The Cooks' Den » Chef’s Knives http://www.thecooksden.com Cooking Tools - Gear for Cooks and Chefs Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:49:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Henckels Four Star Chef’s Knife Set | 2 Piece Stainless Steel Paring Blade http://www.thecooksden.com/henckels-four-star-chefs-knife-set-2-piece-stainless-steel-paring-blade/ http://www.thecooksden.com/henckels-four-star-chefs-knife-set-2-piece-stainless-steel-paring-blade/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:38:34 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4505 Henckels Four Star Chef's Knife Set These are the two knives that most home chefs will use most often--the 4" paring knife and 8" cook's knife. By themselves they are not a complete set, but unless you've shifted over to santoku these are still the ones most often in hand. Even if you prefer the santoku style, you'll probably have a chef's knife around as a backup.

This pair of good knives from Henckels provides us with old designs created with new technology. The Henckels Sigmaforge process results in full rat tail tang handles of permanently bonded polypropylene along with forged bolsters and strong blades. Blade shape and edge are laser tested during manufacturing to detect even microscopic variation from the company's high standards. The FRIODUR ice hardening tempering process gives Solingen stainless steel even better durability than before.

The edge of these blades have wider bevels, in the European pattern, which makes them less efficient for slicing than the newer thin bevel Japanese designs, but also makes them less vulnerable to damage. These knives can handle twisting, flexing, and even chopping chores that would void the warranty on high end Japanese products.

Thicker blades and wider cutting bevels will still do that lighter slicing work, but with a slight drag you won't like if you spend too much time with the new generation of blades. You can compensate by keeping these knives in top condition and understanding that no one knife will meet every standard. A razor sharp Henckels is still a great knife.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/henckels-four-star-chefs-knife-set-2-piece-stainless-steel-paring-blade/feed/ 1 Wusthof Grand Prix II Cook’s Knife | Solingen Stainless Steel Cutlery 6 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-ii-cooks-knife-solingen-stainless-steel-cutlery-6-inch/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-ii-cooks-knife-solingen-stainless-steel-cutlery-6-inch/#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:07:46 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4476 Wusthof Grand Prix II Cook's Knife Many years ago I had practical reasons to learn some things about old hand tools and the way things were done before "one size fits all" technology became standard. Today the kitchen is one of the few places where those old rules still apply, which is why I like the 6" Grand Prix Cook's Knife from Wusthof. It doesn't fit all; it's a perfect fit for some.

The cook's knife is one of those old tools from past centuries that has fallen on hard times today, being slowly supplanted by new inventions, but it's still one of the most versatile knives in the kitchen. Usually the one supplied with block sets is the biggest available, as much cleaver as prep knife, and people with smaller hands find it awkward. In other times, tools were made to match the person in the way that tailored clothes are today; in small hands this 6" knife will do the work an 8" blade will do in meatier paws.

The cook's knife, an old European style, was traditionally sharpened in three different ways--a thin edge at the tip, for mincing and piercing work; a medium bevel at midpoint, for quick slicing work; and a thick bevel near the bolster, for heavy chopping. Today's knives are not that advanced, usually having the same bevel for the length of the blade, but perfectionists can still adapt that to the old ways.

This full tang stainless steel knife, with forged blade and bolster and rat tail tang, sports a modern ergonomic handle to ease the load on wrists and hands. It isn't the little knife that augments the big one--if you have small hands, it's the knife that fits.

Here's a Grand Prix II gift set that includes two other knives with the cook's knife.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-ii-cooks-knife-solingen-stainless-steel-cutlery-6-inch/feed/ 0 Henckels Forged Chef’s Knife, Full Tang Cutlery | International Classic Stainless Steel 8 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-international-classic-chefs-knife-kitchen-8-inch-stainless-full-tang/ http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-international-classic-chefs-knife-kitchen-8-inch-stainless-full-tang/#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:16:12 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-international-classic-chefs-knife-kitchen-8-inch-stainless-full-tang/ J.A. Henckels International ClassicThe 8 inch International Classic Chef's Knife from J. A. Henckels Cutlery of Germany maintains the old standards in this modern version of the mainstay knife of Western kitchens. The specially formulated stainless steel blade of the Classic is forged from a single bar of high carbon alloy--blade, bolster and full length tang are all the same high grade steel. Synthetic handle slabs are joined solidly to the tang with stainless steel rivets and should be gap free for the lifetime of the blade.

Compared to modern stamped blades cut from rolls of stainless, this is a heavy knife. That may not be a disadvantage if you need a knife that will do nearly everything the kitchen requires. Chefs sometimes sharpen the edges of their "cook's knives" in three different angles to increase the knife's versatility. A few inches towards the tip could be ground at a thin angle for mincing and dicing-- the mid section a bit less acute for quick and accurate slicing, and the heaviest section near the bolster ground with a sturdy edge for the heaviest work, like cutting through a joint of meat. Today's cooks seldom use the forged blades to the best advantage, often taking them just as they are when they come out of the box and judging them in those terms. The extra steel in this knife really does give you many more options than you'd expect.

Henckels provides a lifetime warranty in the unlikely event that anything should go wrong, but the knife is solidly built and hard to break. It should be honed with a steel before use and touched up as needed--putting it through a dishwasher is hard on both polish and edge, but hand washing is simple and easy.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-international-classic-chefs-knife-kitchen-8-inch-stainless-full-tang/feed/ 0 Chroma F.A. Porsche Vegetable Cleaver Knife | Chinese Stainless Steel Type 301 http://www.thecooksden.com/chroma-fa-porsche-vegetable-cleaver-knife-chinese-stainless-steel-type-301/ http://www.thecooksden.com/chroma-fa-porsche-vegetable-cleaver-knife-chinese-stainless-steel-type-301/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:16:11 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/chroma-fa-porsche-vegetable-cleaver-knife-chinese-stainless-steel-type-301/ Chroma F.A. Porsche Vegetable CleaverThe vegetable cleaver is the most versatile knife in an Asian kitchen, equivalent to the chef's knife familiar in Europe and America. This Chroma Type 301 Vegetable Cleaver, in the pattern designed by F. A. Porsche, makes one of the most practical prep blades even better.

If you're shopping on the internet you may not have pictures that give you a good look at this award winning design. The rear half of the 18/10 stainless steel handle is flared horizontally to fit against your palm comfortably; the front half is flared vertically to provide an easy grip for your fingers, and a stainless steel pearl at the junction of handle and 301 steel blade serves as a bolster.

The 301 alloy isn't the only good thing about this blade. Chosen for edge retention and easy sharpening, considerable time is spent at the factory putting a precise flat grind on this 7" cutting edge. The resulting blade is thin but strong. The 301 knives are designed for slicing, not for heavy chopping tasks like cutting blocks of frozen food or meat with bones. Special sharpening instructions are included and must be followed--use a flat waterstone, not a sharpening steel.

In a skilled chef's hands the vegetable cleaver can do most of the work in a kitchen, and with a blade of this quality the work goes faster and you get better results. If you can only have one best knife, this versatile cleaver is an excellent choice.

Also see the Type 301 Carving Knife.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/chroma-fa-porsche-vegetable-cleaver-knife-chinese-stainless-steel-type-301/feed/ 0 J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star Chef’s Knife | 6 Inch Solingen Stainless Steel http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-four-star-chefs-knife-6-inch-solingen-stainless-steel/ http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-four-star-chefs-knife-6-inch-solingen-stainless-steel/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:38:30 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4456 J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star Chef'sIf you've been cooking long enough that you deserve a treat, shopping around for "the right knife" may fit the bill. For some, the Henckels 6" Chef's Knife could be it. If you like the light weight and versatility of a utility knife but want something that leaves you knuckle room and does even more than a deli blade--or if a full sized chef's knife is too much for your hand size-- this knife is worth a good look. Just remember that there are many choices today, and you may find something you like even more.

This knife is for followers of the western cooking traditions, since the flat ground forged blade is heavy enough for light chopping, ground with a bevel wide enough to cut through small bones, and shaped for that rocking motion that is so efficient when mincing or dicing. The short length will still handle many slicing tasks and the lighter weight and comfortable handle definitely decrease the fatigue of repetitive hand labor. The extra strength of the forged bolster gives this knife added resistance to bending and twisting, so it can stand up to some tough applications.

If you want less all around tool and more efficient slicing, you might consider a Santoku instead. Many sizes are available, and Henckels does make a few that have been only slightly westernized. Santoku knives have thinner blades and hollow grinds that make slicing vegetables and boneless meats more an art than a chore. Among the best is Shun's Classic series, but even in an economical quality choice like Victorinox's Forschner you may see an obvious upswing in slicing performance.

You can also get this knife along with a paring knife in a gift set.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-four-star-chefs-knife-6-inch-solingen-stainless-steel/feed/ 0 Wusthof Gourmet Cooks Knife | Kitchen Cutlery Stainless Steel 10 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-gourmet-cooks-knife-kitchen-cutlery-stainless-steel-10-inch/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-gourmet-cooks-knife-kitchen-cutlery-stainless-steel-10-inch/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:12:41 +0000 Mike http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4426 Wusthof Gourmet Cooks Knife It certainly has a German shape and a German name, but that's where the
similarity ends.

This isn't quite the same level of quality that most folks
expect from Wusthof. This stamped blade knife shouldn't be confused with
its more expensive "forged" brethren, but it will offer a respectable level
of performance at a lower price. To be fair, the thinner stamped blade will
offer better geometry and efficiency than the "forged" knives and will be
significantly lighter in the hand but those advantages come at the expense
of toughness and versatility. I don't think I'd be terribly keen to cut the
backs out of chickens and ducks with this knife, but if I had one of the
forged knives meant for heavier duty use in my hand, I wouldn't give it a
moment of thought.

For general use, this will offer a budget conscious cook
a good entry into the Wusthof line, but if your heart is truly set on a
Wusthof, I'd suggest saving your pennies and buying the forged model, as it
will be far more versatile, and if you want a Wusthof, that's really what
you're after. If you're truly on a budget but want a good mix of
performance and toughness, take a pass on this one and pick up a Forschner.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-gourmet-cooks-knife-kitchen-cutlery-stainless-steel-10-inch/feed/ 0 Wusthof Cook’s Knife, 9 Inch | Forged Chef’s Cutlery Stainless Steel Grand Prix II http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-ii-cooks-knife-solingen-chefs-cutlery-9-inch-stainless-steel/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-ii-cooks-knife-solingen-chefs-cutlery-9-inch-stainless-steel/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:10:18 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4444 Wusthof Grand Prix II Cook's Knife Tailored to fit large hands and do big jobs, this 9" Grand Prix II Cook's Knife from Wusthof of Solingen, Germany, is the classic general purpose cook's blade of the European kitchen. Designed to do most of the work available, the cook's or chef's knife is a multi-purpose tool meant for small jobs like mincing herbs, big jobs like chopping bones, and everything between. Like the kitchen cleaver of the Orient, if you have only one knife, this could be it.

Since most of today's chefs lean towards a full range of cutlery, the fine points of the cook's blade have mostly slipped away, and today its main task is much the same as the Japanese santoku--slicing vegetables. Capable of much more than the thinner santoku blade, this stout forged knife can do heavy work like dividing hard squash or frozen food. In slicing work it's more of a chopper than a cutter, since the forged bolster extends all the way to the cutting edge. Many of us have grown up with cook's knife methods, though, and the rocking motion of the chef's blade carries on even when we shift over to santoku. I'm guilty of that, too.

There's such a difference in action between these two styles of knives that I recommend having both. For the cook's knife side of that pair of essential tools, this is a good traditional choice, with the strengths of the old forged patterns and some modern concessions to ergonomic handle design. The design is sanitary, the polypropylene handle permanently bonded to the full rat tail tang, and the blade is stain free if properly hand washed and hand dried after use.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-ii-cooks-knife-solingen-chefs-cutlery-9-inch-stainless-steel/feed/ 0 J.A. Henckels Twin Signature Asian Set | Kitchen 2 Piece Stainless Full Tang Cutlery http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-asian-set-kitchen-2-piece-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/ http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-asian-set-kitchen-2-piece-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:23:09 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4028 J.A. Henckels Twin Signature Asian Set Henckels of Solingen, Germany, now produces a lighter streamlined counterpart to its usual forged steel builds - the Twin Signature Asian Set features hollow ground blades of stamped high quality German stainless steel that rival the versatility of traditional Japanese santoku knives.

This two knife set includes a 3" hollow ground paring knife and a 7" hollow ground Santoku style slicing knife. Thinner blades without the heavy bolsters of Henckels' older patterns allow better control when slicing or peeling and make sharpening the full cutting edge a simple task.

The granton hollows create air pockets between the blade and the work, lessening friction and allowing sliced food to slip easily away without so much stacking as on the old flat ground knives. The hollows also reduce cutting friction, easing the load on wrists and hands.

Ergonomic handles give users a comfortable and secure grip and lessen overall fatigue due to repetitive chores. The riveted slab handle construction is gap free and sanitary, easily cleaned either by hand or in the dishwasher. For best results a quick hand wash and dry is recommended.

Sharpening is simple - unlike some harder Japanese blades, these German rivals are easily touched up with a sharpening steel. Hand honed at the factory, the edge can be reground as needed, either with home sharpening systems or a flat stone.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-asian-set-kitchen-2-piece-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/feed/ 1 Shun Alton’s Angles VG-10 Chef’s Knife | Kitchen 8 Inch Stainless Damascus Steel http://www.thecooksden.com/shun-altons-angles-vg-10-chefs-knife-kitchen-8-inch-stainless-damascus-steel/ http://www.thecooksden.com/shun-altons-angles-vg-10-chefs-knife-kitchen-8-inch-stainless-damascus-steel/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:13:54 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=3572 Shun Alton's Angles VG-10 Chef's Knife I will not steer you away from this knife--it's a Shun knife, in their VG-10 Damascus layered steel pattern. I doubt that anyone can say there's a better practical cutting edge around. I do have some concerns about the handle, though.

First, let me list all the good points, if I have the space. The VG-10 core layers in the Damascus pattern Shun uses in its best knives are well known for the sharpness of their edge and the unquestioned strength in thin layers. Surrounded by 32 layers of high tensile strength steel (16 on each side) this core stays sharp and cuts effortlessly. Although it is hard enough to chip and you will have to avoid cutting bones and frozen food, the quality of the cut is plenty of reason to change your habits.

Damascus steel, favored by cutlers who once made the finest samurai swords, has an unexpected advantage in the kitchen, with the friction reducing quality of a properly ground granton style, without the built-in weakness.

Those improvements are so obvious that most people will not even notice the handle, which in the regular Shun product line is in-line with the blade, with a flattened side to help orient the grip. In this knife there's plenty of clearance between handle and cutting surface, since the tang has been bent upward slightly. This changes the cutting angle and lifts the wrist. That makes better sense for a smaller knife.

For the chef's knife it seems awkward to me, putting too much bend in my wrist, and I'd suggest trying this style--created by Chef Alton Brown--before buying. What works for him might not work as well for you.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/shun-altons-angles-vg-10-chefs-knife-kitchen-8-inch-stainless-damascus-steel/feed/ 0 Wusthof Classic Cook’s Knife | Kitchen Chef’s 6 Inch Stainless Steel Full Tang http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-classic-cooks-knife-kitchen-chefs-6-inch-stainless-steel-full-tang/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-classic-cooks-knife-kitchen-chefs-6-inch-stainless-steel-full-tang/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 05:09:28 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4041 Wusthof Classic Cook's Knife A big knife for small hands, the Wusthof Classic 6" Cook's knife is the full size workhorse Chef's knife scaled back for the less ham-handed cooks of the world. Well balanced and lighter than the 8" version, the construction details and uses of this blade are just the same. Good for anything from mincing herbs to chopping small bones and frozen food, the heavier forged style of this blade can handle most common kitchen chores.

The Cook's knife can be as simple or as complex as you like. Ground with a wide European style bevel that's strong and easy to sharpen, some chefs prefer to taper the bevel so it narrows towards the tip for mincing, and is stouter towards the bolster for heavy chopping. The Solingen stainless steel has good edge holding properties yet is easily sharpened with a few strokes of a sharpening steel, making maintenance easy.

Not as refined as the lighter Santoku blade, the cook's knife is capable of more, but will also do the lighter slicing work that is the Santoku's specialty. You'll notice the difference in efficiency between the two, but if you need an all around general purpose knife the Cook's knife is a good choice.

Full tang slab handled construction is gap free and easy to clean. For best results, wash and dry the Cook's knife by hand to protect the polish and the edge from the harsh treatment of a dishwasher.

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