If you were going to commission a set of knives...

[caleb]

All this knife talk has me thinking about how much I appreciate the good knifes I have and how much I'd like a few more.

I'm getting married next fall, and I would like to commission a set of knives for kitchen use.

I'm looking for something high quality, but not with necessarily fancy handles. They'll be everyday knives, so dishwasher safe might be something to think about. I'm looking for functional art with an emphasis on functional. I'd like to avoid paying for art art.

Is it advisable to find someone locally so that you can meet them in person?

Any recommendations?

Or, alternatively, should we simply get a block of Wusthofs and be done with it?

[Blue Jays]

Check this popular enthusiast website for good information.
Much more comprehensive than what you'll find at Velocipede Salon regarding knives:

http://www.BladeForums.com

[caleb]

Thanks, looks like a treasure trove of info.

[WadePatton]

yeah, i think i'm signed up at that site. got interested in a good military style domestically made folder last year or so. got my info and connection there. (microtech ludt fer the interested).

that said, knife makers are all around (way more common than frame builders 'round here anyway). i'd get something made as local as possible-to fit the budget and "needs".

[Athame]

If I were you I'd check out this site:


www.customgunsandknives.com

or this one:

www.usualsuspect.net



I bet this guy could do a knice set: Tom Krein


You can always find out when/where there's a big show and go. I'd recommend BLADE Show in ATL.
There's a fancy knife show the last two days of February in NYC at the Crown Plaza Times Square.
In April there's a new show in Santa Barbara: it'll be "fancy" too.


cheers and good luck,

Bill

[92degrees]

Murray Carter

http://www.cartercutlery.com/kitchencutlery.cfm

Lots of people make knives as nice. No one makes knives sharper.

[caleb]

Thanks for all the good tips.

A few replies:

Wade: A decade or so ago I owned a Green River knife. The steel was really soft, and it didn't hold an edge. But, if you want a DIY project, the price is certainly right on the blanks.

Andy: The MAC knives look nice, but I'd have to order them sight unseen. Perhaps this reveals my ignorance, but I currently use a Wusthof chefs knife and really like it. Granted, it's the nicest knife I've ever owned. If the custom thing doesn't work out I'll strongly consider the MAC knives.

Wade and Znfdl: What do you think about some of the mechanical/electric sharpening systems?

[caleb]

Also, a fellow by the name of Peter Goff is local to me.

Is anyone familiar with his work?

[mumbleypeg]

There is a shop up in Kirkland that specializes in Kitchen Cutlery I have bought Japanese knives from them and would do it again.

[Blue Jays]

That's funny that someone nicknamed mumbleypeg (a knife game) is posting in a bicycle forum about knives! :)

[WadePatton]

On sharpeners: I also have the Chef's Choice Pro sharpener. It's great for quick and dirty work-especially if you minimize work on stages 1 and 2. It's easy to learn (there's bit of technique in everything) but you are limited to certain grits at fixed angles. And will eventually need to re-shape the heel with something else.

The Edge Pro (apex) allows any grit at any angle you desire. Little more technique involved, but much nicer results. It's not fool-proof, but quite close.

I've seen the Chef's Choice in professional meat-cutter application. I really only use it to rehab abused edges quickly. The buff/final stage is a quick easy substitute for using a steel or ceramic stick.

http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/...sharpener.aspx

Thanks for the HU on the Green River. They offer German and Swiss blanks as well. I'd not hesitate to reharden/temper a blank if I felt the need.

[92degrees]

Look at the Spyderco Sharpmaker. Foolproof and works.

[Sasha]

Not to be harsh, but putting good knives through a dishwasher is like putting your bike through a car wash. Sure it works, but you will regret it over time. It really dulls a blade and ultimately ruins the knife.

That said, I understand the desire for ease, in which case you should just buy some henkel knives or something. They're perfectly good.

My suggestion on the high end, wuthof grand prix paring knives and chefs knives are awesome. The hollow ground santuko is a real piece of machinery. Global makes some awesome stuff, but don't buy sight unseen. Everyone can find a knife they like in that line - mine is the vegetable knife - but others feel wrong. Mac makes nice stuff. They often show up in Asian food markets. When you use a knife like that, think Japanese cuisine. As in - it's best for fish and vegetables. For anything with a substantial bone, you'll need something with some heft. Not a cleaver, necessarily, but with a substantial backbone.

For sharpening, I use a diamond steel. Ask at a cutlery store. It's pretty inexpensive, easier than a stone, and really effective if you know what you're doing.

But really, the average henkel set is passable for a home kitchen. But spend some money on the knife you use most often and wash by hand.

My three cents.

*I forgot to mention that I worked in a kitchen for a time and spent a lot of time thinking about these things.