Inexpensive vs expensive bread knives

[mretzloff]

One topic that always comes up in books related to kitchens and kitchen knives, is the bread knife. Because serrated knives are trickier to sharpen that non-serated knives, some suggest purchasing inexpensive bread knives and just dumping them when they get dull. Others suggest purchasing a good one, but realizing it may be difficult to find someone who can sharpen it later on.

Which is the correct way to go about it?

 

[-dave-]

just buy sliced bread?

 

[Greybeard]

One topic that always comes up in books related to kitchens and kitchen knives, is the bread knife. Because serrated knives are trickier to sharpen that non-serated knives, some suggest purchasing inexpensive bread knives and just dumping them when they get dull. Others suggest purchasing a good one, but realizing it may be difficult to find someone who can sharpen it later on.

Which is the correct way to go about it?

I'm in the inexpensive serrated knife camp. Of course I also own a set of Wusthofs from long before I discovered this forum and found out that there were much better knives.

Anyway, I use this one and it works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47...=sr_1_1?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1285754671&sr=8-1

 

[global_dev]

Among my serrated knives, I have an inexpensive KAI Pure Komachi scalloped sandwich knife that is a violet color, that does triple duty of bread cutter, tomato slicer, and shmearer. the last being the the one factor that distinguishes and makes it more valuable on a day-today to me than my 8" serrated knife.

I absolutely will not buy sliced bread, so a bread knife to me is indispensable in not crushing the bread.

the Kai knifes are pretty cheap, i got mine for ~$7, but they are coated with a colored material something that if not taken care of can scratch, but i hvaen't seen it as affecting the function.

 

[pyrrhusmj]

One topic that always comes up in books related to kitchens and kitchen knives, is the bread knife. Because serrated knives are trickier to sharpen that non-serated knives, some suggest purchasing inexpensive bread knives and just dumping them when they get dull. Others suggest purchasing a good one, but realizing it may be difficult to find someone who can sharpen it later on.

Which is the correct way to go about it?

Well like a wine, price can matter but often does not.
Performance does and a good bread knife can do double duty as a slicer if necessary (not a pretty slice, but has saved m on large briskets and such).

Michael

 

[Sullybob]

For a dedicated bread knife I go for an inexpensive knife. You can sharpen the serrations or scallops with chain saw files or with a Spyderco Shaprmaker.



I have the older model of this Forschner bread knife for work and highly recommend it.

 

[Stubblefield]

I'm in the inexpensive serrated knife camp. Of course I also own a set of Wusthofs from long before I discovered this forum and found out that there were much better knives.

Anyway, I use this one and it works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47...=sr_1_1?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1285754671&sr=8-1

I have one of those as well (5 years running). Works great.

 

[beginish]

I'm in the inexpensive serrated knife camp. Of course I also own a set of Wusthofs from long before I discovered this forum and found out that there were much better knives.

Anyway, I use this one and it works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47...=sr_1_1?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1285754671&sr=8-1

I have one of those as well (5 years running). Works great.

Same here, 10 years and counting. Works great slicing ripe tomatoes too.

 

[Snargle]

+2 on the Forschner/Victorinox El Cheapo bread knife. I retired the Henckels Four Star bread knife after getting this one. Still works like a charm after several years of regular use.

 

[ouch]

I'd recommend going for an inexpensive but solidly built bread knife. My 20+ year old Henckels bread knife is the only blade from that original set that still sees constant use.

If you want something fancy, try a Mac, but only after you have a nice chef's knife (and perhaps two or three others) on hand.

 

[_JP_]

I often get away with cutting bread with a very sharp chef's knife, but I prefer something serrated for that. I have sharpened up bread knives a little bit with a steel. It gets the points straightened out which is where I think most of dulling effect occurs because that's the parts of the blade that contact the cutting board.

 

[pyrrhusmj]

I'd recommend going for an inexpensive but solidly built bread knife. My 20+ year old Henckels bread knife is the only blade from that original set that still sees constant use.

If you want something fancy, try a Mac, but only after you have a nice chef's knife (and perhaps two or three others) on hand.

I love my MAC "Superior" breadknife. Got it on sale for $60 about 2 years ago and it is the one that has done double duty.

Michael

 

[ouch]

I love my MAC "Superior" breadknife. Got it on sale for $60 about 2 years ago and it is the one that has done double duty.

Michael

That's the only bread knife I know of that can be sharpened.

 

[schatz]

I have a set of Cutco knives which I send back to the factory every now and then for sharpening. As long as they don't get lost in the mail, this seems to work just fine.

 

[mretzloff]

I'd recommend going for an inexpensive but solidly built bread knife. My 20+ year old Henckels bread knife is the only blade from that original set that still sees constant use.

If you want something fancy, try a Mac, but only after you have a nice chef's knife (and perhaps two or three others) on hand.

Is that Henckels still sharp? Have you ever had to sharpen it?



Thank you for all the responses!

 

[maxman]

We use Henckles Twin Master knives for our 10" Chef knife and serrated knife.
They're great knives, they sharpen easily and you can toss them in the dishwasher.
This one is called a pastry knife. It's used for breads or cakes, but we use it for other things like fruit.
I've been using it for at least 15 years and I've never sharpened it.
SWMBO makes all our bread and it cuts with no problems.

 

[ouch]

Is that Henckels still sharp? Have you ever had to sharpen it?



Thank you for all the responses!

Never sharpened, and still cuts bread cleanly.

One of the main reasons for serrations is to keep the bulk of the cutting edge from contacting the cutting board, one of the leading causes of dulling.

 

[mretzloff]

Never sharpened, and still cuts bread cleanly.

One of the main reasons for serrations is to keep the bulk of the cutting edge from contacting the cutting board, one of the leading causes of dulling.

Thank you.

 

[Hercule]

We got ours for a buck at a Dollar Store fifteen years ago. One of the best knives we own. great for cutting tomatoes as well.

H

 

[miamimoe]

For a dedicated bread knife I go for an inexpensive knife. You can sharpen the serrations or scallops with chain saw files or with a Spyderco Shaprmaker.

I have the older model of this Forschner bread knife for work and highly recommend it.

+1. I have the newer model, and it is excellent. Great also for tomatoes, melons, and the like.