I need a set of knives for my specific skill set

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Some of you know I'm big into smoked meats, now it's time to invest in a quality set of knives for trimming and basic butchering. What brands do you use and where are they sold?

I dont know how to sharpen knives with a whetstone yet but thats something id also like to learn.

Learning to sharpen knives will be more important than the knives you choose IMO. Something like this will be more than adequate.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sharpening-Whe...5199209&sr=8-5

Just watch a ton of youtube videos and go slowly. Start with the crappy knives you currently own. The principles are basically the same whatever the size.

If you need more hands on training, I don't know if knifewear has resumed those classes yet. Worst case scenario, just pay those guys $10 per knife or whatever it is to sharpen for you if you get a nice knife but aren't proficient in sharpening yet. IMO I wouldn't suggest getting a nice knife until you're a bit more proficient in basic sharpening, but that's just me.

The stuff at knifewear is awesome though! But it's so overkill it's not even funny.

You can get away with the following which is still well above a basic set of crappy knives, but doesn't blow the bank:

- Meat cleaver $15-20 on Amazon or Chinese supermarket like T&T
- Boning or filet knife. I suggest either Mercer or Victornox Fibrox. ($20-50 on Amazon)
- Chef knife. Again Mercer or Victornox Fibrox will suffice. ($30-50 on Amazon).

Also consider a decent pair of scissors.

The stuff I suggested are stamped knives. They're lighter than forged and thus less durable, but we're probably talking like a decade of heavy use before you really notice the damage to the knife.

There's also a $170 knife block set at Costco for forged Henckels knives. It's a great set. I got mine nearly a decade ago and they're still going strong. This set has extra steak knives vs the set I got.

https://www.costco.ca/henckels-forge...100692339.html

It doesn't have a boning knife, but I've used the paring knife in lieu of the boning knife in the past.

[ooogabooga]

https://kramerknives.com/

You need these ones. May need a couple of additional mortgages, but they are very nice.

[Kipper is King]

I love Knifewear, and my Japanese knives are noticeably sharper than my European knives due to the higher angle they are sharpened at.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by ooogabooga

https://kramerknives.com/

You need these ones. May need a couple of additional mortgages, but they are very nice.

Jesus you aren't kidding, 10" chefs knife worth more than my vehicles

[MRCboicgy]

Not really a contribution, but a dedicated, decent quality tomato knife was one of my best all-time purchases. Love the precision cutting and no squishing of cherry tomatoes. I directly correlate it to eating more veggies overall.

[ooogabooga]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Jesus you aren't kidding, 10" chefs knife worth more than my vehicles

There was a special a few years before Anthony Bourdain passed that he was able to have Kramer build him a meteor knife.

https://www.gearpatrol.com/home/a636...knife-auction/

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

I love Knifewear, and my Japanese knives are noticeably sharper than my European knives due to the higher angle they are sharpened at.

There's nothing wrong with nabbing knives from Knifewear. However, before I got comfortable sharpening (literally took a weekend and practiced on my parents and in-laws knives for a weekend and double checking different methods every 2-3 knives etc.) I was literally scared to mess up my Tojiro Gyutou but still too cheap to pay/lazy to go down to have them sharpened so I basically babied it or didn't use it. But I abused the hell out of my Henckels.

The Tojiro Colbalt Gyutou is slightly thicker material, doesn't flex and better balanced than the Henckels chef knife. It's definitely superior and a pleasure to use. But if just doing some basic butchering for smoking, the SS Henckels are definitely more than adequate.

[combustiblefuel]

In school (S.A.I.T culinary)and when I was a professional cook I exclusively used MAC ultimate series . I just loved the feel and quality. You can find some great affordable knofes in the pro and chef series aswell.

https://www.macknife.com/

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

Not really a contribution, but a dedicated, decent quality tomato knife was one of my best all-time purchases. Love the precision cutting and no squishing of cherry tomatoes. I directly correlate it to eating more veggies overall.

Professional tip.
A good high quality bread knife works just as well.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Professional tip.
A good high quality bread knife works just as well.

Literally the only reason I bought a bread knife.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by DownhillGoat

Literally the only reason I bought a bread knife.

Bread knives are also excellent for cheese. Though, I miss my old cheese wire for softer cheeses like harvarti or edam.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Bread knives are also excellent for cheese. Though, I miss my old cheese wire for softer cheeses like harvarti or edam.

And that. I recently picked up a cheese lyre from Knifewear for a gift - which I may have to borrow...

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by DownhillGoat

And that. I recently picked up a cheese lyre from Knifewear for a gift - which I may have to borrow...

Is there a link for that one?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

Not really a contribution, but a dedicated, decent quality tomato knife was one of my best all-time purchases. Love the precision cutting and no squishing of cherry tomatoes. I directly correlate it to eating more veggies overall.

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Professional tip.
A good high quality bread knife works just as well.

Or just a good knife period.

If your knife is squishing your tomatoes you need a better knife.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Or just a good knife period.

Serrated is still better.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Is there a link for that one?

But of course!

https://knifewear.com/products/arcos...AaAvqoEALw_wcB

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Or just a good knife period.

If your knife is squishing your tomatoes you need a better knife.

Blah blah blah yada yada ya ...

I know this all to well beleive it or not I am a red seal chef.
Before I made the switch to bike rep andnshop owner.

Yes, you are correct . But even the most pros of pro chefs can't maintain there blades to that quility so some short cuts are taken beleive it or not. Serrated blades are just better. Dude, has a wicked blade but totally unrealistic in a professorial environment day after day use.

You don't even need a good knife. I worked with a guy who sharpened a dollar store knife to to this. Hell a an 50 cent exacto knife can do this paper thin.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by DownhillGoat

But of course!

https://knifewear.com/products/arcos...AaAvqoEALw_wcB

Cheese wires are for hacks..... just take my money I'm to dumb to operate a knife. Sorry. But ya.... love uniformed cut lines and in consistent thickness cuts....

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Blah blah blah yada yada ya ...

I know this all to well beleive it or not I am a red seal chef.
Before I made the switch to bike rep andnshop owner.

Yes, you are correct . But even the most pros of pro chefs can't maintain there blades to that quility so some short cuts are taken beleive it or not. Serrated blades are just better. Dude, has a wicked blade but totally unrealistic in a professorial environment day after day use.

You don't even need a good knife. I worked with a guy who sharpened a dollar store knife to to this. Hell a an 50 cent exacto knife can do this paper thin.

I bought a 17 dollar cad. sashimi knife back in 2005 in japan . I have never sharpened it to this day and it can do that. I cant use it commercially because of the untreated handle but it is th same sharpness today as it was when i bought it.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

.Dude, has a wicked blade but totally unrealistic in a professorial environment day after day use.

Of course. But I assume this thread is not to provide advice to aspiring professional chefs, but rather home cooks who are (or might become) interested in fancy knives. And keeping a laser like that sharp for those purposes is not that big a chore. And it's a lot more fun to use.

Different use cases.