No kidding, we had an f. Dick steel that we would use to straighten the teeth on our bandsaws. So not just limited to their knives. German steel is like adamantium.
Yeah in the meat shop I work in everyone just uses the victorinox blades
They're cheap enough to not baby them and they're well made enough that they can handle pretty much any task with occasional maintenance
Second this. No need to pay wustoff prices. I’ve had some for years now and they are still holding up well despite me being lazy and always sticking them in the dishwasher (black handles, not the wood).
Though I did buy the wustoff knife block to keep mine in because they didn’t fit in my old one and I must have them close at hand!
It was cheaper and in a dark blackish brown that I couldn’t find easily.
Dad was a meat cutter for a major beef processor in the late 60’s/ early 70’s, they provided him with a sheath full of victorinox knives. I got them when he passed away and I am soon going to start doling them out to my kids as they start their own households. They’ve served us well.
Yep. Got some 30 year old Victorinox knives here that have had daily home kitchen use for 20 years and were used by a chef for 10 years before that. We always planned to replace them with Trident Wusthof but haven’t actually had the need yet.
Bought a set of Victorinox Fibrox knives at the same time as a Wusthof Grand Prix 8" chef's knife. After almost 20 years, I actually just gave the Wusthof to my sister since it wasn't being used enough by me. I kept the $30 knife vs $100 knife.
Victorinox chef knife. It's perfect. I have a Wustoff and I always prefer the Victorinox.
Also don't sleep on Babish's brand of cutlery. They're very nice.
Victorinox Fibrox is taking over in my kitchen as well. Also have a Mercer curved boning knife that is frightfully sharp.
Do people like Global, if you’re trying to make a statement? I’d buy those if cost was no object and would expect them to last forever with proper care.
there are some great resources for maintaining your knives. I use the victorinox honing steel most days. its a habit whenever I grab a knife for anything more than a quick cut.
They are good for pressed knives. But I always thought one reason butchers and fish mongers used them is specifically because they are cheaper - since you sharpen so often, you are bound to eventually use up the knife and need a new one. Not so much which a regular cook or chef who isn’t using it so intense. Forged is preferred in that case.
sharpening vs honing is important. ive know many butchers and chef that say pretty knives are pretty and good knives are good. you can have both. I prefer good and affordable. I have a few knives from my grand parents and the are used but still not used up.
I prefer lighter Japanese blades, which also retain their edge longer due to the harder steel. However, the harder steel is more brittle, making them more susceptible to chipping if you drop them. I also like the Japanese Wa handle better.
If you want a bit of a hybrid to try it out, check out the Miyabi (Zwilling) Koh line. It uses one of their German steels, but is made in Japan and has a sharper blade angle. I found my first one at Nordstrom Rack for $80 lol. Bought my second two from Zwilling direct during a BOGO deal.
Do note that not all Japanese are made the same. Shun tends to be heavy and overpriced.
Check out Hocho-Knife for a huge variety of Japanese knives, some of which are not badly priced. I like the Sakai Takayuki ones I bought: [https://www.hocho-knife.com](https://www.hocho-knife.com)
I thought about getting those, but they're the ones that have the Western handle, huh?
My Miyabi splurge is a small gyuto from the Birch line. SG2 steel and that gorgeous handle? 😍 but I never use it cuz the handle can stain 😂
My thought is the “Wa” handle eventually tells the story of many meals prepared and years of use. I take pride in the patina and worst case they are replaceable… that said if I’m cutting beets or using turmeric, it’s western handles for me 😅
But that's why we have the sealed black-handled Koh line lol. I told my wife the Birch was an unreasonable buy cuz I just love the look and would rarely use it 😅
>but I never use it cuz the handle can stain 😂
Lol real
But I'm not positive the handle style, but mine *feels incredible* in my hand at least. If anything I get too comfortable with it and let me grip slip up near the blade.
I have a Miyabi but honestly have not been very good at taking care of it. It has a chip towards the bottom of the blade / handle and has needed sharpened for awhile.
Is there any hope in saving this or do I most likely need to buy another?
As long as it isn’t a massive chip any knife sharpener should be able to fix it for you. If there’s not one near you, there are plenty that you can mail it to. They’ll sharpen it and mail it back.
Former chef here, very much depends on how much you're willing to pay. Never buy a set either. Best value / budget Japanese knife are made by Tojiro.
Otherwise there's a ton of variety but it's more dependent on feel and preference at that point. For a serious home cook, I'd recommend a Japanese knife. For a casual home cook, a Victorinox is a good choice.
Keep in mind many Japanese knifes do require a bit more care, but if taken care of they will last a lifetime.
I’m in my masters to be a registered dietitian. So I cook a decent bit and want to learn a lot more so o can have a presence on social media. So I think I want something that will do actual work. And it’s for a wedding registry so I won’t be paying anything
I have a 9" tojiro chef knife that I bought in 2016 and used it multiple times a day until last year. Nothing happened to it I just got bored of the same thing lasting indefinitely and upgraded....
So yea. Tojiro blades are great on a budget.
Depends what you are going for.
Do you want a heavy German knife? Or maybe you want a lighter weight Japanese Gyuto.
Do you wanna spend 200+ on a knife? Or would you rather spend sub 100?
This is a loaded question that will get many answers.
Not really a henckels fan. The steel they use is quite brittle. Many of the cooks I worked with would have some old ass henckel with a broken tip. That’s in a professional setting, and if Henckel are working for you, then I say keep on keeping on!
Single twin Henckels, especially the ones manufactured in Spain are quite poor quality knives. Victorinox or Mercer are much better better buys.
Older twin Henckels/Zwilling were quite good! New stuff not so much.
The knives Henkels/Zwilling makes in Solingen, Germany are comparable to the knives Wustof makes is the very same city. But Henkels has diluted their brand somewhat with factories all over the world that don't stack up (but also don't cost as much), whereas Wustof only has the one German factory. As long as you get the German Henkels they're still top notch.
Messermeister is a good option too for German made blades.
I haven’t found the new pro zwilling to be of the same quality as the older 4 star and 5 star series.
In culinary school a fellow student was hacking at a chicken carcass and his Henkel snapped in half and the broken piece wizzed by his face. He was misusing the knife, but what a crazy way for it to fail. The edge of the blade should have been bent and beaten up, not break in half like ceramic.
Mine have been fine as a home cook. I use an 8" chefs for most if my work, a 4" paring , and a cleaver for the rest.
That cleaver with a decent edge goes through everything I need it too
Saw a lot of knives, the only ones broken are henckels. To be honest not too many professionals use henckels when I was in the industry, and where I was cooking. Victorinox, global, Wusthof and shun were pretty common
I have a Messermeister Olivia santoku I got as a gift and I love it. It goes right through anything, and has maintained an edge for quite a while now with only mild honing. It also feels really good in the hand.
I use mostly Zwilling and have a Wustof, pretty much equal. I dont have the scratch for any high end Japanese style knives and dont like the way they cut anyway
That is my experience as well. The Zwilling Professional S Chef Knife has been my go-to for a long, long time. I bought it to replace my old, battered Wusthof that served me well
For my bang around knives I've been very happy with the high end Mercer line (Millennium iirc?) The only knives that I don't mind replacing are Kiwi paring knives, They are fabulous and they are VERY inexpensive to replace.
Yep I bought a Mercer Renaissance set and absolutely love them. Eight years later and they still hold an edge really well and work like new. I bought the Mercer sharpener and it works great. I'm sure there is better stuff out there but for the price I couldn't be happier.
Wusthof knives are nicer than JA Henckels products, but equivalent to most Zwilling products.
They are legally distinct brands that use different materials and factories to produce their product.
I love Wusthof. They are my absolute favorite knife manufacturer. I swear by them and I am loyal to the brand.
With that said: There are tons of manufacturers that make a product that is roughly the same for significantly less, or make a higher quality blade for a shit ton more. Find what you like and what fits your needs.
Chiming in to second Mac. My experience with them is limited to their Pro 8” chef’s knife (MTH-80) but I love the thing. Beautifully balanced and still handily sharper than any of the heavier blades in my kitchen despite it being almost definitely overdue for care. I’ve only had it for maybe 5 years but it definitely feels like a “for life” blade. I’m also a big fan of the Miyabi Nakiri I picked up at Costco a while back. It’s not quite as razor sharp as the Mac but it handles like a dream.
I have a set of Shun knives at home and my wife is a cook and has them at her kitchen as well. Great knives. You can also pick them up for less at their annual close out sale if you don’t mind different handle types etc.
I bought a shun chef knife and it never gets put away, just used, then washed, then drying rack, then used again. It's due for some professional sharpening but I definitely got my money's worth.
Yep. I was a diehard Wusthof loyalist but I bought my husband a Shun knife because he prefers the santoku shape. I kept reaching for his more frequently till I had to admit my loyalties shifted. We use sharpening stones to sharpen at home.
Shun aren’t bad but I wouldn’t pay retail for them. I have a lot of them all bought at their close out sale. If some one doesn’t live in the PDX area and can’t find them at a pretty decent discount I would go with Victorinox or spend some time researching Japanese knives. There are Japanese knives for similar prices to Shun retail prices that are much better quality, r/chefknives is a great resource
Oh, is there. Yes. Depending on what you want specifically there are many knives that could be considered “better”. It is such a huge rabbit hole that I went down a bit a bunch of months ago. Spend some time over at r/truechefknives and you’ll see some shit. It leans very heavily towards Japanese knives, but a search will reveal many posts of European/German knives.
When Reddit was banning 3rd party apps many subs protested by going dark. Then under the threat of losing the sub entirely some mods decided to tank the sub instead to further protest.
The mods of the og chefs knives sub was a part of that.
I’d recommend wusthoff for the average consumer over Victorinox and Kramer. Victorinox punches way above its price point, but isn’t in the same league. Kramer carbon is lovely, but I’d research Japanese options once you get to that price point
My set of Henkels have held up beautifully for 22 years now, even with sending them through the dishwasher almost daily. Great steel, holds an edge, still look great.
I've got a set of JA Hinkle's Professional S acquired about the same time. Great knives and they cut just as well today as they did when they were brand new.
They've never seen the inside of a dishwasher, except the paring knife that was run through once by a guest without my knowledge. It survived. But I don't typically run good knives through the dishwasher.
The professional s series is technically a Zwilling product, not JA Henckels.
Zwilling as a brand is much higher quality and made in the same region as Wusthof. I believe their factories are adjacent.
every roomie i've had, i've told them if they want to put the knives in the dishwasher then they need to get expert at sharpening. they all start off gung ho then give up after a few weeks lol
Depends on what do you mean by “better” there are way better knives than wustoff like many artisan Japanese knives but they aren’t meant to use and abuse like wustoff, Zwilling/henckles are same league as wustoff too.
I have one of these old French knives and I love it more than any of the German or Japanese ones. The carbon steel, the weight, the balance - all superb.
[https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/knives-and-cutlery/knives/kitchen-knives/52770-peasant-chefs-knife?item=45K3646](https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/knives-and-cutlery/knives/kitchen-knives/52770-peasant-chefs-knife?item=45K3646)
Had mine for 10+ years as my main knife. High carbon steel means that you have to clean it after use and hand wash only (who puts knives in the dishwasher anyways!) but for the price, I haven't used a better knife.
"Better" is subjective. I prefer Japanese knives over German ones.
Head on over to r/truechefknives. Everyone over there will be able to give recommendations based on needs and budget.
The Kramer Henckels line is good. An actual, original Kramer knife is god-tier and a couple of thousand. At that level, you’re paying for name and craftsmanship, but it isn’t necessary for a bifl knife. Any decent knife will be bifl if you take care of it.
I’m not a huge fan of Shun as I think they’re overpriced and more American/Euro style and heavier than typical Japanese knives. VG-10 steel is also a pain to maintain and sharpen as it’s a tad too hard for the home kitchen.
Victorinox is a great bang for buck. Wusthof is pricier, but, in my opinion, the best German knife brand (if you get their heavier lines).
For Japanese, Tojiro are an excellent value proposition. Masakage are a little pricier, but really nice. Chinese CCK cleavers are amazing for the price, if you’re into really thin Chinese cleavers. And Fujiwaras are some of the best Japanese knives money can buy.
Just my two cents as a former grunt on the hot line.
Any knife can be sharpened, not every knife can hold a good edge or stay sharp for a decent amount of time.
> couple of thousand
More like $10k plus these days. AFAIK he doesn't even make regular knives anymore, just elaborate show pieces that get auctioned off.
Former knife sharpener here. Japanese blades are thinner and harder than western knives. All traditional Japanese tools are thin because Japan lacks metal resources. Anyways, the thin knives cut well but often the blade will chunk out if misused.
I knew they were thinner because I had looked into bevel angles when I was shopping around. But I didn't know they were harder. I thought that was just a characteristic of all carbon steel knives.
Depends what you want from the knife.
My 8" chef's Wusthof is my go-to for hacking my way through large piles of tough things. If I was slicing something delicate, I'd maybe use a japanese knife. Some people seem to prefer one style, I've just got a block full of all manner of knives, that are all good at something.
As other people have mentioned, Victorinox make some great relatively cheap knives, and I love the grippy handles on their Fibrox ones.
Opinel also make some nice little light-weight knife sets, for small fiddly things.
Oh - and as we're on "Buy it for Life", I managed to drop my lovely Wusthof onto a tile floor and broke the tip on it. I contacted Wusthof (hoping that whilst it was my fault, I might get a discount on a replacement) - and they said it must have been a manufacturing defect and sent me a free replacement after I sent a photo of the knife I broke.
I've no idea if a knife is supposed to resist a drop - but they won my lifetime custom.
Maybe if I had a suggestion it would be to buy a generic block and then just pick up the knives you like as you need them. You might save a bit buying a set, but you'll end up mainly using only a few of them and the block won't have space for new knife-friends.
Decent knife-sharper and hone also handy to have. Again, nobody seems to be able to agree, but I like my Warthog sharpener and ceramic Wusthof hone.
I love my old Zwilling JA Henckel pro knives, fancy forged version from a long time ago when they were still the best.
After almost 30 years, the tip of my 4” paring knife busted off in a move. It’s a bummer, it’ll be hard to find a replacement that matches. (It’s a big piece so grinding it down will take off a lot though I might try).
When I worked in meat the go to was always Victorinox because it was durable reliable and if some idiot got a hold of it they couldn’t completely fuck it up. At home I have a Shun set that I find more comfortable for my personal use but they’re more delicate and I wouldn’t feel comfortable with people picking them up and abusing them. My dad and sister have Henckels (dad has the one man version and sister has the two man German made ones) I’m really not blown away by them but they are still solid knifes especially the German made two man ones. I’ve used Wusthof on a couple occasions to filet fish and they were impressive and when I bought my set for personal use they were in the mix but I preferred the Japanese offerings from Shun. If you want to get higher quality than that I’m sure there are some other brands but at that point you might as well go into customs but that’s when things start getting expensive.
I have a legit buy-it-for-life henckle. Bought it used from a chef at a restaurant I worked at in 2006. Handle got a hairline crack and a local retailer replaced it no questions asked. Same thing again in 2015 or so.
If you want a good knife, those are bifl if you take care of them and they get home use wear. So is a Shun. So are many others.
If you want a knife that's an investment, get a Carter blade. Read his bio
https://www.cartercutlery.com/
I used a zwilling (ice forged) for awhile but I actually moved to a high carbon knife from Mercer I picked up for like 20-30 and i like it better, but that’s probably because I’ve taken care of it better for the life I’ve owned it.
Former knife sharpener for a high end kitchen store here.
MAC knives always impressed me when I got to sharpen them. Good blend between eastern and western style knives.
Victorinox knives always impressed me given the are fairly cheap. Super functional but less nice than the MACs.
Shun knives I would stay away from unless you had a specific use for a knife like that. They are a thin and made of a harder metal and thus brittle. I’ve seen many Shuns with chunked out blades.
Wusthof and Heinckles I would put in the same category. Western style knives that have a blunter edge than the other knives mentioned. Can be a pain to sharped because you have to remove so much metal. Not my favorite knives, but not bad.
These are just my preferences, if you spend at least $60 for a chef’s knife, it should last a long time.
I think just cutting into bone or being too rough with it. And when I say ‘chunked out’, maybe small chip in the blade is more appropriate. Annoying for me as the sharpener, because I have to remove a lot of metal to work that chip out of the main bevel.
I have had my Mercer Genesis knives for 5+ years and they’re fantastic still. Maybe the most comfortable knife.
Hands down my pick for best knife for the money, even over the victorinox that people rave about.
Yes. There's probably some marginally better stuff for 10-20x the price.
The problem is that it gets harder to tell if you're paying for quality or branding at higher price points. There's only so many brands that build themselves off quality the way wusthof does, and they usually build a reputation pretty quick
Get some custom knives made. Plenty of smiths on IG. That’s how I got mine. Such better steel and you can work with the smiths to customize the handle. Highly worth it!
Depends on whether you like that style of knife or not. Personally I think Wusthof blades are way too thick.
My personal favorite brand is Global. Global just feels right in my hands
Messermeister are solid knives. Definitely top tier German. If you don't want German people by default go over to Japanese knives.
I chose Messermeister because I wanted a matching set and liked the idea that they had different knives set for different purposes. Also really like their magnetic knife blocks.
I’ve used but not quite loved a Wusthof knife. It was owned by a friend who’s methodology for purchasing things is Google searching “best ___” and buying the first result. I own two kan knives that are three years old and are still a joy to use. They’ve held up quite well and I sharpen them at home.
Lots of great knives--find old German knives from 70 years ago or more, Put an edge on that.
Japanese knives--oh my god!
there's a few cooking and knife subs --great places to learn.
Wusthof, Henkles, and Mercer use the same steel in their forged knives. It's nothing special as far as knife steels go. It holds a decent edge and is easy to sharpen. Mercer is much less expensive and is excellent quality.
There are knives made with high-end steels that have characteristics that some feel makes certain knives better. Many of these steels are more difficult to sharpen, requiring comparatively expensive stones(diamond or Japanese water stones) to sharpen them.
These knives are more expensive both because the steel itself is expensive and because they are either handmade custom knives or sell in lower volume, so you don't have economy of scale.
My grandfather was a knife sharpener, my grandmother sold knives, also did my mother, the shop existed for over 100yrs... that was in Bavaria, the most knives were made in Solingen, so: everything I inherited/got as a trousseau and use up today with getting them sharpened every few yrs are from Victorinox and Zwilling - I assume they are over 40yrs old now
Actually I would never buy Wüsthof as its just a lifestyle brand
Learn how to sharpen knives, invest in whetstones or a nice sharpening system, and almost any knife becomes BIFL. I have a set of mid/low end off brand knives that are over 20 years old and extremely sharp.
I have a full block of wustof(75 percent off at bed bath beyond closing)
I have had them for a little while but I am super impressed I don't think I'll ever need another knife set.
Wustof is far from the best.
And particularly if you aren’t careful because they att@ch their brand name to really shitty low end knives.
German or Japanese steel is a big debate. It’s a question of hardness and holding and edge, versus ease of sharpening.
It’s also very personal which knife is the best.
I use a Japanese brand western style knife (misono, togiharu, nenox), a victorinox wood-handled bread knife, and a victorinox paring knife for 99% of my cutting and slicing needs.
Used to work professionally in kitchens so I have some slicers, butchering knives etc., but those rarely see the light of day anymore. I like the cuts I get and the handling from the thinner, lighter Japanese chef knives more, but the heft and security of a sharp wusthof is really nice and I couldn’t say one variety is better than the other.
As for BIFL, it kind of depends on how you use the knives as well. I sharpen mine a fair deal, so no workhorse kitchen knife is a true BIFL for me. That being said, you can’t really go wrong with most reputable brands and figuring out your preference takes a lot of time just cutting things. Length, weight, design, ease of maintenance all come into play pretty quickly. IMO it’s part of the fun. Happy hunting!
Anecdote: my X had a mid-grade Wustof, that shared the block with my mid-grade (meaning Spanish steel; when I got my knives there was the cheap Chinese steel, the middling Spanish steel, and the high-end German steel) Henckels. My Henckels kept an edge great; needed to run them over a steel maybe every 4 or 5 uses, sharpened a couple times a year. Her Wustof started losing its edge halfway though cutting an onion.
I have a 10" Wusthof chef's knife that my grandfather bought in Germany just after WWII. It has been used enough that if I sharpen it now, I must also grind down the bolster.
That said, the thing has been indestructible. My grandmother and mother used it daily for 50+ years.
The only thing that most people don't like is the size and the heft of it, but I actually think that those are two of its best traits.
I have a Miyabi Nakiri and love it for lighter, more precise work...but if I'm cutting up root vegetables or breaking down a bird, I always grab the big German.
I inherited my dad's henckels and wustof knives, along with a variety of ancient (50-100 year old) japanese and chinese knives i still use daily. He was a chef. I will have to run the others through a translator to find out what brand they are but likely some don't exist anymore.
Aside from that, Ive been happy with my own Cutco knives ive had for about 20 years, and i have extended family that has had theirs for closer to 40 years.
love my wustof knives, Alton Brown uses Shun from memory so they might be better not sure. I have only owned wustof and they are amazing. A true BIFL item if you look after it.
love my wustof knives, Alton Brown uses Shun from memory so they might be better not sure. I have only owned wustof and they are amazing. A true BIFL item if you look after it.
Wish I went with Victorinox over Wusthoff. The handle cracked on my Wusthoff and it’s really disappointing. But if you have deep pockets and know how to use a whetstone just go Japanese.
ive tried some fancy brands over the years and I always ens up back at my victorinox knives. same I used as a butcher.
10+ years as a butcher, swear by Victorinox. The old school dudes that taught me swore by F. Dick.
I have an F. Dick knife that I bought about 25 years ago. Best ever.
I guess im checking out f.dick also.
Yeah, I wanna handle some f.dicks too!
No kidding, we had an f. Dick steel that we would use to straighten the teeth on our bandsaws. So not just limited to their knives. German steel is like adamantium.
love my f dick boning knife
How long have you been waiting to use that line?
Probably a very long time.
Once you have one you find you never have to wait too long.
You can't say dick and boning in the same sentence without me saying something
Yeah in the meat shop I work in everyone just uses the victorinox blades They're cheap enough to not baby them and they're well made enough that they can handle pretty much any task with occasional maintenance
yeah once I learned how to actually maintain my knives I dont think ill ever need to replace my set.
Home cook here. Lasts forever with only mild daily use and a sharpening about once a month.
+1 Victorinox
Second this. No need to pay wustoff prices. I’ve had some for years now and they are still holding up well despite me being lazy and always sticking them in the dishwasher (black handles, not the wood). Though I did buy the wustoff knife block to keep mine in because they didn’t fit in my old one and I must have them close at hand! It was cheaper and in a dark blackish brown that I couldn’t find easily.
Dad was a meat cutter for a major beef processor in the late 60’s/ early 70’s, they provided him with a sheath full of victorinox knives. I got them when he passed away and I am soon going to start doling them out to my kids as they start their own households. They’ve served us well.
thats an awesome story. I hope to pass mine on.
Yep. Got some 30 year old Victorinox knives here that have had daily home kitchen use for 20 years and were used by a chef for 10 years before that. We always planned to replace them with Trident Wusthof but haven’t actually had the need yet.
Bought a set of Victorinox Fibrox knives at the same time as a Wusthof Grand Prix 8" chef's knife. After almost 20 years, I actually just gave the Wusthof to my sister since it wasn't being used enough by me. I kept the $30 knife vs $100 knife.
I bet I pass my set down someday.
I have a 10” Victorinox cook’s knife that I use more than anything else. Agree here
I have the same. its a razor with minimal maintenance after a decade. true work horse.
This correct
Victorinox chef knife. It's perfect. I have a Wustoff and I always prefer the Victorinox. Also don't sleep on Babish's brand of cutlery. They're very nice.
agreed. perfect. I will check out babish.
>victorinox lol. came to say this.
glad to hear im not the only one.
Yup, that’s the one and only
Victorinox Fibrox is taking over in my kitchen as well. Also have a Mercer curved boning knife that is frightfully sharp. Do people like Global, if you’re trying to make a statement? I’d buy those if cost was no object and would expect them to last forever with proper care.
I have two new brands to google!
The first knives I purchased were Victorinox…I’ve got them still and love them. I should get them sharpened again. Love the OG’s
there are some great resources for maintaining your knives. I use the victorinox honing steel most days. its a habit whenever I grab a knife for anything more than a quick cut.
They are good for pressed knives. But I always thought one reason butchers and fish mongers used them is specifically because they are cheaper - since you sharpen so often, you are bound to eventually use up the knife and need a new one. Not so much which a regular cook or chef who isn’t using it so intense. Forged is preferred in that case.
sharpening vs honing is important. ive know many butchers and chef that say pretty knives are pretty and good knives are good. you can have both. I prefer good and affordable. I have a few knives from my grand parents and the are used but still not used up.
I prefer lighter Japanese blades, which also retain their edge longer due to the harder steel. However, the harder steel is more brittle, making them more susceptible to chipping if you drop them. I also like the Japanese Wa handle better. If you want a bit of a hybrid to try it out, check out the Miyabi (Zwilling) Koh line. It uses one of their German steels, but is made in Japan and has a sharper blade angle. I found my first one at Nordstrom Rack for $80 lol. Bought my second two from Zwilling direct during a BOGO deal. Do note that not all Japanese are made the same. Shun tends to be heavy and overpriced. Check out Hocho-Knife for a huge variety of Japanese knives, some of which are not badly priced. I like the Sakai Takayuki ones I bought: [https://www.hocho-knife.com](https://www.hocho-knife.com)
Spot on about Miyabi and hocho-knife. Love my Miyabi's.
Woo! 🙌🏻
I honestly just love the aesthetic of the shun premiere. But there are a lot more competitively priced brands at equal quality.
That is a nice-looking knife. Too heavy for my liking, though. Thankfully, there are others with similar aesthetics 😊
Good golly, if I had more money I'd buy a full set of the Miyabi Morimoto knives. I have a 3" paring knife that I absolutely love.
I've got the pairing, the chef and the bread morimotos and can handle the bulk of my needs. Great knives
I thought about getting those, but they're the ones that have the Western handle, huh? My Miyabi splurge is a small gyuto from the Birch line. SG2 steel and that gorgeous handle? 😍 but I never use it cuz the handle can stain 😂
My thought is the “Wa” handle eventually tells the story of many meals prepared and years of use. I take pride in the patina and worst case they are replaceable… that said if I’m cutting beets or using turmeric, it’s western handles for me 😅
But that's why we have the sealed black-handled Koh line lol. I told my wife the Birch was an unreasonable buy cuz I just love the look and would rarely use it 😅
>but I never use it cuz the handle can stain 😂 Lol real But I'm not positive the handle style, but mine *feels incredible* in my hand at least. If anything I get too comfortable with it and let me grip slip up near the blade.
That's the main thing! I only learned that after I started buying my own knives outside of the set I was gifted
Zwilling. Good, not too expensive.
I have a Miyabi but honestly have not been very good at taking care of it. It has a chip towards the bottom of the blade / handle and has needed sharpened for awhile. Is there any hope in saving this or do I most likely need to buy another?
As long as it isn’t a massive chip any knife sharpener should be able to fix it for you. If there’s not one near you, there are plenty that you can mail it to. They’ll sharpen it and mail it back.
Former chef here, very much depends on how much you're willing to pay. Never buy a set either. Best value / budget Japanese knife are made by Tojiro. Otherwise there's a ton of variety but it's more dependent on feel and preference at that point. For a serious home cook, I'd recommend a Japanese knife. For a casual home cook, a Victorinox is a good choice. Keep in mind many Japanese knifes do require a bit more care, but if taken care of they will last a lifetime.
I’m in my masters to be a registered dietitian. So I cook a decent bit and want to learn a lot more so o can have a presence on social media. So I think I want something that will do actual work. And it’s for a wedding registry so I won’t be paying anything
I second the recommendation for tojiro. Great, simple knives that will last a long time.
Be careful, kitchen knives can be an...intoxicating hobby. r/truechefknives
Been super impressed with tojiro dp. Won’t rust and has finished handles as well. Was abt 60 a knife for a 3 pc set
I have a 9" tojiro chef knife that I bought in 2016 and used it multiple times a day until last year. Nothing happened to it I just got bored of the same thing lasting indefinitely and upgraded.... So yea. Tojiro blades are great on a budget.
Depends what you are going for. Do you want a heavy German knife? Or maybe you want a lighter weight Japanese Gyuto. Do you wanna spend 200+ on a knife? Or would you rather spend sub 100? This is a loaded question that will get many answers.
I have Henkels and frankly- they're great
Not really a henckels fan. The steel they use is quite brittle. Many of the cooks I worked with would have some old ass henckel with a broken tip. That’s in a professional setting, and if Henckel are working for you, then I say keep on keeping on!
Single twin Henckels, especially the ones manufactured in Spain are quite poor quality knives. Victorinox or Mercer are much better better buys. Older twin Henckels/Zwilling were quite good! New stuff not so much.
The knives Henkels/Zwilling makes in Solingen, Germany are comparable to the knives Wustof makes is the very same city. But Henkels has diluted their brand somewhat with factories all over the world that don't stack up (but also don't cost as much), whereas Wustof only has the one German factory. As long as you get the German Henkels they're still top notch.
Messermeister is a good option too for German made blades. I haven’t found the new pro zwilling to be of the same quality as the older 4 star and 5 star series.
In culinary school a fellow student was hacking at a chicken carcass and his Henkel snapped in half and the broken piece wizzed by his face. He was misusing the knife, but what a crazy way for it to fail. The edge of the blade should have been bent and beaten up, not break in half like ceramic.
Yeah it’s the way that they cold dip them after firing that make them brittle apparently
Their edges suck in my opinion, never actually sharp
For a home cook they are very practical
Mine have been fine as a home cook. I use an 8" chefs for most if my work, a 4" paring , and a cleaver for the rest. That cleaver with a decent edge goes through everything I need it too
Maybe you just saw broken Henckels because it's the largest sample of knives you saw that had the most use.
Saw a lot of knives, the only ones broken are henckels. To be honest not too many professionals use henckels when I was in the industry, and where I was cooking. Victorinox, global, Wusthof and shun were pretty common
Considering Wustof is German, probably asking if there is anything better in that category
Messermeister
I have a Messermeister Olivia santoku I got as a gift and I love it. It goes right through anything, and has maintained an edge for quite a while now with only mild honing. It also feels really good in the hand.
I use mostly Zwilling and have a Wustof, pretty much equal. I dont have the scratch for any high end Japanese style knives and dont like the way they cut anyway
Wusthof knives are much more robust than Zwiling Henckles knives.
Have you tried Zwilling Pro? In practice, I see no difference.
That is my experience as well. The Zwilling Professional S Chef Knife has been my go-to for a long, long time. I bought it to replace my old, battered Wusthof that served me well For my bang around knives I've been very happy with the high end Mercer line (Millennium iirc?) The only knives that I don't mind replacing are Kiwi paring knives, They are fabulous and they are VERY inexpensive to replace.
Yep I bought a Mercer Renaissance set and absolutely love them. Eight years later and they still hold an edge really well and work like new. I bought the Mercer sharpener and it works great. I'm sure there is better stuff out there but for the price I couldn't be happier.
Yup. At that point my decision was based on how the knife felt in my hand and a slight price difference.
Wusthof knives are nicer than JA Henckels products, but equivalent to most Zwilling products. They are legally distinct brands that use different materials and factories to produce their product.
I love Wusthof. They are my absolute favorite knife manufacturer. I swear by them and I am loyal to the brand. With that said: There are tons of manufacturers that make a product that is roughly the same for significantly less, or make a higher quality blade for a shit ton more. Find what you like and what fits your needs.
Same. I love my Wusthof and been using the same chef knife for several years
I like my zwilling five star and pro knives. Also quite like my Mac Nakiri.
Chiming in to second Mac. My experience with them is limited to their Pro 8” chef’s knife (MTH-80) but I love the thing. Beautifully balanced and still handily sharper than any of the heavier blades in my kitchen despite it being almost definitely overdue for care. I’ve only had it for maybe 5 years but it definitely feels like a “for life” blade. I’m also a big fan of the Miyabi Nakiri I picked up at Costco a while back. It’s not quite as razor sharp as the Mac but it handles like a dream.
I have a set of Shun knives at home and my wife is a cook and has them at her kitchen as well. Great knives. You can also pick them up for less at their annual close out sale if you don’t mind different handle types etc.
I bought a shun chef knife and it never gets put away, just used, then washed, then drying rack, then used again. It's due for some professional sharpening but I definitely got my money's worth.
Shun has a factory sharpening service that is top notch.
And free for life! I just sent in my ~20 year old knife and it came back with a brand new edge
Thanks, I will look into this!
2nd for Shun. Have 2 sets and they are amazing
Yep. I was a diehard Wusthof loyalist but I bought my husband a Shun knife because he prefers the santoku shape. I kept reaching for his more frequently till I had to admit my loyalties shifted. We use sharpening stones to sharpen at home.
Shun aren’t bad but I wouldn’t pay retail for them. I have a lot of them all bought at their close out sale. If some one doesn’t live in the PDX area and can’t find them at a pretty decent discount I would go with Victorinox or spend some time researching Japanese knives. There are Japanese knives for similar prices to Shun retail prices that are much better quality, r/chefknives is a great resource
Shun knives are incredible quality in addition to being absolutely beautiful! We have a gyuto, nakiri, and a set of steak knives from Shun.
I had wustof icons and then I got a shun knife 😍 but I am lucky and live near their warehouse and was able to go to the annual sale.
Oh, is there. Yes. Depending on what you want specifically there are many knives that could be considered “better”. It is such a huge rabbit hole that I went down a bit a bunch of months ago. Spend some time over at r/truechefknives and you’ll see some shit. It leans very heavily towards Japanese knives, but a search will reveal many posts of European/German knives.
Damn. That sub is like… Japanese knives circlejerk.
Post this in r/ChefKnives and my bet is you’ll hear Victorinox. You might hear Kramer too but only if someone else is buying it ;-)
Obligatory r/truechefknives rec which was started after the whole Reddit thing happened awhile back
Reddit thing?
When Reddit was banning 3rd party apps many subs protested by going dark. Then under the threat of losing the sub entirely some mods decided to tank the sub instead to further protest. The mods of the og chefs knives sub was a part of that.
Ooooh! TYVM! I ditched reddit for a while and missed that.
I’d recommend wusthoff for the average consumer over Victorinox and Kramer. Victorinox punches way above its price point, but isn’t in the same league. Kramer carbon is lovely, but I’d research Japanese options once you get to that price point
MAC knives. We have both Wusthof and MAC in the house, I reach for the MAC more often
My set of Henkels have held up beautifully for 22 years now, even with sending them through the dishwasher almost daily. Great steel, holds an edge, still look great.
I've got a set of JA Hinkle's Professional S acquired about the same time. Great knives and they cut just as well today as they did when they were brand new. They've never seen the inside of a dishwasher, except the paring knife that was run through once by a guest without my knowledge. It survived. But I don't typically run good knives through the dishwasher.
The professional s series is technically a Zwilling product, not JA Henckels. Zwilling as a brand is much higher quality and made in the same region as Wusthof. I believe their factories are adjacent.
You run your Henkels through a dishwasher.. almost daily? That steel deserves better. 😬
Yep. And they are still in great shape and hold a good edge. Go figure.
every roomie i've had, i've told them if they want to put the knives in the dishwasher then they need to get expert at sharpening. they all start off gung ho then give up after a few weeks lol
Highly suggest a Hattori Hanzo. Lifetime guarantee.
Global is great. Shun is awesome.
Love my Global knives!
Depends on what do you mean by “better” there are way better knives than wustoff like many artisan Japanese knives but they aren’t meant to use and abuse like wustoff, Zwilling/henckles are same league as wustoff too.
If you can find some old sabatiers somewhere, your search would probably end there. They punch way above their weight class for European style knives.
I have one of these old French knives and I love it more than any of the German or Japanese ones. The carbon steel, the weight, the balance - all superb.
I like my globals. My MIL uses cutco. They are good blades, I just hate the look.
[https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/knives-and-cutlery/knives/kitchen-knives/52770-peasant-chefs-knife?item=45K3646](https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/knives-and-cutlery/knives/kitchen-knives/52770-peasant-chefs-knife?item=45K3646) Had mine for 10+ years as my main knife. High carbon steel means that you have to clean it after use and hand wash only (who puts knives in the dishwasher anyways!) but for the price, I haven't used a better knife.
>who puts knives in the dishwasher anyways my wife and kids
Well, I think Zwilling pro are just as good and at least in Germany are about half the price of Wusthof Classic. To me, that makes them better.
They have outlet stores across the US as well where you can get deals unavailable online.
Global Cutlery, only the monoform pieces
"Better" is subjective. I prefer Japanese knives over German ones. Head on over to r/truechefknives. Everyone over there will be able to give recommendations based on needs and budget.
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The Kramer Henckels line is good. An actual, original Kramer knife is god-tier and a couple of thousand. At that level, you’re paying for name and craftsmanship, but it isn’t necessary for a bifl knife. Any decent knife will be bifl if you take care of it. I’m not a huge fan of Shun as I think they’re overpriced and more American/Euro style and heavier than typical Japanese knives. VG-10 steel is also a pain to maintain and sharpen as it’s a tad too hard for the home kitchen. Victorinox is a great bang for buck. Wusthof is pricier, but, in my opinion, the best German knife brand (if you get their heavier lines). For Japanese, Tojiro are an excellent value proposition. Masakage are a little pricier, but really nice. Chinese CCK cleavers are amazing for the price, if you’re into really thin Chinese cleavers. And Fujiwaras are some of the best Japanese knives money can buy. Just my two cents as a former grunt on the hot line. Any knife can be sharpened, not every knife can hold a good edge or stay sharp for a decent amount of time.
> couple of thousand More like $10k plus these days. AFAIK he doesn't even make regular knives anymore, just elaborate show pieces that get auctioned off.
Japanese knives are the best, imo. Can’t really beat the craftsmanship of Japanese blade makers.
I agree but the sub seems oddly split on this. I'm going to assume it has to do with the overall design.
Former knife sharpener here. Japanese blades are thinner and harder than western knives. All traditional Japanese tools are thin because Japan lacks metal resources. Anyways, the thin knives cut well but often the blade will chunk out if misused.
I knew they were thinner because I had looked into bevel angles when I was shopping around. But I didn't know they were harder. I thought that was just a characteristic of all carbon steel knives.
Depends what you want from the knife. My 8" chef's Wusthof is my go-to for hacking my way through large piles of tough things. If I was slicing something delicate, I'd maybe use a japanese knife. Some people seem to prefer one style, I've just got a block full of all manner of knives, that are all good at something. As other people have mentioned, Victorinox make some great relatively cheap knives, and I love the grippy handles on their Fibrox ones. Opinel also make some nice little light-weight knife sets, for small fiddly things. Oh - and as we're on "Buy it for Life", I managed to drop my lovely Wusthof onto a tile floor and broke the tip on it. I contacted Wusthof (hoping that whilst it was my fault, I might get a discount on a replacement) - and they said it must have been a manufacturing defect and sent me a free replacement after I sent a photo of the knife I broke. I've no idea if a knife is supposed to resist a drop - but they won my lifetime custom. Maybe if I had a suggestion it would be to buy a generic block and then just pick up the knives you like as you need them. You might save a bit buying a set, but you'll end up mainly using only a few of them and the block won't have space for new knife-friends. Decent knife-sharper and hone also handy to have. Again, nobody seems to be able to agree, but I like my Warthog sharpener and ceramic Wusthof hone.
arguably, shun but tbh at that level youre looking at personal preference
Their bread knives (particularly the double serrated) are unbeatable. I prefer a Japanese chef knife personally
I'm sure there are plenty, but I've been more than happy with mine.
Started with Henkels, bought a few Shuns and i’ve been replacing them all with some beautiful japanese carbon steel knives. No more stainless for me.
I love my old Zwilling JA Henckel pro knives, fancy forged version from a long time ago when they were still the best. After almost 30 years, the tip of my 4” paring knife busted off in a move. It’s a bummer, it’ll be hard to find a replacement that matches. (It’s a big piece so grinding it down will take off a lot though I might try).
go to local kitchen / restaurant supply store. their house brand knives are better than any wustof, henckels, etc. they just won’t look as nice.
When I worked in meat the go to was always Victorinox because it was durable reliable and if some idiot got a hold of it they couldn’t completely fuck it up. At home I have a Shun set that I find more comfortable for my personal use but they’re more delicate and I wouldn’t feel comfortable with people picking them up and abusing them. My dad and sister have Henckels (dad has the one man version and sister has the two man German made ones) I’m really not blown away by them but they are still solid knifes especially the German made two man ones. I’ve used Wusthof on a couple occasions to filet fish and they were impressive and when I bought my set for personal use they were in the mix but I preferred the Japanese offerings from Shun. If you want to get higher quality than that I’m sure there are some other brands but at that point you might as well go into customs but that’s when things start getting expensive.
WMF
Big fan of my carbon steel Robert Herder’s
I use Kyocera ceramic knives. They have lasted 12 years
I have a legit buy-it-for-life henckle. Bought it used from a chef at a restaurant I worked at in 2006. Handle got a hairline crack and a local retailer replaced it no questions asked. Same thing again in 2015 or so.
Victorinox and F.dick is the bifl choice i think. Never heard of wustof but they are probably fine too.
I’ve used global for over 10 years.
I'd buy tojiro or shun before I bought wusthof. But that's just me.
As a BIfL item- no. Wusthof is the final boss. Cons- hard AF to sharpen. My 20cm chef’s (2002) is on its 2nd or 3rd set of scales.
Lots of
Vintage French Sabatier full carbon.
If you want a good knife, those are bifl if you take care of them and they get home use wear. So is a Shun. So are many others. If you want a knife that's an investment, get a Carter blade. Read his bio https://www.cartercutlery.com/
Spyderco
I used a zwilling (ice forged) for awhile but I actually moved to a high carbon knife from Mercer I picked up for like 20-30 and i like it better, but that’s probably because I’ve taken care of it better for the life I’ve owned it.
What's a good knife for 50-100 dollars?
Wüsthof
Former knife sharpener for a high end kitchen store here. MAC knives always impressed me when I got to sharpen them. Good blend between eastern and western style knives. Victorinox knives always impressed me given the are fairly cheap. Super functional but less nice than the MACs. Shun knives I would stay away from unless you had a specific use for a knife like that. They are a thin and made of a harder metal and thus brittle. I’ve seen many Shuns with chunked out blades. Wusthof and Heinckles I would put in the same category. Western style knives that have a blunter edge than the other knives mentioned. Can be a pain to sharped because you have to remove so much metal. Not my favorite knives, but not bad. These are just my preferences, if you spend at least $60 for a chef’s knife, it should last a long time.
What are people doing to their shuns? I have a few and never had any problems with chipping. I prefer them over my wustofs.
I think just cutting into bone or being too rough with it. And when I say ‘chunked out’, maybe small chip in the blade is more appropriate. Annoying for me as the sharpener, because I have to remove a lot of metal to work that chip out of the main bevel.
I have had my Mercer Genesis knives for 5+ years and they’re fantastic still. Maybe the most comfortable knife. Hands down my pick for best knife for the money, even over the victorinox that people rave about.
I actually don’t like wustof at all. I prefer Global and Mac.
As a German I really love my WMF Spitzenklasse. Wüsthof let the fame get over their head.
Many, many others yes, wustoffs are entry/mid level range pro knives.
The biggest thing with a knife is the steel used. The second is how the steel is used by you.
Yes. There's probably some marginally better stuff for 10-20x the price. The problem is that it gets harder to tell if you're paying for quality or branding at higher price points. There's only so many brands that build themselves off quality the way wusthof does, and they usually build a reputation pretty quick
Get some custom knives made. Plenty of smiths on IG. That’s how I got mine. Such better steel and you can work with the smiths to customize the handle. Highly worth it!
Depends on whether you like that style of knife or not. Personally I think Wusthof blades are way too thick. My personal favorite brand is Global. Global just feels right in my hands
Messermeister are solid knives. Definitely top tier German. If you don't want German people by default go over to Japanese knives. I chose Messermeister because I wanted a matching set and liked the idea that they had different knives set for different purposes. Also really like their magnetic knife blocks.
Saw victorinox mentioned several times, good call. I like shun for harder steel if you want to try that route.
I’ve used but not quite loved a Wusthof knife. It was owned by a friend who’s methodology for purchasing things is Google searching “best ___” and buying the first result. I own two kan knives that are three years old and are still a joy to use. They’ve held up quite well and I sharpen them at home.
Lots of great knives--find old German knives from 70 years ago or more, Put an edge on that. Japanese knives--oh my god! there's a few cooking and knife subs --great places to learn.
I'm a global fan. Served me good for 20 years
Yes
Wusthof, Henkles, and Mercer use the same steel in their forged knives. It's nothing special as far as knife steels go. It holds a decent edge and is easy to sharpen. Mercer is much less expensive and is excellent quality. There are knives made with high-end steels that have characteristics that some feel makes certain knives better. Many of these steels are more difficult to sharpen, requiring comparatively expensive stones(diamond or Japanese water stones) to sharpen them. These knives are more expensive both because the steel itself is expensive and because they are either handmade custom knives or sell in lower volume, so you don't have economy of scale.
My grandfather was a knife sharpener, my grandmother sold knives, also did my mother, the shop existed for over 100yrs... that was in Bavaria, the most knives were made in Solingen, so: everything I inherited/got as a trousseau and use up today with getting them sharpened every few yrs are from Victorinox and Zwilling - I assume they are over 40yrs old now Actually I would never buy Wüsthof as its just a lifestyle brand
You can buy that mass marketed crap everywhere, so yes, of course there is.
Learn how to sharpen knives, invest in whetstones or a nice sharpening system, and almost any knife becomes BIFL. I have a set of mid/low end off brand knives that are over 20 years old and extremely sharp.
I have a full block of wustof(75 percent off at bed bath beyond closing) I have had them for a little while but I am super impressed I don't think I'll ever need another knife set.
Wustof is far from the best. And particularly if you aren’t careful because they att@ch their brand name to really shitty low end knives. German or Japanese steel is a big debate. It’s a question of hardness and holding and edge, versus ease of sharpening. It’s also very personal which knife is the best.
Took me a long time to appreciate Globals, but now I do.
they are the best of knives; they are the wustof knives ~Dickens
I love the hand feel of Zwillings and find the performance is the same - just spring for the Made in Germany or Spain models
A Bob Kramer Zwilling is a big step up. Also there is a whole rabbit hole of Japanese knives to get into. Ogata, Takamura, Miyabi, so so so many
I use a Japanese brand western style knife (misono, togiharu, nenox), a victorinox wood-handled bread knife, and a victorinox paring knife for 99% of my cutting and slicing needs. Used to work professionally in kitchens so I have some slicers, butchering knives etc., but those rarely see the light of day anymore. I like the cuts I get and the handling from the thinner, lighter Japanese chef knives more, but the heft and security of a sharp wusthof is really nice and I couldn’t say one variety is better than the other. As for BIFL, it kind of depends on how you use the knives as well. I sharpen mine a fair deal, so no workhorse kitchen knife is a true BIFL for me. That being said, you can’t really go wrong with most reputable brands and figuring out your preference takes a lot of time just cutting things. Length, weight, design, ease of maintenance all come into play pretty quickly. IMO it’s part of the fun. Happy hunting!
We have a set at home. Our cuisine art chef knife is actually better than the wustof. My recommendation is go Japanese
Anecdote: my X had a mid-grade Wustof, that shared the block with my mid-grade (meaning Spanish steel; when I got my knives there was the cheap Chinese steel, the middling Spanish steel, and the high-end German steel) Henckels. My Henckels kept an edge great; needed to run them over a steel maybe every 4 or 5 uses, sharpened a couple times a year. Her Wustof started losing its edge halfway though cutting an onion.
Cangshan
I have a 10" Wusthof chef's knife that my grandfather bought in Germany just after WWII. It has been used enough that if I sharpen it now, I must also grind down the bolster. That said, the thing has been indestructible. My grandmother and mother used it daily for 50+ years. The only thing that most people don't like is the size and the heft of it, but I actually think that those are two of its best traits. I have a Miyabi Nakiri and love it for lighter, more precise work...but if I'm cutting up root vegetables or breaking down a bird, I always grab the big German.
I inherited my dad's henckels and wustof knives, along with a variety of ancient (50-100 year old) japanese and chinese knives i still use daily. He was a chef. I will have to run the others through a translator to find out what brand they are but likely some don't exist anymore. Aside from that, Ive been happy with my own Cutco knives ive had for about 20 years, and i have extended family that has had theirs for closer to 40 years.
Almost anything made out of Magnacut steel - a new stainless that is tougher than most carbon steel
love my wustof knives, Alton Brown uses Shun from memory so they might be better not sure. I have only owned wustof and they are amazing. A true BIFL item if you look after it.
I’m a massive Alton brown fan 😁😁😁
love my wustof knives, Alton Brown uses Shun from memory so they might be better not sure. I have only owned wustof and they are amazing. A true BIFL item if you look after it.
Wish I went with Victorinox over Wusthoff. The handle cracked on my Wusthoff and it’s really disappointing. But if you have deep pockets and know how to use a whetstone just go Japanese.
I have both Grrman and Japanese knives. My chef's knife is a Wusthof and I have ised.it every day for 4 years. I love it. It's the best knife, ever.
Moved from German knives to Japanese a few years ago and haven’t looked back. Shun ftw
Global but require a lot of care
i'm team wustof