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Jaxom · Senior Member

I posted a few weeks ago I got my first kill with my 2300. I'm hoping to get many many more soon. My expierence dressing and cleaning the rabbit I shot would have been much easier had the proper tools.

I love to cook and have been using the same ol' knives my mother bought years go. Not the best brand or quailty, and honestly she didn't really take care of them very well. Most are rather dull. Save for my two filet knives that I now keep in the same drawer.

I've thought about just sharpening them, but honestly it's a mixed up batch of this and that. I'd really like a nice set of kitchen knives. I've done some googling and that just confused the heck out of me.

There's some brands that just one knife costs more then a nice ag! I don't have those kinds of funds to spend. But at the same time I don't want to go super cheap either.

What do you all use? What can you recommend that won't break the bank but is of a good quality?

Thanks,

Jax

fritz · Silver Status Member

I think we got a set of "Tools of the Trade" for about $50 on Ebay.

Large chef
Medium chef
Large serrated
Large fillet
6 & 4" pearing
Kitchen shears
8 steak knives.

Stainless, full tang, synthetic riveted handles.

a77ssii · Member

I use a Kershaw skinner for Elk/Deer so it just migrates to small game also. Personally when I process squirrels and rabbits I first dunk them in a bucket of water to thoroughly wet the fur then use a hatchet to remove the head/paws. Roll the skin down starting at the neck, it will wind up attached at the tail and inside out but you will get very little blood then slice the membrane over the gut cavity and pull it all out, everything will stay attached to the skin/tail and just cut off the spine in front of the tail. Takes me about 2 minutes to dress a squirrel or rabbit. Technically I could do it all with a sharp hatchet.

Bozo · Veteran Member

If you want a pretty good knife, not the best, but pretty good, for not too many bucks, I've had really good luck with Chicago Cutlery. I see them mostly in hardware stores. Wooden handles, full tang, good riveting.

If you want to spend a little more, try Victornox. Yes, the same folks that make Swiss Army knives. I got my 14" chef's knife at a restaurant supply store. It has their "Fibrox" handle, which fits my hand well, and is non-slip. I've been very happy with it for the last 6-7 years.

Restaurant supply places are a good source for good-quality, no nonsense equipment. Knives, for instance may not be as pretty as that Henckels set you see at Macy's, but they're made for constant daily use by professionals, not to look pretty when not in use. And the price is usually better.

One other place for recommendations is your local butcher shop. Those guys use knives all day, need them sharp, and don't really want to pay more than they need to. Ask them what they use and where they get them.

I'm not a big fan of sets. You usually get some knives you won't use, and there will be one or two that you really don't like. Decide what knives you want, then buy them individually. That way you can buy different brands to get exactly what you want.

And learn to sharpen them, and how to use a steel to keep them touched up. It's not that hard to do, and if you do it yourself they'll always be sharp, and a pleasure to use. Those old knives might satisfy you if they are just sharpened up. They'd be good for practicing on, if nothing else.

jlwilliams · Veteran Member

My advice is to NOT buy a set. Start with the knife you use most (it's probably about the most worn out of them all) and replace just that one with the best quality replacement you can get for it. A little while later, replace another knife. And so on until you have what you need.

As a career knife maker/ designer, I've put quite a bit of thought and observation into how people use their knives. As far as kitchen knives go, most people only use three, maybe four out of their set. Of those few knives, most people will do almost everything with one knife and the others they use for more specialized tasks. There are exceptions, but by and large most people have a favorite and they use the others for 'everything else'. The knives people really use can be lumped into: large (chef's knife most often) madium, and small knife. Some people also use a serrated knife or maybe a filet knife or a cleaver as their fourth go-to knife.

Now, you can pick up a really good (like a Sabatier or something) medium length utility knife and your food preparation will be a happier time. The little paring knives are pretty cheap no matter who made them. The only place you are likely to spend much money is a chef's knife. If that's your first must have you may have some sticker shock, but you can get something pretty good for fifty bucks or less if you look around. Find a place that sells hight quality cooking stuff, not a trendy shop but a real professional cookware dealer.

No kidding, buy a knife at a time and you will be MUCH happier with what you end up with that if you buy a set that is aimed at 'everybody' because you will have the knives YOU like and you will have better ones that you would have settled for in the set. You will spend more over time but spreading it out will ease the pain and good tools are worth buying.

Slavia · Moderator

kanyon · Silver Status Member

To do a rabbit yer only need 3 things....
craft knive
chopper
block of wood

Snap of blade craft knive is all yer need to cut the skin..
meat chopper for legs & neck & block of wood to chop on...
with those I can do a rabbit in under a minute.....

Jaxom · Senior Member

HA! I've been so busy sorting, cleaning, displaying all my junk for an upcoming estate sale, I totally forgot about this thread.

I really do apperciate the advice guys. And I do agree with alot of it. But there's a few points I want to make. For those that suggested buying one knife at at time. I whole heatedly agree, it's just that I do want to end up with a complete "set", and don't want to get into a brand 5-10 pieces and then I'm unable to find the rest to complete it.

Now for you guys that claim to use only one knife. Let me ask you this... Do you also use just one fishing pole to fish for blue gill all the way up to musky's? Do you only have just one screw driver? Do you only use just a vise grip to work on your car? And to keep with the theme of the board, do you only own just one ag???

Now I'm just funning with ya's with that last comment. If you prefer using just one or two knives so be it. I like to use more. While I don't profess to be a chef or even want to be one. I do watch alot of cooking shows and can see exactilly why you would need a boning knife vs using a perry vs using the plain jane kitchen knife. So when it comes to a set so to say, ya I agree I don't need a top of the line 20+ piece one for a thousand dollars or more. I honestly never understood why steak knives were included with cutlery and now in a silverware set where it would match with the rest of your stuff.

As far as getting advice from butchers. I don't trust the ones at my local grociery store. I mean when you ask a buthcer where's the mutton and he asks, "What's that?" Should give you a clue he's not all that educated. The little indendant butchers have all gone the way of the do-do bird, because of the big grocery stores. It's really a sad state.

There is a saving grace here though. The area I'm moving to is nearly dead center of the state. While it still is a city, it's right in the heart of Illinois deer hunting area. I was just doing a google last night to see how many gunshops were in town and I counted 10! Where as I am now because of anti gun idjuts, I've only one gunshop near me and the next is 30 miles away.

Learn how to sharpen knives, ha! Don't laugh but I was in boy scouts for 15 years, had excellent leaders. Taught us how to sharpen everything from a pen knife all the way up to axes. In the few tools I'm not selling I've stones, an electric sharpener and files for the really bad nicks. I even have this one sharpener that craftsman use to make that has two "marble" like stones, that puts a really nice finnishing edge on any knife. The only thing I'm perplexed with is I like using kitchen sheers. I've seen many ways to cut a whole chicken into parts just using a knife. But I still like using the sheers anyways. I'm probably as fast cutting a whole chicken into parts as some of you are at skinning and gutting a rabbit. But like many things speed comes with repetitive practice. I've only done one rabbit so far. Done hundreds of chickens over the years.

Oh, since this is related. What about cutting boards. Do you prefer wood over those new plastic ones. I've two of those white plastic type ones and well I hate them. Try as hard as I can and food gets in the nicks and scratches and they look all funky and grey. Tried every type of cleaner as possible. I was so pissed at these things I came close to using an orbital sander on them to get them smooth and clean again!

Thanks for the tips!

Jax

donec · Senior Member

Slavia · Moderator

sniper · Silver Status Member

jlwilliams,

just curious, how good is "royal prestige"??

my whole kitchen arsenal is that, i do ALL of the cooking.
i've found the knives to be highend as well as the cookware.
and yes, i really only use 3 knives. Shocked

they sharpen back up quick.

jlwilliams · Veteran Member

I don't know. I make folding knives and design for Benchmade. I've handled some kitchen knives and fixed some for friends, but I don't really know all the manufacturers. I have a friend who owned a retail shop that carried quite a bit of kitchen cutlery, I can ask him.

My favorite factory made kitchen knives are Sabatier. I got some knives made by Mundial. I was told that they bought tooling and licensed expertese from Sabatier, but manufacturing in South America they are easier on the wallet that a European Sabatier knife. I think I paid about $40 or $50 for a 10" chef's knife and about $15 or $20 for a paring knife both of which are pretty good.