I am a Cutco fan (and yes, they do have full tangs) but you may want to avoid them just because they seem to stir up a lot of controversy. Best of luck.
I have 2 kinds that I love GLOBAL AND SHUN The global is a great knife and the Knife sharpening guy I found said he likes to sharpen these. It does not hold an edge like the SHUN though and my knife sharpening guy said the SHUN are harder to sharpen.
I can't believe they are "on their last legs." How old are they? I've had my Wusthofs for almost 30 years, through years of catering and restaurant kitchen use, and they still have a lot of cutting to do. I imagine they will outlive my grandchildren!
If something happened to them, I would want to replace them as exactly as possible.
I don't even want to admit this to you, but they have been put through the dishwasher too many times and the handles are starting to crack. The new ones will be handwashed, and I think I will stick with Wusthof Classics. The only ones that need replacing are the Santoku and Chef's knife. All otheres are still good. Thanks for your help!
There is a huge difference in quality between stamped e.g. Cutco and forged knives. Forged knives are "full tang" and that means all knife from tip through the grip. Stamped knives are thinner and are essentially a blade with a handle attached. Not at all the same, and not even close in quality.
I agree, generally, but there are some great stamped knives out there. You mentioned Shun and Global (Global, does make a forged line, but it is more expensive) previously, both of which are stamped and use heat treated metal, which one would think make a poor quality knife, but when done right (I.E. High quality control parameters) can make excellent knives. Forged, does not necessarily mean full tang, it has more to do with the creation of the blade shape, usually molten metal poured into a mold, whereas stamped is sheet metal pressed into the blade shape. CUT Brooklyn knives (Google them) use stamped steel and they are considered one of the premier knife makers in the US of A. Furthermore, Cutco's, which are not good knives, are full tang, so that is not always a mark of quality. Most famously, Japanese Gyutos, their version of the Western Chef's Knife, are mostly not full tang, and they are considered of the Highest quality among the world's top chefs. Knife quality really comes down to how close the manufacturer/bladesmith pays attention to the smallest details. Quite honestly, it is the metallurgy of the blade that has the biggest effect on quality of the knife.
I agree about buying the knives individually. I am a Cutco fan, and don't think they're cheap at all, either in quality or price. I've had mine for nearly 20 years, and they're still going strong. They're easily sharpened, and if you can live without them for a few weeks, Cutco provides free lifetime sharpening.
The absolute best culinary knives are made in Jackson Hole, WY at New West Knife Works. I was given a 9 inch chef's knife by a chef/friend who was tired of coming to my house and using my crappy Wustoff knives. I would recommend that knife, as well as the Petty Paring Knife, and the Chopper. They sharpen nicely, have beautiful, unique hardwood handles, and they really hold an edge.
I'm a fan of the inexpensive Victorinox knives. My old serrated knife gave out and I have a new Victorinox that slices like a dream. Their little paring knives are great.
My Forschner-Victorinox chef's knife is a workhorse, really comfortable (for me), and was all of $35. It looks cheap and is totally not sexy, but it's an excellent knife.
for a high quality knife with a good attention to comfort and functionality shun's fuji knives are amazing. They are what I use myself. The steel is great however the blades are much thinner than vusthof so you must take care of them and use them accordingly.
I agree with Mr Vittles on this one. Don't buy a set of anything. My own preference is for Shun knives. I also own a 10" Global. The two most important things about a knife are 1) it must feel good in your hand and 2) it must hold an edge. Obviously my bias is toward Japanese knives, and I'm a knife guy. I wish I could afford the Bob Kramer knives.
Regarding the Kramer knives, if you have a Sur La Table near you it's possible to handle and even test them on a stunt carrot. Again, I would never buy an expensive knife that you haven't actually held in your hand---and your hand is not the same as my hand.
Please do yourself a favor and do not buy cheap stamped knives (I.E. Ginsu, Cutco, & Miracle Blade), hearing that you already owned a set of Wusthof Classics, I do not think you are in danger of doing this. I would recommend buying a la carte, but if you really need a new set of knives, go with the new Wusthof Classic Ikon's. Since you are already used to the edge they should be somewhat familiar, they are really well made, and look stellar.
I have a grudge against ceramic knives because of the reasons highlighted above -- they can be tad easy to break -- which I did. I broke the tip off of mine and it fell into the dish I was making...never to be seen again. I was concerned that the piece was large enough that it could possibly cause a problem if one of us ate it, so I threw everything out and started again. I love to cook...I do not love redoing things...! We have Shun (sp?) knives and I really like them. I also have a Cutco serrated knife and it's worked really well for a long time.
My good friend has Cutco and I do not like them. I find them very awkward in the hand. I have Wusthof Classic and it's hard for me to deviate. They just work well for me. That said, if I were to buy again with a big budget I'd certainly look at the Globals. They are beautiful and also comfy. But I would not be surprised if I came out of the store with Wusthof again...
Also I agree with the above comments about ceramic knives. They are too easy to break. The shorter ones will be less likely to break, but still they do. We've had it happen and didn't buy more.
What I love from Cutco is their knives with a serrated edge -- I have a long bread knife and a short 'tomato' knife. I use other knives for all the chopping, slicing, etc. If you are near a store with a good selection, see if you can hold a selection of knives. Size, weight, balance, handle style should be right for you. You may be able to save some money on a set, but you want the knives that will work best for you individually in your own kitchen.
It may not be fashionable, but I bought some Cutco knives from a friend and absolutely love them! They're made in America, have a lifetime guarantee, & the company will resharpen them for the price of postage only. That said, I've had mine for several years and they're sharp as when I first bought them!
Ceramic knives don't belong in a commercial kitchen, but I like mine quite a bit. They are a lot lighter than metal, so it takes an adjustment in expectations. I have an image of them being most appreciated by small women instead of husky guys, but maybe that's off... Anyway, I'd really recommend you give them a try--but don't expect them to be your only knives.
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If something happened to them, I would want to replace them as exactly as possible.
Also I agree with the above comments about ceramic knives. They are too easy to break. The shorter ones will be less likely to break, but still they do. We've had it happen and didn't buy more.