How not to be a chump when buying knives
Cruising in once again with useless kitchen information, I have a pretty strong opinion about knives. Mostly this is the result of people spending gobs of money on fully forged knives that aren’t chef’s knives. By my estimation that is the ultimate in kitchen waste, but before I go waxing on about all that, lets talk instead about a knife people either don’t own or get bamboozled on: the bread knife.
When I started culinary school I didn’t want the F.Dick knives that Forest Park was cramming down our impressionable throats. Sure they were German, sure they were fairly priced, but somehow I knew not to buy them. This turned out to be the right choice. While they do not dull quickly, they are rock hard knives and notoriously difficult to sharpen.
At the time (1996) Wüsthof Trident was the knife manufacturer that had become most popular for two reasons:
- JA Henckels had ceased to fully forge their knives one hundred percent making their expensive price tags unwarranted by their cheaper quality.
- Marketing…every Food Network celebrity utilized them.
And so I too succumbed to the bammsters of the world and bought a small set of Wüsthof Trident knives that contained an 8” chef’s knife, a 6” sandwich knife, and a 3.5” pairing knife. Also, because of the job I had, I added to that the purchase of a 9″ Wüsthof Classic bread knife which today sells for over $100.
that contained an 8” chef’s knife, a 6” sandwich knife, and a 3.5” pairing knife. Also, because of the job I had, I added to that the purchase of a
Little did I know the mistake I’d made. While the chef’s knife was adequate, I found the sandwich knife to be practically useless as its blade was not deep enough to serve much function. Plus, owning a forged pairing knife was completely useless as the heft of a bolster is unneeded on such a small knife. It made the knife not only more expensive but also unnecessarily difficult to sharpen at its base. It was the bread knife, however, where I really felt the pain of my purchase.
My first job cooking was at Remy’s Kitchen and Wine Bar working for Lisa Slay. If you’ve not been there, instead of bread on the table, they serve you herbed crostini with tapenade. Each day when I arrived at work my first task was to cut baguettes into approximately 1/8 inch slices, brush them with a mixture of butter, sweet basil, thyme, oregano and garlic, and pop them in the oven until crisp. The aim: wafer thin crostini that held up to scooping but didn’t destroy your mouth while eating. I would make about 12 full sheet trays daily, and on weekends, when put into the tubs we stored them in, it was two or three bus tubs worth.
Predominantly the result of my start time being later than the other cooks, it was a nightmare to get the crostini cut and cooked before service. Having the pantry cook milling about on the hot line while cooks are getting ready for service is not exactly a high-five moment in the restaurant industry, and it was a constant struggle each day as I fought for oven space on the already tight line of Remy’s.
In short, I cut a lot of crostini. So much that, in 3 months of laborious cutting with the 9″ Wüsthof Bread knife, I literally ground off a portion of the teeth and had to have Bertarelli Cutlery sharpen its scalloped edge. This, incidentally, does not work well. Never working the same again I was quickly in the market for a new bread knife.
At the time I’d been eyeing a swank 10” Wüsthof number called the Super Slicer. My being a broke cook, however, and its being over $100, I reluctantly settled instead for a 10-1/4-Inch Forschner Victorinox bread knife for a fraction of the cost.
One day’s worth of slicing was all it took to see I’d lucked into the right choice. Incredibly sharp, and with a tremendously comfortable grip perfect for hours of slicing, I produced three more months of crostini with that knife before moving onto the Racquet Club Ladue. At 1/3 the cost it held up better than the Wüsthoff knife ever did, and to this day, over ten years later, it’s the bread knife that continues to cut all of my bread at home. It is, in my opinion, the only bread knife worth owning. Still able to pick one up for under $30, if it ever does become so dull that it’s unsalvageable, it’s practically disposable.
10 Responses to “How not to be a chump when buying knives”
I spent gobs of money on Wustof knives, but I love them. I did not, however, want to spend a lot of money on a serrated knife, knowing that it would be a pain to sharpen. I went to Bertarelli and got one of the knives that they give to restaurants in their knife exchange program. It cost me 12 bucks and slices through Companion Rosemary Olive Oil bread like its butter. I figure its cheap enough that when it gets dull, I will pitch it, buy a new one and not feel bad. I haven’t had to do that yet and its been two years.
By Michelle on Jun 27, 2008
The victorinox serated is one of my favorite knives. The Aussies in london used to take that bread knife, and hone it on a steel until it resembled a scalloped/graton slicing knife.
So, don’t throw away that serrated knife if it gets dull. And for a paring knife, the victorinox is again awesome. Four bucks, and you can throw it away when it hones down too far.
By Josh on Jun 27, 2008
I think the pairing knives live on until the handle falls off…here’s one of mine that I intentionally ground thinner and with a slight curve for tournes.
By Bill Burge on Jun 28, 2008
Do you know of a place locally that sells these? I can’t recall seeing them anywhere, but I don’t go to the kitchen stores all that much. I’m in need of a boning knife.
By Dan D. on Jun 30, 2008
You can buy Forschner knives locally at Bertarelli. I think they might be significantly cheaper online, however, and for the boning knives I like the plastic (fibrox) handled ones instead of the wooden ones. They’re easier to hold onto when your hand gets slippery.
By Bill Burge on Jun 30, 2008
For what it’s worth, Cook’s Illustrated is a big fan of the Forschner knives. They finished tops in reviews of chefs, paring, and bread knives.
By Hugh on Jun 30, 2008
Am wondering if this is just for the bread knives or if the others are as good. What about the steak knives? Thanks.
By Bae on Jun 30, 2008
I’m partial to my old heinkel & wustof boning knives, Global veg knife…..
Last week I was prepping at Black Bear Bakery and needed crostini…..the antique bread slicer was a dream, under 5 minutes all the bread was uniformly sliced. I’ve got a commercial automatic deli slicer that can slice paper thin but if I had huge amounts of crostini there’d be a bread slicer on hand…not the human kind at $9 an hour. within a short amount of time it’d pay for itself.
Last week I was in Steve Komerick’s kitchen delivering pork and they have a bread slicer on the counter.
By Julie on Jul 1, 2008
Here is the issue with knives… you get what you pay for. I would reccomend Shun’s “Classic Series” for the less fortunate broke cooks, and the Shun “Pro Series 2″ for the chefs/cooks that are looking to spend money for quality that stays sharp for months as long as you clean it after every use (do not run it through the dish washer),and hone it regularly, it will last you a life time. I am not partial to the German forging methods, the Japonese folding and forging methods are just that much better. You can find these knives at Sur La Table, or Williams Sonoma Kitchen Stores at Frontenac Mall.
By Kevin on Jul 10, 2008
I never said thanks, Bill. I am ordering one today.
By Dan D. on Jul 11, 2008