What do you look for in a knife?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Doug Bond on March 26, 2008 at 8:08pm

It depends on the use of the knife.
-- If I am going to be using the knife in a public kitchen on a daily basis, then I look for the most comfortable knife possible for my hand that can maintain a decent edge. Normally, for this application, I don't look for an expensive blade because things have a tendency to "walk-off" in a public kitchen.
-- For my travel "kit", I use mostly production blades that I am comfortable leaving behind if necessary. Again here, if you travel allot and go from kitchen-to-kitchen, you don't want to have a very expensive and treasured blade end up in someone else’s hands.
-- For personal use at home, I look for blades that have a balance of form and function. I want quality in the steel and I want it to look presentable as well. I want the blade to hold an edge for a long time, because I am the one doing all of the sharpening.
-- For specialty tasks, I always get specialty blades. I can't live without my uber-sharp flexible filet knife. For breaking down larger primal cuts of meat, I utilize a blade that was custom made by hand for me by a local knife smith.
In summary, a chef with great knife skills can cut with any blade as long as it has an edge. At the end of the day, it all boils down to personal preference.

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Elliot on May 25, 2008 at 12:33pm

Great response, thanks