Slice of Life
Consider weight, price, and performance when choosing the best knife
By Jon Hart
More on the Knives
GLOBAL 7-INCH HOLLOWGROUND SANTOKU
This is an excellent Japanese style knife. A Santoku blade is similar to that of a cleaver and lends itself to slicing, dicing, and mincing. Global’s seamless construction gives the knife a more contemporary look. $95 at Sur La Table (surlatable.com)
SHUN KEN ONION 8-INCH CHEF’S KNIFE
This undulating Japanese knife is specifically designed to fit the culinary hand. Its unusual, ergonomic shape gives nice heft and balance and creates an excellent rocking action for chopping, but it’s not ideal for small finesse work. $200 at Sur La Table
WÜSTHOF CLASSIC 8-inch CHEF’S KNIFE
Classic workhorses loved by chefs everywhere, Wüsthofs are very well made and have incredibly sharp high-carbon steel blades. The versatile blade’s considerable heft gives the knife a comfortable, balanced feel. $100 at In Good Taste (231 NW 11th Ave, ingoodtastestore.com)
SABATIER 8-INCH CHEF’S KNIFE
What about France? Sabatier (sabatier.com) makes excellent knives that have a more triangular shape than German chef’s knives. This design improves precision but can make chopping more awkward. The carbon steel blade will hold a sharp edge longer than most knives, but it will discolor more easily. $80 at greatfrenchknives.com
KYOCERA 6-INCH CERAMIC CHEF’S KNIFE
Ceramic knives do not require regular sharpening and are best for slicing delicate ingredients with great precision—but they can chip on meat bones or if jarred. This is an ideal second knife: it’s always sharp, but lacks the proper balance for substantial tasks. $90 at Sur La Table
Wow. That’s is a REALLY nice selection of knives you’ve got going on there. I use the Kershaw Leek series myself, which has a pretty fine edge to it, but, just, wow.
Nice primer on kitchen knives. I agree that they can be easily overlooked, but are extremely important for anyone who actually wants to enjoy cooking. Not only do you want to find a quality kitchen knife (be it German, Japanese or what have you) but you also want to select a sharpener. Good steel will hold an edge but everything dulls eventually. I would recommend a Spyderco Sharpmaker if you want to safely and easily maintain your knives without spending a lot of money on sharpening stones that are difficult to use.
And Kingsley, while the Kershaw Leek is a nice knife, I don’t find it particularly practical for kitchen use. Here is a good kershaw leek review that you may enjoy.