Santoku knives and sharpening

[mamadeb]

I've been watching tv cooks good and bad use these knives for awhile now.

Are they any significant improvement over the standard chef's knife?

Also, my own chef knives (Wulstof-Trident, restaurant quality) are sadly in need of a sharpening. I hesitate to do it myself or take it to a knife grinder. Any ideas?

Comments

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

why do you hesitate to take it to a knife grinder?

basingstoke took my good knife off to the sharpener down the road a while ago. while-you-wait service, $2, razor-sharp knife.

I mean, you'd want recommendations for a good one, but that's easy to come by.

[cheshyre]

A recent issue of Cook's Illustrated did a comparison.

We happen to live near a restaurant supply store that does knife sharpening and we give our cutlery to them. Ends up a little thinner (and they sell what looks like boning knives which are knives that have been sharpened too often for their owners) but that's what professional chefs use, so why quibble.

Unless, is there any kashrut issue in having somebody else sharpen knives?

[cheshyre]

A recent issue of Cook's Illustrated did a comparison.
i meant re:the asian style knives vs. traditional style.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

No, kashrut isn't a problem. I just heard it might be a bad idea.

If it isn't, I'll ask around.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Kay. Then that's what I'll do. I want my good knives back, darn it! :)

[raggedrose.livejournal.com]

You prolly don't want to hear this, but it's not hard to learn to sharpen a knife properly. And I understand not wanting to take your knives to a sharpening service. Nobody touches my babies! To me, sharpening is about as personal as a signature. I know what I want and I know how to do it right. Do they? Dunno.

As a second bit of unsolicited advice, do you have a steel and know how to use it? Quick swipe or three every time you use the knife and they stay sharp a lot longer.

Have no idea about Santoku knives. Don't laugh, I have my grandma's, and I'm slowly building a collection of carbon steel Green Rivers. Cheap, but I think they do a great job. Have to keep up on the washing though, they do stain easily.