blunt cheep knifes everyone should bin them and get one decent knife for their own safety

[ladygingina]

I seem to be the only person I know with decent knifes. Everyone else I know has awful blunt knifes that I find really dangerous. I just tried cutiing a lemon at my friends with a black Handel knife and both sides are the same sharpness.

I'm now watching her carve a pineapple with a bread knife! I've ended up in a and e through the blunt knifes my parents have. Seriously aibu to think most people don't even know how to own and use knifes?

Love that, LuisSuarezTeeth Does it come with a knife block?

We got a Stellar block of Sabatiers, just replaced one that must have gone out with the peelings. We also have a sharpener that is used regularly. It took an age to find them, about 20 years ago, they are much more findable now. They are about the same price these days, £100ish in a sale, like this:

www.hartsofstur.com/acatalog/Stellar-Sabatier-5-Piece-Knife-Block-Set-PP166D.html#SID=1470

SIL keeps her knives blunt so BIL can't hurt himself!!!!! He has nearly taken his thumb off in the past. She thinks we are being deliberately provocative with our nasty sharp knives

My dh brought me a global knife set, oh they are stunning as was the price, but I only use three of them so the other half were a waste of money. I also take them to our local butchers twice a year for sharpening (they do a much better job than me).

I hate using blunt knives. I always take a knife sharpener with me when we go on a SC holiday because I just know the knives in our accommodation will be blunt. There is no joy in trying to hack your way through an onion with a butter knife.

I don't understand why anyone would want to make preparing food harder for them selves by using a less than sharp knife.

My SIL has this odd idea that blunt knives are safer. They aren't. End of.

Thanks for that suggestion Nomama

You're welcome. Just don't make the mistake of buying cheaper Sabatiers - they come in grades, Judge etc are cheaper, thinner and the tang isn't full length/width and the rivets aren't as solid or flat. Even Argos has a set, for about £40. Not good, not good at all.

culinaryarts.about.com/od/knivescutlery/ss/anat-knife_5.htm#step-heading

Warning: that site will make you smile, the writer is quite snobby about knives

But if you look at a good knife and hold it you will see that the tang and rivets really are important. If you are planning on spending a fair amount of money it is probably a good idea to know about them, even if it sounds totally snobbish

YANBU OP, best to get a decent set and sharpen.

Just don't go OTT though like the Tipsy Bartender!

We always take a sharp knife to self catering holidays. Perhaps we should get a sharpener instead.

I'm probably going to spend up to £300, will that get me a decent set NoMama?

Oh yes. You could get either a very expensive 5 knife set, or an extended mid range set. It depends on how you cook, how you would use it. We are considering buying some of the more unusual knives now.

Personally I'd also recommend a decent sharpener too. It is money well worth spending, though they aren't all that expensive any more. I used to be able to use a steel but my hands no longer cope and I don't like the stones, again my hands don't cope. So we have a water wheel sharpener. Have read round about them, buy the best one the manufacturer recommends for the knives you buy.

In keeping with the discussion regarding sharp knifes, are cerated (serrated?) edge knifes better for cutting than flat blade knifes? I've found that no matter how sharp I keep my flat blade knife I somehow manage to cut myself more than when I use my serrated edged ones. Mind you, the flat blade one was picked up at a second hand bits n bobs store in Shetland, bought it when me and now exp moved into our first flat together and had literally no cutlery/plates/pots etc so I've no idea how old it is

Your knife may have lost its real edge. It may be cutting at an angle. That would increase the chances of getting cut.

Or you could just be a klutz with knives

I agree !!
The most important tool in a kitchen is a good knife. And you don't need a whole set. One good knife if much better than a cheap blunt set.

I'm a klutz with knives definitely, but more clumsy with a flat edged knife lol. Got countless scars on my fingertips/thumb and had to get a deep gash glued shut a couple years ago. But I taught myself how to cook and handle knives so I've never known if I'm using a knife the correct way (or if I'm even using the correct knife). I live in fear of slicing off fingers one day

Ooh fabulous! Thanks for your help Nomama I can't wait to have a knife that won't struggle to cut an apple...

Ooh! Multiple knives... it might be worth asking your local college if they will run a knife skills workshop. Ours never had so I asked if they would try one... they run 3 or 4 a year now.

It is fun. You take your knives, they show you how they work when sharp - or tell you they are stuffed - and then show you how to use each of them. We also got to use a range of knives we don't own - which is why we are thinking about some additional ones, well, probably not!

I got some cheap ceramic knives from aldi and they are wicked! Still sharp long after metal blades have blunted.

Hmm, we have a set of scary Globalknives and I've lost count of the number of digits I've almost severed

Should obv be a space in between Global and knives.

different knifes for different jobs.
serrated knifes are good for bread and salami and soft skinned fruit like ripe tomatos. straight blade for anything else.

I agree- I have some lovely Sabatiers that I have had for 30 years. I keep them sharp with a steel. It's frustrating watching someone chopping with a blunt knife.

I also think you need to have at least basic knife skills too though with a sharp knife to allow you to use them safely.

I live with my mother and I keep my Sabatiers out of her way as she has had a number of cuts using them as her knife skills are so poor. She is actually safer with a blunt knife.

If you have very sharp knives you need to know how to handle them.

I am in awe of chinese chefs who use a huge cleaver for everything from jointing meat to peeling a carrot.

YY to good sharp knives - I have good knives (ex chef) but not sharp...lost their edge so badly (mislaid steel after house move)they really need grinding properly but can't find anyone who can do it...did have them sharpened at kitchen shop and they used one of those electric knife sharpeners - which wasn't good enough
So Sabatier - get the good ones - the quality dropped after they were taken over by prestige, then they started doing the different grades. My original ones are still going strong and are now 30 years old.
Ones I lost I replaced with Gustav Emil - they were fantastic too (20+yo) - can see a starter set for just over £100 ...
But maybe the quality is not as good as it once was though - maybe look at reviews...
(What is making me I know my 12 inch serrated slicer cost me £60 all those years ago (argument with the person who lost them) but Nisbets are selling it now just under £70- should be more? )

www.zwilling.co.uk/en/things-to-know-about-knives.html look at this for info on good knives & sharpening.
I did type out a long post summarising info on phone but it vanished & I haven't got time to do it again!
I have Henckels knives. They are available at good prices if you hunt around. But be aware that cheaper Henckels International range is made in China whereas Zwilling Henckels are made in Germany.
I think their sets with chefs knife, utility knife and paring knife are great for most purposes & good value if you can get discounted price. Fenwicks stores have their November Telegraph discount evening, with good discounts, coming up.

We have the set of sabatiers in a knife block that were a wedding present 27 years ago.

Here you go Alpaca

Not sure you'll get it in the kitchen though.