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My wife has snapped a 3rd Global knife at the point between the blade and the handle. Previously, there has been some evidence that it’s going to go, but not this time, and it’s only ever the Globals that break and admittedly only ever when my wife is using them…
What would STW recommend? I’d prefer a one piece handle if possible.
How do you snap a knife?
Opening paint tins or something?
I’ve used Globals for years and years and never snapped one.
Does she use them to smash garlic etc?
Do they go in the dishwasher?
yeah, how do you do that. the only knives ive ever had problems with have been older ones that were put in the dishwasher
Victorinox Fibrox - sharp, holds an edge well and if you snap one (how do you snap a chef's knife???) you can just buy another as it's a third of the price of a Global
Were they all from the same set ?
Obvious answer is a new wife 😉
TBF I vaguely recall stories of Global knives snapping where the balde meets the hilt when I was looking to get some a few years back.
Victorinox knives get good reviews, seem like the knife equivalent of the Brand X dropper post.
I just pop down to TK Maxx and see what they have.
Stellar knives, branded as James Martin ones. We have 3 we bought with gift vouchers from Debenhams over 10 years ago and they're still going strong. Re-sharpen nicely. Only small issue is the soft handle grips do get damaged but not enough to warrant new ones being needed.
Yes - all from the same set. No never dishwashered. All broken whilst cutting veg, usually root veg.
Had the same with our global. Not just you!
I just pop down to TK Maxx and see what they have.
This has worked well for us too.
We’ve got various Sabatier knives from TK Max that have been going for about 10 years now. I only recently had to sharpen them, previously just used a steel.
No idea if Sabatier are considered good enough for STW of course!
Victorinox fibrax/plastic handles. Nephew works in Michelin starred restaurants and that's what most of them use on a daily basis.
The fancy knives only get used to show off or at trade shows or photo shoots
ProCook. I’ve got a couple of their knives, they’re much better made than Global, being a full tang construction with riveted Micarta or resin impregnated wood scales. They quite often do online special offers as well.
They do a similar type of knife to the Global brand, but I had a Global, and I was never very happy with it, the blade wasn’t directly in line with the handle, and I was afraid to try to straighten it in case it snapped off, which I’d heard could happen, often when used to smash garlic bulbs!
This Santoku is on a web offer for £26:
https://www.procook.co.uk/product/professional-x50-micarta-santoku-knife-13cm-5in
This rather lovely Nakiri is on offer for £9.99!
https://www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-nihon-x50-nakiri-knife-16cm-65in
Here’s their full range:
I’ve got a Santoku and a Nakiri, and I reckon they’re pretty much indestructible under normal use.
+1 for victorinox fibrox.
But I think we should be given the answer to How the hell do you break them ? and 3 into the bargain ?? Be handy to know because we could make a better assumption of what you need. Perhaps something from Fallkniven knives might better suit.
I've also been lucky in TK Maxx, I got a few Kai knives years ago and they're still going strong (not the cheap ones but the full tang versions)
Wusthof classic are the good knives in our house... lovely knives, no snapping
Bought our first decent knife set just this summer, so can't speak for longevity just yet - delivery took forever and customer service was not great, but they are beautiful and "holy shitballs!" sharp. Love em. 🙂
https://santokuknives.co.uk/products/riku-damascus-vg10-knife
I got an Anolon chefs knife from John Lewis.
It was reasonably priced, comfortable and has stayed ridiculously sharp.
Had Global knives since 2000… no issues at all, still going strong. What are you all doing to them?
I follow bourne knives on Instagram. Things of beauty and I was all for buying some until I looked at the STW compliant price.
https://instagram.com/bourne.knives?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Wusthof classic are the good knives in our house
Will second that.
Zwilling Henckels for me.
Best customer service I've ever come across. Had a 15-20 year old knife of theirs that developed some minor cracks in the handle, nothing that affected the performance. Had no proof of purchase. Emailed them about it and they sent me a brand new one that was a bigger and better model than the old one. Didn't ask for the old one back either.
A lifetime guarantee that means what it says.
My ZH santoku probably gets the most use out of the 4 of theirs I have.
Another vote for KAI knives.
I bought a new "deba" knife from Flint & Flame and it's bloody brilliant. Not cheap at £70 but having previously had `Deglon Sabatier, this is a definite step up in quality. Similar in style to a Santoku and it's much better than the one of those I already had. Pretty much the only knife I use now.
Niwaki.com
Select home from menu then kitchen knives.
Disclaimer - I don't have any...yet but some proper hand made Japanese kitchen knives are definitely on the list!
My favourite is a Miyabi something or another. Looks like Damascus but I think it's only engraved that way.
If the more expensive proper Damascus are sharper then I'd be well impressed, cos mines like a scalpel.
I bought some Sabatier knives from tk max 15 years ago.
Other than the small one my house mate snapped the point by levering the heel off her high heels off they are in great nick.
I have a couple of santouko knives also from tk max and they have survived 10 years of my wife putting them in the dishwasher when I'm not looking
We’ve got procook x50’s I think. Never had sharper knives - outrageously good when new. Had them a few years and still pretty sharp - I got a decent sharpener but only needed to use it on the 2 most used knives so far.
Would recommend. We don’t put them in the dishwasher fyi.
I've got a procook Nihon set that I picked up in sales, they were about a tenner each on average, very good for the price but I wouldn't pay full price for them, approx £40 a piece depending on size/type.
+1 for victorinox
There are better knives out there but these hit the sweet spot for price/quality
Ahh here you go... tenner for a Nakiri.. billy bargain at that price, be rude not to. It's not full tang but it's a good mid range knife for a tenner.
https://www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-nihon-x50-nakiri-knife-16cm-65in
Got way too many knives. Most sit in drawers or knife rolls never getting used. The ones that stay in rotation would therefore be my recommendations...
Robert Welch.
Marttini.
Cheap cleaver from your nearest Asian supermarket.
Porsche.
But whatever you choose, also get a decent steel and use it.
+1 for victorinox
I've heard a lot of professionals use them, as they are cheap to replace but also very good. They just don't look very cool though, but function over form, I guess.
I've 2 knives I use about daily. a 10" Samuel Staniforth cooks chopping knife, and a standard Victorinox fibrox handled boning knife.
The chopping knife takes and holds a very good edge, better than the Victorinox, and I maintain both using a Chantry sharpener and 14" F.Dick butchers steel.
About once a year, or so I maybe use a fine diamond sharpening stone to refine the edge, but for the majority of the time the chantry and a steel keep then sharp enough to easily slice through tomato skin(A good test)
Clements knives...
I wouldn’t bother making a trip to TK Maxx to buy a knife as it seems that they have stopped selling them.
I haven’t seen any knifes there for several years which is a shame as several other guys here and myself have managed to buy some great knifes for not much cash in the past.
Mikey, TK Maxx still sell kitchen knives but they're now in a locked display cabinet.
Pro cook. X50 Nice shape. Good blade. Stays sharp. Not silly price.
Wusthof Classic if you want European style; Kai Shun if you want Japanese. Both are great. A 20cm chef's knife will cover most bases.
Add a 1000/6000 whetstone and use it every 3-6 months, and you're set for a long time.
this. Is your wife Mrs Shrek? 😉😂 Had the same global for going on 10 years now. Goes through the dishwasher every day. 😀How do you snap a knife?
Opening paint tins or something?
Actually, is it just because you don’t bother to keep them sharp? So have to use way too much force to cut root veg?
this. Is your wife Mrs Shrek? 😉😂 Had the same global for going on 10 years now. Goes through the dishwasher every day. 😀How do you snap a knife?
Opening paint tins or something?
Actually, is it just because you don’t bother to keep them sharp? So have to use way too much force to cut root veg?
Sabatier isn’t actually a brand - just a marketing gimmick the same as “giclee” paintings! Anyone can use it, doesn’t really mean anything.No idea if Sabatier are considered good enough for STW of course!
It is surprising how usefull and versatile a 13cm utility / petty knife is. Recomending what I got is a Robert herder Japaniche formen petty in carbon steel, but something similar from TK max would be alot cheaper but still work. Look for overall thinness of the blade and you wont go far wrong.