Showing posts with label Lo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lo. Show all posts

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Furi FX 9-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife


easy to handle. weight quality is nice.like the thickness. loses its edge quickly because it is a softer metal, but you are able to resharpen nicely.Get more detail about Furi FX 9-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife.

Furi FX 8-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife Top Quality


i love my furi knife! it's comfortable to cut a lot of stuff up, and handles both soft (tomatoes, etc.) and hard (raw potatoes, etc.) foods well. it doesn't wear on your hands or cause blisters. one piece design is great for cleanliness and durability. have had this knife for 4 years, and highly recommend as a replacement for the el-cheapo chef's knife in many of the lower end knife blocks/sets.Get more detail about Furi FX 8-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Order Kyocera Ceramic Chef's Knife-6 Inch-White


My wife loves her new ceramic knife. It was a replacement for a cheaper version that ended up with a chip in the blade after about four years. The Kyocera should be more durable and last longer.Get more detail about Kyocera Ceramic Chef's Knife-6 Inch-White.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wusthof Classic Ikon Chef's Knife, 8" Order Now



I have knives from the Henckels Pro-S, Sabatier Grand Chef, Wusthof Classic, and Shun lines. I was curious to try the new Wusthof Ikon line, and I have to say, I'm hooked. There is a substantial premium over the regular Classic line of knives, but I'd have to say it's worth it.

Aesthetically, the new design is more pleasing, and has modern, flowing lines. The classic Wusthof red sticker is formed into the blade itself, so no more of the sticker coming off during washing! Also, the tang extends all the way to the bottom of the handle, ending in a sleek metal cap. Lastly, the bolster is much thinner, making the knife easier to sharpen.

Out of the box, my Ikon was as sharp as my Shun Nakiri. A few swipes on my steel made it even more so. After an hour of cutting, I greatly appreciated the new ergonomically designed handle. It really makes prepping much more comfortable. The overall balance is skewed slightly towards the handle, but not noticeably so.

In conclusion- a great update on the Classic line, with functional improvements. This is now the first knife I reach for from my block.Get more detail about Wusthof Classic Ikon Chef's Knife, 8".

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Wüsthof Classic 10-Inch Cook's Knife Right now


Review: Wusthof Classic 10" Chef Knife {4 ½ out of 5 stars}

I think I've had my knife for about 12 years now, and I use it almost every day. In my case, the 10-inch size was the optimal fit for me, and it's easily the best chef knife I've ever owned. It's sturdy, ergonomic, well balanced, takes a good edge, and is very attractive ... but it does have a few minor quirks.

The Good:

* CURVE: The gentle progressive curvature of the forward half of this blade works better for me than certain other knives I've used (some of them not curved enough, and others too curved). For the uninitiated, the curve is there so that people who've learned the proper cutting stroke can use the knife in a nice smooth fluid action ... similar to the horizontal elliptical motion your foot follows on an elliptical trainer (hence its name).

* STRENGTH: This is a sturdy blade, with a full length tang, medium spine, and a full bolster that gives the blade ample strength, and it's high-carbon surgical steel gives it a good balance of hardness, stain resistance, and sharpenability. Jam it into a large butternut squash or a wax-hardened bowling-ball-sized turnip, and throw your weight on it, or bang away on the spine with a rubber mallet, and it'll get the job done ... it'll flex and vibrate, but it won't shatter. Sharpen it, and it'll take a fine edge, and sustain it for a decent length of time, even with heavy use.

* SHARPENING: I've used some blades that are so thick that they split harder vegetables rather than slicing them, and leave wedge-crumpled top edges on delicate items. Picture using an axe blade to dice potatoes and slice fish fillets and you'll get an idea what I mean about thinness/taper. This blade offers a decent cross-sectional diameter and taper that allows it to take a good edge and cut a good spectrum of items with ease, without sacrificing too much strength by being overly thin, or too much precision by being overly thick ... it's not perfect, but it's definitely very good. {Incidentally, I use a pair of large sharpening ceramic stones made by "Global", in both medium and fine grain}.

* HANDLE: People are funny about handles, and opinions vary wildly, depending on people's hand size, hand strength, cutting motion, aesthetic sense, etc. I happen to like the classic handle ... it's not so round that it impairs your sense (and control) of the blade's vertical direction, and it's not so flat that it's uncomfortable to grip. It's strong, stainproof, oil-proof, impact-resistant, not-too-slippery, and doesn't harbor bacteria-friendly gouges. For me, it works.


Minor Nits:

THICKNESS/RIGIDITY: Knife makers strive to achieve a good balance between strength & control (read: rigidity) and flexibility & finesse (read: thinness), and different people's preferences tend to fall slightly to one side or the other on that balance point. In my case (and this may seem a tad picayune to some), this blade leans very slightly too far towards the former. IMHO, I think that if this blade were, say, a quarter or a half millimeter thinner, it would be that much closer to perfection ... as is, it's ever so slightly too rigid, and it sometimes tends to split/crumple the top edges when julienning largeish and optimally fresh (read: crisp) carrots and zucchini. It's close ... definitely well above average, but not quite perfect (for me anyway).

FULL BOLSTER: Love 'em or hate 'em, but bolsters do have a valid purpose ... they (as the term suggests) bolster the blade's vertical strength. Gothic cathedrals used flying buttresses to similar effect (albeit in the opposite direction), so they could build taller. However, bolsters also have their drawbacks - heavy regular users and professional chefs will usually bring their blades to a professional knife sharpener and have them grind down the edge-ward end of the bolster in order to permit the blade to be sharpened evenly, along it's full length. Why ? Over time, and with heavy regular use and repeated sharpening (especially if you prefer a really wicked-sharp extra-steep edge), a blade slowly gets narrower and narrower with wear ... the edge slowly creeping closer and closer towards the spine, like an incoming tide. If you're a really heavy user, you can expect to lose up to several millimeters per year. The next time you're in a well-established sushi bar, take a close look at the most frequently used knives by the hardest working chefs, and you'll occasionally see blades that have lost half or more of their original width (heck, I've seen henckel 10" slicers worn down so far they look like deboning knives, with the logo spilling off the edge). Anyway, if the bolster extends all the way to the edge, it eventually begins to get in the way of regular wear, tear & regular re-sharpening, so that unless you grind it back (to stay ahead of the recession of the edge), it'll begin to jut out, and the cutting edge will no longer sit flush against your cutting surface or sharpening stone ... kind of like trying to ice skate with a lump on the heel of your blade, or riding a motorcycle with the kickstand down. In any case, that's one of the easiest ways to tell an amateur from a pro is whether or not they've ever had to grind down their bolster.

Despite these 2 minor nits, I can highly recommend this knife ... 4 ½ (our of 5) stars.
Get more detail about Wüsthof Classic 10-Inch Cook's Knife.

Lowest Price Wusthof Classic 10-Inch Wide Cook's Knife


Don't let the size or price intimidate you, this is a great knife for the kitchen. I'd been using an 8-inch chef's knife for years because that's what came in a set. But it left a lot to be desired for chopping up even medium size quantities of food. This 10-inch Wusthof has been one of the best upgrades for our kitchen.

The handle feels just right and the balance is superb. The shape of the blade is perfect for a rocking motion that lets you quickly chop and mince. Of course the quality of the steel is legendary so this knife holds an edge and will last. Considering how frequently this knife gets used in the kitchen, it's a great investment.Get more detail about Wusthof Classic 10-Inch Wide Cook's Knife.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Shun Elite 4-1/2-Inch Wide Cook's Knife Immediately


This is a beautiful little prep knife: well-balanced, comfortable to hold (even with my men's size 11 hands) and a really useful size. It's small enough to use for paring, and can be used for trimming and light chopping against a board. When used on the board, the blade is wide enough to use the chef's "pinch grip," giving all the benefits of that excellent grip. The combination of both a small bolster, which is easy to get your thumb and index finger in front of for the pinch, and also a subtly-designed handle swell which increases the diameter at my middle finger is a combination which fills my hand well, even though the knife is physically small. When you need to trim something against the board with a normal paring knife, you've got to move the object to the edge of the board to have clearance for your hand; with this knife, you can cut wherever it's convenient without barking your knuckles or changing to some inefficient or error-inducing grip. This thing is so light, well-balanced, and functional, that it just disappears within a minutes's use; conversely, it's large enough that I can use it for long periods without my hand getting crampy.

I've got a great bunch of individually-chosen knives, ranging in size from a 50-year-old 12 inch carbon steel Sabatier chef's knife and a 12 inch Forschner cimeter, and down to a much-used German bec d'oiseau and garnishing knives, but I think that this little Shun gets used the most times per day of any of them. (Well, maybe it ties with my 10 inch chef's.) The physical beauty of the knife is just gravy; first and foremost, it works great! Sometimes in the evening, as I have a last cup of tea while standing in front of my prep board, I pull the knife out and just enjoy how good it feels in my hand while I'm waiting for the tea to steep. I own lots of objects which I curse at every time I touch them; this one I thank for enriching my time in the kitchen. Sound weird to you? You probably haven't read this far... However, if you try to find tools which you can love because of how well they work, give this one a look.Get more detail about Shun Elite 4-1/2-Inch Wide Cook's Knife.

Monday, July 5, 2010

MAC MTH-80 8" Chef's Knife w/ Dimples Get it now!


This knife is a VERY good knife...exactly what its described as. When it comes to usability and quality, it will not disappoint. I have no worries that this knife will corrode, fall apart, sharpen poorly, or fail to hold a reasonable edge. Very solid metal and well balanced. And it has a very nice look to it as well (minor importance, but still).

As to whether it is my favorite knife...well, I am torn. I probably prefer my Global knife (Global 8-Inch 20cm Cook's Knife) to be honest since I find this one to be heftier and heavier in general, and I am a female so the smaller handle of the Global fits me better...and yet I reach for this one a lot. It holds an edge better and cuts smoother (the dimples really do help, I think). For some reason it also cleans up easier. It's almost like it just sheds food and water to leave a nice clean surface...not sure why, but it does. As to which you'll prefer its up to you...either are fantastic knives. I really wanted to be able to try both, but couldn't find either in stores, so I ended up just buying them so I could compare and I really do see how it's a very personnel choice. If you have the space, money, and illogical love of having multiple knives, buy both?

And you may consider this a good thing or a bad thing but...can you really own this knife and not be constantly singing "Oh the shark has pretty teeth, dear/and he shows them pearly white..." every time you cut something? Or maybe that is just me... :D

Mack the KnifeGet more detail about MAC MTH-80 8" Chef's Knife w/ Dimples.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Discount Wusthof Classic Ikon Chef's Knife, 8"



I have knives from the Henckels Pro-S, Sabatier Grand Chef, Wusthof Classic, and Shun lines. I was curious to try the new Wusthof Ikon line, and I have to say, I'm hooked. There is a substantial premium over the regular Classic line of knives, but I'd have to say it's worth it.

Aesthetically, the new design is more pleasing, and has modern, flowing lines. The classic Wusthof red sticker is formed into the blade itself, so no more of the sticker coming off during washing! Also, the tang extends all the way to the bottom of the handle, ending in a sleek metal cap. Lastly, the bolster is much thinner, making the knife easier to sharpen.

Out of the box, my Ikon was as sharp as my Shun Nakiri. A few swipes on my steel made it even more so. After an hour of cutting, I greatly appreciated the new ergonomically designed handle. It really makes prepping much more comfortable. The overall balance is skewed slightly towards the handle, but not noticeably so.

In conclusion- a great update on the Classic line, with functional improvements. This is now the first knife I reach for from my block.Get more detail about Wusthof Classic Ikon Chef's Knife, 8".

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Monday, May 31, 2010

Cheapest Furi FX 8-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife


i love my furi knife! it's comfortable to cut a lot of stuff up, and handles both soft (tomatoes, etc.) and hard (raw potatoes, etc.) foods well. it doesn't wear on your hands or cause blisters. one piece design is great for cleanliness and durability. have had this knife for 4 years, and highly recommend as a replacement for the el-cheapo chef's knife in many of the lower end knife blocks/sets.Get more detail about Furi FX 8-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Kyocera Ceramic Chef's Knife-6 Inch-White Right now


My wife loves her new ceramic knife. It was a replacement for a cheaper version that ended up with a chip in the blade after about four years. The Kyocera should be more durable and last longer.Get more detail about Kyocera Ceramic Chef's Knife-6 Inch-White.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Wüsthof Classic 10-Inch Cook's Knife


Review: Wusthof Classic 10" Chef Knife {4 ½ out of 5 stars}

I think I've had my knife for about 12 years now, and I use it almost every day. In my case, the 10-inch size was the optimal fit for me, and it's easily the best chef knife I've ever owned. It's sturdy, ergonomic, well balanced, takes a good edge, and is very attractive ... but it does have a few minor quirks.

The Good:

* CURVE: The gentle progressive curvature of the forward half of this blade works better for me than certain other knives I've used (some of them not curved enough, and others too curved). For the uninitiated, the curve is there so that people who've learned the proper cutting stroke can use the knife in a nice smooth fluid action ... similar to the horizontal elliptical motion your foot follows on an elliptical trainer (hence its name).

* STRENGTH: This is a sturdy blade, with a full length tang, medium spine, and a full bolster that gives the blade ample strength, and it's high-carbon surgical steel gives it a good balance of hardness, stain resistance, and sharpenability. Jam it into a large butternut squash or a wax-hardened bowling-ball-sized turnip, and throw your weight on it, or bang away on the spine with a rubber mallet, and it'll get the job done ... it'll flex and vibrate, but it won't shatter. Sharpen it, and it'll take a fine edge, and sustain it for a decent length of time, even with heavy use.

* SHARPENING: I've used some blades that are so thick that they split harder vegetables rather than slicing them, and leave wedge-crumpled top edges on delicate items. Picture using an axe blade to dice potatoes and slice fish fillets and you'll get an idea what I mean about thinness/taper. This blade offers a decent cross-sectional diameter and taper that allows it to take a good edge and cut a good spectrum of items with ease, without sacrificing too much strength by being overly thin, or too much precision by being overly thick ... it's not perfect, but it's definitely very good. {Incidentally, I use a pair of large sharpening ceramic stones made by "Global", in both medium and fine grain}.

* HANDLE: People are funny about handles, and opinions vary wildly, depending on people's hand size, hand strength, cutting motion, aesthetic sense, etc. I happen to like the classic handle ... it's not so round that it impairs your sense (and control) of the blade's vertical direction, and it's not so flat that it's uncomfortable to grip. It's strong, stainproof, oil-proof, impact-resistant, not-too-slippery, and doesn't harbor bacteria-friendly gouges. For me, it works.


Minor Nits:

THICKNESS/RIGIDITY: Knife makers strive to achieve a good balance between strength & control (read: rigidity) and flexibility & finesse (read: thinness), and different people's preferences tend to fall slightly to one side or the other on that balance point. In my case (and this may seem a tad picayune to some), this blade leans very slightly too far towards the former. IMHO, I think that if this blade were, say, a quarter or a half millimeter thinner, it would be that much closer to perfection ... as is, it's ever so slightly too rigid, and it sometimes tends to split/crumple the top edges when julienning largeish and optimally fresh (read: crisp) carrots and zucchini. It's close ... definitely well above average, but not quite perfect (for me anyway).

FULL BOLSTER: Love 'em or hate 'em, but bolsters do have a valid purpose ... they (as the term suggests) bolster the blade's vertical strength. Gothic cathedrals used flying buttresses to similar effect (albeit in the opposite direction), so they could build taller. However, bolsters also have their drawbacks - heavy regular users and professional chefs will usually bring their blades to a professional knife sharpener and have them grind down the edge-ward end of the bolster in order to permit the blade to be sharpened evenly, along it's full length. Why ? Over time, and with heavy regular use and repeated sharpening (especially if you prefer a really wicked-sharp extra-steep edge), a blade slowly gets narrower and narrower with wear ... the edge slowly creeping closer and closer towards the spine, like an incoming tide. If you're a really heavy user, you can expect to lose up to several millimeters per year. The next time you're in a well-established sushi bar, take a close look at the most frequently used knives by the hardest working chefs, and you'll occasionally see blades that have lost half or more of their original width (heck, I've seen henckel 10" slicers worn down so far they look like deboning knives, with the logo spilling off the edge). Anyway, if the bolster extends all the way to the edge, it eventually begins to get in the way of regular wear, tear & regular re-sharpening, so that unless you grind it back (to stay ahead of the recession of the edge), it'll begin to jut out, and the cutting edge will no longer sit flush against your cutting surface or sharpening stone ... kind of like trying to ice skate with a lump on the heel of your blade, or riding a motorcycle with the kickstand down. In any case, that's one of the easiest ways to tell an amateur from a pro is whether or not they've ever had to grind down their bolster.

Despite these 2 minor nits, I can highly recommend this knife ... 4 ½ (our of 5) stars.
Get more detail about Wüsthof Classic 10-Inch Cook's Knife.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Shun Elite 4-1/2-Inch Wide Cook's Knife Get it now!


This is a beautiful little prep knife: well-balanced, comfortable to hold (even with my men's size 11 hands) and a really useful size. It's small enough to use for paring, and can be used for trimming and light chopping against a board. When used on the board, the blade is wide enough to use the chef's "pinch grip," giving all the benefits of that excellent grip. The combination of both a small bolster, which is easy to get your thumb and index finger in front of for the pinch, and also a subtly-designed handle swell which increases the diameter at my middle finger is a combination which fills my hand well, even though the knife is physically small. When you need to trim something against the board with a normal paring knife, you've got to move the object to the edge of the board to have clearance for your hand; with this knife, you can cut wherever it's convenient without barking your knuckles or changing to some inefficient or error-inducing grip. This thing is so light, well-balanced, and functional, that it just disappears within a minutes's use; conversely, it's large enough that I can use it for long periods without my hand getting crampy.

I've got a great bunch of individually-chosen knives, ranging in size from a 50-year-old 12 inch carbon steel Sabatier chef's knife and a 12 inch Forschner cimeter, and down to a much-used German bec d'oiseau and garnishing knives, but I think that this little Shun gets used the most times per day of any of them. (Well, maybe it ties with my 10 inch chef's.) The physical beauty of the knife is just gravy; first and foremost, it works great! Sometimes in the evening, as I have a last cup of tea while standing in front of my prep board, I pull the knife out and just enjoy how good it feels in my hand while I'm waiting for the tea to steep. I own lots of objects which I curse at every time I touch them; this one I thank for enriching my time in the kitchen. Sound weird to you? You probably haven't read this far... However, if you try to find tools which you can love because of how well they work, give this one a look.Get more detail about Shun Elite 4-1/2-Inch Wide Cook's Knife.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

MAC MTH-80 8" Chef's Knife w/ Dimples


This knife is a VERY good knife...exactly what its described as. When it comes to usability and quality, it will not disappoint. I have no worries that this knife will corrode, fall apart, sharpen poorly, or fail to hold a reasonable edge. Very solid metal and well balanced. And it has a very nice look to it as well (minor importance, but still).

As to whether it is my favorite knife...well, I am torn. I probably prefer my Global knife (Global 8-Inch 20cm Cook's Knife) to be honest since I find this one to be heftier and heavier in general, and I am a female so the smaller handle of the Global fits me better...and yet I reach for this one a lot. It holds an edge better and cuts smoother (the dimples really do help, I think). For some reason it also cleans up easier. It's almost like it just sheds food and water to leave a nice clean surface...not sure why, but it does. As to which you'll prefer its up to you...either are fantastic knives. I really wanted to be able to try both, but couldn't find either in stores, so I ended up just buying them so I could compare and I really do see how it's a very personnel choice. If you have the space, money, and illogical love of having multiple knives, buy both?

And you may consider this a good thing or a bad thing but...can you really own this knife and not be constantly singing "Oh the shark has pretty teeth, dear/and he shows them pearly white..." every time you cut something? Or maybe that is just me... :D

Mack the KnifeGet more detail about MAC MTH-80 8" Chef's Knife w/ Dimples.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Low Price Furi FX 9-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife


WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST KNIFE I HAVE EVER HANDLED. THE BALANCE AND WEIGHT ARE PERFECT. IT CUTS EFFORTLESSLY. I HAVE A SET OF HENKELS AND WUSTOFF KNIVES THAT DO NOT COME CLOSE TO THIS ONE. THIS WAS MY SECOND PURCHASE OF THE FURI COPPERTAIL KNIFE. I BOUGHT IT FOR THE INSURANCE OF NEVER BEING WITHOUT ONE. NINE INCHES AND VERY ADEPT AT HANDLING INTRICATE CUTS.

RACHEL RAY HAS A LINE OF THESE KNIVES. I HAVE NEVER TRIED ONE. DUE TO WHAT LOOKS LIKE ORANGE PLASTIC HANDLES, I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY WOULD BE COMPARABLE.

BUY IT, YOU'LL LOVE IT.Get more detail about Furi FX 9-Inch Coppertail East/West Knife.