Knives - How much of the price is marketing hype?

Knives - How much of the price is marketing hype?

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Discussion

lingus75

1,698 posts

224 months

Friday 31st December 2010
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I remember my Father buying a set of knives of a bloke in a car park one day when I was younger. I know he would have never sharpened them, but each time I go home and help with the cooking I always choose those knives, and they seem to me sharp as hell!

I also have an old student one, probably about £1 worth but its the best one I have for slicing root veg and practicing my 'speed chopping' carrots. However, the one thing I cant do with either is dicing onions, I suspect this is where quality knives come into their own?

Hoover.

5,988 posts

244 months

Friday 31st December 2010
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I've got about 8 of these http://taylors-eye-witness.co.uk/pdfs/k9_ss.pdf not v expensive but still going 10 years on, wash them by hand in cold water and swipe through Chancery knife sharpener before use..... I'm happy with them anyway.

I remember the Globals looking odd n being v expensive at the time of getting the taylor eye witness's (started with a few as a moving in present from my sis)

Bonefish Blues

27,249 posts

225 months

Friday 31st December 2010
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Zaxxon said:
If you want the sharpest knives, check out the ceramic knives by Kyocera.

Won't stay on the magnetic kniferack though smile
This is the man who tried the sharpness of a ceramic knife in the traditional way and regretted it yikes

They behave differently, methinks.

21TonyK

11,607 posts

211 months

Friday 31st December 2010
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Bonefish Blues said:
Zaxxon said:
If you want the sharpest knives, check out the ceramic knives by Kyocera.

Won't stay on the magnetic kniferack though smile
This is the man who tried the sharpness of a ceramic knife in the traditional way and regretted it yikes

They behave differently, methinks.
Wife bought me a Kyocera for Xmas. It is sharp but not astoundingly so compared to a well honed steel. Difference I understand is it will retain the edge for much, much longer.

Nice knife though and perfect for fish which is what I wanted it for.

Bonefish Blues

27,249 posts

225 months

Friday 31st December 2010
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21TonyK said:
Bonefish Blues said:
Zaxxon said:
If you want the sharpest knives, check out the ceramic knives by Kyocera.

Won't stay on the magnetic kniferack though smile
This is the man who tried the sharpness of a ceramic knife in the traditional way and regretted it yikes

They behave differently, methinks.
Wife bought me a Kyocera for Xmas. It is sharp but not astoundingly so compared to a well honed steel. Difference I understand is it will retain the edge for much, much longer.

Nice knife though and perfect for fish which is what I wanted it for.
It penetrated without me drawing it across my skin, seemingly (yes, I know...)

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

206 months

Friday 31st December 2010
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Can't buy knives mail order as you have no idea about the feel of them.

The other half has a Kin knife after she tried it at a good food show it cost a decking fortune but it stays damn sharp and has a great feel.

She would buy another one if it went missing.

Good tools are worth the money in the workshop and in the kitchen.

toasty

7,531 posts

222 months

Saturday 1st January 2011
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I bought a few Globals years ago after reading a recommendation in Kitchen Confidential (awesome book btw).

I also have an older basic chef's knife from Ikea.

They all cut things perfectly well but the Globals stay sharp for longer.

I also used a friend's Wusthof chef's knife and have to say (slightly grudgingly) that it felt better balanced and more comfortable than the Global equivalent.


uncinqsix

3,239 posts

212 months

Saturday 1st January 2011
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Cotty said:
I don't see the point of having a "set" of knives. I just have one very good (my opinion)knife that I use for everything

http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/MolybdenumSeries...

No it does not go though the dishwasher, due to the wooden handle but one knife is not problem to wash by hand.
Those are excellent knives and not very expensive at all in the grand scheme of things. You'll never see a full page ad for Misono knives in a glossy lifestyle magazine (or indeed anywhere) so you can be sure that you're paying for quality and performance rather than marketing.

Good knives don't need to cost a fortune (and the law of diminishing returns comes in to play quite a bit), but neither will they be cheap - the elements you need to make a good knife (decent steel, solid construction, well considered shape and balance) will always cost a bit of money, and taking shortcuts in those areas will result in something that does not perform well.

Toyless

23,747 posts

223 months

Saturday 1st January 2011
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uncinqsix said:
Cotty said:
I don't see the point of having a "set" of knives. I just have one very good (my opinion)knife that I use for everything

http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/MolybdenumSeries...

No it does not go though the dishwasher, due to the wooden handle but one knife is not problem to wash by hand.
Those are excellent knives and not very expensive at all in the grand scheme of things. You'll never see a full page ad for Misono knives in a glossy lifestyle magazine (or indeed anywhere) so you can be sure that you're paying for quality and performance rather than marketing.

Good knives don't need to cost a fortune (and the law of diminishing returns comes in to play quite a bit), but neither will they be cheap - the elements you need to make a good knife (decent steel, solid construction, well considered shape and balance) will always cost a bit of money, and taking shortcuts in those areas will result in something that does not perform well.
Agreed.
Cotty, did you buy direct from the website you linked to ?

uncinqsix

3,239 posts

212 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
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Toyless said:
Cotty, did you buy direct from the website you linked to ?
I've bought several knives from that site - the service is second to none.

Cactussed

5,292 posts

215 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
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Thirded. I've bought a good few knives direct from the site. Amazing.

Cotty

39,719 posts

286 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
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Toyless said:
Cotty, did you buy direct from the website you linked to ?
Yes I did. Very good service.

Stoatman

592 posts

169 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
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Thats good to know , I have browsed that site for ages but never purchased as they deliver from some distance away.

Cotty

39,719 posts

286 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
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Bonefish Blues said:
Zaxxon said:
If you want the sharpest knives, check out the ceramic knives by Kyocera.

Won't stay on the magnetic kniferack though smile
This is the man who tried the sharpness of a ceramic knife in the traditional way and regretted it yikes

They behave differently, methinks.
You mean like at 6:10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFnT5INymiY