The 5 Kitchen Knives to Avoid

[@Burrfection]

my knife store burrfectionstore.com/

[@truthinmetal0029]

The rex 121 knife , how much is it ?

[@zoltomar4759]

Great tips. The social media influencer warning is legit. I’ve emptied my Amazon basket on more than one occasion after coming to my senses.

[@Burrfection]

good call.

[@pajalca]

I've been following your channel since I first got into knives. Very early, I got my eyes on a Miyabi Birchwood Gyutoh and realized that there was no point in buying any expensive knife without knowing how to sharpen it. So, I took one year to learn. I bought some cheap knives and some cheap whetstones and practiced. About a year ago, I finally bought it. My cheap whetstones couldn't do much on it since it has around 63 Rockwell. So only after upgrading to a diamond stone and a strop, I could sharpen it properly. So, you nailed it with this video. Congrats and keep up the good work. Probably soon I will be a customer on your Burrfection shop. :-D

[@Burrfection]

Thank you for your kind words and sharing your experience

[@cameronknowles6267]

I have a black series and it is like trying to sharpen a piece of tungsten it takes so much work to sharpen it

[@scags365]

I’m a cook/ general knife guy; this video is great. A lot of people want a piece of Japanese steel but don’t know where to start or how much of a different experience it is

[@Burrfection]

very true. sharpening is not the most difficult thing to do, but there is a learning curve.

[@narader1]

I have removed My Complete Block we are down to 2 Japanese even though we have a German set, 1 Shun I use & my 1 M Something my Misses uses every other day on chicken and loves it First time she was hooked and keeping them sharp is not hard. Its a Slight up front cost but for us over the last 5 years well worth it and that is not even the Boning and Specialty which we only have a couple of

[@KeithCooper-Albuquerque]

Thanks for this video! Your honesty is why I subscribed to your channel. I am just getting into knife sharpening and I have followed a few other channels. Your channel makes me feel like I'm getting the truth. I really appreciate your channel! Thanks again!

[@Burrfection]

I really appreciate you saying that, thanks!

[@mikestone7551]

Great advice. I started watching this channel very close to its beginning. I went and bought several knives and learned how to sharpen. THEN I started spending what I could afford on kitchen knives. What a great way to spend time and enjoy the kitchen. Be patient with yourself and have a great time! A big thanks to Burrfection!

[@mikestone7551]

Sorry should read. I bought several used knives to learn how to sharpen……then

[@markkubiak2316]

I bought my first Japanese style kitchen knife’s in TK Max, bought a 1000/6000 waterstone, I learned with those knife’s, as my skills increased I bought more sharpening stones and made my own strops, eventually upgraded a few years later to Sujihiki and a Nakiri by Nigara from the Burfection store, which I love and plan to get more knives which fit my cooking style, I’m glad I took the time to learn on the cheaper knife’s how to sharpen and maintain them whilst learning from my mistakes

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... with these knives*

[@hoongfu]

Completely agree on all accounts. I've told people to look up the steel used in the knife to figure out if it will be difficult to sharpen.

[@maryjaneocl]

I have been using my Sabatier knives for almost 40yrs. Easy to sharpen and a dream to use. The best thing in any kitchen are good sharp knives.

[@Burrfection]

great knives. i'm a fan of Sabatier

[@juliusvelius]

This video is "Gold", thank you for take the time

[@Expresso98]

Good video, appreciate your fair-minded, honest advice - especially your recommendation to avoid SM influencers (to which I would add, "avoid like The Plague"). The lure of attractive Japanese knives can be very seductive, but I always find pausing for thought worthwhile. Click out of the website, wait a few days, and even then, ask plenty of questions of yourself regarding whether you really NEED to make that purchase. I'd also suggest only buying knives once you've felt them in your hand: beautiful-looking knives suddenly become less attractive if they're too small/big/uncomfortable etc. Fortunately, I have a local 'real world' Japanese knife supplier who puts zero pressure on purchasers: I've wisely declined to buy some knives : I've felt no regret, and he respects the decision. If a supplier starts to pressure you, or bombards you with incessant emails & 'special offers', walk away.

[@The_Loathsome]

Always great to see you putting up another vid!

[@Burrfection]

thank you ! burrfectionstore.com/

[@ProductBasement]

We got a set of Kitchenaid knives when we got married 13 years ago. Full tang, polymer handle scales. The tip broke off of one of the steak knives but it was very easy to reshape it using the bench grinder. No other problems

[@Burrfection]

i got the same set for my wedding 12 years ago.

[@davesmith5656]

May I ask if you know about the heat generated on a bench grinder? There seem to be diverging opinions. some say anything on a mechanical wheel that is not wet will ruin the heat treatment of the knife. Some say that Japanese sharpeners use grinding wheels that throw showers of sparks, so there's no worry. AFAIK, heat treatment (tempering) starts around 800C and over hours goes through to the final stage at 200C. Dipping a knife into boiling water 100C should not ruin the tempering, so my guess is that if the grinding won;t heat the edge enough to burn your finger 100C, it's OK.

[@arejetko]

Great video/information - short, to the point, interesting and well presented.

[@CCSMrChen]

$20 Ikea knife is my favorite. It doesn't say where it's made, but I know how to sharpen it, I know how to use it, I could afford it.

[@Burrfection]

That's awesome! Glad you're getting good use out of it!

[@davesmith5656]

My first knife to learn to sharpen on is a $7.xx supermarket 5" made in China. It looks awful, but I got it sharp! Kitchen amateur here, not talking about different shapes (gyuto, nakiri, petty, wa or diamond encrusted handle), I think it's about how often you sharpen, and most of the time a minute strop before use will do. A $300 knife not sharpened well will be duller than a $7 knife.

[@steinanderson]

that's it, and there's no fear of chipping the blade on a bone because they are cheap to replace.

[@danielcluley870]

This is the way. I feel the same way about my Victorinox Fibrox set. Done me well for well over a decade.

[@DerTensa]

IKEA knifes are hand forged by famous Swedish blacksmith Kniv Vass. Forged in dark cold nights and hardened in ice of Swedish mountains. There you go, now we IKEA knife users also have a backstory to tell. 😂

[@revivlerech9020]

Clear and sensible advice Thank you

[@Burrfection]

Glad it was helpful.

[@manxology]

For MOST cooks, home or "professional" (i.e., most people who make a living cooking have zero training or skills), who even care about knives, it's hard to beat an inexpensive set of Victorinox or Mercer "stamped blade knives," paired with an electric sharpener. That might sound crazy, but I am speaking about MOST "cooks." These stamped products work great. You can abuse them. Grind a new edge regularly. Replace every 5 - 10 years. Anyway, that's not me. I like mid-range knives and need to learn more about quality sharpening techniques for their blades. Subscribed. Thanks.

[@Burrfection]

i agree. nothing wrong with stamped knives. use what works and what you can afford.

[@johnmullenjr3577]

I havevictorinox and Mercer knives that I use all the time. I have also Enso and Miyabi knives that I use on special occasions. Two things. The handles on the Victorinbox and the Mercer are extremely comfortable. The Enzo and Miyabi handles are not near as comfortable but the steel is better. So if I am doing a long project in the kitchen, the Mercer is my go to. The Victoronix it’s almost the same. If I am cutting sushi, then I go to the Miyabi or Enso. One very important point is that I got Ricky’s sharpening stone combo 800 and also the 3000 stone. and I practiced on the old victoronix a lot before even going to the Mercers. my technique was not good in the beginning so I beat up those Victoronix knives a bit but I learned. Then I started using the Mercers on the stones and I still noticed that my technique wasn’t great. But it was getting better so I didn’t have as many scratches. so I’ve gotten to the point where I will sharpen my Japanese knives very carefully without putting any scratches on the faces of these knives. but I would say it’s taken at least a year or two .unlike Ricky, I don’t sharpen knives every day or week more like once a month I get them all out and have a go. if you train a bit, you will learn how to stabilize at the same angle and pull at the same rate you will end up with amazingly sharp knives. My Mercers are just as sharp as my Japanese knives.. They are softer probably around 59.. so they need a little more attention, but I’m not afraid of them. I’m very scared of scarring my Miyabi or Enos. So I do not use them as much. Practice practice practice! I hope this encourages a few few of you. Don’t give up. Watch Ricky’s videos on how to sharpen like a pro. Great stuff . take notes.

[@loungelizard3922]

@@johnmullenjr3577 This is the way. I have a Kurosaki and a Shibata that I rarely use and like to keep in as new condition, because they're beautiful. I use my Vics every day and still get a lot of joy using them, that fibrox handle really feels great in the hand. I sharpen everything about once a year. Once you learn how to strop, and how to not let your blade get dull in the first place, it's really no problem keeping your knives sharp as a home cook.

[@gooddaysahead1]

I practiced sharpening for a month, using Henckels knives. If I messed up on them, it was not a big loss. I messed up on them at first, then fixed them. It was a great learning experience. I am fairly confident sharpening my medium priced Japanese knives now. I have never spent over $300.00 for a knife and all of them are sharp. I have VG10, SG2, AOGAMI BLUE steel knives. Start slow on any hobby.

[@Barteks2x]

Very good point at the end. Until very recently, at home we still had and used knives made out of... 18/10 stainless steel. Supposedly hardness of around 80-90... *HRB*. Though I do enjoy sharpening knives now and they need sharpening *very often*. Now we also have some cheap ikea knives and those can actually keep an edge

[@Przemek-CzFanboy]

I have HAP40 67HRC and have zero issue sharpening it with cheap diamond plates from Ali. You just need to know which are good quality. For me SYTools have been great. In have plates for fixed angle sharpening tool. 600, 1000, 2000 and 4000 grit. I do strap after it and I can cut shapes on paper towel… all together sharpening tools, stones and leather costed me like 150$. You really don’t need expensive stones.

[@Lagunatic]

After years of sharpening a Gesshin stainless Gyuto and a JKM petty, I purchased my first Japanese carbon knife - a Mutsumi Hinoura bunka. I was so excited to form a patina using different fatty meats and got a cool blueish edge! It was so fun to use. However, within 4 weeks, my MIL visited used the coveted knife to cut bone, destroyed it by adding a fingernail sized chip, and trying to “fix” it by scraping my JKM petty on it, also breaking its tip off. I’ve thought about divorce for the past few nights but hoping to forgive her in the new year as I re-evaluate knife safety. Perhaps I’ll have to purchase a decoy knife set for kitchen abusers in the future.

[@adriancarpenter4493]

Great video! So I am fortunate to have tools such as a Tormek and Shapton stones because of my wood working and lutherie hobby. So I try to sharpen my kitchen knives. I’m getting better. But the bottom line is can I cook a nice supper. For tonight’s supper I hand sliced onions using a supermarket $30 knife I sharpened this afternoon using my Tormek diamond stones, I enjoyed the slicing, but I could have used a mandolin. Could the family taste the difference? The supper was delicious no mater how I sliced the onions.

[@Burrfection]

exactly. fancy knives and gear may be fun to use, but they do not make you a better chef

[@adriancarpenter4493]

@@Burrfection ps I really enjoy your channel.

[@davesmith5656]

Learning how to cook is the next step after learning how to sharpen. It's all a racket! (joke.)

[@Imjustsaying1966]

Almost every kitchen I’ve ever worked in for 20 years has had a cheap $15 Dexter Russell knife and they work absolutely fine. Anything beyond that is just preference that comes and goes.

[@davesmith5656]

For commercial kitchens doing vegetables to be cooked, chicken, beef steaks, etc. nothing more than sharp usefulness is required. Butchers use soft Victorinox knives because they will bend rather than chip, and they can use a steel (non abrasive) throughout the day, many times, to re-straighten the edge. Maybe once a week stones are used to remove "tired" steel that has been bent back and forth many times. A high HRC and rigid Japanese knife would be useless to them. Butchers cut directly around bone all the time, and that would turn a Shun into a saw in three minutes or less, if it didn't snap the blade. Watching butchers work with their Victorinox, those edges are sharp, and they know exactly how to slice through six inches of beef in one stroke.

[@sebastiandomagala9233]

Big thumbs up. I have a mid priced kitchen knife, which is just good enough to get really sharp (cutting onions without any itching eyes). Many ppl get into it and can't resist the temptation to buy a show off knife.

[@Burrfection]

use what works, and stay humble.

[@856Dropout]

I’ve read that REX121 can get into the 70hrc. Crazy.

[@Burrfection]

yeah. REX121 is nuts. but hey, someone has to do it

[@larshoneytoast722]

Same with maxamet

[@856Dropout]

@@larshoneytoast722 Rex121 is superior.

[@DutchClawz]

I have some ZDP that goed into the 67-68, bur 70+ is nearing ceramic lol

[@marcbailie8619]

This advice is excellent! I am a fan of Yu Kurosaki San's work. I am glad to see that he is getting a wide representation.

[@Burrfection]

his knives are incredible. i own a few in my permanent collection burrfectionstore.com/

[@grilledflatbread4692]

There's professional cooks who use cheap knives for 20 years and bang out ten thousand meals. We have a lot of pressure to spend spend spend money on tools as if it will fill some void and make us better at a task.

[@Burrfection]

I think you're right - it's more about technique than the tools, but it helps to have good tools!

[@Amybnuy]

I just got my first knife! Had a 15CAD no name Amazon knife before and I got a hitohira ominous MZ CG-1 Gyuoto! I hope I don’t chip it as it’s so thin! Disappointed a tiny bit with the out of the box sharpness but I can sharpen it myself! Just too scared to yet… I’ll use it for a while first :p

[@jamesharmon3827]

I just got back from the Seki knife festival, and the whetstone museum. I got a wonderful knife made of super blue. (Well I got many knives actually) that's a serious rabbit hole.

[@Burrfection]

awesome you got to go. i couldn't make it this year. thanks for sharing

[@tau4320]

A kitchen knife made out of Rex 121 sounds awesome with the edge retention that steel has.

[@Burrfection]

Yeah, REX121 is nuts, but hey someone has to do it.

[@tau4320]

​@@Burrfection Absolutely, I've only ever seen it on pocket knives. Never thought about it for a kitchen knife now I want one 😂

[@demods1]

I'd much prefer to regularly touch up a shiro 2/ aogami/ or at the most aogami super over something that hard. Even 189 is a beatch

[@davesmith5656]

@@Burrfection ----- I have learned to strop for a minute or two before each use. My guess is that harder steels require more time stropping before each use. The thing about sharpness is that once you've used a knife that slices like air, you want that all the time!

[@tau4320]

​@@davesmith5656 As a sharpener, after you get a knife that can cut air you just want it sharper 😂

[@r.awilliams9815]

Since I bought a Dexter Chinese cleaver, my Wusthoff chef's knife has been feeling lonely. A Muneishi ko-bunka petty knife and the cleaver have been all I've used lately. Neither of them are particularly difficult to sharpen, and neither of them were expensive. Total cost...about $160. Note: I am not a pro chef. I am not any kind of chef at all. I'm just an old guy cooking for himself.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Wüsthof* chef's knife

[@z90012]

Just submitted great Chanel honest and to the point👍😊

[@abidingdude222]

Absolutely great pointers.

[@Burrfection]

check out the sale burrfectionstore.com/

[@EnriqueScott-se3vp]

I checked out your store in the future one of the issues that I have with the Japanese knives is a contour the handles

[@frankwaynefrank4081]

thank you I totally agree, I would love a beautiful Japanese chefs knife which I can not afford. I have had a few very beautiful Fallkniven knives etc and still have a Krut with CoS steel birchwood handle nickle silver guard and end pommel and a beautiful scabbard. I just love cooking and always wanted a beautiful japanese chef knife but always thought what about sharpening so no I would not be able to know how to sharpen these beautiful knives. I would not a temped to resharpen my Krut! its razor sharp now and always will be. I did have a Japanese officers sword ( katana) I paid $15.00 nz sold it 2 years later for $100.00 I hope I still had that! again thank you> Merry Christmas and a very safe New Year.

[@Brad.T]

Are they Hatsukokoro knives on your knife stand? I recently bought a 270ml Hatsukokoro FAXR2 sujihiki and a 240ml Hatsukokoro FAXR2 gyuto. Both beautiful. The craftsmanship on them is gorgeous. I am a chef, each of these knives were $630 AUD. It's not necessary to buy such expensive knives, but there is a certain pleasure using knives of this caliber. Btw, I binge-watched your videos 3 years ago when I started cheffing, to learn how to sharpen and take care of my knives, so thank you for all of your tutorials! 😉

[@EnriqueScott-se3vp]

I really enjoy your tutorials and your reviews I for one I'm always struggling to get my knife sharpened I have a German and one Japanese knife Santouk Global unfortunately here in San Antonio hard to find a knife sharpener and if you do you have to leave it with them for a week ??? So instead I purchased a diamond rod I don't know how to use the stones that I'm afraid I'm going to end up destroying what little edge there is

[@milanita7999]

Your advice is just in time , I am starting my jop in restaurant , I am a beginner in knifes and sharpening so I just bought a 2$ knife but I am not convinced about it and I didn't use it yet, so I want to jump to 359 $😅 from your store ,after this video I am convinced, so I will practice and maybe buy a 20 $ knife in local blacksmith. Thank you

[@sazner]

i started off with victorinox knives (still buy them and use them as they are a great workhorse knife, probably the best bang for your buck) but for more intricate chopping and dicing... i like using my Japanese knives.

[@danielcluley870]

Don't buy a knife you are afraid to use. Kind of goes with some of the rest (too expensive, hard to resharpen, or too fragile or pretty so you don't want to damage it). The best knife is the one that is useful, durable, familiar, and comfortable like a good pair of socks.

[@Burrfection]

I agree 100% burrfectionstore.com/

[@davesmith5656]

Hear you. I have one I'm afraid to use. The advantage is that I can now use the others. Tentatively, the best knife is the one you know how to sharpen, which stones to use, how it responds best to which strops. And you know how long it will stay in the sharpness range you are happy with.

[@jrclark222]

That $3k knife you showed at the end looks exactly like a knife I bought at a small shop in Japan 25 years ago for about $150. I confess I don’t really know how to sharpen it. I wonder if you could identify it. It has kanji carved into the blade but I don’t have any records on the purchase.

[@dimmacommunication]

What's the REX-121 knife from ? Didn't know japanese did rex knives

[@Atreusz]

Looks like some custom knife. The steel is far too exotic for 99% of all Japanese blacksmiths😂

[@dimmacommunication]

@@Atreusz Absolutely, also very strange to see rex-121 on a chef knife 🤔 poor cutting board 🥲🥲🥲

[@Atreusz]

@@dimmacommunication Someone probably wanted to see what was possible. Does it make sense? Not really. But everyone has their own opinion 😄 For example, I now prefer using my knife with 14C28N to any Japanese knife I have. And yes poor cutringboard 🥲

[@dimmacommunication]

@@Atreusz Wich 14c28n do you have ?

[@Atreusz]

@@dimmacommunication sandvik. Culilux. Its from a former Zwilling employee. Rly rly thin, it cuts phenomenal but its cheap. Assembled in china but the sharpening and final inspection is in germany.

[@chfd098]

Love to use my $40 Mercer culinary chefs knife just as much as my nice Japanese knives. Keep them sharp and they will treat you well.

[@Burrfection]

I hear ya. You don't need to spend a fortune to have a good knife!

[@davesmith5656]

@@Burrfection ---- A popular on-line knife seller had two lines of 60 and 63 HRC Chinese knives at ridiculously low prices. The $29.xx dollar 10" chef's knife is my go-to knife for slicing beef roasts. I can get it sharp. The seller has discontinued both lines, but they were so inexpensive I bought two of each to practice sharpening. Now they're my favorites. I moved up and bought a Yaxell Super Guo and got it even sharper, but that's a 6" and not inexpensive at all. I use it for cooked proteins.

[@psychoterrorism]

Excellent tips, totally agree with all of them. It is so difficult to buy a knife that you really like without making some mistakes. The amount of factors to consider is really maddening and in many ways they affect each other, so it's never clear exactly how a knife will perform until you use it, blunt it, and sharpen it again. If you can afford to put together a collection it's great as usually any decent knife can find a use in your kitchen, even if it's not every day. If money is tight though, making a bad decision can be super disappointing!

[@alterfalter7947]

Recently I bought a Yanagiba for left-hands. I was looking online because my knife store where I planned to buy it did not have one (and they were looking in other stores in my country, no one had one ti sell at the store), so I was looking online and found "Musashi" where I got my left Handed Yanagiba from (about 300€). Before I bought the knive I was researching about this type of knife and how to sharpen it (I also bought whetstones for sharpening my knifes properly). In the end, even if the Yanagiba is not a very suited knife for me (I am a vegan and bought a specialized Sushi knife😂), I really like my Yanagiba for cutting tofu or long and thin vegetables like carrots.

[@nickalderman5943]

watch out for the Facebook knife groups too, especially if you struggle with fomo. Definitely don't sleep on the $100-200 lasers, they may not be hand forged by on elderly master Smith, but the steel is the same quality, they weigh NOTHING (my 240mm ginsan kiritsuke is like 200g), and if you've only ever had cheap western knives, they change the game completely. It's wild

[@kkim5000]

rex121 is insane for a kitchen knife. patinas quickly, chips faster than a potato, and (like you said) impossible to sharpen well without diamond stones and a sharpening system.

[@ftiryaki13]

Hi, have you ever heard of Taski knives, they say its made in Japan, but I have mixed feelings about the craftsmanship and the steel. The price is well above the standards, just wondering if you have any idea about the brand?

[@WanJae42]

Just a quick note that some truly ancient Japanese items may not have any identifying marks on them at all. Some did, some did not. It was considered culturally immodest to draw attention to yourself. That's why you have so many experts who spend their lives learning to identify items. As recently as the 80s, people would put the name of their guild (or some other higher organization) on their work even when they did the work 100% themselves so as to not call attention to themselves.

[@WanJae42]

(And my comment has nothing at all to do with the core point of the video, which is 100% the right mentality.)

[@Burrfection]

That's really fascinating to hear.

[@davesmith5656]

Some video said the maker's name went onto the tang where it wouldn't be seen. Then someone invented mass-marketing and brand names.

[@maidpretty]

1. Don't buy a knife if you can't find info about its place of manufacturing and/or steel/HRC/etc. 2. Don't buy a knife you won't/can't use and don't set yourself on an endless pursuit of a "grail" knife: knife is a tool and not a item to collect (unless you make a living with your knife obsession). 3. Don't buy a knife if you have no means/skills to maintain it: for example, traditional Japanese carbon steel knives with non-stabilized wooden handles need special treatment and hard alloy knives need diamond abrasives and skills to sharpen. 4. Don't buy BS-tier cheap knives that are sold as something good and premium through social media/influencers. (PS. Kamikoto knives being the prime example of a knife you should never buy).

[@Burrfection]

Nice

[@gregmccormack5709]

This is so TRUE! words of wisdom everybody❤.

[@richardmassey1555]

If you know how to properly sharpen a knife, it can go a long way. Over all good points in the video.

[@manxology]

Hello. Thank you for your instructive videos. I am a subscriber, have shared your videos. Additionally, I am a chef of Classical French Cuisine trained in NYC. But, today, I am more of a broken down old man in East Tennessee. Aside from the sob story... well, it actually has applicability. Most of my knives are Western blade. But, I do have a couple Eastern metal knives (ex., 62 hardness core clad in Damascus). *Side Note: It almost seems those blades are "too sharp"... hanging into my cutting boards, slowing me down, making me worry about chips). Nonetheless, my questions: Are $20 Amazon multi-stone kits (400, 1000, 3000, 8000, belt, green polishing compound, leveler), are they okay to get started with??? Thanks again.

[@AngryBullBBQ]

Great vidoes. I am going to japan this year (I live in las angeles,) do you have a shop or 2 you recommend to get a knife in Tokyo or surrounding area? I have one of your rubber boards and love it though its a bit small ( larger so expensive ) Thanks.

[@Einungbrekke]

There is no point for a nonprofessional to buy very expensive knifes. I would have spent my money on something else in the kitchen. With that said, it is worth it to put some money into good knifes. Better quality often means it holds it sharpness for longer and for me, I like a knife to have a thin blade and to get good quality steel for that will cost a little more. My main knife cost $160 and it can go for a long time without having to sharpen it. I've been through a lot of cheaper ones in my life, but now I'm at a stage where I can buy a good knife. For context, it might sound like that is a very expensive knife, but I live in Norway and its expensive here. $160 for a knife is just a 50-75% premium over an okay knife.

[@Burrfection]

expensive knives is just that - expensive. my daily drivers are 1/10th the cost of some of my collector's pieces. in fact, most of my $200 daily drivers will outperform a $2000 knives.

[@narader1]

How Can you say Expensive.. Its Up front cost Vs Maint and Replacement.. The Fact that we replaced a Butcher block of knives with 3 Quality that are easily maintained to do precision work if needed ends upo a better ROI I agree buy the best you can afford but don't go wild

[@jpfurrow7445]

lol, I shouldn't buy any knives - I am the worst at sharpening..... My knife skills are meh but I do like to cook. I end up buying cheaper knives like Dexter and hone them up on some ceramic sticks. I will keep working on my knife and sharpening skills. When I get them up, then I will look at the nicer knives.

[@davesmith5656]

I've seen comparative demos of hand held sharpeners and they will get your knives plenty sharp enough for everyday use, no fine skill required, maybe a five minute exercise. It is not the same thing as really learning how to sharpen and getting a fine knife below 60 BESS. Hey, car collectors will pay a million bucks for a car they won't drive because more mileage lowers the collectible value. They just buy bigger garages to keep them parked in and show their friends.

[@bbb12228]

I have a zdp 189 steel knife and it does have a bad edge retention

[@Burrfection]

what brand and model?

[@demods1]

I saw one the other day that looked actually pretty decent, it was set up in a way that the influencer had finally splashed out on a decent gyuto but I didn't recognize the name, then the influencer says "it's made from japanese aircraft grade steel" which is just a load of garbage. Basically this knife was something like $100 if you navigated the website you'll find it's made in china which isn't bad but for that same amount you could get something that you know without a doubt is going to be good with no stupid gimmicks.

[@Przemek-CzFanboy]

Also avoid cheap jargon knives made of soft steal… then bend like spring and you can hurt you when younger stuck in something dense.

[@brian5651]

what stone do you think suited for sharpen yoshida hamono zdp with 66-67 hrc?

[@Burrfection]

I have successfully sharpened zdp189 on the Naniwa pro 800 and 3k. Naniwa made me a special edition burrfectionstore.com/products/naniwa-by-ryky-800-3000-professional-combo-stone-set You can spend more and go with Naniwa diamonds stones, but they are a lot more

[@davesmith5656]

There's a recent video in which he went into diamond stones. I don't think that's necessary, but for sure you spend more time on harder steels.

[@poogy3]

I have found that the ability to properly sharpen "Any" knife is better than just having an expensive knife. Kinda like "learn" to drive before you purchase your exotic car and drive it.

[@JonnyJonvilleJonathan]

I know you mostly focus on japanese style knives, but would you ever consider doing video(s) on chinese cleavers? The more I use my cleaver, the more I love it and the more my other knives never get used lol

[@Burrfection]

will do

[@gtrzero2157]

I hope you do some longer form videos, and I still want to know what's behind you. Cheers

[@olivvapor4873]

Hi there 😊 Actually the only knife I don’t use is the one I purchased from you ! 😅 A fantastic Miyabi SG2 Damascus … I used it one or twice only … And then I almost severed my thumb chopping an onion … with a cheap knife I just sharpened ! 😫 That was a terrible paint and blood loss … I painted my floor and my feet ! 😬 It took 4 months for my thumb to heal … And now, I think I would have lost my thumb with the Miyabi ! I am too scared to use it !

[@HLi-eu5er]

A sharp knife requires less force: you will have more control. The times I've cut myself badly were with blunt knives. I love my Takamura R2.

[@narader1]

Sorry to here that.. Have Cut myself many of times with 2 Japanese knives I don't blame them But life is so much easier using them just had to slow down and pay attention.. Give it a go again Baby steps

[@olivvapor4873]

@ thanks ; I could wait 🥲 it to get a little dull … and use it thus 😬😊

[@davesmith5656]

The most difficult problem I've run into is trying sharpen a European style knife with a bolster (and still be able to mince on a cutting board).

[@Burrfection]

Yeah, bolsters are definitely tricky.

[@thebearded4427]

I bought a bunka for $350 last year. Now, I cook every single day and even if I don't have alot of money to spare, it has been one of the best decisions I've made in life. If you like cooking, get a great knife. It elevates the experience, saves you a little time every time and encourages you to make even better meals. Just keep in mind that a knife is like a wand in Harry Potter. When you find the knife for you, you'll feel it.

[@Burrfection]

yup. when you invest in the right knife, it'll serve you for as long as you keep it. there nothing wrong with spending your hard-earned money on quality cutlery.

[@zakariaott]

Or just buy a TSPROF with some Atoma stones. Can sharpen anything and everything. Sharpened some 71 hrc steel with it, no problem. Side note: Rex 121 at 68 hrc is pretty soft.

[@fujimeira]

As I professional chef I gotta say that skills count more than the tool itself. Yes, I do use some expensive knives (because I enjoy them), but I can use a 5 dollar knife and still get the very same result. But if I give a 3k dollars knife to someone who doesn't know how to use it, they won't make a great final product just because they have a great knife. Hone your skills first and then proceed to buying knives as you need them

[@davesmith5656]

The next step after learning to sharpen is learning how to cook, and searching around to learn the different cattle breeds like many of us know names of whetstones. A prime example is a restaurant with 89 day aged beef. And Japanese sushi dives with sushi masters who can name every fish in the ocean.

[@fujimeira]

@@davesmith5656 i don't believe I'll ever get near to such skills, but now you gave something extra to aim for. I just became a better person today. Thank you

[@Goy49]

Sold Out!😢👏💅

[@Burrfection]

this will make your knife problems go away burrfectionstore.com/

[@CristianBlas-i2p]

What about Dalstrong knives? Sold at Amazon.

[@ericfg806]

Overpriced and WAY over-hyped.

[@Burrfection]

i have tested dozens of their knives in the past. i haven't kept any of them in my personal collection.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Do not shop at Amazon. Period.

[@attseung]

I don’t know why. Even though I bought some nice vg10 knifes that are practical to use in the kitchen, I still grab my Mercer knife most of the time…

[@Burrfection]

You are not alone.

[@attseung]

😄

[@KhoiBoa]

I bought your own collab knife and I store it. lol. Too pretty to use. But I use all my other knives.

[@420HBKHHHDX8]

My favourite knife is the cleaver made down the street out of recycled steel (think Indonesia?). The guy only makes the handles and the blades come from Indonesia. And he sharpens them. Never had a better vegetable knife. Think it was 20€?

[@Burrfection]

nicely done. sounds like a great knife and deal burrfectionstore.com/

[@ryanle1293]

Number 6: kamikoto knives, they're lying hot garbage

[@sanchezking6188]

IMO the most important point was the one about knives you cannot sharpen. In my experience most knives, even premium ones, are just OK, maybe good, out of the box. So you would need to work on it to reach its full potential and I'll assume that 99% of the population don't have a good sharpening service anywhere near their home. Unless you want to drive 100 miles for a knife you'd have to do it yourself so the knifes requirements must not exceed your sharpening equipment and skill level if you want to end up with a really good working knife.

[@Burrfection]

great point. if you truly want the best knife in the kitchen, it's the one you put in the right effort and over time, it will become the best knife for you burrfectionstore.com/

[@joemisak7925]

Very good info

[@Burrfection]

Thanks for watching!

[@golgothatheend]

To be honest, at this point, we should all go and advocate for cbn or diamond stones than anything else. With a strop and a proper diamond compounds too, of course. Modern steels are getting better and better, but it requires better abrasives to cut through steel. Chefs, whether professional or home cook, should be prepared for the technological advancements we’re facing. Can’t stay traditional when we have better options, especially when there are carbon steel knives with crazy price because of the cosmetic element. Other than that, that Rex 121 chefs knife look crazy. I’m drooling.

[@davesmith5656]

I disagree abut hard steels. If you want a hard steel, look at tool steel. I think that's named T1 of carbide steel. They used that for katanas destined for combat because the steel was hard enough to chop through armor and yet not chip or break. The sharpeners did not have diamond stones!! They most probably relied on natural stones. The idea that you cannot sharpen HRC 66 steel on anything but diamond is a myth of some sort. I have one HRC 66 and it sharpens on Suehiro MD stones.

[@narader1]

Yeah I am about Performance and Maintenance..The Higher end knives are about quality and function not looks

[@aminebriki9122]

Love the last point mentioned 🎉

[@williamw7134]

I would also say match quality of the knife with your skill level. Not to shame anyone but there are the kind of people who buy the most expensive tools/equipment right as they enter a hobby. A newbie trying to learn chopping and sharpening on a 500$ 66 HRC, laser thin nakiri is going to murder it. Learn to use and sharpen a cheap knife, then move to a Tojiro, or a budget carbon steel, then work your way up to the luxury knives. Not to mention, if you don't know how to use a knife, you will barely tell the difference between an expensive one and cheap on. I cook a lot, and as fast as I can. I can tell as soon as it isn't razor sharp anymore, so I use expensive Japanese knives, reprofiled and thinned to my liking. Mom gets angry at me for spending the money on them cause she can't tell the difference haha.

[@narader1]

LOL Mom is not slicing and cutting as Much and you are sharpening all of them .. Let them sit 6 mo with out sharpening

[@davesmith5656]

Definitely. I spent my money on whetstones, initially, first, and bought a really cheap small knife ($6 bucks, but it it got really sharp). I bought a few Chinese knives ( $30 bucks, good, HRC 60-62) and got them sharp. Then I bought a Yaxell 6" and it's a fine (expensive) knife I use occasionally (not everyday chopper). I have stopped buying whetstones now! I have more money in them than in knives. I am working on how to use them, and on which food to prepare. I might even sign up for a cooking class or two (many women who don't know how to sharpen).

[@larryc4106]

I dont recomend buying a set you really like if you dont know how to sharpen them. Start with something you dont care about and pick a method. Most people use waterstones or diamond stones. Onceyouve gotten enough practice get that set you want. I never recomend electric or carbide sharpeners. They are convenient but they can wreck the edge. Especially if theyre bad quality sharpeners.

[@davesmith5656]

Sharpening rods will also wreck a knife when used often. Concave edges on a santoku ... yeah ... fun. Time to pull out a sander unless you want hours on a diamond plate, ruining that, too!

[@mohammadmobassir2363]

Should I get Sakai Takayuki "Tokujo Supreme" Shirogami #2 Deba with Buffalo Horn Handle Or Sakai Takayuki Suigyu Kasumitogi Deba 165mm Plz me me know thank

[@Burrfection]

the Tokujo has a high quality steel. depending on your budget, i would get the Tokujo burrfectionstore.com/products/sakai-takayuki-tokujyo-supreme-shirogami-2-deba-with-magnolia-buffalo-horn-handle?_pos=1&_sid=13651883b&_ss=r

[@mohammadmobassir2363]

@@Burrfectionok thank

[@grg35]

When you live with people that throw your dirty knife in the sink and then put your cast iron pans on top of it filled with water you learn to enjoy cooking with cheap equipment.

[@Atreusz]

Avoid: Huusk Dalstrong And every cheap amazon knife

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Do not shop at Amazon. Period.

[@c2c001]

I'm not interested in a three thousand dollars knife but I'm also not interested in budget knives or even ones that are below a specific price point. I don't mind spending several hundreds of dollars. So, with that in mind, what would you recommend? To me, if I'm looking to spend, lets say... $500 but you were to tell me that the best knife is $700 then I'll spend the extra $200. But obviouslly there is a huge difference between being willing to spend extra and for that extra to be thousands of dollars.

[@narader1]

175 - 300 JapaneseCertified Knife will be a game changer for you.. But hell if you got the $$ do what you like.. I have No complaints about my Shun and the Misses prefers her musashiha Chef Knife

[@benjamindejonge3624]

It’s true they hard to find, and always the doubt of original made country

[@velse9869]

Made-In is a good example of a corporation hyped up in social media trying to capitalize on Japanese Style Knives.

[@Burrfection]

interesting. will have to look them up and see

[@ACMEHomeSocal]

They do marketing but are honest where their knives are made, the Damascus knives are Seki, Japan. Other knives are made in France.

[@BRO-HI808]

Interesting, I was thinking of getting one just for the heck of it, as they seem to be honest about who they are and what they are offering. The price is also would match to what I think they are offering. I haven't really bought anything really expensive as far as Japanese knives, I think the most I've spent is a little over $300 each for a couple of knives out of the Seki region (A Deba and a Yanagiba). I have bought a whole bunch of knives from companies, like Victorinox, Misen, Zwilling , Mercer, Kai, Fujiwara, Tojiro, Shibazi, Forge to Table, etc. I actually really like my Tojiro (Gyuto), which is a very good "entry level" Japanese knife. And will often switch knives, depending on how I feel. I use the Victorinox, the Misen, Kai and others constantly. I actually even bought a Ryky and Taku collab knife (the Kiritsuke) which I've been using a decent amount recently. And some days I feel like using a Chinese style cleaver slicing blade and will pull out the Shibazi. Funny story on that one. as it was recommended by a sweet old Chinese lady when I was looking at the vast wall of Chinese knives in a store in Chinatown. She spoke no English, but with her gestures I got the message. As I walked through the store, more older Chinese ladies gave me the thumbs up with the knife choice.😂 For me, knives are just one of the elements which makes cooking fun. And also find sharpening knives is very therapeutic for me. Not the best at sharpening knives, but getting better and better with each session.😆

[@HPAcustomriflesandcerakote]

How the hell did you get a knife that big made out of Rex121? That had to be freaking expensive. Rex121 has the best edge retention of any knife steel

[@Burrfection]

more on the way. thank you. check out the sale burrfectionstore.com/

[@TheAdequateMedia]

just posted about how tiktok shop is selling lead lined knives on shop for silly low prices. Posted onto my side, and main accounts over there. feels like tiktok is supressing it. not all guangdong knife makers are trash, but many definitely still are

[@Burrfection]

stinks to have a post not be able to reach the right people. my post was not about me claiming all Chinese knives are bad. my problem is when sellers are deceiving buyers, and disguising Chinese-made knives are Japanese-made. i have used quality Chinese-made knives.

[@TheAdequateMedia]

@@Burrfection oh no, I love Chinese knives if you look at my content, you’ll hear me say it pretty concisely

[@dreadhawk861]

Don't buy a knife you don't know how to use? How am I supposed to learn how to use it then? I'd love to buy a single sided blade, even though I'm never slicing sushi or any type of fish, just so I can learn something new. I have a filet knife just for that purpose.

[@b-radg916]

I’m going to guess that these suggestions are for people who are newer to the knife world and/or to help people to not buy something they wish they didn’t. Ryky said that he bought that yanagiba when he first got into Japanese knives, so it sounds like he was inexperienced with that style of knives back then. Yes, I’d also like to pick up a single bevel knife, but I’ll make it a usuba rather than a yanagiba, as that profile is much more in my wheelhouse (plus, the cheapo nakiri that I have is terrible 🫠).

[@Burrfection]

i hear what you are saying. maybe i should have included the edits that i took out, but what i meant was to how get overly excited and get something WAY beyond your skill level that it becomes intimidating to use. but thank you for your input.

[@DreadX10]

I understood it as: "don't buy it if you have no plan for it" Buying a specific knife to learn to use it is a legit reason. Buying a knife and then find out you can't use it properly so you use a different knife instead .... is what you want to avoid. People who throw their kitchen knives in the drawer with all the other steel utensils also fall into the category of 'people who don't know how to use a knife' as 'storing it properly' is part of the usage.

[@b-radg916]

@@DreadX10 : Unfortunately, there are uninformed people who will buy a knife block or set that has a bunch of profiles they won’t know what to do with. But yes, if you’re knowledgeable enough to know that there are double and single bevel knives, I would hope that you’d get one in a profile that makes sense for your needs/skill level.

[@johnsanford3596]

I mostly agree, except for two things. 1) There's nothing wrong with buying a knife you don't know how to use, IF you commit to LEARNING how to use it. 2) Same with sharpening. Most of us purchased our first few (or sometimes MANY) knives without having ANY clue on how to sharpen them. So again, IF you commit to LEARNING AND EQUIPPING to sharpen (or commit to paying someone else to do it), then fine, buy that Rex 121 knife.

[@Burrfection]

i hear you and agree.

[@richmondvand147]

most knife makers are proud of their work. They'll be very clear where its from from the bespoke to industrial for example from Kramer Knives to Sabatier to Wustorf - they'll all be clear on where and who made it. These phony knives are uber cagey and takes some digging but they're always made in china by the cheapest peeple possible (I'm sure there are good makers there somewhere)

[@Burrfection]

Yup total agree

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Wüsthof*

[@narader1]

Japanese Knives should have a certificate of where forged etc.. If not its a knock off

[@davesmith5656]

@@einundsiebenziger5488 ---- I won't buy European knives anymore.

[@AG-en5y]

I buy expensive knifes to look at I hate cooking

[@Burrfection]

gangsta. check out the sale burrfectionstore.com/

[@kolsky]

Perhaps change the title to remove the 'at all cost' as the first two things you said not to buy were not 'at all cost'

[@Burrfection]

thanks for the suggestion.

[@attila5221]

A little thing about the "you probably can't sharpen this knife", diamond plates work, a sharpal 162n(325/1200) will do all the rough work, then all you'd need is a single 3-4k grit resin bonded stone to finish on, double sided venev pegasus f800/1200 will set you back about 130$ and it gives you both a roughly 2-2.5k grit side and a 4-5k side, pair with the plate you're looking at less than 200$ to have the ability to sharpen any steel. Sure you can buy the expensive naniwa/nsk/fsk diamond stones, but you don't have to.

[@Burrfection]

I get your point. I did not say you have to use what i use, but you simply cannot buy a $20 whetstone on Amazon and expect to be able to properly such a knife.

[@attila5221]

@@Burrfection oh, absolutely. You just made it sound like(at least to me) that you need to spend half a paycheck. I just wanted to point out that doesn't have to be.

[@davesmith5656]

Look up "T1 steel". One website claimed that it (tool steel) was used for katanas. The master sharpeners did not have diamond plates. Probably used natural stones.

[@attila5221]

​@@davesmith5656 yeah, and t1 is trash by today's standard, just because they use it for tools doesn't make it a tool steel.

[@davesmith5656]

@@attila5221 ---- No doubt katana steel has changed over centuries. There's no creditable video from the 1500's, but there's a video recreation of some guy sharpening one, sitting by a river, holding a board to a "stone" with his foot, and he doesn't look like he's going to be done in twenty minutes. No doubt diamond is faster on HRC 63 - 70 kitchen knives (shorter blades than katana, too), but they can be sharpened ... I bought an HRC 66 and have sharpened it on Suehiro, MDs taking it from 260 BESS to 140, but really still disappointed that I can't get it as sharp as some HRC 58 steel. I know only a thimble-full about steels. HRC 63's I have no problem with - assuming all the HRC numbers are truthful, Edit, a day later: I got a bit ticked off and tried again with my HRC 66 steel, and got it to test 70. That's just one spot on the edge tested, but I accepted it! It felt sharp, in use. Today I stropped before use, and it tested 80. That's no guarantee the entire edge is 80 (or 70), but I know i am beginning to figure the knife's steel out. Not to speak for everyone, but I'm a hobbyist, an "enthusiast", and not the practical "300 BESS is sharp enough" sensible guy. I know that pro shops with wheels and jigs can regularly turn out 60's within five minutes, on any knife they get in for sharpening. I may take days, but it's the sense of being in the same ballpark at least.

[@elsterp7837]

$3,000 sheessssshhhh my wife would OOF me if i buy that 😂

[@Burrfection]

haha. well. glad you have a good wife. check out the sale burrfectionstore.com/

[@mgaunard]

I think the hate on chinese knives is unwarranted, they produce amazing knives for 50 bucks. Japanese knives are more of a luxury item, and small western shops that sell those do so at a huge markup anyway. You're better off buying direct from China.

[@piloupdetang]

first: do you know cooking? 99% people buying expensive kitchen knife dont know cooking especially those who talk about it

[@narader1]

I may not be as good as the Misses Cooking but Give me a Tenderloin and a brisket and a great knife and then pass that over to her to make Pastrami and a smoked Brisket qand possibly som F. Milgon or Wellis

[@Burrfection]

probably not as much as someone who says "first, do you know cooking?". check out the sale burrfectionstore.com/

[@liori3770]

I love Japan! I love Japanese culture! I love Japanese people! Never allow your precious culture be ruined by immigrants as the west did.

[@Yonutz0009]

There is no way I'm this early

[@Burrfection]

congrats

[@b-radg916]

@@Burrfection🤣

[@DimasFajar-ns4vb]

squid fishing boat

[@Burrfection]

haha. i like squid