Well, I bought a set of MAC knives about a year ago to replace my beloved MAC chef's knife I finally wore out, and was sorely disappointed to find that the new ones chipped and broke very easily even though I use them carefully and only on veggies & fruits. I'm willing to invest a little $ in a good knife, but I detest shopping... yeah, I know.... a girl that hates to shop...

Anyway, I really think I just need a good chef's knife & paring knife.... anyone have any suggestions on a favorite brand?

Thanks!

Judy

kyocera ceramic,its the ONE I have a mac too..

Do Kyocera come in sets? Also I heard ceramic knives break when dropped. Is it true?

Where did you get yours and which model?

I was looking to get one also!

Online you can order the chef knife..yes, they break if dropped, but I never dropped mine..

Ack! I'm clumsy.... I'd give a ceramic knife about a week in my houuse..... I've always really wanted to try one, though.

Judy

My I recommend a site that has a large assorment of proffesional grade
japanese cuttlery?
This is my favorite site to ogle blades.(http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/products.html).

Peace,
Frettls

I have Henckel Pro S, very nice knives. I know a little in the norm if you will but great knives. Keep their blades well and great weights. I suggest going to a knife store and see which feel the best but it sounds like you know your stuff. I like global knives too.

I've owned a lot of knives over the years. In my gourmet SAD days I had over a dozen various knives, mostly Henckels 4 Star, fish filleting knives and a Japanese santoku vegetable knife.

All knives will get dull with ordinary use, not matter what their advertising leads you to believe.

Ceramic knives hold their edge without resharpening the longest, but they have to be re-sharpened by a specialist or returned to the manufacturer. They do break easily when dropped or if they are flexed when cutting something tough or used to pry something open. The points are usually the first thing to break off. My roommate has a set and I'm just not impressed with how they are holding up.

The German stainless steel knives are the best all around, but they are difficult to sharpen to a razor sharp edge without using diamond sharpening systems. Some of mine have been in daily use for over 25 years.

With my raw food diet I mostly use 2 knives, the first is a laminated carbon steel Japanese santoku style (no point) vegetable knife. I can get mine to a razor sharp edge that will shave the hair off my arm if I care to work that hard to sharpen it. Usually I just give it a few strokes with a small diamond stick and ceramic hone and get back to cutting. It will rust so I dry it off every time I'm finished using it. The second is a "bird's beak" 4 inch paring knife. I have a big chef's knife that I pull out to cut big watermelons on occasion.

The other knives that I kept just sit there in the knife block, except for one knife which is a long (formerly ham) slicing knife that has a round tip. I use it as a long spatula to spread raw cracker mix evenly on the food dryer teflex sheets.

If you shopped wisely, you could get a good santoku and paring knife for under $100 and have them serve you for the rest of your life. If you live in a major metropolitan area try to find a Japanese woodworking tool shop or a Japanese hardware/ housewares store. The San Francisco Bay area has both of these. There are also lots of online sources if you know what you want without giving it a feel first.

If you don't have $100 bucks to invest in your tools, buy the santoku and get one of the inexpensive Japanese "fruit" knives that come in the nice wooden sheaths. I see them a lot in health food stores and the local co-ops. I keep one in my cooler bag that goes with me every time I leave home.

A few tips for keeping your knives sharp, free of knicks and you free of cuts. Don't leave them in the sink or dish drainer, dry them off and put them away. If you use the cutting edge to scrape up what you have just cut it will get dull faster.

Learning how to sharpen your own knives is very satisfying, especially if you're in the middle of a food prep session and find yourself with a dull knife. You don't need an expensive electric sharpener either. There are several inexpensive manual diamond sharpeners sold by Henckels and others that work very well for someone without prior sharpening experience. I like the one with 2 slots, coarse and fine. Unless the knife edge is really dull, the fine slot will often times be enough.
Here's to fun and good health in the kitchen, Uti

JGex Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ack! I'm clumsy.... I'd give a ceramic knife about
> a week in my houuse..... I've always really wanted
> to try one, though.

*cracked up laughing*

I was just thinking that, then you said it..hahahaa!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2007 07:39AM by Rawrrr!.

I am clumsy too, but after you spent 2 hundred bucks, you will never drop it..

frettls Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My I recommend a site that has a large assorment
> of proffesional grade
> japanese cuttlery?
> This is my favorite site to ogle
> blades.(http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/products
> .html).
>
> Peace,
> Frettls

Oooooh... *drool*

Great link!!

Thank!

Judy

morrisson66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have Henckel Pro S, very nice knives. I know a
> little in the norm if you will but great knives.
> Keep their blades well and great weights. I
> suggest going to a knife store and see which feel
> the best but it sounds like you know your stuff. I
> like global knives too.


I've been looking at Henckels..... still trying to avoid the actual shopping in a mall thing, tho!! I think the Outlet mall has a shop that sells Henckel. I may run by there tomorrow.

Judy

uti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've owned a lot of knives over the years. In my
> gourmet SAD days I had over a dozen various
> knives, mostly Henckels 4 Star, fish filleting
> knives and a Japanese santoku vegetable knife.
>
> All knives will get dull with ordinary use, not
> matter what their advertising leads you to
> believe.
>
> Ceramic knives hold their edge without
> resharpening the longest, but they have to be
> re-sharpened by a specialist or returned to the
> manufacturer. They do break easily when dropped or
> if they are flexed when cutting something tough or
> used to pry something open. The points are usually
> the first thing to break off. My roommate has a
> set and I'm just not impressed with how they are
> holding up.
>
> The German stainless steel knives are the best all
> around, but they are difficult to sharpen to a
> razor sharp edge without using diamond sharpening
> systems. Some of mine have been in daily use for
> over 25 years.
>
> With my raw food diet I mostly use 2 knives, the
> first is a laminated carbon steel Japanese santoku
> style (no point) vegetable knife. I can get mine
> to a razor sharp edge that will shave the hair off
> my arm if I care to work that hard to sharpen it.
> Usually I just give it a few strokes with a small
> diamond stick and ceramic hone and get back to
> cutting. It will rust so I dry it off every time
> I'm finished using it. The second is a "bird's
> beak" 4 inch paring knife. I have a big chef's
> knife that I pull out to cut big watermelons on
> occasion.
>
> The other knives that I kept just sit there in the
> knife block, except for one knife which is a long
> (formerly ham) slicing knife that has a round tip.
> I use it as a long spatula to spread raw cracker
> mix evenly on the food dryer teflex sheets.
>
> If you shopped wisely, you could get a good
> santoku and paring knife for under $100 and have
> them serve you for the rest of your life. If you
> live in a major metropolitan area try to find a
> Japanese woodworking tool shop or a Japanese
> hardware/ housewares store. The San Francisco Bay
> area has both of these. There are also lots of
> online sources if you know what you want without
> giving it a feel first.
>
> If you don't have $100 bucks to invest in your
> tools, buy the santoku and get one of the
> inexpensive Japanese "fruit" knives that come in
> the nice wooden sheaths. I see them a lot in
> health food stores and the local co-ops. I keep
> one in my cooler bag that goes with me every time
> I leave home.
>
> A few tips for keeping your knives sharp, free of
> knicks and you free of cuts. Don't leave them in
> the sink or dish drainer, dry them off and put
> them away. If you use the cutting edge to scrape
> up what you have just cut it will get dull
> faster.
>
> Learning how to sharpen your own knives is very
> satisfying, especially if you're in the middle of
> a food prep session and find yourself with a dull
> knife. You don't need an expensive electric
> sharpener either. There are several inexpensive
> manual diamond sharpeners sold by Henckels and
> others that work very well for someone without
> prior sharpening experience. I like the one with 2
> slots, coarse and fine. Unless the knife edge is
> really dull, the fine slot will often times be
> enough.
> Here's to fun and good health in the kitchen, Uti

Awesome info, Uti!! Thanks!!

Judy

frettls Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My I recommend a site that has a large assorment
> of proffesional grade
> japanese cuttlery?
> This is my favorite site to ogle
> blades.(http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/products
> .html).
>
> Peace,
> Frettls

Thanks for the link Frettls. It was like visiting a museum of cutlery artistry.
Uti

Awright... I ventured out today and bought.... drumroll.... a knife sharpener!

Thought I'd try salvaging my Mac knives first.

Gack, I am becoming the gadget queen.

Judy

I have the Henkel Pro S as well. We bought them at a knife store, one at a time, since the entire lot cost over $800 at the time. We've had them for 6 years and I still love them.

Sharp knives make me nervous, I never owned one. I just use the serrated ones that came with my spoons and forks.

uti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you don't have $100 bucks to invest...

My knives cost £1 ($2) for 4 from the local bargain shop. Am I missing something here? ;-)

Rob

--
Rob Hull - Funky Raw
My blog: [www.rawrob.com]