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New knives - ceramic?

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New knives - ceramic?

Postby Sloe-Gin » Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:47 pm

I have chipped the end off my nice ceramic knife. It was ony a cheapie, but has given good service. I have decided to treat myself to some new ones.

Anyone recommend any knives, please, ceramic or otherwise?

Due to arthritis and being born with part of my hand missing, I can't use large knives, so what I'd deem 'medium'.


TIA

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Gillthepainter » Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:11 pm

Morning, Sloe.
I got Tony a ceramic knife from Lakeland - and used to use it too. It's finally (after 6 or 7 years) developed too many tiny nibbles.
Slim, light, and perfect for his fruit preparation. https://www.lakeland.co.uk/16288/Lakela ... 10cm-Blade (out of stock)

He's got a new one that is a little bit thicker, but it too is great. He's gotten used to it, but prefers the Lakeland knife.
It's a Taylors Eye Witness one.
The white blade is discoloured after a month by the fruit.

They are the only ceramic knives we've had.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Pampy » Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:15 pm

I use Richardson ( A sheffield company) V Sabatier knives and am exceptionally pleased with them. There's loads of different types and sizes - I'm sure you'd find some that are suitable for you.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Suffs » Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:16 pm

Not sure if you're aware that my OH now works for ProCook ... has done for a few years now although he's currently on furlough ......... he suggests you have a look at their Professional X50 range .... not the most expensive they do but really good quality (we have several and are very happy with them). He says they're often bought by professional cooks as well as 'ordinary folk' ... and are available singly as well as in sets, good warranties etc and there are often good deals to be had.

He says they're well-balanced and not heavy, so ought to suit you. If you have any questions do ask :D

https://www.procook.co.uk/shop/knives-s ... sional-x50

They also do ceramic knives and other ranges, ... but he says that these are the ones that, having bought just one people come back to buy more of the same range (if that makes sense).

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby karadekoolaid » Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:31 pm

I´ve had some ceramic knives over time, but apart from the initial thrill of something light that cuts like a razor, I´m not impressed. The ones I´ve had lose their sharpness very fast and tend to be brittle.
I´ve got a Henkel´s knife with a plastic handle which is pretty light and keeps a perfect edge. Sabatier are what my (chef) brother swore by for 40 years. Wusthof are also excellent.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby nursemimi » Fri Mar 05, 2021 4:35 pm

I have 2 Shen knives that I really love.
They hold there edge very well.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Pampy » Fri Mar 05, 2021 4:38 pm

I've had Henkel's and Wusthof knives in the past and was always very pleased with them. Sabatier used to be an assurance of good quality but these days are made by several different manufacturers, some better than others. My Richardson ones are excellent quality.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:26 pm

I was going to say - Sabatier is a style, and they are made by a number of different manufacturers and always have been. so you have to look into what you are getting, I have one good French Sabatier knife which is "Sabatier Jeune Guaranti" - the ones marked with a bunch of grapes, but I don't hink they make them any more, they were the satandard for carbon steel, not stainless
The other good French make is marked by an elephant - these
https://www.thiers-issard.fr/en/6_sabatier-elephant

Those are the two recommended by our local knife shop

I'd put on a word for Victorinox (which the knife sharpener also rates) - they are very light, dishwasher friendly and they sharpen well
https://www.victorinox.com/uk/en/Produc ... Results=30

I have a Victorinox small chef's knife that survived 15 years of abuse form my mother, and is still going strong, I use it every day I think it's this one
https://www.victorinox.com/uk/en/Produc ... /5.2003.15

I would put in a word for a curved paring knife, otherwise know as a turning knife, does awkward trimming such as celeriac - they have now decided it's a shaping knife
https://www.victorinox.com/uk/en/Produc ... e/p/6.7503

I also love my electric knife sharpener (Knife Wizard)

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Sloe-Gin » Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:38 pm

I can see a lot of research ahead, thank you.

Hub has a 'good' sabatier, which we bought a lovely cookshop in onwy (now long gone). I do like to hold them, but not possible for so many reasons these days.
If we go for a whole new knife set, he will insist on being involved. Might be easier for me to buy a couple of ones I want

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby aero280 » Fri Mar 05, 2021 6:36 pm

I bought a small Wusthof knife as a souvenir when I was in Solingen a few years ago (when we met up with Uschi!) It's very good, I would buy another of that make.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby jeral » Fri Mar 05, 2021 8:08 pm

At the lower end of the price range, Kitchen Devil do a set of 3 small ones for £19.99:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Devils ... 444&sr=8-9

This Taylor's medium size knife might suit, £13.97? It has a scalloped edge like one I have that I use all the time, except when my big knife is needed for chopping spuds.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0033PUVUI/ ... HJ1ZQ&th=1

Incidentally, I noticed that G Ramsay's knife was a Wustof santoku one.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Pampy » Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:52 am

Sue's reminded me of Victorinox - I got a small paring knife about 6 years ago and haven't yet needed to sharpen it. It's really lightweight but is a very good knife. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby scullion » Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:21 pm

i use a mix of knives - a couple of kitchen devil short serrated ones,
a couple of ceramics (one with the tip broken off) that my partner bought from lidl or aldi some years ago, still good and sharp.
a sabatier cooks knife (also with the tip broken off), (and a little curved one)
a couple of solingen, asian, damascus ones that were a special from aldi a decade or more ago (lovely - and really sharp)
and a cleaver from a chinese supermarket which is also really sharp and takes no effort to cut tough stuff. i keep a protector over the blade - just in case, and over the solingen ones, too.
and a few others including kitchen devil and 'prestige' carving and bread knives.

maybe going to a kitchen shop (sometime in the future) and testing the feel of the knives would be useful as what 'fits' one person's hand may not feel right in another.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby liketocook » Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:47 pm

Victorinox for my day to day knives, I particularly like their paring and tomato knives.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby miss mouse » Sat Mar 06, 2021 6:38 pm

Another Victorinox vote. I also have the Lakeland knife sharpener but at the Victorinox prices I don't care if the knife only lasts for 30 years.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Amber » Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:17 am

I love my (old) IKEA knives, (easy to sharpen), but for for me, I think the main thing is the weight and balance in my own hand. I could never buy without testing the ‘feel’ of a knife.
So saying, there’s a set of very similar ProCook knives I have my eye on, once we’re released back into some form of normality. (And my new kitchen magically appears out of nowhere!)

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Sloe-Gin » Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:50 am

I am buying for 'just me', as hub said not worth buying a new set when he's happy with his. So in the absense of any physical chance to buy and try, I shall look at the ones suggested, thank you

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby Pampy » Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:03 pm

Don't forget that if you buy online, you have the right of return if you find something's not suitable for you. You'll probably have to pay return postage, though.

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Re: New knives - ceramic?

Postby jeral » Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:45 pm

Good point Pampy. Have to be sure to send it back within the deadline and usually with packaging undisturbed to enable re-sale (quite reasonably). I think the legal one for changing one's mind is 14 days although some are voluntarily extending that due to covid.

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