OnlyKnives’ Best $1000 Kitchen Knives

From the legendary craftsman, Ichiro Hattori, these knives are built for beauty as well as performance.

Similar to the more well-known Shun Classic Knives, the blade is made up of a VG-10 steel core, wrapped by layers of stainless steel. This allows the edge to be extremely sharp, to retain its edge over time and yet still be stain-resistant.

VG-10 is one of the premier steels being used in high-end Japanese knives today. It allows this blade to be sharpened to a Rockwell hardness of 60-61, making it among the sharpest blades available.

What puts these knives over the top, however, is the gorgeous Damascus pattern on the blade. Evoking the image of centuries-old Japanese blade making techniques, the “wave” pattern is a result of the layering used to make the knife. Each blade is also hand-engraved with the Hattori signature. You’ll want to store these knives on a magnetic knife strip so they can be seen anywhere in your kitchen.

The handles are made of pakkawood, a resin-infused hardwood that is durable, lightweight and comfortable to hold.

As with all high-end sharp knives, these require a bit of extra care. You should hand-clean them immediately after use, store them in a knife block or magnetic strip, and keep the blades sharp. If you’re not prepared to do those extra tasks, these knives are probably not the right choice.

Since Hattori is such a craftsman, these knives can be tricky to find. They’re not impossible to track down, but you may find that a vendor has them one week and then has a two-month waiting list the next.

More Info on these Hattori Knives:

• Click here to find Hattori knives on Amazon.com

It’s hard not to rave about MAC knives. They’re some of the sharpest knives you’ll ever encounter, out of the box. They’re gorgeous and perfectly balanced. They feel great in your hand and their light weight won’t wear your down. To top it off, they’re priced at least 20% below other high-end Japanese knives.

So what’s the downside? Well, buying them can be a bit tricky. There’s no neat 5-piece set like you get with the Global knives. You’ll need to seek out each knife individually as well as finding a sharpening steel and storage piece. Also, MAC knives are notoriously hard to find, so you’ll need to hunt around a bit.

MAC’s Superior series is known as the best bargain around, but I recommend you splurge a bit and get the 8″ Professional Chef’s knife (MAC #MTH-80). It has two features that the Superior Chef’s knives don’t — a half-bolster for a better balance and dimples (or “grantons”), to keep food from sticking to the knife.

For the rest of your knives, the Superior series is great. The 7″ utility knife (#SA-70) and 5″ paring knife (#SP-50) are available at a slight discount as part of a two-piece set. Next up add the Superior Carving Knife (#SB-105), which can also double as a bread knife. See our review of that MAC bread knife here.

All MAC knives are made of high-carbon steel with Molybdenum and Vanadium for sharpness, edge-retention and stain-resistance. They also include Tungsten Carbide which increases hardness and, as a result, sharpness. These knives are usually hardened to a rating of 60 on the Rockwell hardness scale. This allows them to be among the sharpest knives we feature on this site.

You’ll notice that the combined price of our recommended knives is actually closer to $250 than to $350. This is so that you’ve got some room in case prices have changed and to purchase any other accessories (sharpening steel, and/or magnetic storage strip) you need.

More Info on these MAC Knives:

• Click here to find the Professional Chef’s Knife on Amazon.com
• Click here to find the Superior utility and paring knife set Amazon.com
• Click here to find the Superior carving knife on Amazon.com

OnlyKnives’ Best $350 Kitchen Knives

Global Knives are known for their razor-sharp edges, lightweight feel and funky contemporary styling.

This set consists of five essential kitchen knives and nothing more. It features an 8″ chef’s knife, an 8.25″ carving knife for slicing meats, 8.75″ serrated bread knife, 5.5″ utility knife and a 4″ paring knife.

As you probably know by now, I advocate buying knife sets that contain a smaller set of top-notch knives. This gets you the best bang for the buck, as you’re not spending extra on knives you don’t need.

You probably also know that I recommend that you buy the sharpest knives you possibly can. These knives fit the bill. Yoshinkin, the maker of these knives, was one of the first to introduce supremely-sharp Japanese knives to the rest of the world.

They’ve gained a devoted following over the last fifteen years from professional chefs as well as amateurs looking for the sharp, light knives. And now that Japanese knives are all the rage, Global is getting business from mainstream home chefs as well.

These knives are made from CROMOVA18 Steel. That’s really just a fancy way of saying that these knives contain 18 percent Chromium for edge retention and stain-resistance. The “MOVA” in the name means the steel contains Molybdenum and Vanadium. This blend allows the knives to be sharp, to maintain that sharpness over time and to be stainless.

The look of these knives is quite unique — so you may be tempted to display them on a magnetic knife strip. This is an excellent way to show them off and to keep the knives from dulling in a knife block or, god forbid, a kitchen drawer.

Some people gripe a bit about the lightweight feel and blade-heavy balance. If you want a more traditional Western feel, these also come in a heavyweight version.

While I’ve named this the best kitchen knife set for $350, they’re actually only $300. You’ll need the remaining $50 for a knife block, magnetic strip and/or sharpening tool. The MinoSharp Water Knife Sharpener would be a great low-cost sharpening tool to add to this set.

See MAC Superior and Professional Knives for another great choice in this price range.

More Info on this Global Knife Set:

• Click here to find this set on Amazon.com

Find Global knife sets on eBay:

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Global Deluxe 3 Piece Chefs Set G-2538 KNIVES New inBox US $139.95 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Thursday Nov-20-2008 8:31:22 PST Bid on this Item   | Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

Global G-48338 3 Piece Asian Santoku Knife Set NewInBox US $134.95 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Thursday Nov-20-2008 8:31:25 PST Bid on this Item   | Buy this Item   | Watch this Item

OnlyKnives’ Best $150 Kitchen Knives

Never heard of Messermeister?

That’s good news. Since they’re lesser-known than Wusthof and Henckels, they don’t charge the huge markups that come from being a household name.

Instead, they just make great knives. Their San Moritz Elite features blades made of X55CrMoV15 steel — a high-carbon blend containing molybdenum and vanadium for sharpness and edge-retention.

Those blades are full-tang, running the full length and width of the handle. They are hardened to a Rockwell Hardness of 56. This is not quite as hard (and sharp) as some of the high-end Japanese knives, but plenty sharp enough for everyday use.

The handles are molded black Polyoxymetholene (POM) for durability. POM is an extremely tough synthetic material that should never chip or break. The handles are triple-riveted and have no bolster to get in the way of your pinch grip or in the way of re-sharpening.

As an added bonus, Messermeister provides free lifetime re-sharpening as well as a lifetime warranty on these knives.

It’s hard to beat the value — high-end German knives of this caliber can be priced at 40% or more above this set.

More Info on this Messermeister Knife Set:

• Find this set on Amazon
• Find the 2-Piece Chef’s Knife and Paring Knife Set on Amazon

Condor makes another machete that’s similar to this one. There are only two differences: the blade’s finish, size and tip.

In this particular Outback model the machete is made from blasted satin stainless steel, giving it an authentic “stainless steel” look.

The tip also shows a small swage, likely only a couple inches in length, whereas the previous model is a straightedge.

But like its cousin, its 23-inch blade is easy to wield, at the same time providing an adequate length ideally suited for your various outdoor adventures. It’s rated at a sharpness of 53 on the Rockwell hardness scale.

You’ll also like the Outback’s individual touch, since every single blade is hand finished, hand polished, and personally evaluated for its sharpness.

Its blue handle is ergonomically designed for maximum comfort, and if you like the security of a safety lanyard, the rear bolster comes complete with a small eyelet.

More Info on this Condor Tool & Knife Knife:

• Click here to find this product on eBladeStore

Find Condor Machetes on eBay:

This tiny knife is an Al Mar classic, and shouldn’t be underestimated. It is the smallest front-lock knife available on the market today, and the highest-quality as well.

Weighing less than an ounce, this knife has a closed length of 2-1/4 inches; open, it measures 3-7/8 inches.

The blade is 1-5/8 inches, AUS 8 stainless steel, and is sharpened to a Rockwell hardness rating of 57-59.

The blade features a nail nick for opening and features the Al Mar logo, while the handle is available in several different options. Pictured is the beautiful abalone shell.

It has stainless steel bolsters and brass liners, and comes with a leather pouch with Al Mar Logo.

This knife is small, but deadly serious, and a great addition to any knife collection.

More Info on this Al Mar Knife:

• Click here to find the Osprey on Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay:

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A whole book about Kitchen Knives? It’s only for obsessive kitchen nuts, right?

Actually, no. Chad Ward provides a ton of great information for beginner and expert alike.

If you’ve spent any time at all researching kitchen knives, you quickly realize that there’s a lot of disinformation out there. Myths, misperceptions and outright lies abound. Chad attempts to debunk some of these myths and give you an unbiased, straight scoop on knives.

The book is broken down into three sections. The first, nearly 100 pages in length, is devoted to the knives themselves. Chad teaches knife anatomy and construction, explains the various types of knives and their uses, and gives recommendations for purchase.

Of course you can find recommendations on knives just about anywhere but once you’re done reading what Chad has to say, you’ll feel pretty comfortable trusting his expertise.

The second section is devoted to “knife skills”. Chad describes techniques used in the kitchen, going into great detail and providing some nice color pictures so there can be no confusion. Want to learn how to chiffonade, spatchcock or butterfly? They’re all here, along with dozens of other tips and tricks.

The final section is about knife maintenance. In a nutshell, that really means “sharpening”. Knife sharpening is one of those intimidating subjects that a lot of us shy away from out of fear and/or confusion.

Chad sets us straight, though. First, he builds up your confidence, firmly stating “You can do this. You’ll have the best edges you have ever encountered and you won’t screw up your knives. I promise.”

Next, he devotes nearly seventy pages to showing you, in great detail, how to keep your knives sharp and do it the right way. It’s an easy read, complete with lots of illustrations, and when you’re done you’ll have the confidence to give it a shot.

Overall, the book is a great read. Chad’s got a breezy writing style and a sharp sense of humor. I doubt we’ll see a sequel or that they’ll turn it into a movie, but it’s quite entertaining nonetheless.

If you want to learn about knives, as any serious cook really should, I can recommend no better way than to check out this book.

More Info on this Kitchen Knife Book:

• Click here to find this Book at Amazon.com

This unusual knife is not only a high-quality all-purpose pocket knife, it is also a money clip and a cigar clipper.

The Havana Clipper is made by Al Mar, a company known for making knives that are close to custom quality. All Al Mar knives are hand-finished and hand-sharpened.

This little knife has a short blade that easily opens and closes with one hand, thanks to a thumb stud and liner lock.

It will cut any cigar up to a 50 ring size and will even cut some 52 ring cigars. The money clip adds just one more level of luxury and refinement.

The Havana Clipper is a pocket tool for the gentleman. Just not one who is going to fly to Havana, since they’ll never let you on a plane with this thing!

More Info on this Al Mar Knife:

• Click here to find this knife on Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay:

AL-MAR "" HAVANA CLIPPER CIGAR / KNIFE*** US $89.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Wednesday Nov-26-2008 20:39:22 PST Bid on this Item   | Watch this Item

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Valiant Armoury is known for producing real swords that are faithful to traditional designs while incorporating the newest and best materials.

All of their medieval swords and axes are based on historically correct designs, and the Avenger Battle Axe is no different.

It sports a hand hammered forged carbon steel 9-1/2 inch primary blade that is backed by a 4 inch armor piercing hook. Both ends of the wood handle are capped with solid steel thrusting spikes.

Warning: this Axe is fully functional! All of the blades are fully sharpened and are capable of doing exactly what they did in medieval times.

Carry your Avenger Battle Axe with pride, but also with care!

More Info on this Valiant Armoury Axe:

• No longer available. Click here to find other medieval axes on Amazon.com

Fallkniven’s Tre Kronor line is extensive, with many different blade types, materials, and colors to choose from.

This particular Tre Kronor blade is an elegant retractable folder, and features a plain flat-ground blade 2.75 inches in length.

The edge is made from impressive 3G powder steel, a revolutionary laminated anti-corrosive material with a Super Gold Powder Steel (SGPS) core.

Each handle is 4.75 inches in length, made from an exotic black quince, and set in epoxy resin.

The blade is protected from accidental exposure with a front lock system as well.

Don’t expect anything less from Sweden’s leading provider of military knives. Fallkniven has been around long enough to prove their knives will do just the same. Product comes with a genuine Cordura belt sheath.

More Info on this Fallkniven Tre Kronor Knife:

• Click here to find this knife on Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay: