SC - Starter Knife Set

Wed Oct 22 23:40:32 PDT 1997

Many Thanks!!!  I feel a little better that I keep the knives I do have
in a wooden block for storage.  Don't know how long it will take me to
perfect the sharpening technique.  I think I may be a hazard with sharp
items; I tried to separate my fingernail from my finger peeling the
apples last night.  There are not many knife vendors available here. 
While Anchorage is a fairly large city, our stores run to the large
regional/national chains.  There is only one "kitchen" store here that
has quality items however, I fear I would have to plunder heavily to
afford much.  It is a fun place to drool though.

Lady Clare
(Who is looking forward to the long summer days when the sun doesn't
set)

Mike C. Baker wrote:
> 
> ---Steve Geppert <emster at alaska.net> wrote:
> > I am also interested in knowing what would be a good
> > "starter set" of knives.
> 
> Based upon the description of "Honey Apples", it sounds like you
> already have at least part of a "starter set", soooooo.....
> 
> Caveat up front: I sell knives & swords to the SCA, mostly imported
> things for feast table use or for display as part of costume. (The
> "Russian" knife I sold to Esko's lady wife is being marketted
> elsewhere as a filet knife for fishermen, and just happens to be a
> reasonable shape for utility and kitchen working purposes -- would
> be considered a stiff boner, if I follow the formal jargon
> correctly...) My father sells knives to friends and family. My
> grandfather sold knives at craft shows and otherwise, and made them
> himself until emphesema kept him away from the grinder. I'm still
> selling modern kitchen-type knives from Grandad's stock. I've seen
> custom blade designs for kitchen and elsewhere, I've seen cheap
> imports, I've seen fancy high-price imports, and I'd guess about
> every form of sharpening device known to humanity.
> 
> My proposed starter set is not based upon a manufacturer, but upon
> materials and willingness to learn the tools. For this starter set,
> I suggest stainless steel blades, low-maintenance plastic or cast
> metal handles, and the best set of sharpening stones you can afford.
> (You specified "starter", so I hope the purists don't slam me too
> hard for specifiying stainless...)
> 
> First digression: yes, I said stones. More control than a "steel",
> yet more demanding and far more flexible than a set of crock sticks.
> Requires some of that "will to learn" in order to use stones
> properly. I guarantee that learning to do proper sharpening with
> stones (including carborundums, Arkansas, and what-have-ya) will be
> time well-spent in the long term.
> Whatever you do, do NOT use an electric grinding wheel or that
> stupid slot in the back of an electric can opener. The dinky
> hand-held device with the interlaced metal wheels is also a big
> no-no in my book.
> 
> Knives in the starter set:
> -------------------------
> Paring Knife: maybe two, in differing lengths
> "Chef" Knife
> Boning or Filet Knife
> Bread Knife (only knife in the set which should have serrations, IMAO)
> 
> I would add as important tools not always considered "proper" or
> sometimes just not mentioned in advanced knife sets:
> 
> Knife block / rack ("care & feeding": *never* just toss your knives
> loosely into a drawer or jam them into a jumble in that structured
> plastic silverware bin compartment)
> 
> Your choice of "potato" peeler (whatever you grew up with or are
> most comfortable in using - my favorite at the moment is a mid-50s
> or earlier design with a metal body and perpendicular blade which I
> just saw approximated in a plastic bodied version at the nearest
> Japanese market here in Irving)
> 
> Vegetable brush
> 
> Approximations of appropriate blade lengths:
> Paring 4" blade (if two, try a very short blade in addition to
> whatever you have already been using), Chef 8 or 10" blade, filet
> knife 7 to 10", and bread knife at least 10" if available
> 
> The entry for "Chef" knife may be misleading. Something a little
> fuller bodied than the shape I grew up calling a "French chef", but
> less than a pointy-ended cleaver or "Chinese cleaver", is my
> personal preference. The distinction here is to try some differing
> blade shapes when you get a chance, and include at least one knife
> in your final set with a "deep" enough blade to allow carrying
> chopped incredients on it with some ease. I happen to prefer this
> shape to a square-ended cleaver blade style.
> 
> Second digression: never consider a double-edge blade for regular
> kitchen use without *damn* good reason to do so. Too many safety
> problems, too little advantage beyond only one (double-length)
> sharpening session.
> 
> Materials Choice
> ----------------
> I choose stainless and plastic or cast metal for this "starter" set
> due to ease of maintenance. Unlike many other reports I have heard,
> I've very seldom been unable to place a good edge on any decent
> stainless steel, and in the few cases where I could not there were
> typically other factors in play (very thick blade spine, less than
> my full set of tools on hand, blade already badly damaged by
> mistreatment of some type).
> 
> If you have an experienced cook or knife vendor whom you trust and
> who is willing to go blade shopping with you, a properly maintained
> high-carbon steel blade with a well-made, well-fitted wooden handle
> is still going to be the better buy in the long run. *IF* you are
> willing to invest time in maintaining it. *IF* you are willing to
> sharpen the edge by hand and clean it properly after use. And *IF*
> you always remember that it is NOT stainless steel.
> 
> Closing caveat to knife rantings: remember, even stainless steel can
> and will rust if a knife is not cleaned after use and stored properly.
> 
> > I've greatly enjoyed the discussions so far and have been glad
> > I don't have coffee in my hand or I would've burned myself!
> 
> Yes, but reverse-snarfing Diet Cherry Coke doesn't do any better
> than spilling hot drinks, at least in my case...
> 
> > Thank you,
> > Lady Clare
> > (settling in for the long Alaskan winter, snow on the ground
> > already!)
> 
> Braggart! But, then, I'm the wienie who starts seriously dragging
> out his "Think August" t-shirt when other people are putting on
> "Think Snow" or "Ski Oklahoma" slogans...
> 
> ===
> Pax ... Kihe / Adieu -- Amra / TTFN -- Mike
> Kihe Blackeagle (the Dreamsinger Bard) /
> Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra (AoA in SCA, so: al-Sayyid) /
> Mike C. Baker: My opinions are my own -- no one else would want them!
>      F.O.B. (Friend Of Blackfox)
> Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8661
> Alt. e-mail: KiheBard at aol.com MikeCBaker at aol.com
> 
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