Cook's Illustrated plays catch-up to B&B

[ouch]

I know this fine magazine has a lot of fans here, and it's nice to see they're finally looking at chef's knives in a reasoned and respectable way.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment/overview.asp?docid=20986

At least two B&B members should be pleased to hear the results.

 

[Jim]

It is very nice to see the awareness of fine knives growing, even Alton Brown has turned around after his first knife debacle and did a show on knives that was not half bad recently.

 

[ouch]

It is very nice to see the awareness of fine knives growing, even Alton Brown has turned around after his first knife debacle and did a show on knives that was not half bad recently.

Notice what was numero uno?

 

[Jim]

Notice what was numero uno?

Who recomended that agan?

 

[Brodirt]

I read the article last night and didn't think it was all that all that. I commend CI for looking elsewhere than the usual suspects for their favorite knives but, to me, they didn't come down on one side of the argument or another. In fact, if you read the side bar about sharpening, they even argue for putting the western edge on the eastern knife.

 

[mmack66]

I'm not a subscriber. What were the results?

 

[ouch]

They also leave out the single most important thing about Japanese knives- they continue to get better and better with repeated sharpenings. CI's number one criterion seems to be out of box sharpness. This is a huge issue for most home cooks, but the true worth of the Japanese blade lies in its symbiotic relation the water stone. It doesn't reveal itself until it has become "personalized" by the owner. Out of box sharpness was barely considered an issue until they attempted to address the Western world, and traditionally the buyer was expected to put the final edge on his knife.

 

[Jim]

I'm not a subscriber. What were the results?

Masamoto VG-10 Gyutou was the top pick and a favorite of several of the members here.

http://korin.com/Shop/VG-10-Western-Style

One of the shortcomings of the CI test, besides what Ouch has pointed out about sharpening, is that they used the 210mm blade which I found way too short. The 270 mm blade sounds huge, but its lighter than my smaller German knives.

The CI best buy is the Victorinox fibrox 8" chef knife.

 

[mmack66]

Masamoto VG-10 Gyutou was the top pick and a favorite of several of the members here.

http://korin.com/Shop/VG-10-Western-Style

Thank you.

 

[tsmba]

Looks like they decided to shell out a lot more for their test knives. I was surprised to see the Aritsugo.(sp?)

 

[Topgumby]

Not surprised to see the Forschner knives do so well. For us poor slobs with champagne tastes and beer budgets, they are a fine choice.

 

[my19]

One of the shortcomings of the CI test, besides what Ouch has pointed out about sharpening, is that they used the 210mm blade which I found way too short. The 270 mm blade sounds huge, but its lighter than my smaller German knives.

On one hand, it's great to see CI looking beyond the "usual suspects" in testing kitchen knives, but 240mm seems a bare minimum for most accomplished home cooks with decent counter space. Some might be deterred by the thought of a 270, but I find it a great size -- long enough in many uses to do away with the "sawing" cut shorter blades require.

I also wondered about the perceived flaw of the traditional Japanese handles putting the users' hands too far back from the blade. I like the so-called "pinch" grip that puts the thumb and first knuckle of the index finger just ahead of the bolster -- much better blade control and balance.

Since I bought my first gyutou -- a modestly priced Tanaka with a clad blue carbon steel blade -- my German knives mostly stay in the drawer. One traditional Euro blade that still sees lots of use, though, is a 10-inch Sabatier Elephant with a carbon steel blade. I do love carbon steel.

It was only after I compared it with the Tanaka that I realized why I liked it so much: The gyutou seems to mimic the narrower French blade shape.

 

[tsmba]

I blew it on memory....that first knife was an Akifusa.

I used to use a longer knife when working at a restaurant, but at home, 210mm is plenty long. I have a couple shorter gyutos that give me ease of control, but they seem tougher to rock. I also love carbon steel.