Knife porn thread

I knew that would come back! I am hoping to try some out, but always wanted a view on whether any brands where seen as inherently better than others, or if some were simply well marketed but had little substance.

Thanks, that’s super helpful. I have an ok knife I use at the moment thays nicely weighted but find it struggles to hold an edge (despite sharpening) and I’m not a fan of it’s all metal construction as though whilst nice and stiff the handle gets very slippery when damp.

Not adverse to some sharpening, but on an as needed basis rather than obsessively every week. I don’t have a dishwasher (other than human hands!) and I’d likely be the only one that really uses it so having something that needs a little more care doesn’t bother me unduly.

Thanks! When you say “classic” you mean the one with the full metal spine that’s then sandwiched between the black (wooden?) handle?

exactly, a la:

I'm a big fan of the Global g2 chefs knife. I've got quite a few different knives but I find myself coming back to that a lot.
I think it's quite a personal thing, so worth going somewhere and picking them up.

I always say this, but as you won't have heard it....

Given a £30 victorinox fibrox chef's knife is all you actually need, buying anything above is a luxury purchase.

In which case I'd recommend going to some shops and trying knifes out. Any performance difference is negligible/psychosomatic so it's actually what you like in your hand and like the look of that's important. Plus it's an enjoyable experience so make the most of it and treat it as part of the gift.

Personally I really like Wustof but ymmv.

Like this

I think it’s rolled using a a mat and clingfilm.

I’m looking for some fairly easy to try. Just to start with.

Also is chicken routinely used in sushi?

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That has nori, it's just rolled in reverse so the rice is on the outside. If you want no seaweed then go for nigiri. Sushi is about doing the rice well, seasoning it, making good fillings and finally rolling or preparing it. You can't make rolls without nori, it won't roll.

Yes that’ll be rolled with a bamboo sushi mat (available in most supermarkets now, Waitrose and sainsburys stock it near me for sure), but as @Sumo mentioned you can’t roll without nori sheets.

Chicken isn’t widely used, but no reason why it can’t be. Just make sure it’s long and thin and straight when rolling it all up. I’ve had good success with firm tofu and mushrooms as fillings rather than fish and as long as they are long thin battons then the rolling is just the same.

If you’re working with sushi rice then make sure your hands/implements/mat stays damp, stops everything sticking to everything else. Similar to how you might dust a surface with flour when working with dough.

Thanks, helpful insight. Whilst I agree I don’t mind spending on something that looks and feels nice even if functionally it’s the same. I cook to relax, so having something I enjoy using (and is good at it) feels worthwhile up to a certain price point anyway!

For something you're using every day, I think it makes perfect sense to splash out on something nice.

My point is you should try before you buy. Equally don't get hung up on specs. Buy what you like.

Might not be an issue for some, but i really hate sharpening knives with a bolster at the heel of the blade.
If you don't mind a bit of minimal upkeep this would be great - https://japaneseknifecompany.com/product/miyabi-isshin-gyuto/ - I've got the utility knife and its grand. They've got a shop on Baker st too so you can see if you like the feel of it, which is the most important bit.

and you can have dim sum at royal china too :)

My 11 yo does something similar to this with a standard bamboo mat covered in cling wrap

My bad for not seeing the nori. I’m not against using nori. Just looking for something easy to make with tuna.

Nori makes rolling sushi easier.
Of course the most simple choice is nigiri, sliced on top.

My favourite way of eating raw fish is actually hwe dup bap, (or poke bowls) with gochujang dressing.

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potatoes or onions in particular don’t stick to the blade. <

It's a small thing, but for me - I hold this as a myth - and contradic myself I'd buy the one I have with scallops again

I was just going on the fact that all my my current knives are smooth and I get annoyed any time I slice onions or potatoes that they stick like crazy. Thought it was worth a shot at trying something different, given chopping potatoes and onions is a very regular occurrence with an Eastern European other half 😂

Hate to break it to you but it's not for sushi

Personally I reckon the scalloped one I have does make stuff like potatoes stick less.

Any performance difference is negligible/psychosomatic so it's actually what you like in your hand and like the look of that's important.

its definitely not psychosomatic. a 20 degree western knife cuts very differently to a 15 degree japanese knife. western knives are much lower HRC but this is mitigated by not being sharpened to such fine angle but they don't hold an edge in the same fashion.

But objectively they both cut food don't they? And you still need to sharpen them.

Everything you've noted basically comes down to subjective individual preferences.

I'll conceded that decent European stainless steel is objectively more practical.

that's like saying rough sandpaper and fine sandpaper are both sandpapers and smooth things. they do similar jobs but differently. the quality of cut is substantially different, herbs cut by a sharp knife wilt more slowly than ones torn by a less sharp knife. you can't get a clean cut for sushi with a knife with a 20degree bevel. so they don't do the same job. this is not subjective, it is objective.

i could imagine you arguing a halfords bike is the same thing as a modern race bike, they both need their tyres pumping up. it's only subjective individual preference. and the halfords bike is objectively more practical.

Come on man. None of those are remotely comparable eg. We're talking about getting a nice chef's knife. Their is an implied assumption it's going to be sharp enough to cut herbs.

I've never prepped sashimi or nigiri, so can't speak to that, but I've cut sushi rolls with an old school Sabatier. But yeah if that's your main use and a real need then go for a specific knife for that purpose. Most of our food is veggie now, so I use my nakiri more than my chefs knife.

In terms of bikes it's like arguing over head tube angles in the same genre of bikes at similar price points. And my fundamental point is buy what feels good.

I don’t think you actually have a decent understanding or actual real world experience of the difference. The width of the blade, the angle of the bevel all make a difference. But this discussion is like me trying to explain to the man in the pub why roadies wouldn’t want to ride a flat bar hybrid. Again hi performance knives perform better but like a hi spec bike will often need more didligent maintenance to get the best out of them.