Kitchen knives are apparently a cultural obsession these days. The home cooking phenomenon has almost glutted the market with quality knives. This is great for the consumer, but it means that you need to do a little research before making a decision. And true to form, I'm doing a lot of research.
The plan is to first buy a single chef's knife (8" or longer) and then expand from there. While you may get a better deal buying a complete kit, it seems like most of those kits contain some knives of dubious value. Ultimately we'll add a 6" utility knife, a bread knife, a paring knife or two, a steel, and a block. If we start with an 8" chef's kife, then we'll likely add a 10" at some point as well. The hope is to find a brand we like and stick with it, so finding a company that will stay in business and offers a diverse selection will build a foundation that could last a lifetime. But no matter what, I'm not going to buy more than we need for what we do in the kitchen. (Just like buying a better guitar won't make you a better musician, buying more knives won't teach you how to cook.)
There seem to be two major schools of knife design for the Western kitchen -- the traditional German designs and the newer Japanese-made knives, adapted to the Western styles. The blades differ insofar as the Japanese knives have a more acute angle on the knife edge, are frequently finished in the Damascus style, and are sharpened only on one side (for right-handed chefs). The Western-style Japanese knives are typically lighter, hollowed handled (balanced with sand), and lack a bolster or tang. The downside is that they are harder to sharpen, require more maintenance, can nick easier, and may not fit as well in the larger hand. Whereas the German knives are sharpened on both sides at a more traditional European angle, have a sturdier blade, weigh a bit more, and have a more familar feel to American hands.
So far I'm narrowing the field down to the major manufactures. These include the Japanese-made Kershaw Shun Stainless Line, (see also the Classic Line of more Western-style knives, and the Pro Line of traditional Japanese knives), the Global Line, or the German-made WÌ?sthof Culinar Line, (see also the WÌ?sthof Classic Line), or the J.A. Henckels Twin Select Line (see also the Pro S Line).
My preference is to start a collection of the more contemporary steel designs. Partly because I like shiny things, partly because they match well with our kitchen and appliances. But that won't take precedence over a good knife -- function over form. We both grew up using German-style Henckels, so those shapes and weights are familiar, but we are willing to try something new if the Japanese knives are better.
Since the first purchase will be a chef's/cook's knife, here are the current top options:
WÌ?sthof Culinar 8-Inch Cook's Knife
Henckels Twin Select 8-Inch Chef's Knife
Shun Stainless 8-Inch Chef's Knife
Global 8-1/4-Inch Heavyweight Chef's Knife
So, what are your recommendations? I know that a number of people who read unto.net also have pretty sophisticated home kitchens and your advice is really appreciated. Any ideas or comments will help us out significantly.
Research wise, I've found that the Kitchen board on Knifeforums has many knowledgable and friendly postings, and the author over at Foodie Forums is highly regarded as an expert in the field. These sites were a great help, but I'd like to hear your opinions as well. What do you use in the kitchen?
(BTW, I linked everything to Amazon with my associate ID. Feel free to use your own associate ID if you link to something in the comments. Or if you have a recommendation on where to buy the knives other than Amazon, I'd love to hear that, too!)