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    Knives

    Christmas is coming, and that means I need to find a gift for my generous boss onece again.
    I would like to get him a set of three or four quality butcher knives. A cleaver is an important part of the set…

    if I google quality butcher knives, I come up with a bunch of Chinese stuff, and I’d like some help here.

    Budget would be about $300.

    I’m looking at these…

    Kuro Series Knife Set ($329)   Presenting our hardest blades ever, the Kamikoto Kuro Series knives, with superior edge retention. Kuro is Japanese for black. The Kuro Series knives are extremely sharp and made out of zirconium dioxide. These knives are intended for trained professionals only. Zirconium dioxide is an ex


    but it seems they’re also made in China, not Japan, as the website suggests.

    Any suggestions?

    #2
    When I recently upgraded my knife set, I settled on Mercer, who have a long track record in the restaurant and cooking school world. They are online only though, so you can't go into a store and pick 'em up before you buy. Very reasonable return policy however.

    My runner-up was Victorinox. Also very solid quality and reputation.

    These are also priced more affordably than are some of the higher-end blades. I do believe there are Asian components to their supply chains, but I don't recall the details.

    Good luck!

    Comment


    • Oak Smoke
      Oak Smoke commented
      Editing a comment
      +1 on Victorinox, My son is a professional butcher. Victorinox is all he uses.

    • Attjack
      Attjack commented
      Editing a comment
      I have mostly Mercer and a Victorinox but the knife I use most often is a Shun. My set of Mercer knives means a have a decent knife for every application.

    • Bkhuna
      Bkhuna commented
      Editing a comment
      I purchased a couple of mercer knives at a restaurant supply store.

      Call around.

    #3
    OK, so.. first question. Is your boss into knives? Do they know how to maintain them etc? Or are they the kind to toss knives into the dishwasher?

    And... are you after kitchen knives or specifically butcher knives?

    Comment


    • UncleSpike
      UncleSpike commented
      Editing a comment
      He is into butchering. Does probably 10 deer and a bunch of pigs and cows each year.
      He would know how to take care of knives…

    • Bob K
      Bob K commented
      Editing a comment
      ComfortablyNumb I think UncleSpike ‘s questions were all pretty reasonable. If a guy wants a sweet, sharp, dishwasher-safe, toss-it-when-it gets-dull knife, I’d definitely recommend a Victorinox. If he’s more of a "don’t-touch-my knives" kinda guy, I’d point him towards a Shun, Brooklyn Cut, ot one of my recent favorites: Bernal Cutlery. I think we’re all trying to be helpful here

    #4
    +1 DaveD said

    Comment


      #5
      Happy Holidays and it's the thought that counts. I have Victorinox. Affordable, and IMO solid quality.

      Comment


      • Grillin Dad
        Grillin Dad commented
        Editing a comment
        +1 on Victorinox. I've got several of their knives, and have had them for 10+ years. Not as 'flashy' as some other brands, but still very high quality

      #6
      I have Wusthof, Victorinox and Dahlstrong all of which I would recommend.

      Comment


        #7
        I'm a zwillings henkles man myself. Cleaver is a dexter Russell. That said I have some whustoff, victorinox. Dexter, dalstrong, made in, and shun too.

        Comment


          #8
          Recently purchased Gunter WIlhelms...never had great knives before and these are sweet

          Comment


          • Steve B
            Steve B commented
            Editing a comment
            I’ll second the Gunter Wilhelms. I picked up a couple of their Thunder Pro Cut series. I really like them.
            Don’t get me wrong. I also really like my Dalstrong’s. But the GW’s are definitely a better quality.

          #9
          Just a few random thoughts:

          "Butcher knives" are for taking cows, pigs, chickens, and other critters apart.

          A cleaver isn't necessarily a terribly important blade ... depending, of course, on your boss's actual needs.

          The Japanese knives that you link to specifically state that they are extremely hard, brittle, and are not for tasks like boning ... much less butchering.

          Is your boss more likely to find "butcher" knives or kitchen/chef's knives more useful?

          Giving a set of knives is tough. It's much easier to gift just one really nice "trophy quality" knife.

          Personally, I'd stick to good solid German steel for your gift.

          ... and don't worry about whether your boss is "into knives" or is likely to toss them into a dish washer. How he treats your gift after receiving it isn't really your issue.

          Comment


            #10
            I vote for Victorinox or Hammerstahl. I have several of each. My only issue with the Hammerstahls is that I have big hands and the handles are kind of small.

            Comment


              #11
              Have you considered looking at a butcher supply house such as https://store.butchersupply.net/cutlery-c116.aspx

              Comment


                #12
                Originally posted by MBMorgan View Post

                ... and don't worry about whether your boss is "into knives" or is likely to toss them into a dish washer. How he treats your gift after receiving it isn't really your issue.

                Eh... yes and no. It's a waste to give someone a really nice knife, esp one that's carbon steel etc, if they don't really care about knives and abuse them. No, it's not your business but if they care that little I'd do some other gift esp if I was spending $300 or so. But for someone who really appreciates a good knife, that would be a very n​ice gift indeed.

                Also, there are Japanese knives made to break down meat (honesukis). I have one and it's fun. If the guy really breaks down primals etc there's another for that but few of us do it.

                I've always wanted one of these butcher knives but can't justify it https://www.japanesenaturalstones.co...mm-wa-butcher/. But if someone is into this style but wants something a little different, this is pretty cool.
                Last edited by rickgregory; November 5, 2022, 09:58 PM.

                Comment


                  #13
                  Originally posted by rickgregory View Post


                  Eh... yes and no. It's a waste to give someone a really nice knife, esp one that's carbon steel etc, if they don't really care about knives and abuse them. No, it's not your business but if they care that little I'd do some other gift esp if I was spending $300 or so. But for someone who really appreciates a good knife, that would be a very n​ice gift indeed.

                  Also, there are Japanese knives made to break down meat (honesukis). I have one and it's fun. If the guy really breaks down primals etc there's another for that but few of us do it.

                  I've always wanted one of these but can't justify it https://www.japanesenaturalstones.co...mm-wa-butcher/. It's not that expensive (about $160) but I jsut don't break down primals or larger and for cubing a chuckie or something, the petty or gyuto i have is fine.

                  1. It’s a gift … not a waste.
                  2. I specifically referenced the knives to which the OP linked.
                  3. Uh. Ok.

                  Comment


                  • rickgregory
                    rickgregory commented
                    Editing a comment
                    I guess I would rather give someone a gift of something they're into.

                    I linked that specific knife because it's actually a Japanese version of a Western... butcher knife. Which is what we're talking about.
                    Last edited by rickgregory; November 5, 2022, 09:57 PM.

                  #14
                  Definitely recommend these guys for unique cutlery, have 2 boning knives I love: https://bernalcutlery.com/

                  Comment


                  • SheilaAnn
                    SheilaAnn commented
                    Editing a comment
                    I have become weak……. Must. Not. Click. Link. Again.

                  • rickgregory
                    rickgregory commented
                    Editing a comment
                    SheilaAnn - I've not looked at Bernal in a while and they've really expanded what they have. Beuatiful stuff. But you're in SoCal right? This is the link you want https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com

                  #15
                  I had that set you linked. They are single bevel and tricky to sharpen. They worked great when sharp. I gave mine away. They are not true Japanese knives. If your boss is really into knives there are better options.

                  Mid Tier:
                  MAC Honesuki Boning Knife I love this knife for boning chicken. The tip is really nimble.
                  This Honesuki is a traditional Japanese-style poultry boning knife/cleaver.  It has a stout blade with a single-bevel edge and a stiff, pointed tip.  The thick, stiff blade has enough backbone to drive the knife through chicken joints or small fish bones and the pointed tip allows you to remove meat around bones.  3.0m


                  Professional Series 8" Chef's Knife
                  The MTH-80 is our most popular knife for everyday use.  The 8" length is the most commonly used size in both the home and professional kitchen.  With standard features of our Professional series, the thin 2.5mm blade and bolster allows this knife to easily cut, slice, and dice almost any food.  The added dimples help t


                  Professional Series 6 1/2" Santoku
                  The iconic kitchen knife over the last decade.  The dimpled Santoku has become commonplace amongst the current household knife set.  Ours features the standard bolster of our Professional Series and dimples to help the knife glide through almost any food with ease.  The "knife of three virtues" is perfect for fruits/ve


                  Henckels Classic 6-Inch Cleaver
                  https://www.zwilling.com/us/henckels...TuPkWrmIHHhLY6 UwFkk8-javQR1ng5BCfFRkXaijCYuLGfvu4-Z7TyRoCkZMQAvD_BwE

                  Higher End: I have the guyoto and love it
                  Ryusen Hamono Blazen Kiritsuke​
                  Blade Length 240 mm Total Length 395 mm Steel SPG 2 (Super Gold 2) Stainless Handle Walnut Ferrule N/A Rockwell 62 Height Spine to heel 46 mm Width at Spine 2.4 mm Weight 157 grams Bevel  Double (50/50) Ryusen Hamono Ryusen Hamono is another fantastic maker working out of the renowned Takefu Knife Village, based in Ech


                  Ryusen Hamono Blazen Gyuto
                  Sharp Knife Shop is a Japanese knife store in Hamilton, ON, carrying a large selection of handcrafted Japanese kitchen knives, sharpening accessories, knife storage, cutting boards, cookware, and more. We also provide sharpening and knife skills classes, and in-store sharpening service.


                  Ryusen Hamono Blazen Nakiri
                  Blade Length 165 mm Total Length 308 mm Steel SPG 2 (Super Gold 2) Stainless Handle Walnut Ferrule N/A Rockwell 62 Height Spine to heel 47 mm Width at Spine 2 mm Weight 136 grams Bevel  Double (50/50) Ryusen Hamono Ryusen Hamono is another fantastic maker working out of the renowned Takefu Knife Village, based in Echiz




                  ​MISEN Knives: a Good Set
                  Explore premium quality knife sets meticulously designed for every kitchen at Misen. Elevate your culinary skills with our top-rated knife collections.

                  I have the chef knife and it is a great knife for the money

                  Comment

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