Kitchen Knives, Swords and Blades

Wusthof making Japanese-style knives? Alert the media!

Actually, Wusthof has come a long way recently in redesigning its knives to meet needs of today’s chef.

This knife is a good example. The full bolster that prevented re-sharpening is gone. The shape is a departure from the traditional German styling …

Masanobu is known for making high-quality, if somewhat expensive, kitchen knives. If you can get past the price, they are amazingly sharp, great looking and comfortable to use.

These knives stack up quite well to other high-end Japanese knives, such as those from Hattori and Shun.

Masanobu’s razor-sharp Japanese blades feature …

Famous moments in cake history: 2500 BC (est.) - Egyptians bake the first “cake”.1789- Marie Antoinette mutters “let them eat cake”2008- OnlyKnives reviews the Opal Innocence Cake Knife

This cake knife may be a good cake knife to add into your wedding budget, especially …

Ah, Global… You either love ‘em or hate ‘em.

Global ushered in a new era in kitchen cutlery 15 years or so ago, introducing the world to Japanese steel and their resulting razor-sharp knives.

If you like a good story, you can read more about that in …

Cuisinart, a pretty common name in kitchen appliances, makes this version of an electric knife that’s actually two knives in one.

The blades are interchangeable. This set comes with a bread knife and a carving blade, both of which are made from high quality stainless steel. …

Nothing fancy here… Just a knife block with lots of slots.

Henckels knives have been taking a beating at the hands of their Japanese competitors lately, but this knife block shouldn’t be punished as well.

It’s inexpensive, made in Malaysia of hardwood and has an elegant …

This knife set represents Henckels attempt to push into the low-end market. They’ve had the high-end market taken from them by Wusthof and Shun so it makes sense that they’d try to do this.

It’s a difficult dance, though. How do you provide a low-end product …

A good set of kitchen shears is like an old friend. An old friend that cuts through packaging and removes bottle caps, that is!

Kidding aside, this is an inexpensive set of versatile scissors from a well-known and well-respected knife maker.

Wusthof has been making great knives for decades, and they’ve …

For many Chinese chef’s, this type is not just an essential knife, but rather the single most essential knife in the kitchen.

Some will quibble and say that this is a Chef’s knife and technically not a cleaver, but what’s in a name? …

Yes, this knife looks like something out of a Buck Rogers movie. And yes, in some ways it doesn’t look like a knife at all. But it is and it’s optimized for cutting your cheese.

Those holes all over the knife? Those are designed to prevent the …

I have to admit — I always thought these rotating chopper thingies were gimmicky. I mean, what’s so hard about chopping some garlic with a decent Chef’s knife?

Then I got my hands on one and saw the light. First a caveat or two — it’s not perfect. Anything …

Mundial Knives are the choice of many professional chefs, so you know they’re high-quality. But don’t just take their word for it, check out the details…

This set includes the essential kitchen knives and not too much else. This is a good thing — you don’t want to pay extra for knives …

This is it folks…. the ultimate bread knife.

Stand back and be awed by its blade made of high-carbon stain-resistant steel, hardened to 60 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale. That exceptional hardness means the blade can hold a very sharp edge. And it …

We recently wrote about the Kyocera Revolution Ceramic Chef’s Knife and spent a fair amount of that space discussing the pros and cons of ceramic. You should check out that post for the details.

For those who want a quick recap, though, ceramic knives …

If you’re looking for a basic set of sharp knives, and don’t want to have to mess with the piecework of selecting particular knives over others, this Calphalon set is a darn good choice.

Calphalon is a trusted name in cutlery, though not as high-profile as …

Warning: I’m about to say something bad about Rachael Ray. If this review ends abruptly, you’ll know that the lawyers got to me!

Okay, here goes: You can (and should) get better knives than these for the same money. Regular readers of this blog know that our favorite …

It’s about time somebody made a nice-looking knife strip. Well, okay, there’s the MIU Knife Strip. But that’s stainless steel and not wood.

This magnetic knife strip from Epicurean Cutting Surfaces is made of the same knife-friendly material as their cutting …

Ceramic knives present a unique set of tradeoffs. On the one hand, they are sharp, lightweight and stainless. On the other, they are brittle and difficult to resharpen.

Let’s take a closer look….

The hardness of ceramic means it can be made very sharp. This Kyocera, for example, will almost …

Tojiro knives epitomize everything I like in a knife — sharp, comfortable and good looking. Not to mention inexpensive. The DP series includes some amazing bargains — you can find a 9″ Chef’s knife for around $50.

The blade edges are made from a high-carbon steel and Molybdenum blend, providing a sharp cutting surface …

In the market for new kitchen knives? Salivating over some high-end knives but have a limited budget? Confused over the vast array of options available? This article will help set you straight.

I’m going to reveal three tips you can use to guide you in your search for great knives. Those tips will save you a bundle but, more importantly, will help you find great knives. If you’ve never used a razor-sharp and feather-light Japanese Chef’s knife, you’re in for a real treat.

Next I’ll reveal my recommendations - knives at each price level. Of course, choosing knives is a personal decision. You’ll want to consider your style of cooking, how often you cook and the tasks you frequently perform. But you really can’t go wrong with these recommendations. They’re great values, great quality and will be right at home in your kitchen no matter who you are.

OnlyKnives’ Best $50 Kitchen Knives
This is a great choice for anyone looking to start a knife set on a limited budget.

You get three “essential” knives — a Chef’s knife, a slicing knife and a paring knife. Limiting the number of knives in a set helps you to save money …

In the market for a new knife set? Not so fast! Once you’ve decided to only buy essential knives, you may find yourself wondering why you need a knife set at all. What about just buying a few good knives and filling in the rest as you need them?

OnlyKnives’ Best $500 Kitchen Knives
Shun knives are by no means budget knives. Some consider them synonymous with “expensive”. But limit yourself to a small set of essential knives and you’ll actually find them worth every penny.

Why? Because Shun has also become synonymous with “quality”. All three of the …

For years, the only name in Kitchen knives were Wusthof and Henckels. Consumers were told that the best knife was one that could withstand the rigors of the kitchen. It had to be heavy, had to have a thick bar in the middle of it to protect the cook’s fingers, and it had to be dishwasher safe. And since they were the only game in town, nobody thought twice about it.

This went on for quite some time. These German knifemakers produced a quality product that consumers liked, so there was no real reason to change things.

So when an upstart Japanese knifemaker named Yoshinkin came along offering their quirky Global knives, the Germans paid them no mind. But there was one small problem — people LOVED Global Knives. They were razor-sharp, light and had no bulky bolster in the middle of the knife to get in the way of cutting and re-sharpening.

It’s natural to assume that the more pieces a knife set has, the “better” it is. And additional pieces are often discounted when added to a set. “Why get the small set when you can get the large one for just a few bucks more?” the thinking goes.

There are a few problems with this logic. First and foremost, most hobbyist chefs do not need all of the knives included in a large set. Having four different paring knives might be useful if you’re a professional cook and need to have the perfect tool for every task but, for the rest of us, it’s overkill.

The other problem with buying a set loaded up with extra pieces is that those extra pieces are often just “filler”. Adding 7 steak knives to a set is a popular way to bulk it up, as is adding a kitchen shears, sharpening steel and knife block.

You may want some of those items but, if you’re trying to get the best bang for the buck, focus on getting the best “essential” blades. You can always add those extra pieces later. Those extra pieces are likely to be quite inexpensive when not purchased as part of a set.

Many hobbyist cooks underestimate the value of a knife’s sharpness. When they first bring a new knife home, they’re thrilled with how well it feels and how well it cuts.

Six months later, they’ve forgotten that feeling altogether and have moved on to more exciting gadgets. A year after that and the knife is now dull as a doornail. The cook wonders why the knives didn’t hold up so well and goes off in search of newer, better knives.

But wait just a minute there! A little maintenance can go a long way toward preserving that “new” feel. Do it right and you can extend the life of your knives indefinitely. Learn about maintenance before you buy knives and you can save yourself a ton of money.

If you want great performance from your knives, look for knives that are sharp and will remain sharp with proper maintenance instead of ones that are “maintenance free.”

Don’t know how to maintain knives? Read on….

Ever make cookies? Ever wonder why there are so many different recipes? Ever get the ingredients just a bit wrong and wind up with a totally different cookie?

If you have, you’ve got an inkling of what it’s like to make a knife blade. It’s an intricate process that involves various techniques including cutting, forging, heating, cooling, mixing, grinding, buffing and crushing!
Blade Hardness
The most important thing to know about a kitchen blade is its “hardness”. Hardness in kitchen knives is a good thing — the harder a blade, the sharper an edge it can tolerate. Just like with cookies, though, too much of a good thing can be overkill. Blades that are too hard can be brittle and prone to breaking or even shattering. Ceramic blades have become less popular in recent years due to their brittleness. Drop a ceramic knife on the floor and you’re out your $300.

Hardness is measured on the Rockwell Hardness Scale (HRC). Measurements are typically in the 55-60 range. Some of the sharpest Japanese knives are hardened to an HRC of more than 60, while Wusthof and Henckels knives are typically closer to 55. It might not sound like much, but a few points on the Rockwell scale can make a big difference.

Blade hardness is probably the biggest difference between Japanese and German knives. Japanese knives are hard, sharp surgical instruments. They are razor-sharp but require careful handling. German knives are duller but require less maintenance. See The Rise and Fall of The Great Knife-Makers for more on this distinction.

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

This cutting surface from Epicurean makes a great gift for the committed cook.

Because of its wood fiber construction, the surface will not dull knives like a ceramic or glass cutting board will. It is also environmentally friendly, and needs no oiling or greasing to maintain it.

When cleaning …

Made in Solingen Germany for over a century, all Messermeister knives are finely crafted tools.

The forged steel blade is crafted from a single piece of steel. It is not only durable but holds a fine edge.

Thanks to the bolsterless blade heel, it can be easily sharpened …

Stand back, zucchini, and prepare to meet your maker!

This is a 6.5 inch Japanese slicing blade is made by MAC. MAC is known for producing razor-sharp Japanese knives that are reasonably priced.

Despite the name, it can be used on meats quite effectively as well as vegetables, from slicing, and dicing …

Soft cheese… look out! Hard cheese, you’re still safe for now.

This soft cheese knife by Wusthof combines special features for quickly and efficiently slicing cheese as well as ensuring comfort in the hand of the user.

The 5-inch blade is forged from the same piece of high-carbon steel as …

Shun Manufacturing has introduced this ultimate eight-inch Ken Onion Chef’s knife.

This knife was designed by Ken Onion to offer all of the high-end features you’ve come to expect from Shun, while improving on the ergonomics of typical Chef’s knives.

The knife’s handle is made of durable Pakkawood and is …

Designed in Japan, this 7-inch knife from Global is optimized for slicing and chopping vegetables.

The blade is specifically balanced with a precise amount of sand in the handle to achieve the correct balance. It is lightweight with a blade constructed from molybdenum/vanadium stainless steel.

The blade is also face ground with a long …

This is the top of the line for Shun.

Their Shun Classic Knives are excellent, lower-priced knives.

What this knife has over the Classic knife is the steel. It’s a powdered SG-2 steel, which is pretty much the highest-end steel you’re going to find in a kitchen knife.

The Shun Elites are handcrafted …

The 8″ Chef’s knife is the de facto workhorse of the kitchen. Choose wisely on this one, since you’ll be using it a lot.

Many people ask the question “Should I buy Wusthof or Henckels?” It’s a fair question, but is about 15 years out-of-date. …

Thou shalt not store kitchen knives in a drawer.

It might be the first rule of cutlery, but many people don’t know it. Why shouldn’t you store kitchen knives in a drawer? Since there’s nothing to keep them in one place, and since they usually are thrown in with …

This Henckels Chef’s Knife, 30121-203, features Henckels’ best Sigmaforge high-carbon stainless steel blade.

Henckels has been knocked around a bit lately, what with all the fancy Japanese knives getting all the great reviews.

Sigmaforge is Henckels’ one-piece full-tang, ice-hardened construction that is intended to be durable and easy …

Cutco — you either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. Their Amway approach to selling knives rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Others swear by them. Or maybe they just drank the kool-aid!

I do hear a lot of comments about them, though, so it’s worth a quick …

Tired of buying a new knife every couple of years? Try this sturdy Wasabi Deba Knife manufactured by Kershaw.

This 8-1/4 inch knife is very handy for chopping vegetables, slicing up poultry, or even boning fish.

The durable handle, made of polypropylene mixed with bamboo powder, is attached to a one-inch …

This handy little tomato knife is brought to you by Boker, so you know it will stand up to any self-respecting tomato.

The 440 Carbon Steel Solingen blade is manufactured for maximum sharpness and long-term use.

Snugly fitted into a durable POM handle, anyone who uses this knife can feel secure in …

That the Kapoosh Universal Knife Block can hold anything is fascinating - it doesn’t have any slots! It can hold any type of knife because it has hundreds of “freedom rods” that can hold almost any knife or kitchen utensil securely in place.

This knife block …

The Shun Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife is a great example of the high-end ultra-sharp Japanese knives that are now all the rage.

It is made from premium VG-10 steel — a high-carbon, molybdenum and vanadium blend which is known for its extreme sharpness. The blade is hardened to a Rockwell hardness …

The Anolon Advanced Collection 3-1/2-Inch Parer Knife is perfect for many kitchen jobs such as cutting and peeling fruits and vegetables or even trimming and cubing meat.

The blade is crafted from German high-carbon steel, known for it’s superior quality and for being resistant to staining and rust.

It has an ergonomic …

This is part of Wusthof’s “Gourmet” series. Intended as an entry-level set, this set would be a good start to any aspiring chef’s kitchen.

They might not be quite the bargain that Forschner knives are, but they do feature a decent steel blade at a reasonable price.

This knife set features …

People like OXO. There’s no denying that. Check out other OXO products on Amazon and see how they’ve gained a great reputation as makers of reasonably-priced kitchen gadgets that perform well and feel good in your hands.

Their Good Grips line, of which this knife set is a part, …