Bob Kramer's knives are unique in that the design details come from someone with experience as both a chef and a master knife maker. Kramer's early years in restaurants exposed him to professional chefs with stubborn habits but very little knowledge about knives. American chefs often work on heavy tasks and details with the same knives, while Japanese chefs apply different tools to different tasks and work with a light touch. Kramer's custom knives adapted Japanese concepts to American habits, and the Shun Kramer Pro santoku manufactured by Kai USA brings those improvements to knives more people can afford.

Production knives usually show a squared blade spine, rough on the fingers and hands if like most Americans you use the spine of the knife for better control and applied pressure. Kramer's custom knives receive careful crowning, rounding, and polishing of the blade spine. Kai USA's craftsmen adapted the concept to the Kramer Pro series, giving the santoku a partially crowned spine.

Although the handle slabs of this full tang knife with 7-inch blade look like rose wood, they're actually a durable composite called Pakka-wood. The rippled layers of steel in the blade show the many thin sheets of stainless steel that make up the sides of the blade. The edge itself is harder SG-2 steel, tempered between the usual standards set for European or Japanese blades. The 3mm blade's hardness gives the knife excellent edge-holding but allows sharpening with an ordinary honing steel.

Compare to the Shun Classic Santoku with a cutting edge of harder VG-10 steel.

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Two converging industrial diamond grinding wheels rapidly grind both sides of the knife edge on one pass through the machine. That quickly converts an acute Asian knife edge to the wider European bevel style, so make sure your knife matches the machine before use. The first few uses of the diamond wheels work much faster than normal, since much of that first cutting comes from bits of diamond set slightly above the average surface of the wheel. As those diamonds wear away, the wheels cut more slowly but do much finer work. The Diamond Edge Pro creates an accurate hollow ground cutting edge designed for the best combination of edge retention and fast accurate slicing. Two speeds allow full control of the sharpening process without overheating the knife steel.

Two manual sharpening slots extend the machine's range. One holds carbide cutting blades used to quickly reshape a badly worn knife edge. The other slot allows final honing of the hollow ground edge with fine ceramic honing stones. Purists will still run the knife over a fine benchstone just to be sure, but used properly, the Diamond Edge Pro does give a good working edge straight from the machine.

The scissors-sharpening feature of the machine is much less impressive. A tab at the end of the sharpener pulls out the scissors hone and locks it in place. Slip both blades of the shears through the slots and close lightly before pulling the shears back out across the honing rods. The spring-mounted ceramic rods should adjust automatically to match the bevel of the scissors blades. After a few uses, the rods wear slightly and lose their original accuracy.

See the Chef's Choice Commercial Knife Sharpener for a professional sharpening system designed only for knives.

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Smith Abrasives Diamond Edge Pro Electric Knife and Scissors Sharpener US $122.06   Auction Ends: 27d 23h 4m

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The Fiskars works best on Fiskars scissors, but other plain-edged shears ground with a 30-degree edge bevel also fit the machine. The sharpener does not work with very short blades like manicurist's scissors and will not sharpen curved or serrated blades. For high-end barber's scissors and valuable "family heirloom" shears, see a professional sharpening service for maintenance. For that drawer full of bargain scissors that worked well for a while, the Fiskars is a good match.

Two slots accept both blades at once. Light hand pressure closes the blades on honing rods permanently fixed in the sharpener's housing. Drawing the blades back over the rods resets the blade edges to perfect 30-degree angles and puts the scissors quickly back in working order. The Fiskars gives the best results on blades which have been dulled but not badly damaged. The machine hones dulled edges easily, but grinding a new surface on a nicked and worn pair of blades could be more than this sharpener can handle.

The sharpener restores both left- and right-handed scissors blades. Support the lightweight housing with one hand during use and rest the sharpener's base on a sturdy countertop to prevent chattering. A straight pull and a light touch should finish the edges properly with only a few strokes through the machine.

See the Chef's Choice 500 for a more exacting scissors sharpening system.

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Bob Kramer, a former chef who earned the distinctive title of Master Blade Smith from the American Bladesmith Society, partnered with Kai USA to create a line of kitchen cutlery built to high Japanese standards but with changes important to American chefs. Kramer's experience in the kitchen taught him how most of us use our knives, and he built custom knives to fit those needs. Working with Kai USA, the manufacturer of Shun Cutlery, Kramer engineered a production line which retains many of those custom features.

This full tang paring knife features a comfortable grip shaped from dark Pakka-wood, a durable composite of real wood layers and synthetic resin. The 3 1/4 inch blade is Damascus-type steel, with outer layers of high carbon stainless steel for strength and durability and a center layer of SG-2 steel for better edge quality. The hardness exceeds that of many European and American brands, but lies between those and high-end Japanese knives. That gives you a cutting edge that lasts, stands up to the typical hard use habits of American chefs, and sharpens with standard equipment. You can use a sharpening steel to reset the edge.

What looks like a logo in the handle is an example of Kramer's practical detailing, a handle rivet with extra flair. Etched on the blade, you'll find the Kramer/Shun trademark.

See the Shun Paring Knife for a high-end Japanese style with a harder cutting edge of VG-10.

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The Chef's Choice 500 ScissorPro sharpens both regular and knife-edge shears. Simple adjustments shift the guides to sharpen either type. The coarse grinding wheel uses long-lasting industrial diamond grit to quickly shape battered scissor blades, removing nicks and squaring cutting edges perfectly. A fine diamond grit wheel hones the edge razor sharp. The guides accept scissors in either left or right-handed styles, and sharpen either type without disassembly. The blade guides use a combination of magnetic clamps and spring tension to hold the scissors as you draw the blades steadily through the machine. Practice on a cheap pair of scissors before you get out your best, because holding the scissors properly takes a few strokes to get right. Once you've fixed the cheap, paper scissors, you can confidently go on to embroidery scissors, poultry shears, and fly-tying scissors. Keep the blades moving across the wheels and apply only light pressure. Diamond grinding wheels cut quickly without overheating or clogging.

The ScissorPro works only on straight, plain-edged blades, so it won't help with curved manicure scissors or pinking shears. If you own a pair of shears with one serrated edge and one plain edge, you can sharpen the plain edge and greatly improve the cutting performance. The double-beveled edge the ScissorPro creates makes an ordinary pair of scissors outlast a pair with an ordinary grind.

The ScissorPro only sharpens scissors, but Chef's Choice makes many other sharpening systems designed for kitchen knives -- including the Chef's Choice 100W, a sharpener built for the home chef.

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Chefs Choice ScissorPro Diamond Hone Scissor Sharpener NEW US $99.95   Auction Ends: 26d 17h 30m

Chefs Choice 500 ScissorPro Professional Diamond Hone Scissor Sharpener US $89.93   Auction Ends: 25d 14h 25m

The Norpro 370 Bread Slicer and Guide offers a row of parallel slots spaced to match the standard 1/2-inch-thick slice of sandwich bread. Set the home-baked loaf of bread between the guides, and lay the bread knife in the slot. The slot keeps the knife blade running true all the way to the bottom of the crust. Most crumbs fall into the crumb-catcher base. Just turn the Slicer Guide over to empty the crumbs. The slots yield eight slices in one setting, but just slide the remaining section of loaf against the guide's acrylic end stop to keep cutting perfect slices.

Since there's no way to adjust the guide, you'll have to settle for cutting bread loaves that match it. If your loaf rises higher than the guide's top, the first part of the cut depends on your skill alone. Loaves wider than the 6-3/4-inch guide box simply won't fit. Adjusting recipes to create loaves that fit is certainly possible. An eight-inch-long bread knife blade won't provide a lot of guided cutting edge in this slicer, but a ten-inch bread knife blade allows a back-and-forth slicing movement of about two inches without leaving the guides.

The Norpro 370 Bread Slicer and Guide uses small screws to hold the acrylic guides to the wooden base. That's not much support, and a careless move with the knife could cause problems. The soft wood in the crumb catcher also damages easily if you drag a serrated blade across the slats. If you're used to a hardwood cutting board designed to take abuse, you'll need to adjust your technique to use the Norpro 370.

For a bread knife long enough to work well with this guide, see the R.H. Forschner Bread Knife.

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The most simple reason you'll like this knife is length. A 10-inch cutting edge works much better on home-baked bread than an 8-inch blade. Rustic loaves find their own dimensions, and the more blade you have, the more able you are to deal with those home-baked shapes. Actually slicing the bread calls for something that grips better than the smooth edge of a slicing knife, but not all serration patterns work smoothly on hard crusts. Sharp points tend to sink and tear as the blade cuts, but the rounded teeth on this knife drop into the work without ripping the crust.

You'll value the good looks of this knife as much as its efficiency. Damascus-style steel creates a blade with a beautiful rippled texture, showing the thin layers of high carbon stainless steel that give extra strength to the harder core layer of SG-2 steel. SG-2 gives the knife a long-lasting cutting edge with more toughness than the hard but fragile SG-1 that's standard in other Shun cutlery. If you do happen to drag the edge across a hard surface while cutting, you're less likely to chip the teeth of this knife.

Handle slabs of Pakka-wood give the full-tang grip the look of Brazilian rose wood, but increase the knife's durability. With proper care, including careful use and hand washing, the cutting edge could last for years. Pair the knife with a compatible cutting board of poly, hardwood, or bamboo to extend the life of the edge.

See the Wusthof Gourmet Bread Knife for a more utilitarian style of bread knife.

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For hard-crusted rolls and French breads, nothing works better than a serrated knife. For that first difficult cut, you need something that grabs and cuts at the same time. The scalloped cutting edge of the G-9 is almost 9 inches long and does an excellent job, giving smooth results in all types of baked goods. With a clean cut, you'll get more accurate slices and won't disturb the shape of the product.

The drawback to serrated knives is maintenance. Most home chefs don't own the equipment you'd need to restore a dulled serrated blade, so the alternative is to use this knife properly and not abuse the cutting edge. Global recommendations include storing the knife in a wooden storage block to prevent dulling the edge against other kitchen tools, and never putting the knife through a dishwasher. All Global knives clean up easily by hand since the all-stainless construction is seamless and smooth. Don't use the knife on glass or ceramic servingware or cutting boards, and be careful of that last cut through the bottom crust. Lift the handle a bit and make that last stroke with the tip of the blade.

See the Forschner Curved Serrated Bread Knife for a good bread knife for smaller loaves and rolls.

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Global 8 3 4 inch Serrated Bread Knife NEW US $104.95   Auction Ends: 26d 17h 15m

New G 9 Global G 9 8 3 4 Inch Bread Serrated Knife US $89.95   Auction Ends: 4d 14h 7m

The 6-1/2-inch high carbon stainless steel blade of the G-12 Meat Cleaver has a thinner edge and a harder temper than most butcher's cleavers. That gives the cleaver a sharper and faster-cutting edge but does reduce the impact strength. Global recommends cutting through small bones only, by placing the edge on the bone and pressing straight down with one hand on the spine of the blade. Cleaving cuts in poultry and fish carcasses are more practical for this knife than smashing through the harder bones of pork or beef.

Global lists the weight of this cleaver at 15.5 ounces, which is light for a chopping cleaver, but it's a weight that most people will find easy to handle and accurate to use. The 15-degree sharpening angle makes the G-12 cut much more efficiently than most cleavers. Thicker steel makes the G-12 stronger than vegetable cleavers but better at cutting through skin, tendons, and gristle than at the delicate work of slicing vegetables. As refined as the G-12 is, it's still a butcher's tool.

Clean the Global G-12 by hand in mild detergent immediately after using, and wipe the knife dry before storing it away. Leaving food or even clean water to dry on the blade could discolor the steel.

See the Victorinox Restaurant Meat Cleaver if you need a cleaver for the really hard jobs.

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Global 6 1 2 inch Meat Cleaver NEW US $166.95   Auction Ends: 26d 17h 15m

The Global GF-27 butcher knife weighs about a pound, but the seven-inch-long blade is built for cutting instead of chopping. High carbon Cromova steel ground at a 15 degree bevel gives the knife a very efficient slicing action. Protect the edge by using something else to chop through bone. Blade thickness and the gradual taper that blends the edge bevel with the blade increases the strength and the cutting efficiency. Whether you're a hunter or save money on large cuts of meat, the Global GF-27 will reduce waste and yield professional cuts instead of ragged chunks.

Global's one-piece design leaves no seams for cross-contaminating bacteria to occupy and makes cleanup a simple wash and dry. Don't put this fine knife through the dishwasher, since the finish could be damaged and the edge might chip when banging around in the dishwasher rack.

Global recommends their own waterstones for blade maintenance rather than honing steels or sharpening systems. Remember that European sharpening systems are meant for knives with wider European bevels and can't properly sharpen thinner Japanese knives.

See the Victorinox Cimeter for a larger butcher knife suitable for breaking carcasses.

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Global 7 inch Heavy Weight Hot Drop Forged Butchers Knife NEW US $128.95   Auction Ends: 1d 13h 29m