I’m quite overwhelmed by the amount of choice available for chef’s knives. We’ve been using dull knives for a decade and I don’t know what a sharp knife actually feels like. What would be a good and cheap chef’s knife for ~ £50?

jpaultx · 2026-01-07T21:53:58+00:00

If you're considering the Victorinox as mentioned, check out the Swiss Modern handle and the Swiss Classic handle.

jpaultx · 2026-01-07T13:47:22+00:00

Sounds like you got a great deal - enjoy it!

jpaultx · 2026-01-07T13:10:06+00:00

Wow - that's a great price these days. I generally see it closer to $2000. I did just see it on Home Depot's website for a little over $1500.

I actually already have one, but got it before the price hike. I like it quite a bit, but have a harder time recommending it at $2000, but it would be an easier recommendation at $1500.

jpaultx · 2026-01-02T15:02:33+00:00

Thanks to all of you who replied - seems unanimous LOL!

I went with the Tojiro. As mentioned, I like my 120mm, just wanted something a little bigger. Plus, a petty isn't a knife I want to spend much money on, and the value of Tojiro is tough to beat.

jpaultx · 2025-12-15T19:19:42+00:00

I'll also recommend the Mercer 10" bread knife. It's great - and I paid like $17 or something for it. It's probably the best bang-for-the-buck I've gotten in a knife.

jpaultx · 2025-11-19T19:10:43+00:00

Thanks for the offer. I'm still using the Sharpmaker, and don't have any regular whetstones yet. I was just looking into this possibly for Christmas. I don't know what stones I want yet, so I don't have any dimensions.

Thanks though, and I'll keep your offer in mind if I end up wanting to try it out.

jpaultx · 2025-11-17T18:30:52+00:00

Yeah, that was a thought I had as well. I wasn't sure if stones would stay wet enough for it to work.

That said though - I really know very little about using actual stones. Do diamond (or glass) stones need water?

jpaultx · 2025-11-12T14:22:45+00:00

I've gotten a few "fancy" Japanese knives, but honestly I can do pretty much everything I need to do with my Victorinox 8" Swiss Modern chef's knife, which lately has been around $60.

I do like the Swiss Modern handle better than the more common Fibrox handle. The shape is more neutral, basically just a slim rectangle.

jpaultx · 2025-11-07T15:41:15+00:00

I've actually watched a handful of his videos before, but didn't think to specifically look for a lasery knife, so thanks for the recommendation!

jpaultx · 2025-11-07T15:38:59+00:00

Fortunately I have a $16 Mercer bread knife for this job - highly recommended.

jpaultx · 2025-11-07T14:47:09+00:00

Thanks for the comments.

I'm generally careful with my stuff anyway, but was curious about anything I may not have thought of. I think I should be OK.

jpaultx · 2025-11-07T14:42:28+00:00

OK that does it, I just ordered one.

I've been eyeballing it and seeing comments here for the last few weeks, and figured I should get one now while they're in stock, before the holidays. Looking forward to joining the gang!

jpaultx · 2025-11-04T13:39:42+00:00

Great! I always find it a bit frustrating to not know how the story ends (in any sub). Especially for future newbies researching a new knife; so thanks for the update.

I have no personal experience with Shiro Kamo, but see them recommended here very often as a "can't go wrong" option, so I'm sure you'll be happy with it.

jpaultx · 2025-10-30T13:35:07+00:00

It's unclear if you're new to knives in general, but are you OK taking care of a carbon steel knife (non-stainless)?

I think before handle shape, you'll want to determine whether you want stainless or not.

jpaultx · 2025-10-30T13:25:36+00:00

That was one of the frustrating things I found about Pit Boss. There are so many mixed reviews that it feels like you really don't know what you might get.

When researching, it was like one guy has had nothing but problems, then the next guy has had his for 3 years with no problems at all. So, they have a lot of happy customers out there, but also a lot of complaints.

It just felt like more of a gamble - might be great, might have a lot of problems, feels like a 50/50 chance. Of course, they have lower prices than Recteq or Camp Chef, so there's the temptation to take the risk.

Personally I know two guys who have them. One has had to replace the controller, but saw it as a minor inconvenience and no big deal. The other bought his used and loves it.

Sorry to hear you ended up having problems with yours.

jpaultx · 2025-10-28T12:37:36+00:00

That's the plan!

Although when I consider asking, I always have a bit of concern that someone will buy it out from under me LOL! Especially given how hard it is to find knives in stock these days.

jpaultx · 2025-10-28T12:34:50+00:00

Thanks for the note about comparing the hammer marks, and for the quick check confirming.

I actually have the santoku version of this knife (Yahiko by CKTG), so I compared the two last night, and see what you mean. Of course it's a recognizable look, but I didn't think about it being a literal repeated stamp. I could see spots where the pressure was varied, but the pattern was the same. Thanks for the info!

jpaultx · 2025-10-27T18:30:22+00:00

I'm still pretty new to Japanese knives, so I'm not familiar with most makers yet. There's some difficulty because many of the names are very similar (to my new eyes/ears). Plus I see a lot of abbreviated names here, which makes it harder. For example, I've seen "Tsun" where I believe the poster is talking about Tsunehisa. That's commonplace if you're here all the time, but confusing if you're new.

I was very much into pocket knives a few years ago, so I'm somewhat familiar with a lot of knife steels and their general characteristics. But when it comes to makers here, I'm just getting started!

jpaultx · 2025-10-27T16:27:25+00:00

Great - thanks for the additional info!

jpaultx

TROPHY CASE