested the slicer on mine and don't know if its appropriately thin enough. I don't use that much thin cuts and don't need a l arge volume of consistent slices so I just get by with my quality chef knives and take it as an opportunity to practice knife skills. You can totally cut a salami paper thin and slightly transparent with a good knife. Unless you're making a ton of food, you spend more time cleaning and assembling the cuisinart than just using a good knife, even if the knife is slower.

This is a super sharp high quality set of knives I use and recommend, they're not top of the line but they will give you paper thin salami slices. Everything I've ever cut with them feels like cutting butter. http://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-6-Piece-Forged/dp/B000IBU9FW

I use a plastic knife similar to this, but not this exact brand:

https://amzn.com/B002Q5YH9C

Works great

check out these plastic safety knives. got them for my 5 year old and he loves em https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Chef-TCC50029-3-Piece-Nylon/dp/B002Q5YH9C

You don't actually need a polishing stone. I would learn how to sharpen and deburr on a medium grit stone first. A 1000 grit edge is still pretty sharp. I also wouldn't bother with no-name stones either.

I recommend these.. Don't spend $500. Not necessary

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XT4GJO/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I4QACBKPAH6FZ&colid=POIYQUE8YZGH

https://www.amazon.com/KING-Grain-Sharpening-Stone-Medium/dp/B0016VC46A/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1501904887&sr=1-1&keywords=king+1000

This is what I use for my kitchen knives. Works fantastic. I can get really sharp edge on my chef knives.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UZET0M/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would also recommend a leather strop for getting a razor edge after using the 1000 grit side of the wet stone.

https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Razor-Leather-Sharpening-Barber/dp/B00S2WVWTQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481214592&sr=8-2&keywords=leather+strop

I've had this for 7 years. It's a fantastic knife. I highly recommend.

http://smile.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Series-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000LY29NQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1407044310&sr=1-1&keywords=mac+8+chef

I bought a 'kitchenIQ Edge-Grip 2 Stage Knife Sharpener' on Amazon for like $10. It works fine and seems to keep the edges sharp with just a few passes.

It looks like Williams doesn't have the Mercer knife sets anymore, but does sell them individually. I bought the Mercer Renaissance 6-knife set in the glass holder - it's on Amazon.ca here. Camelcamelcamel says its at a historically high price right now, but goes as low as $139 (albeit on Boxing Day - maybe set a price alert and grab it for around the $200 mark - what I paid).

Poking around a bit, it looks like Bed, Bath & Beyond have some decent deals on some quality knife sets, surprisingly. There's a couple Wusthof sets I'm looking at now...that said, you definitely don't need one of those ridiculous 12-14 knife sets with the massive wooden block. I'd say (as would most real cooks/professionals) that you only really need 3-5 good knives at most. And don't store them sharp-side down in a wooden block.

I think for the price, Mercer makes a great 8” chef knife.It certainly won’t turn any heads but they were standard issue when I was in culinary school, and now (even though I have upgraded my knives) still often recommend it to average users and have even given a couple as gifts.

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-Forged-Bolster/dp/B00DT1XFSQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536526855&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mercer+chef+knife&psc=1

I would recommended you steer away from the two listed. Had a coworker who owned one and the build quality was not great and the handle even snapped off after a couple of months.

Please get a new cutting board. Hardwood or plastic is best. Glass (and bamboo, marble, etc) is really really terrible for your knives. I have several of this one and one of this one and I'm quite happy with them.

Mercer Genesis series is in your price range and very nice quality for the money. My 8 inch chefs knife was 30usd. It's pretty heavy as you've requested

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00DT1XFSQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518989449&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mercer+chef+knife&dpPl=1&dpID=31IKtdKbS%2BL&ref=plSrch

I use this for light maintenance, getting rid of spots and light scratches.

https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Eraser-Sabitoru-Medium-2-piece/dp/B00FS0BFJC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492775144&sr=8-1&keywords=rust+eraser

If this doesn't work then move up to automotive (wet) sandpaper. The scratch you pictured would probably need the sandpaper - I personally would not worry about it but with a package of assorted sheets ($5) find the coarsest size that will remove the scratch then work your way up through the grits to polish out the polishing scratches. BTW it looks like the edge could stand some stone time.

The Kanji on your knife will probably describe the steel used. Almost certainly blue or white 2 carbon . Note that the color description is for the paper used to wrap the raw steel, not for the steel itself.

I've used rust erasers nlike these:
Rust Eraser Sabitoru Medium and Fine 2-piece Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FS0BFJC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fvB.BbBE2T4AN

It gets em off pretty well.

I strongly dislike products like the Accusharp. Granted, I have all kinds of sharpening stones and strops, I'm a little overboard and we're just talking about a Victorinox here. Short of learning to sharpen, I'd rather see an amateur pay the few bucks to have their knives correctly sharpened once or twice a year. If not, I still think that Minosharp / Rollsharp type products are far superior to rigid tungsten carbide sharpeners. Just my two cents from having repaired a few knives sharpened by Accusharp type sharpeners.

Look into getting one of these perfect edge every time.

Edit: I guess perfect edge is subjective. With this and a bit of stropping on some leather you will have a damn sharp edge in about 60 seconds.

You might be right, but it might be coming down to the following choices:

​

Wusthof Classic Ikon

Wüsthof Classic Ikon Bread Knife 23cm Black - £89.00

Wüsthof tr9606 N Christmas Set 2 Knives Classic IKON (Chef's + Paring) - £103.36

Wusthof Classic Ikon Utility Knife 12 cm - £51.90

Wusthof Hanging Sharpening Steel with Black Base, 26 cm - £18.58

Total (including shipping): £265.84

​

Tojiro DP

Tojiro DP Cobalt Alloy 3 Layers Bread Slicer 215mm - £49.93

Tojiro DP Cobalt Alloy 3 Layers Chef Knife(Gyuto) 210mm - £57.73

Tojiro DP Cobalt Alloy 3 Layers Petty Knife(Utility) 120mm - £35.89

Tojiro DP Cobalt Alloy 3 Layers Petty Knife(Utility) 180mm - £42.91

King Combination Grit Waterstone (Grinding stone) Sharpening Whetstone with Stand #1000/#6000 - £35.89 (added to get free shipping over a certain price point)

Total (including shipping): £220.12

​

Mercer or Messermister if you want something tough. Basically cheap alternatives to the Whustof Ikon.

Tojiro would likely be the most delicate as its thinner and harder. VG-10 at 60-61 HRC might be a bit thin and brittle for some. Not recommended for bones.

Mac and Misono in between in terms of toughness. Might not hold the same edge as the Tojiro but should be safer around harder things. Not intended to go through bones but should be safe around them.

Its hard to go wrong with the Mac. Thin and light like other Japanese knifes but should be somewhat tough still. There is the hollow-edge version or the shorter one.

Yep. Get your straight knives sharpened. That's usually the test for my "everyday" knife -- if it doesn't cut through a tomato with nearly zero resistance, time for a sharpening. You shouldn't need to "saw" back and forth and the skin shouldn't need "piercing" -- the knife should just, well, cut right into it.

Depending on your skill level / type of blade (whether you'd want to use a steel sharpening edge or ceramic).

Option 1 - ceramic "wheels" -- I personally use this type with my Global stainless steel knife. It has zero learning curve and does a great job. Basically a "wet stone" method and the wheels have grooves in them to keep the blade in place, reducing the chance that the angle will be off and you'll end up dulling your knives instead of sharpening.

Option 2 - long 'sword' type sharpener -- this one (available in either steel or ceramic) requires a bit more technique as it is up to you to get the correct angle for each side of the blade and make sure it's sharpened on either side evenly. More "old school," if you will.

A dull knife is a dangerous knife.

Yeah, I'm in your boat big time. I sharpen them with an electric sucka like this. I do it 2-3 times a year and my knives are razor sharp.

My culinary friend poo pooed me when hearing this. I didn't get it. It seems to me that it would take a lifetime to sharpen away the entire knife by doing this 2-3 times a year.

I got this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334300494&sr=8-1

It works awesome!

I've got this knife sharpener! Let's keep ourselves safe and our food prepared!

Get you one of these. Best sharpener ever. Doesn't work on serrated blades, obviously.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001692XPE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523938174&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=rada+knife+sharpener

Somebody on Cookit had mentioned using a Kapoosh.

http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1289066668&sr=8-3-fkmr0

It looks pretty sweet if you ask me and gives you a more flexible knife block.

Shun and Wusthof are basically the popular overpriced brands of the kitchen knife world. For the same price as a Shun you can get a quality handmade artisan Japanese knife. There are also lesser priced, but equal quality German knives compared to Wusthof, like this Mercer: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B002R1CGV6/ref=mp_s_a_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1480891569&sr=8-24&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mercer%2Bculinary&dpPl=1&dpID=31FJWLfEU2L&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

I’ve had the kapoosh knife block for almost 10 yrs and it’s awesome

rust eraser for his knives. Japanese, inexpensive, great bit of kit.

2-eraser Sabitoru set on amazon

You don't need anything super expensive, just something made with decent steel that will hold an edge. Maybe 30 bucks tops. Get a knife case like this to protect the edge. If you are using a whetstone you can sharpen your knife down to a narrow angle that will require less in between sharpening (Japanese style). A wider angled edge can just be kept with a honing steel between uses.

Only semi-related, but let me suggest these: https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Chef-3-Piece-Nylon-Knife/dp/B002Q5YH9C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469107405&sr=8-2&keywords=kid+knives

They can actually cut food better than a butter knife (my almost-6 year old daughter sawed straight through a peach pit the other day), and you can't cut skin with them even if you try.

Let me introduce you to the Kapoosh. It's brilliant. http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM?SubscriptionId=05H7QHFD0R7KY27X0R82&tag=kitchen-knife-review-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000Q4I9LM

The sharpeners you mention tend to do more damage than good. They are stripping metal from your knife. You do not want to do that often, only to give it an edge. A knife that seems blunt is not always missing an edge. More often it is just misaligned. That is what the honing steel is for. You can get a Wusthof one at Amazon for $24.

So get your knives professionally sharpened and maintain it with the honing steel. If you want to learn how to sharpen a knife, use a cheap one. Since you only need to sharpen once a year or so, you should not be practicing on your good knives.

Here is an Alton Brown video about knives maintenance.

Edit: Here is what will happen to your knife if you use those counter sharpeners too much: http://www.memagnus.com/wp/?p=71

Looks like the same stuff used to make (non-silicone) flexible kitchen mats. Stiff, but flexible enough to push around a corner. Plastic kitchen mats are cheaper too. $10 for a set of five 15" x 11" sheets.

For my brother. With a note reading, "Good hunting."
For the only girl.
For the person placed last.

Thank you!

Follow up question: would this be considered a smooth steel?

Wusthof steel

Or maybe this one?
victronox honing steel

I guess I'm not sure whether steels with very small ridges are considered smooth or you mean something entirely smooth. My googling has yielded mixed results.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FLQ4EE6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3ML2NW5IKRPB8&coliid=INDULA7MM65NY&psc=1

Here you go! :)

Looks like its only 75 on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XT4GJO/

Get this Victorinox, it comes with a sheath but its pretty flimsy. You could do what I did and make a more sturdy sheath out of tape and the cardboard box the knife arrives in, or if that's too ugly you could get this.

Do you have a method to keep the knife sharp? If not I would pick up this honing steel too.

It will be worth getting a whetstone too, but you can get that later down the line when the honing steel isn't bringing the knife up to the level of sharpness you want.

Don't forget the Germans, they make good knives too.

If you plan on buy knifes from a thrift store, invest in a water stone. I can shave with a $0.50 Chicago Cutlery chefs knife after 5 minutes on this.

Knives: What kind of sharpener do you use or which is better? the stick or the groove thingy?

Also, are stainless steel pans always going to be expensive? Would you say it's worth it? I see stainless all the time in cooking shows and it seems like it's more versatile than cast iron or non-stick.

You don't like plastic but does that include the silicone cutting mats?

Do you have any other gadgets that you think every chef should have?

This item from my kitchen WL would greatly improve my life because the knife sharpener I have (similar to this) does a pretty rotten job of it.

I determined a few weeks ago that my knives were too dull and I wanted to sharpen rather than buy new ones. After much research I got this Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone Sharpening System and the Super Sapphire Sharpening Stone to add even more of an edge. I have sharpened 2 really crappy knives (no-name cheap ones from WalMart) with pretty incredible results. They are much, much sharper than new.

The system is very easy to use and ensures that you keep the same angle at all times. the one knife was very very dull and it took about an hour to get it to a point where I felt it was sufficiently sharp. Both knives I have sharpened with this system can easily pass the magazine paper test and can very easily shave hair off my arm.

With a rust eraser!

Rust Eraser Sabitoru Medium and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FS0BFJC

Soak the rust eraser and then use it to clean your stone.

Misono. I have converted 4 professional chefs from other brands to Misono. I was also converted about 3 years ago. Had wustof, MAC, Shun...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XT4GJO/ref=sxr_rr_xsim1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2795440402&pd_rd_wg=181qT&pf_rd_r=NRF51RQRWTBQ2GFY9H0C&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B000XT4GJO&pd_rd_w=b8il7&pf_rd_i=misono&pd_rd_r=WVD9Z8SKGXZDMADGKW70&ie=UTF8&qid=1487626871&sr=1

Also, think about getting a petty knife. They are REALLLLLLY handy. I use mine for about 40% of the work I do in a professional kitchen. Broccoli, shallots, onions, filet small fish can all be done easily with a petty knife. Plus they are MUCH easier to sharpen evenly.

https://www.amazon.com/Misono-440-Molybdenum-Petty-15cm/dp/B000XT4GQW/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1487626839&sr=1-2&keywords=misono&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A7043214011

this is a honing steel, you can use it when your knife starts to feel dull, it will re align the edge.

this is the wusthof ikon. Personally I love the handle.

True. I bought this for actual sharpening every 8 months or so.

Assuming you work through all the previous stones and make a nice uniform scratch pattern then you'll need their;

1000ish grit stone

2000ish grit stone

A couple of these

With some of this added to the first one

LPT get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480783879&sr=8-3&keywords=Kapoosh+Universal+Knife+Block

The knives are held in place by friction on the sides of the blade and you can put in whatever knives you wish.

Yes, they’re much lighter. Also, by the look of this one there’s a lot of steel filings already on the surface. I would buy a rust eraser, which you can use to remove that material.

http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Chef-3-Piece-Nylon-Knife/dp/B002Q5YH9C

Plastic serrated knives!

If you feel adventurous a pariing knife with a rounded tip would also work (like stafty scissors)

Actually I've got one of these

It's very convenient and I don't think it would have any effect on the blade. It also looks kinda funny.

Get this knife.

An 8" chef's knife is versatile enough to handle anything in the kitchen, and forged Mercers are excellent quality at a low price.

I have this one from Henckels and like it. A few quick passes before you use your knife really can make a difference.

Sounds like a vnox fibrox is for you. You could get both the 8" and 10" and knife cases around your budget. That leaves you room to get a whetstone if you don't already have it.

case:
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Forschner-BladeSafe-8-Inch-10-InchKnife/dp/B000MF47B6

The washers are also for sharpening.

Like these sharpeners.

https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE

Chef Essential 6 Piece Knife Set With Matching Sheaths, Multicolor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015GDDSTA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GyH5Ab2CMBX5G

This is the one I have but it was on sale when I got it. This set looks to be similar, though I can't vouch for their efficacy:

Cuisinart C55-01-12PCKS Advantage Color Collection 12-Piece Knife Set, Multicolor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FLQ4EE6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LAH5AbYNN2PQ9

My daughter has been using these knives since she was around 3. Maybe consider getting some for your household as well and tell your son they're for him?

I bought this electric sharpener for $25 about two years ago. It works really well. I sharpen my knives about once every 6 months.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001692XPE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have one of these guys. Very cheap and works really well. I use it at home after the kitchen I used to work in had them for us to sharpen knives with.

I have this thing - Kapoosh

It is basically a block with a billion little plastic rods in it. Your knives slip between the plastic rod things and stay in place. Works like a charm. I have 8 knives ranging from Chef's knife to paring knife in it currently.

Got these and a few other kitchen items for my son when he began showing interest in working with me in the kitchen. Sorry, idk how to post a proper link on mobile.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002Q5YH9C/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1488242162&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=curious+chef+sets&dpPl=1&dpID=41iuHDwg7PL&ref=plSrch

Henckels Classic, $45

Henckels Forged Premio, $34

Mercer Culinary Genesis, $33

Mercer Culinary Renaissance, $38

Mac French Chef's Knife, $90

Misen Chef's Knife, $65

Please note that I cannot vouch for any of these personally.

That's where I'm leaning so far. Unless my parents have extra knives sitting in the basement that they want to get rid of, I'll probably end up getting this, this, this, this, this, and a couple of these.

It also heavily depends on the type of steel you use. I use a forged steel knife, as opposed to a blade that was say, press cut out of sheet steel.

I highly recommend getting a decent knife. I use An eight inch Mercer. Providing I use it on a wood cutting board, it lasts me about six to eight months. Honing steel every once and a while doesn't hurt either.

If you just purchased your knife, DO NOT SHARPEN IT YOURSELF.

Your knife needs to be sharpened only every few years, maybe. However, it should be honed as part of your day-to-day process in the kitchen. I read an article the other day referencing an Italian master chef who honed his knife every four minutes, but come on, that's overkill.

The difference: sharpening a knife (with a whetstone) refers to re-grinding the steel to form a new edge. Usually the edge on your knife is fine (especially if it's brand new), it's just been knocked about and isn't entirely facing in the direction of your cutting force.

Honing a knife (with a honing steel) reshapes the blade and evens out any distortions or irregularities that may be present from ordinary use. After honing a knife, it cuts better not because it's sharper, but because you can actually use the cutting edge.

Here's Alton Brown's explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRUYAgrsoLw

You can buy or make one with a flexible rod design to accommodate any knife size: http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM

Meat-Cutter Here

Buy a multi-stone example A whet stone is used to create the edge of a knife. However a multi-stone has 3 different textures going from very fine to coarse. This will allow you to properly sharpen any knife.

The second tool we use is a Steel Sharpener. Example You use this in between cuts in order to quickly re-shape the blade. Everytime you use your knife, properly or inproperly, you bend the sharp edge of your knife ever so slighty, and within minutes if your not careful, you may ruin your edge completely and have to resharpen. The edge of a knife is like a piece of foil, and what the steel does is to quickly bend it back to its shape.


Learning this trade takes practice, and lots of it. Edges are completely committed to muscle memory over time, but to start out sharpening you need to first look at the angle of you knife's edge. This angle is what you will be sharpening at. Same goes with steel.

Anyways I thought I would give you a run down on equipment. If your looking for technique go ahead and watch a few videos on youtube.

I can get to hair shaving with this kit.

Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone Sharpening System

Lansky Ultra Fine Sharpening Hone

I am getting this for my kids. Amazon has a ton of child-safe kitchen gadgets.

Curious Chef 3-Piece Nylon Knife Set

If it's too late to locate one of these $30 cases you could rig up a protective sleeve out of something like flexible camping cutting boards, cut up up into a triangle cross-section and tape it together.[2] (and always carry on/gate check)

https://www.sharmusic.com/Cases-Bags/Other/?ShowProducts=True#page_no=1&fq=ATR_TypeShape%3aBow&ShowProducts=True

[2] https://www.amazon.com/MIU-Flexible-Cutting-Board-Set/dp/B00011RTE8/

> drawer

Why not a magnetic strip or a knife block? I have a sweet knife block that I'm pretty into.

What do y'all think of these types of electric knife sharpeners?

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM

LPT: Buy this and sharpen your knives before each use.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1488094593&sr=8-11&keywords=knife+sharpener

 Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener <br />

Kitchen
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http://www.amazon.ca/Presto-EverSharp-Electric-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1373025918&sr=8-3&keywords=electric+knife+sharpener

Linking what i found there: http://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM

If you got the non-diamond system - add the Coarse Diamond and the 2000 Ultra Fine one.

ok now that i am back home and on my computer not a phone here is what i got

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-LK3DM-Diamond-Standard-System/dp/B000B8JDRC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419717060&sr=8-2&keywords=lansky++diamond+sharpeners

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Super-Sapphire-Polishing-Hone/dp/B000B8IEB8/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_img_z

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Ultra-Sharpening-Yellow-Holder/dp/B000B8L6MC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1419717110&sr=8-9&keywords=lansky++diamond+sharpeners

i got these, it was less then 100 dollars and with a couple of strops on a leather belt you will be shaving your arm hair in no time