Monday, February 23, 2009

The Cooks Knife Guide

Frank Terranova M.C..E.

The Cooks Knife Guide

To help make up your mind on what kind of knives you might want in your kitchen, here is a comparison of some name brands. This is in no way my recommendation of any particular knife. Also, they are not listed in any order of preference.

Henckles Twin Fin: this is a seamless, solid, stainless steel knife and is considered high end professional.
Henckles Four Star:  moderately priced knife designed with perfect handling; high end professional.
Wustahof Classic: precision forged high carbon steel; high end.
Kasumi Titanium: made from molybdenum vanadium coated with titanium. It is considered the sharpest edge made; high end professional.  (By the way, I purchased this knife in Germany; it’s as light as a feather.  I love it!)
Kyocera FK Series: this is a ceramic knife that is very sharp and stronger than conventional steel knives; very high end.
Haiku: constructed using ancient Japanese sword-smith techniques. This knife has a Bamboo handle and is very sharp; very high end.
Tojiro Senkou: a top quality Japanese knife with 63 layers of Damascus steel; very high end professional.

When purchasing a top quality knife, always look for a full tang knife, meaning the steel blade extends all the way through the handle. Some knives have rivets in the handles, some do not. Most of the knives have an average cost of $150-$200 each. They must only be sharpened on a whetstone; NEVER use an electrical sharpening machine. Don’t forget, if giving a knife as a gift or for any occasion the receiver must, in turn, give the giver a penny. It’s a chef’s tradition meaning to use the knife in good health. As a professional it took years to figure out what type I like and the balance. To a chef the knife is the extension of their creativity. I have finally (I think) found the knives I love the most; they should at a cost of$2,800!!

Just have fun.