How I choose between High-End knives and Ultra-High-End knives

[@markusr.8125]

If you spend the money on a high end knife then do yourself the favor and learn to sharpen. Got goosebumps when you showed the electric sharpener. Don’t use it on high end knives!

[@Robinson.69]

So true!!

[@brandonhoffman4712]

There are decent electric sharpeners out there. They start around 200, but I wouldn't recommend one under 500. you can even get them in 15 degree or 12 degree. I forget the brand, but they have a patented deal called trizor. I basically makes 3 facetted cuts at ever increasing angles. meant to round the edge that would be sharp on a hand hone. it helps the blade cut better, offering less resistance. My guess is its tech to help those who are never going to thin their knives. The brand won 1st place on Americas test kitchen for knife sharpeners. I got my mom one. I use the TSPROFF CADET Pro. I use CBN plates in succession up to 8k then strop with a 16k (1 micron) diamond emulsion on leather.

[@nuggyfresh6430]

no. An electric sharpener is fine and it is ridiculously cringe to suggest they can't be used.

[@heroinbath1877]

If you're gonna buy an electric sharpener instead of learning how to properly sharpen you knife you might as well just pay someone else to sharpen your knife.

[@madsupervilian.]

lol

[@1998TDM]

I'm a chef and knife sharpener. My twist on your interpretation of bevel angles is simply - the better you can use a knife, the better a knife you can use. Solves most problems when deciding what to buy.

[@Cook-Culture]

Good advice!

[@davidsilvas9441]

Disagree on the pull through sharpener for "high end" knives. The scratch pattern they create (horizontal vs mostly vertical) can cause the edge to micro chip easier. The horizontal scratches on ultra fine powder metals (Miyabi SG2) creates a stress riser and increases the chance of that edge to break off. Shun's VGMax grain is larger, but will likely still have this issue. A correctly used honing rod (Tungsten or ceramic) or leather strop with diamond compound would be a better choice.

[@michaelbosisto6259]

Finally, someone who understands knives… thank you

[@Kmuggle]

Having owned a restaurant … when it comes to knives I'm pretty set in my ways. For home use … if it's hard to sharpen … you're not going to sharpen it and you're wasting your money … you might as well pick up a cheapie from Costco. I stay clear of all stainless steel knives because I consider them a hassle to sharpen. For home use my preference is a knife with a carbon steel edge and a blade cladded in stainless steel … always Japanese … not to big … thin … not too straight an edge … less than $200. The ones I have are super easy to sharpen on a water stone and hold their edge very well. I use 'em every day and they're a joy to use. BTW … a good wooden cutting board is worth it.

[@Cook-Culture]

Great point! Always wood!

[@brandonhoffman4712]

A piece of pine from the hardware store works perfectly fine. The sap is even antimicrobial! Though if you want to spend 300 for someone to chop it into pieces, turn the grain on end and glue it all together, there's always the company larch wood. Larch is a pine, BTW. I'm a fan of stainless knives as I have been known to be forgetful at times. I only recommend Japanese. I like a straight edge when dealing with veggies. A chef knife is a must for some rocking here and there. A petty is a must for trimming fat off my preprocessed meats and smaller work. One can send their knives out to be sharpened if they cared enough, but people are often lazy to the point of detriment. At least if you treat a harder knife properly it stays sharper longer. Giving you more time until it needs sharpened. I haven't sharpened my SG2 stainless in 2 years and it still performs quite well. 2 weeks ago I had to run and grab my knife from my car @ thanksgiving because my mom's electric slicer was struggling on the med-rare prime rib. I don't think I'll pick that electric up ever again... I can tell my knife needs sharpened, but my sharpening skills are not adequate to touch my service weapons! I just got a TSPROF sharpener. It handles up to 300mm down to 9 degrees if i wish. I'll have them razor sharp after my Christmas sharpening stones come my way. I can even strop on that thing for a perfect polish. The stuff I've seen online is nuts. I'll still have to practice my thinking skills though.

[@Kmuggle]

That's why I don't like SS ... the steel is too hard ... takes too long to do a proper job ... and I wanna spend my time cutting not sharpening. I've tried fancy sharpening tools and found them too expensive and too time consuming. In my restaurant long chefs knives ruled but at home I like shorter knives with a little rocker. My sharpening system is simple ... a 1K/6K combo water stone and I strop on an old scrap of blue jeans ... no jigs ... works great on my CS Japanese knives. The only time I resort to something more elaborate is when I have to sharpen my high Rockwell Japanese chisels ... which I do freehand using a cutting compound impregnated wooden disk on my lathe They're so hard to sharpen that I touch 'em up at the slightest hint of a dulling edge. The good news is that once ya learn how to sharpen stuff ya can get a great edge using almost any sharpening system.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Next time use commas instead of multiple fullstops. Not only is it the correct way to punctuate, it also makes reading what you have to say a lot easier.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@@einundsiebenziger5488 wee ooo ... wee ooo ... wee ooo ... Look Out The grammar Police ... Wee ooo! Wee ooo!

[@rebeccad812]

Would you consider creating a video on how to maintain knives? How to use a honing steel, an electric sharpener, and other options. thank you!

[@Cook-Culture]

Hi, yes, I will be doing that - for high end knives.

[@georgeyoung4292]

Never use el. sharpener on your knife!!! And dont buy high end knife if you have no skill and tools to maintain it and honing steel wont help a lot.. Honing steel is used only to extract the max of one sharpening but you're eventually gonna need to get on stones and here we come to the issue cause quality stones are expansive and you need at least 2-3...High end knifes are not for just regular cook but for enthusiasts that have skill, technique and tools to maintain them in perfect shape.. It takes years to acquire🙏 Of course you have to start somewhere but going from "Toyota to Bugatti" will shock your wallet

[@brandonhoffman4712]

Ya a honing steel is for german steel. A ceramic honing rod is for japanese knives. You need the rod to be harder than the knife. A japanese knife is too similar in hardness to a honing steel and will damage the rod over time and potentially the knife. A honing rod is for maintenance and should be done 1-2 times per week on a japanese knife. Sharpening stones. Dont use them on your good knives until you feel good at using them. A novice can do more harm than good here. If you have the money you can bypass this learning curve with something like the TSPROF sharpeners. I just got a KADET pro which can sharpen up to 300mm or almost 12 inches of blade. You will still need to buy traditional stones to thin out your blades over the long run. But these steps will buy you some time to learn. They are not cheap purchases though. One can always send their knives in to be sharpened. It normally runs 10-20 per blade but some sharpeners charge a bit extra for japanese knives. Its good to use a company you trust because you are trusting your knives life in somone elses hands. I wont touch my good knives with a stone yet and im 2 years in. Thats why im getting the TSPROF... Now i can be the families resident sharpener and hone all my skills on all their cheesy knives! Watch out faberware ive got some 100 grit with your name on it!

[@Thomas-p1f1u]

​​​@@brandonhoffman4712 Great advice! Practice on Dexter, Mercer Renaissance, or Victorinox knives, prior to Shun, Miyabi, or Kramer. ALSO: Master progressive stone selection when it comes to sharpening knives with whetstones.

[@thiago.assumpcao]

Using a pull through sharpener is a great way to turn a high end knife into a crappy knife.

I think this is the greatest video about how to find knife for your own style as all people have a different style and habits.... great video over all! Thanks

[@hermes8258]

What do I need for my cooking needs, does it feel good in my hand, and can I afford it? I appreciate your advice because it is practical. Thanks especially for the sharpening tips at 13:28ish. Eyes wide open. I just came from Tokyo's two knife merchant streets and I ended up buying four serviceable good quality knives ($80 to $130 each) instead of one lux one ($200-350 CAD each). More mileage so better value. After all, I am a hobbyist who values good tools. I am not a chef for whom this is a business expense. Out of curiosity I am going to buy one carbon steel traditional petty knife. Then I am set. Er, with my piecemeal set (santoku, nakiri, paring - oh and a cheapo oyster opener). I was introduced to Japanese knives by the gifted by the realtor $250 santoku. I ignore every other knife in the kitchen. But I can't afford super deluxe even if they are better. A bivalve vegan who can't stand dull blades in the kitchen. P.S. I was disappointed when a very reputable dealer in Tokyo told me as she wrapped my nakiri (which I am going to use for cabbage and root vegetables mostly): "Dont use this on pumpkins and frozen vegetables'. Damn, a primadona tool! Gotta get something strong enough for coconuts next! Maybe a cheapo Chinese cleaver or an Indian cudgel.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

I dont want to tell you what to do with your nakiri. But you can use it on squash and pumpkin. Though i would recomend watching a youtube video or two first because there are rules! 1) dont try to cut the stem (durrr) 2) only forward/backward/up/down motions. No twisting, curving, bending, scalloping, scooping, etc. 3) if your blade gets stuck try to hold the handle and roll the product. This is also a viable cutting technique! Dont cut frozen veggies though, thats a no no! The cheapest way to tackle that would be a mercer millenia knife for 25 bucks. Let it take the beatings you dont want your japanese steel to endure. If i could make other recomendations. I would recomend a gyuto. I feel its knife #1 in the kitchen. Its meant to be a little longer and looking at your setup i think it would offer some benefits. It will slice better being a little longer, it will be easier to divide long veggies like cucumbers and big carrots, it is the master of the rock chop which is ideal for leafy greens and spices like basil, cilantro, parsley. Sure it means cow sword but dont let that get to ya! If you find the length scary i suggest a 180mm. Its the smallest size without stepping into a ko-gyuto. Also if big knives scare you there are ko versions of most knives. But i feel like stepping outside of norms with a knife can subvert the knifes intended use. I feel like 6 inch chefs knives tend to be too short to be properly functional the way i use a chefs knife. My 3 main knives Miyabi mizu 8"/210mm gyuto Nigara Homono tsuchime kiritsuke nakiri 165mm/6.5" with custom western handle in green turquoise Miyabi mizu 5.5"/140mm prep knife/petty The common factor in my knives is SG2 stainless core steel. Its my preferred cutting metal in a knife. My dream setup with prices i would pay Takeshi Saji SG2 diamond damascus 240mm/9.5" gyuto with custom western grip in ice blue turquoise. Ill pay 700 for that. Nigara Homono SG2 tsuchime migaki 165mm/6.5" kiritsuke nakiri with custom western grip in gree turquoise. Paid 360 on sale Yu kurosaki SG2 fujin tsuchime migaki 135mm/5.4" petty Wa handle Turquoise and rosewood. I'll do 280 maybe 300. Sharpening once every 1.5-2 years, these should last me the rest of my days with proper care. A lifetime of wonder in my kitchen!

[@johnmartin7158]

@@brandonhoffman4712Hi Brandon, I’m in NZ. What high or ultra high end Chefs knife could I buy as a one stop shop as I can’t afford 2 or 3 at this stage. Also I plan to get it professionally sharpened every year. I like Carbon Steel say Eg Blue 1. Cheers.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@@johnmartin7158 So if you like carbon steel I can't think of a better knife maker than Teruyasa Fujiwara. I don't know about shipping to NZ. I'm in America... I saw some on knifewear. They even have a denka gyuto! (Basically his best) it's considered by many knife nerds as a right of passage to own a denka. I'm mostly in the stainless market. I could point you to a couple nice SG2 stainless blades in a denka's price range. A takeshi saji damascus blade with a western turquoise handle (or other similar material) or a yu kurosaki fujin gyuto with a western grip. Even a nigara damascus blade. All of these are 700ish. You can shop down a little in each makers lines if you choose. Eastern handles are cheaper, but will most likely need replacing at least once throughout its life. Western handles are forever. Unless you put wood in the dishwasher!

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@@johnmartin7158 if you have more questions, fire away!

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@@johnmartin7158 oh and on sharpening. I just got a TSPROFF KADET PRO. Yes it's Russian... I'm sorry. I balanced it as best I could by spending 600 on ukranian stones to go on the Russian sharpener. It's really the best though. Makes sharpening dead simple. I have now reset all my blades to 12 degrees for maximum durability on a Japanese blade. Some sharpen these to 9 degrees, or so. 9 degrees on my blade is similar life to a zwilling with a 17 degree one. 12 degrees on mine offers more sharpness than a zwilling while still being very resilient. Although technically some of my stuff is branded by zwilling... I notice zwillings SG2 blades have the softest cladding compared to other knife makers. I think it's where they are cutting corners. It scratches pretty easily with a dish brush...

[@richardwillford2418]

Totally agree. Instead of going down the rabbit hole of high-end knives, I bought a good sharpener - in my case a Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition. Now all my mediocre-to-good knives do the job just fine.

[@Cook-Culture]

Nice!

[@pyzik200]

I have my first custom kitchen knife being made now. Ordered myself a set of diamond whetstones. Researching how to make a really good leather strop and what compound to use. I'm excited

[@peterl.104]

Some good points but I’m shocked there aren’t more specifics, not even a basic mention of stainless vs. carbon steel knives since the part about maintenance was driven home repeatedly.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

Simple. Just buy stainless. Unless you nerd out on steel. Even if you do, SG2 is pretty stellar! Its not too different from sharpening aogami super and holds an edge almost as long. Im almost @ 2 years on my SG2 without sharpening. I can tell it needs a stone, but its still the sharpest knife in my entire family. It recently sliced prime rib better than my moms electric meat slicer @ thanksgiving.

[@peterl.104]

@@brandonhoffman4712 I am not saying I don’t know the difference or can’t choose. I’m surprised this video didn’t cover even the basics. Thank you for sharing your experience with stainless steel.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@@peterl.104 i havent been able to compare the steels directly. I just know from all the research ive been doing SG2 performs similar to aogami super in every way except its easier to chip. There are slight nuances with the stainless taking about 10% longer to sharpen and holding an edge about as long maybe just a little less. My experience just comes from using the SG2. I havent sharpened in 2 years and am running fine. I did notice a slight bend near the handle in my gyuto and petty. I think from smashing garlic which the internet said is a general no-no for japanese knives. Enter the palm smash! I fixed the bends easy peasy as the blades are forged. I have no chips in any blades and have lost concern for being delicate with my knives through comfort and confidence in using them. I was worried coming from cheaper softer metals that i might have issues. I know there is a new stainless out called CPM Magnacut. It pretty much equals the hardness and toughness of aogami super and the smoothness of shirogami white while being fully stainless. The only disadvantage is it has super high abrasion resistance too, which means its hard to sharpen. I dont know tons about carbon steel. I would love to know more if you have info. I know aogami super is considered the superior steel by many knife owners. I know it obtains a slightly smoother microstructure due to steel composition compared to SG2. I know that shirogami white tends to be preffered by sharpening enthusiasts. I think it obtains the smoothest microstructure (according to others), even smoother than the blue and super steels, but is a little softer. As far as hardness i know theres harder stuff, but i want to be able to sharpen my blades without heavy equipment! I also want something that isnt so hard its brittle. So i settled on SG2 2 years ago and things couldnt have gone better. Aogami blue super 63-65hrc CPM Magnacut 63-65hrc SG2/SPG2/R2 62-64hrc Shirogami white 61-63 VG10/AUS-10 60-62 AUS-8 58-59 Except Made In... their AUS-10 is 58hrc and underperforms against similar hrc stainless steels because they dont heat treat their metal right. Misen is better, but for misen money you can buy a Tojiro classic DP and smoke both of them and zwilling and wusthof brands altogether. Except zwillings miyabi line which i found out comes from bob kramer or something. Thats what i have, the zwilling miyabi mizu SG2 line. And a recent crazy Nigara Homono knife also in SG2.

[@H4KnSL4K]

Japanese knives are typically known for sharpness. But you shouldn't use them for everything (e.g. when you'll be cutting through bones) since they can fairly easily chip. (It's a trade-off) They also need more careful maintenance. Also if you use it all the time and take joy in your cooking, you might want something that looks great too!

[@michael_the_chef]

Never cut a bone with any knive, except when its designed for this task

[@aaronspektor2624]

Meat cleavers are for bones. Thats it! Japanese make 2 types of knives specifically designed for meat and fish butchery. The meat knife is a honosuke. The fish, a Deba Look them up and try them As far as maintenance, its a matter of a little care No dishwasher If its a carbon steel knife, wipe it dry after using Dont twist when cutting and dont use it to pry things open or like a fork And get a honing ceramic rod

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

meat cleaver for bone and cutting meat, other stuff a nice Japanese knife works well.

[@scottiebumich]

Wondering if you (or anybody) has used the Shun Dual Core knives? I'm looking at a Nakiri that I could get for ~$160, which s a bargain. Wondering if it's better to just go with the classic/premier VG-Max with SS cladding. The VG-10/VG-2 damascus sounds like a gimmick? Having the SOLID VG-10/VG-2 is the knife going to be very stiff and prone to breaking?

[@jeffhicks8428]

It's not so much a gimmick as it's a feat of modern high tech production. producing stainless pattern welded steel in general is extremely challenging and only a handful of the most seasoned blacksmiths even attempt such a thing. Much less in the form and format you see on the shun dual core. pattern welded refers to what is commonly erroneously called "Damascus" steel. That shun is clearly a show piece. A ceremonial sort of knife with very high fit and finish and which could not easily be reproduced without advanced facilities like what you see with operations such Damasteel in Sweden. I think they are cool because as an object you're not going to find many other knives made in such a way, but this serves no actual practical use, it's just for aesthetics and whatnot. As a knife sure it's a good knife but like I said it's a very ornate and fancy knife. The kind of thing you would use at a fancy dinner and not for a line cook. The only guy in America actually making and sell stainless damascus in any capacity for a really long time was Devin Thomas and even he didnt make anything quite like that.

[@paulinas8838]

So I am between a gift to a chef with 30 years of experience - MIYABI 5000 MCD 67 20 cm Gyutoh vs the birchwood version (MC63). Would you be able to help me choose which one would be better? I have tried reading so much but as someone not in the profession I feel like walking on sand.

[@lukeywalsh]

I got a Miyabi Birchwood and Miyabi Artisan. Miyabi sharpening equipment is expensive. Recommend any other brand of strops, whetstones or honing steels?

[@Cook-Culture]

I like a diamond steel and a 1500 to 5000 grit stone

[@presidentpotato222]

I have a full set of Rosewood Handled .. Masakage Kumo I bought about 10 years ago ..they are all arm Shaving sharp

[@philipstaite4775]

Well said. I have one high end knife - a hand crafted Shun Classic chef’s knife. It is head and shoulders above everything else I have. Even for a simple home cook / enthusiast like me it is noticeably better - thinner, lighter, better balanced, holds an edge. I have other good knives that are my “daily driver” knives. I use the Shun when I’m going to be taking my time, experimenting with a new recipe, or I’m just in the mood to step up. The other knives are my weeknight knives for preparing routine meals. You’re right about taking care of your knives. All of them get honed before use. None of them get put in the dishwasher - hand wash only. All have edge protection when not in use. I use a series of whetstones up to 8000 to maintain my knives. Maintaining them is a little bit of work, but the time and effort are well worth it.

[@Cook-Culture]

Nice work! Good on you for loving the craft!

[@apilkey]

@philipstaite4775 Shun is not a high end knife. I thought it was as well when I first bought one, but after researching all the different hand made Japanese knives out there it’s nowhere near the top.

[@LongIslandicedteaaa]

I will never touch another shun ever again!

[@NoZenith]

I love my Shun knives. I actually got a limited edition 10 year out of production Perfect Pairing Knife off ebay because I really liked how my friend's fit in my hand. I've got the chef knife, a 6-in Hollow ground santoku, the three and a half inch Pairing knife and the 6-inch slicing knife. I basically default to them 80-90% of the time now that I know how to use sharp, big knives haha. I grew up using steak knives and vegetable peelers for everything. Everything was dull and the pain in the butt. I grow up hating onions because my eyes always hurts so bad and now I can process 3 lb of onions in one go and caramelize the whole batch just because my 8-inch chef knife is so keen and has such a narrow angle to the edge that sure my eyes get a little bothered but it's no big deal! I was 35 years old before I figured this out😅

[@NoZenith]

Oh, I also got a blonde handle, damaged box, 9" shun slicing knife from an outlet and its AMAZING. Such perfect slices of ham on Easter my mom who usually wants to get her hands right in there and get in the way just sat back in awe as I sliced perfect slices of ham, effortlessly

[@da900smoove1]

As a former Aircraft Mechanic that has had many tools to perform various tasks and who has been cooking since 12yrs old i would say get a good basic block set and a decent sharpening tool for those then take time and do some research and testing and find 2-4 VERY NICE SPECIAL KNIVES 6IN AND 6IN In the same way there is the Holiday China/Plates & Silverware you have something Ultra Nice to Make Special Keynote Meals with Parents/Grandparents/Family get togethers

[@brandonhoffman4712]

3 good knives is all it takes. 8" chef knife, 6-7 inch knife for vegatables (nakiri, santoku, or bunka), and a smaller prep knife 5 inches or so. These 3 cover everything that doesnt require breaking down a whole fish or chicken or something. If your a smaller size person take 1 inch off the blade size as comfortable to give you the confidence to get the job done. If your a big strong person, consider adding an inch as you feel confident in doing so. If you want to prep meat theres 3 more knives. The boning knife, the fish knife (deba or fillet), and the chicken knife (honosuki) If you eat more than sliced bread you might want a bread knife. Steak knifes come in handy too. Im a big fan of building an eclectic knife set where every blade is different. I also feel like knife blocks are unsanitary knife holes. I prefer a magnetic block or in drawer sorting.

[@jonny9884]

Yeah, I'd already put a lot of thought, and research into this, and even had my decision question by a blade master friend of mine, but I've decided to go high-end, but treat the knives, care for them, as if they're ultra high-end. I'm hoping to learn more about the craft of caring for my knives. I'm also a completist, so I'm now looking into complete sets of culinary knives I'd like to invest in. I now have two fairly complete sets, but I'm now also looking into the Zwilling Kramer Essential Collection.

[@jonny9884]

Correction, turns out my friend is a Master Bladesmith. I've been into discussing culinary knives a while now. Including past trends regarding kitchen knives many had in their homes over the decades. It's been fun.

[@theredbar-cross8515]

"Asian" is a misnomer here. Japanese knives are indeed very thin, sharp, and brittle, both due to edge geometry and hardness of steel. Chinese-style knives are closer in blade geometry to German and French designs. It's all down to how much meat chopping is needed for the cuisine.

[@wiseleyb]

Nice. Great explanation. I've tried to explain this to friends who are like "I'm going to buy that knife" ... lol - they'd be miserable with the maintenance.

[@Cook-Culture]

That was why I made it. Good on you, thanks!

[@gisohatt59]

My indicator for sharpening my handforged Japanese knife is the sound it makes cutiing onions….

[@Blair338RUM]

I like Shun Premier for general use, they have very fine grinds and they take a razor edge. I also have Sakai VG-10/Ironwood that are a step up, have all the advantages of the Shun but just nicer materials and finish. And then I have Nigara SG2 Anmon which are gorgeous but the higher Rockwell hardness requires more work. I don’t sharpen them myself, my gunsmith does! He’s a knife nut as well, so the care factor is high. For the others, I now use the geared roller sharpeners with all the grits and a strop. I’m experimenting with different brands. I’d never use a pull through or a steel on a good Japanese knife.

[@DS-pb1hh]

Thanks for your very nice explanation! Well done!

[@Cook-Culture]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bongwoophet]

I'm, in the middle, of the video, and one techque, for everyday use, is keeping your knife clean. For example, after cutting anything, wipe the knife clean with a wet towel. Something my uncle in law, who is a sushi chief told me. Thank you.

[@StephenMcGregor1986]

Looking at some Hatsukokoro knives that look pretty nice too

[@jimraelee]

great comments.. i love your analogy, "what kind of relationship do you want to have." very good point. Its like i tell people about having a dog, do you want it to listen, then spend time daily training it. if you dont, then spend you 1 x a week with it. Spend the time, your dog will listen well to you. Spend time on your knife, it will be sharp and cut well for you.

[@Cook-Culture]

Nicely put.

[@DABinCHRIST]

It's called inclusive, 20 degrees per side or 40 degrees inclusive

[@martinschulz9381]

Learn something every day...good video. A lot of know it all knife snobs out there, I see them all the time at the outdoor shows at the knife vendors.

[@8982_Anon]

I wanted to ask if you could do a summary of a comparison of the De buyer mineral B and the De buyer mineral B Pro

[@Cook-Culture]

Hi, I've thought about that a lot but the only real difference is the handle. So the choice is do you want to spend extra to have a very oven proof handle?

[@aaronspektor2624]

Thats all! Its “am I going to move my pan from stove to oven. Yes? Go pro

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

Well done. Not easy to explain concisely in a limited amount of time. I do regular leather stropping with a diamond emulsion in various microns made by Gunny Juice which really cuts down on the number of times I have to go to the stones which saves metal. I've also found black ceramic preferable over a steel honing rod.

[@Cook-Culture]

Hey, thanks for that feedback. I will check out Gunny Juice! Which Black Ceramic honer do you use?

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

@@Cook-Culture Professional 11.5 Inch Ceramic Honing Rod Has 2 Grit Options, a Firm-Grip Handle, Hanging Ring, and Japanese Ceramic. Noble Home & Chef Sharpening Rods are Perfect for Chefs! (Black, 2000/3000 Grit) Since ceramic is prone to chipping, at Chefs knives to go, I got a leather sheath which fits perfect.

[@Cook-Culture]

@@MichaelE.Douroux Thanks!

[@brandonhoffman4712]

The difference between high end and ultra high end can be summed up with 1 word. Finish. I recently spent 400 on a Nigara Homono tsuchime migaki kiritsuke tip nakiri with a custom western grip in green turquoise. I dont know if it classifies as super high end? But this thing is on another planet compared to my miyabi mizu which is no slouch. I can see why it gets reffered to as functional art. Yet its not one of their 2,500 dollar troll killers... So i think i havent reached super high end yet... I think i just scratched the top of the high end stuff! Knife brands that make amazing blades i love. The last 2 are founding members of the takefu knife village. Nigara Homono Yu kurosaki Takeshi saji

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

@@brandonhoffman4712 Thanks for the info and enjoy!

[@kiltedcripple]

I love knives, kitchen, outdoor, self defense, all categories, but my observation is most people way overspend for what they actually need. I know you're a seller of high end knives, and I'll be respectful of that, but for those who come to me for advice, I don't recommend spending over 100usd unless you have money to burn. The "good stuff" for about 90% of home needs lies in that 30 to 60usd price range. Or to use your analogy, do you need a BMW if a Mazda will get you there? Cuz for most folks, they can put a cubic shitload of miles on a Mazda and by the time it's run its course, you'll have money for a new one. Just an example, I had a really nice Henckles block set when I moved out on my own. Cut with them for years, and in particular, the chef knife. But a few years ago, I bought a Mercer Chinese Chef Knife with a santoprene grip. It's a freaking laser by comparison, and of a budget but decent steel with a good heat treat. Had it now 3 years and it will hasn't needed a full on sharpening, tuning the edge on a ceramic rod and then a steel is plenty to keep it hair popping sharp. The grip looks cheap, yes, but it's comfortable, and super grippy, which is especially useful when I'm cubing fat to render lard or breaking down whole brisket. And it was 30 bucks. For most uses, most households, it will do everything they need reliably, with very little maintenance. Wustof need not apply. This is where most folks get into trouble, they think the more they spend, the better the knife will be, and there are certain Dalstro... I mean brands, that spend the money you give them for a knife on packaging and chotchkis instead of the knife. And I don't believe in special use knives, if you have pretty knives and a couple workhorses, the workhorses were all you ever actually needed.

[@Cook-Culture]

Your points are 100% valid. I've been finding some the the new generation Chinese knives are very well made, look great, and are super well priced. To your point, it's not always about the amount of money you spend.

[@kiltedcripple]

@@Cook-Culture I'm definitely looking forward to your continued additions to this series. Knives for whatever reason seem to hold our attention and generate interest like few other household goods, and there's a lot to know to avoid paying for crap. And man, there is a lot of crap out there. BTW, quick aside, I've adjusted your video on cheap induction burners I can't cunt how many times. Thank you for that information, again, that's an area where a lot of crap is being sold to consumers who really don't know what they're paying for, they just see "new" and jump in.

[@Cook-Culture]

@@kiltedcripple Thanks!!

[@jeffhicks8428]

I own a good used car worth of Japanese kitchen knives. I'm not sure I agree with the classification of "high end" vs" ultra" or anything else. I don't think anything has to be "artisan" or anything. I just look at the object for what it is. The materials, the tolerances, the fit and finish, if I had to have this exact object created from scratch, what would that take? And when you think about it like that, you quickly realize a lot of factory knives that get overlooked are actually "better" or more high quality objects than a lot of over rated "artisan" knives. Now, without question all the the truly ultra knives are going to be hand made, basically custom work, but the difference between a "factory" and an "artisan" knife in itself isnt very much in terms of how it's made or what it's made of. Fact of the matter if there are a lot of very over rated artisan knives. A lot mediocre factory knives too. It all depends on what the user wants, do you just want something with high fit and finish that's flashy, or do you want a high performance tool? Those Miyabis behind you, I've tried all of them. The birch is okay for a general premium home use thing. I like the handle, the knife is fairly thin for a full flat factory knive, it's very light and well balanced, the real wood handle is very nice, and the cladding is visually nice. Not a bad knife to give to a woman in your life for instance. The artisan has more potential as a tool because it can be thinned more easily, ie without ruining the finish, without totally grinding a new bevel, ie flat ground vs not etc. The Koh I like a lot because it uses AEBL steel, which most users will think has very little edge retention... but that knife has a false single bevel grind, and a false cladding. Yes, it's actually mono steel. If you have the tools it's a great project knives. You can easily turn it into either a real single bevel laser or a false single bevel laser. I have reground several of them into either configuration and the end result is very nice. Aebl even at 61 rc can take very very thin edges.. The black, while zdp steel is absolutely superb and hugly under rated for kitchen knives, that knife I do not suggest. Its not very good or good looking. If you want the VG10 one get a Shun, the grind on the shun is much higher performance imo. It's a thinner grind for sure. If you want great knives I suggest looking at actual native Japanese brands of factory knives, like Suncraft, or even Yaxell or tons of other.. Those are generally higher performance tools than the more poseur stuff like the miyabis. Lot of stuff on the artisan side is low quality and over priced, so I don't suggest even bothering unless you either go very high end or know exactly what you're getting. Few brands I suggest if you don't get over charged by whoever resells them where you live are Sukenari and Nigara and Takamura. Don't buy some stupid stuff like a Masakage. You're vastly better off with a Shun in that case, and certainly with some native Japanese factory knives. If you want low alloy things, I suggest aebl. It's actually stainless, it's got more edge retention than even super blue which is the most tenacious of the low alloy stuff, and it's much much less likely to chip or fail. Much better material for a knife. But in general if you want high performance you should get a modern cutlery steel like SG2, which is the most common one used. This steel is excellent for a kitchen knife and can be as well performing as anyone would ever need. Just know that your tastes will change as you experience and learn more. Its not uncommon for something like the miaybi to be the first one you buy, then 30 knives and 10 grand later, you actually understand what is what. Do not be fooled by coil shots. Many knives are grinded with "hidden bolsters" so don't think you can tell what is what just from a choil shot. Some knives you can see but some knives have a hidden bolster at the heel, and also tip too. Basically the way they grind them doesn't go all the way to the ends, and it's all smoothed out in the surface finishing so you often can't really tell just by looking at it. Some of them you can see with the naked eye in the right light because they're quite aggressive. Sukenari grinds knives like this. So do many factory knives like Suncraft for instance. The miyabi koh has a thicker grind but it is also ground like this with a hidden bolster. Like I said that knife is a really good one if you want to have a project to work on, regrind it yourself and it can be one of the best overall knives around, and you will learn a lot in the process of regrinding it.

[@StephenMcGregor1986]

S45VN steel for Japanese style knives would be ideal

[@rogersliu1200]

fun thing about ikea knife is that they might be cheap and not very hard. but i can sharpen them to a v ery high level in minutes with stone whereas all the other high-end one I need to baby and spend at least half hour to get them sharp to its rightful level LOL.

[@adriankiss3631]

Really educative. Thank you.

[@Cook-Culture]

Glad to be of service

[@StephenWorth]

I have high end Japanese knives and they are great. But so are my 1950s Chicago Cutlery butcher knives. I can get the old school carbon steel knives sharper. They need to be sharpened more often, but they are a lot easier to sharpen. To be honest, I like to show off with the Japanese ones but the Chicago Cutlery knives are more fun to use.

[@DABinCHRIST]

Of your willing to spend that kind of money, you should learn about steel, and get a custom maker to make exactly what you want out of magnacut or something similar, instead of the garbage steel used in super high-end chef knives

[@Splagnate]

For some people? It’s not angle of the edge. It’s the material the knife is forged from. If it’s the material you want to work with the edge is easily changed. An example is knives crafted by Japanese artisans made…sorry I’m bored

[@gregmccarter2176]

I found some chef knives in a junk pile..Japanese knives..these knives are now super push sharp..im now thinking these knives are expensive..

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

End means end. Nothing comes after, so there is also nothing higher than high-end. Should be something like "high-class vs. high-end" knives.

[@richardkalbfeld]

Hope my Miyabi and Enso knives are good quality.

[@kk-qu1zc]

factory made

[@richardkalbfeld]

@@kk-qu1zc That bad ?

[@kk-qu1zc]

@@richardkalbfeld not bad per say. It's just that Japanese knives have long valued hand forged by individual artisans more than other cultures. At this point, quality is close enough that what you are mostly missing out on is special shapes of knives and the mysticism.

[@Thomas-p1f1u]

IMO Great knives, but overpriced! 😂 I own well over 50 kitchen knives of varying types. Turns out, I only use 2 knives 95% of the time. Tojiro Chef Knife (8in. SG2) Tojiro Utility Knife (6in. SG2) Aside from these 2 workhorses, my Mercer Renaissance Bread Knife and my FINDKING Chinese Chef knives pretty much completes my practical kitchen uses...

[@tacticalcenter8658]

What you need to know, is learn about heat treatment and learn about geomtry. These are facts. Buy above average heat treated knife with the correct microstructure with the correct hardness for the task. Ignore the bs about high end or cheap. Look for heat treat, low retained austinite, very low grain size and no grain growth. High hardness for delicate slicing tasks and lower hardness for chopping or cutting harder materials. Steel choices also play a factor here, as you want something with high edge stability and strength. There is a link in my about page for heat treat infomation and testing. Mostly folders but the same info translates to kitchen knives.

[@tacticalcenter8658]

The problem is you can spend a lot of money and get a crappy heat treat. Money does not equate being done correctly.

[@aaronspektor2624]

You cant buy a handmade Japanese artisan knife and get crappy forging or heat treating. Thats all they do is forge quench and shape. Theyre the best at this

[@tacticalcenter8658]

@@aaronspektor2624 you are completely ignorant

[@Atreuzs]

@aaron bulshit, there a some of expensive japanese knives there a not trash but not the money worth. Fcked up handle, shitty bevel etc. For example the Fujiwara knives.

[@avasolaris1]

I would not touch a pull through sharpener. They can pull chunks from hard edged blades. Learn to use a quality stone instead.

[@Cook-Culture]

99% of people won't. Some new pull through tools are very good.

[@harisyoung4110]

For that 99% people that dont know how to properly sharpen and only know how to use pull through sharpener, bettee suggest them to just use a knife from a dollar store.. i've seen many edge destroy from the pull through sharpener.. use a ceramic rod, it work better and safer for a knife edge than a pull through

[@H4KnSL4K]

It's not just about sharpness! You need a comfortable handle that fits your hand well. And gives you enough knuckle clearance!

[@brandonhoffman4712]

I'm comfy with a hexagon, octagon, oblong, misshapen, stag horn, pretty much anything. The handle is fairly meaningless to me as far as comfort. For me the considerations go as follows. 1) was it forged - either hand or machine, I don't care. Forging makes the grain structure of the steel smaller, decreasing the size of the micro-serrations on the blade (those are what do the cutting) 2) proper hardening - Without a proper hardening the steel won't hold an edge well and will need sharpened more often (made in knives do a crappy hardening and are the softest AUS-10 I've seen, it's as soft as German steel yet underperforms because it wasn't done right) 3) what steel is it - I like SG2, but Ginsan is okay, so are AUS-10 or VG-10 but less so. It starts getting into some nuances here, but this is the soul of your knife 4) the shape of the blade - I lean towards French or Japanese styles, not german. This comes down to how you use your knife. Most german knives have more blade curve for more of a rocking cut. Japanese methods use a push-chop or pull-chop. And French is in the middle. I'm in the middle too, with a slight bias towards the push-chop. So I tend to not like german blade shapes. But you do you! 5) the balance - I like mine balanced at the front of the grip. I feel it makes the blade tip feel more nimble and, thusly more in control. Allowing me more confidence and allowing me to feel comfortable with bigger blades. Many pro chefs however like a blade biased balance and feel it helps the blade cut better. Although a professional chef bleeds knife confidence! 6) handle construction - I like a full tang with bolster and pins, or a hidden tang with bolster and pommel. Also, stable materials so the knife lasts decades 7) feel in hand - I care mostly about the metal being rounded where my hand touches and nothing feeling sharp. Other than that, I just want something that feels stable in hand. Again this just gets to feeling confident and comfortable from a point of confidence, not comfort. The sharpness of a blade comes from some of my first factors I look for in a knife. The comfort comes in the form of confidence that I won't cut myself with this knife. If your knuckles hit the cutting board while using the knife, it's time for a new or bigger knife. Or the knife wasn't meant for board use, like a paring knife or small petty.

[@StephenMcGregor1986]

Warther Cutlery do knives in MagnaCut

[@mosab643]

How could you in good conscience recommend a pull through sharpener to be used on a high end knife.

[@HighlanderNorth1]

❓ So, you're saying that "crap" isn't a technical industry term? If not, then I can only assume that the appropriate industry-wide term used to describe low end knives would be "garbage"(or "rubbish" in English parlance). Like in that old Macy's commercial, "it's Christmas time, so stop by and pick up an affordable garbage knife set for a friend or family member".... 👉 I'm actually only half joking. I bought a 7 or 8 piece JA Henckels knife block set in the mid 2000s for $109. In less than 2 years, there were 2-3 mm deep pits forming in the rivets/pins holding the handles together, and surface rust formation on a few of the knives. Note: I didn't even have an automatic dishwasher at the time, and I always hand washed & dried them after use, so I can't explain the aforementioned anomalies. I can say for sure that my family have owned cheaper, off brand knives that held up better after 10-20 years of being used and run through the dishwasher!

[@d.newsome6344]

Good information, but you need an editor. This should be a 10 minute video.

[@gben2457]

I have had good luck with German high carbon steel. Brand doesn't matter. Use a steel and sharpener and you're good to go.

[@Cedershuset]

you cannot hone a knife if the knife is harder than the honing rod, therefor high end knives are recommended to use a ceramic rod as ceramic is harder than the knives. And no you don't have to hone the knives daily, you do it when the knives needs a retouch of the edge.

[@jimswanny1193]

The absolute main thing to sharpening and maintaining a quality knife whether it’s a chefs knife, a fillet knife etc is keeping it away from your wife. A wife is the worse thing that could happen to your favorite knife. Please get her a mediocre set and keep yours under lock and key and you will have them a long time.

[@marcohermans3207]

Buy a few whetstones, a fine course ceramic honing rod and a leather strop with some compounds. It's not too much money if you shop online. Learn it yourself on a cheap knife , it's very meditating too sharpen your own knives. I can get a dull 5 dollar chefs knife razor sharp within 15-20 minutes of time or less. It works smoother in the kitchen. It's more pleasure cutting things . When you're liking this method and are willing to spend a bit more then buy a 30-40 dollar knife and enjoy it, it's more then enough for home cooking. The food won't taste better with an expensive knife. And if you want an expensive Japanese knife , look at a decent store if they have there own brand of knives which they import from smaller makers in Japan. It will safe you a lot of money and you have something more exclusive. Don't buy Shun or Miyabi .They are good but they are way overpriced for what they are. You pay too much for the brand alone.

[@gben2457]

Never spend more than $125.00 for a good 8 inch chefs knife. You'll be wasting money.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

This should be called knife 101 for dummies. I quit at the 1,000th time a double bevel began being acutley described in detail to me. Heres the short version. The difference between high end and ultra high end knives is only in the finish applied. A high end japanese knife will have a tsuchime finish and cost up to 700 bucks or so. A super high end will be damascus and goes over 3,000. The difference between high end and a quality knife is blade steel. There are quality Damascus VG-10 blades that do not qualify as high end to me, yet demand high prices. The difference between quality and mediocre lies in the forging and heat treating. If your knife doesnt have both done well it isnt quality. Made In knives are a good example of a mediocre knife trying to be quality. I call it the softest aus-10 blade on the market, because im not certain they even do a heat treat! The difference between mediocre and crap is an even further worsening of blade steel. All crap knives are stamped and dont get over 56 in hardness. A good crap knife would be the henkels statement series im gifting people these for christmas to try and entice them down the road of sharpness its stamped stainless in 54-56 hardness. I also recomend the mercer millenia series as a training knife. Perfect grip to learn with and they are thicc knives which can get beatup. The only bummer is its stainless is a measly 50 hardness. Im clear up in the high end now. Chasing down steel forged by families that crafted samurai swords before my nation existed 😅. Im a firm beleiver that a good knife should come in a special box like a magic wand from olivanders in harry potter.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Henckels* Statement series / believer*

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@einundsiebenziger5488 I just got 6 henkels statement knives for Christmas gifts. I'm trying to set my family up with something decent on an affordable gift able budget for my 2 aunts and 1 uncle. I got 3 8" chef knives and 3 5.5" prep knives. I chose them because it was the best steel I could find around 30 bucks. It's a decent mid-hardness German steel. It will hold up better than a mercer millenia of equal price. I will recommend that if they wish to buy decent knives to step up to Tojiro Classic DP from the statement series, or if they are happy with the statement series to get a santoku to fill in their sets. My only complaint with the statement series is the feel in hand. But I feel like I might offer the family some free customizing to take off those edges on the grip, spine, and choil.

[@Thomas-p1f1u]

All MAC and Tojiro knives are stamped, but not considered as "crap" knives...

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@@Thomas-p1f1u I stated stamped and below 56 hardness. Are tojiro or mac below that threshold? No, no they are not. Im not framiliar with mac as i tend to look for a little harder core steel. But the material tojiro stamps their peices from is machine forged vg10 at its core. They do make better products too, you can buy a tojiro made with sg2, but its going to cost you appropriately.

[@spaceman61]

High end? the best I can afford. Ultra high end is the stuff I can't afford.

[@Cook-Culture]

Haha. Good way to put it!

[@BwannaKubwa]

It took you seven minutes just to start on high vs. ultra. If you were any more redundant there would be two of you on the screen.

[@arnelantoniojr]

Shun and Miyabi are shitty knives and overrated and overpriced they are not even close to Fujiwara, Yoshikane, Masakage

[@JustAn0th3rY0uTub3Channel]

Would convolution be a better description of this discussion? I don’t mean to be harsh. I need to review more of this channel but I think Kamala could’ve said it better.

[@aaronspektor2624]

Everyone starts w “crap” knives. Then somehow they discover a better knife. A wusthof or henkels or global. They think wow! This is the best knife. One day someone shows them something like a Shun. They try it and they are blown away!!”Wow! This knife kicks my German knifes ass” and think that This is certainly the Best knife. One day they wander into a real knife store, or meet a chef who is a knife guy. They see, touch, and get educated on these hand forged, hand sharpened, polished and finished knives, hardened to 62-68 Rockeell, with edges so sharp and perfect that nothing coukd have prepared them for the experience. Fujiwara, Takeda, Hinoura, Nakagawa, Masashi Yamamoto, Kato, Takamura….etc. Once you try a hand forged artisan Japanese knife, you will literally throw out all you other cutlery. Its All crap

[@Atreuzs]

Fujiwara? No thank you ^^ There a better knives for the money

[@gwcstudio]

Learn to sharpen before you buy a high end knife

[@Idito0648]

Just buy Takamura R2. Thanks me later.

[@HLi-eu5er]

Totally agree. Great knife for a good price.

[@rjk3738]

OMG get to the knife recommendations….

[@5herwood]

Should have been 6 minutes max

[@Przemek-CzFanboy]

You learn nothing useful from this video. You will learn how to destroy your knives with steel honing rod. Same vague statement repeated over and over again. Nothing about actual differences between high end and ultra high-end knife, like edge geometry, types of finish, tapering etc.

[@TESSLIN1]

This Guy is talking BS who in there right mind would ever use a pull through sharpener on a high end knife 😢

[@Cook-Culture]

There are some very good pull through sharpeners on the market that work great.

[@stylis666]

"You can have a lot of durability..." And it's just not gonna be sharp! Got it :D **smashes the steak into a tartar with a hammer** Durable! :D

[@ndzapruder]

You are *so* handsome

[@redangrybird7564]

More than 20 minutes of nonsense gibberish, you could have said all of this in 5 minutes max.

[@felipeescoda5813]

Sh1t video

[@gtrzero2157]

Boooo this video sucks. Show don't tell.

[@Lancelot1992]

You sounded so unsure of what you're saying. 🥱