Well, I've already got a set ordered...but what brands would you recommend? I assume you have had a lot of experience with dalstrong that you have that opinion? I know they've got several knife series made with different steels
Most frugal option that everyone reading this should try if they haven't already: Kiwi knives.
They're so cheap that you'd expect them to be absolute garbage, but they aren't. Kiwi knives are the very definition of "adequate quality".
Buy one, or a whole set of 'em, on Amazon or eBay or wherever, and you'll see what I mean. Some professional chefs use them, though I don't think many use Kiwi knives exclusively.
Yes, Kiwi knives have blades made from very cheap stainless steel.
So I do need to give them a few strokes on a honing steel more often than my expensive knives, and they do also need proper sharpening more often. Which is easy, of course, for the same reason why this cheap steel gets blunt faster.
But, nonetheless, they do the job. For home use, in particular.
(The blade rivets may get a bit loose after a while; put the knife on a solid piece of metal and whack the rivets with a hammer to cure that. :-)
I'm ready to be educated, though: What chef's knife that costs five times as much as a ten-dollar Kiwi chef's knife is better than just buying five of those Kiwi knives?
Or, more realistically, several different Kiwi knives that include one chef's knife, for the same price.
(Which you can mistreat as much as you like, of course. I always just stick my dirty Kiwi knives in the dishwasher, because why wouldn't you?)
I appreciate you taking the time to write that. I fully expected to get ripped on for the knife from the post...kinda why I posted it here. This one knife is admittedly absurd and expensive...it's kinda just like a kid growing up and being able to buy a driveable hot wheels car. It's for shits n giggles.
The funny part to me about this post is people downvoting me when I'm genuinely asking what people suggest. The knife block set (vanquish from dalstrong) I ordered averages out to under $20 per knife. And while it probably has some overlap between the knives, my current 12 piece set doesn't have enough for me.
If this set doesn't cut it, pun intended, I'll take a look at kiwi. A few other people have suggested them in this thread as well
I'm not a cook for a living, but I do cook daily and have tried quite a few kitchen knives. I wouldn't call my self an expert or collector by any means but cooking is a hobby of mine that I take fairly seriously.
Of all the knives I have owned and used, my Dalstrong chef knife is by far the best I have used, at least for me.
It's got a solid weight, it feels well balanced, it keeps its edge super well, and it's been my daily driver for about 5 years now.
You have to hand wash and dry it after every use of course, but mine still looks, feels, and cuts pretty damn solid after years of heavy use.
Maybe not the best equipment for a professional, but as an enthusiast it absolutely gets the job done.
Not a cook, but lurk the cooking subs. CutCo gets a lot of likes for bang for your buck.
Not the best, but perfectly adequate for the price.
There's some Chinese ones I've seen described similarly whose names you might find on those subs.
There are four different kinds of handles (Fibrox, Modern Swiss, Wood, Grand Maitre (better made wooden handle)). If you mean Fibrox, it is comfortable, does not slip and is dishwasher proof, perfect for a workhorse knife).
I had a set of cutco before i learned about knives. It was my first job selling them. The honestly are great as a starter set or if you're not serious in the kitchen. They are very unlikely to not outlive you. They can go in the dishwasher, they are very comfortable and you can send them in to get sharpened.
However, they are priced higher than they should be and they have clunky grinds in my opinion.
I replaced mine as i grew to understand that they were just okay. Compared to farberware and food network knives or anything as seen on tv, they're fantastic.
Then i bought a little crappy kiritsuke from an Asian market that cut better and sharpened easier that was like 25 bucks.
I had heard of cutco but never really looked into them. I did last night when they were suggested. An 18 piece block set was like 4-5x what I paid for a 24 piece from dalstrong 🤷🏼♂️.
Yes, they cost more and are better quality. But still entry level. 18 pieces and a block will run a bit under 2k usd, but professional chef knives can be hundreds for a single blade.
Dalstrong isn't the worst knife on the market, but it is a long way below even the middle. I would consider the likes of cutco, victorinox etc to be in the middle.
They cost a LOT more than what I bought. I don't really understand the suggestion to be honest. Like, a Ferrari cost more and is arguably better quality than a Corvette. Not everyone is going to or can spend the money on a Ferrari...so why suggest it when they are so far off?
Well, i know someone above actually did the recommendation, and i could only guess he was offering that by his stated reason. "That they give a good bang for your buck"
I was cosigning that they are a good entry level set of you're getting in to cooking. Sort of offering direct experience with them.
My suggestion isn't just cancel your order of dalstrong knives and get cutco instead.
My actual advice for anyone buying kitchen knives at all is if you don't know much about knives, don't buy a whole set. Very few people, if any, will ever use a full 24 piece set.
I use a utility knife, a vegetable knife and a slicing knife, and though i have a chefs knife and a cleaver... i think its been about a year since i used either and i cook all the time.
Buy a few good quality knives for less money than the big block full of knives you won't use.
In that regard, one or two cutco knives will go farther than a set of dalstrong, and still cost less
Meh, I’ve had their normal style knives for years and they’re fine, no chips, holds a nice edge, comfortable grip, good price. If you like them go for it, they have some weird looking gimmicky stuff but even that’s pretty functional. Someone gifted me the giant cleaver a few years ago and it’ll cut a pork shoulder in half.
It just came in the mail a couple hours ago, so I haven't actually used it. It's sharp but not razor sharp...not nearly as sharp as the 12" slicing knife that came in the same package, but I suppose that makes sense. I've never owned any kind of cleaver before, but it would make sense that they're at a higher angle, relying more on its weight, and it should hold an edge longer. Website says 16-18°. It seems to be well built.
A guy I went to butcher school with came into class week 2 with a customized leather apron and a full compliment of Dalstrong knives in built in sheaths on the apron. He was ex special forces and LOVED to “quick draw” those knives. He spent more time honing than cutting.
Dalstrongs are a super solid starter set. I used the 7,5 sanoku as my daily driver for years. I only bought a new one because mine were stolen. They keep an edge really really well so just hone it, it takes a LOT of work to hit those on a stone so take care of the edge you got. Have fun.
That's all I'm hoping for. I also ordered a 24 piece "vanquish" series block set, a 12" slicing knife, and a couple others. This was really the one knife that was largely for fun...but I figure it should work well enough as a cleaver. Getting comments about seeing someone with dalstrong knives = novice chef. Good thing I'm a lineman and not a chef.
Oh and I never put in the time to be skilled on a stone set. I've got a work sharp ken onion edition. It's cheating and not as good as being proficient with stones, but it works well enough for me.
Dalstrong makes ok slicing blades. Any tool they make that requires impact/chopping are low or mid at best. Just buy a Tojiro. Heck, Global/Yoshikin if you wanna go low.
What's a decent cleaver that can chop through bone? With an over the top/mall ninja design? Want to get one for my wife as an expensive gag gift. Like Homer Simpson with the bowling that had his name etched on it.
I mean it's useful, and it is a nice knife (based on initial impressions) but come on...it's definitely mall ninja shit. A badass mullet is still a mullet
Hell yeah! Go lay siege to Troy with that!
I'm gonna need my second one for dual wielding before I assault troy
Solid tactics!
There ya go. Something to die with.
Uruk-Hai sword
Is it useful in the kitchen? How’s the edge geometry?
You could cut so many chives with it
Dalstrong uses crappy subpar steel and focuses on visuals rather than performance, not a good knife brand.
Source: I cook for a living.
Well, I've already got a set ordered...but what brands would you recommend? I assume you have had a lot of experience with dalstrong that you have that opinion? I know they've got several knife series made with different steels
Haha someone downvoted this?
Most frugal option that everyone reading this should try if they haven't already: Kiwi knives.
They're so cheap that you'd expect them to be absolute garbage, but they aren't. Kiwi knives are the very definition of "adequate quality".
Buy one, or a whole set of 'em, on Amazon or eBay or wherever, and you'll see what I mean. Some professional chefs use them, though I don't think many use Kiwi knives exclusively.
You have to sharpen them all the time as the steel is so damn soft. For just 20 dollars more you can do so much better.
Yes, Kiwi knives have blades made from very cheap stainless steel.
So I do need to give them a few strokes on a honing steel more often than my expensive knives, and they do also need proper sharpening more often. Which is easy, of course, for the same reason why this cheap steel gets blunt faster.
But, nonetheless, they do the job. For home use, in particular.
(The blade rivets may get a bit loose after a while; put the knife on a solid piece of metal and whack the rivets with a hammer to cure that. :-)
I'm ready to be educated, though: What chef's knife that costs five times as much as a ten-dollar Kiwi chef's knife is better than just buying five of those Kiwi knives?
Or, more realistically, several different Kiwi knives that include one chef's knife, for the same price.
(Which you can mistreat as much as you like, of course. I always just stick my dirty Kiwi knives in the dishwasher, because why wouldn't you?)
I appreciate you taking the time to write that. I fully expected to get ripped on for the knife from the post...kinda why I posted it here. This one knife is admittedly absurd and expensive...it's kinda just like a kid growing up and being able to buy a driveable hot wheels car. It's for shits n giggles.
The funny part to me about this post is people downvoting me when I'm genuinely asking what people suggest. The knife block set (vanquish from dalstrong) I ordered averages out to under $20 per knife. And while it probably has some overlap between the knives, my current 12 piece set doesn't have enough for me.
If this set doesn't cut it, pun intended, I'll take a look at kiwi. A few other people have suggested them in this thread as well
I'm not a cook for a living, but I do cook daily and have tried quite a few kitchen knives. I wouldn't call my self an expert or collector by any means but cooking is a hobby of mine that I take fairly seriously.
Of all the knives I have owned and used, my Dalstrong chef knife is by far the best I have used, at least for me.
It's got a solid weight, it feels well balanced, it keeps its edge super well, and it's been my daily driver for about 5 years now.
You have to hand wash and dry it after every use of course, but mine still looks, feels, and cuts pretty damn solid after years of heavy use.
Maybe not the best equipment for a professional, but as an enthusiast it absolutely gets the job done.
https://preview.redd.it/8nx64xvx307g1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac41fec55dd765a1a4f88c348e8c0077278403bd
Not a cook, but lurk the cooking subs. CutCo gets a lot of likes for bang for your buck. Not the best, but perfectly adequate for the price. There's some Chinese ones I've seen described similarly whose names you might find on those subs.
CutCo is stamped garbage. If you're gonna go stamped, get Victorinox or Sanelli (definitely Sanelli if you live where they distribute).
I have a set of Victorinox. The blades are great, but the handles feel cheap. At least the part that matters performs as it should.
There are four different kinds of handles (Fibrox, Modern Swiss, Wood, Grand Maitre (better made wooden handle)). If you mean Fibrox, it is comfortable, does not slip and is dishwasher proof, perfect for a workhorse knife).
All of Victorinox knives are stamped except for the Grand Maître, which is forged.
Sanelli laser cuts with the exception of their high-end forged lines.
Cutco only makes laser cuts not stamps.
Stamping and laser cut are 2 mass production methods for coming to the same conclusion.
Cutco stuff is at a very different price point than what I bought
I had a set of cutco before i learned about knives. It was my first job selling them. The honestly are great as a starter set or if you're not serious in the kitchen. They are very unlikely to not outlive you. They can go in the dishwasher, they are very comfortable and you can send them in to get sharpened.
However, they are priced higher than they should be and they have clunky grinds in my opinion.
I replaced mine as i grew to understand that they were just okay. Compared to farberware and food network knives or anything as seen on tv, they're fantastic.
Then i bought a little crappy kiritsuke from an Asian market that cut better and sharpened easier that was like 25 bucks.
I had heard of cutco but never really looked into them. I did last night when they were suggested. An 18 piece block set was like 4-5x what I paid for a 24 piece from dalstrong 🤷🏼♂️.
Yes, they cost more and are better quality. But still entry level. 18 pieces and a block will run a bit under 2k usd, but professional chef knives can be hundreds for a single blade.
Dalstrong isn't the worst knife on the market, but it is a long way below even the middle. I would consider the likes of cutco, victorinox etc to be in the middle.
They cost a LOT more than what I bought. I don't really understand the suggestion to be honest. Like, a Ferrari cost more and is arguably better quality than a Corvette. Not everyone is going to or can spend the money on a Ferrari...so why suggest it when they are so far off?
Well, i know someone above actually did the recommendation, and i could only guess he was offering that by his stated reason. "That they give a good bang for your buck"
I was cosigning that they are a good entry level set of you're getting in to cooking. Sort of offering direct experience with them.
My suggestion isn't just cancel your order of dalstrong knives and get cutco instead. My actual advice for anyone buying kitchen knives at all is if you don't know much about knives, don't buy a whole set. Very few people, if any, will ever use a full 24 piece set.
I use a utility knife, a vegetable knife and a slicing knife, and though i have a chefs knife and a cleaver... i think its been about a year since i used either and i cook all the time.
Buy a few good quality knives for less money than the big block full of knives you won't use.
In that regard, one or two cutco knives will go farther than a set of dalstrong, and still cost less
This is the news I didn't wanna hear cause I really like their designs. But... I'm a steel nerd, so...
Meh, I’ve had their normal style knives for years and they’re fine, no chips, holds a nice edge, comfortable grip, good price. If you like them go for it, they have some weird looking gimmicky stuff but even that’s pretty functional. Someone gifted me the giant cleaver a few years ago and it’ll cut a pork shoulder in half.
Entirely useless in the kitchen
It just came in the mail a couple hours ago, so I haven't actually used it. It's sharp but not razor sharp...not nearly as sharp as the 12" slicing knife that came in the same package, but I suppose that makes sense. I've never owned any kind of cleaver before, but it would make sense that they're at a higher angle, relying more on its weight, and it should hold an edge longer. Website says 16-18°. It seems to be well built.
I mean it looks good for coconuts..... That eh it.
I bought the Dalstrong ulu knife for cutting pizza and quesadillas. I'm a kitchen ninja.
https://preview.redd.it/2a6xha6vmw6g1.png?width=598&format=png&auto=webp&s=91a38a883f8168c729f2d1269408a5d4f0bda831
That's wild looking. Reminds me of a kama kinda sorta. Is it any good for cutting pizza? I would think the trusty ol wheel cutter would be better
I haven't actually cut a pizza with it even though that's what I bought it for, but it works great on quesadillas.
I use a nicer, small-forged ulu knife for 95% of my kitchen knives needs.
https://preview.redd.it/2t6ir75zlx6g1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=95ef78b051bbf15e7d15c8ed6f2f72e87024bb17
Here is a picture
Thanks, I hate it.
A guy I went to butcher school with came into class week 2 with a customized leather apron and a full compliment of Dalstrong knives in built in sheaths on the apron. He was ex special forces and LOVED to “quick draw” those knives. He spent more time honing than cutting.
How long is a butcher school? Is that something you enroll in and pay to go to or like a training through a company?
Label makes this thing so much more corny
For when Isengard calls you to arms?
This looks like it would be really fun to serve BBQ with
I want it.
Anytime someone enters the kitchen with a Dalstrong. They are immediately below novice level chefs.
Good thing I'm a lineman
[removed]
Of course you would, Dalstrong buyers are all simps for each other, they know their market, even the ones that take a shot in the mouth.
Dalstrongs are a super solid starter set. I used the 7,5 sanoku as my daily driver for years. I only bought a new one because mine were stolen. They keep an edge really really well so just hone it, it takes a LOT of work to hit those on a stone so take care of the edge you got. Have fun.
Dalstrong are stamped, low quality, over priced , douchebag bait.
And also a very durable starter set.
That's all I'm hoping for. I also ordered a 24 piece "vanquish" series block set, a 12" slicing knife, and a couple others. This was really the one knife that was largely for fun...but I figure it should work well enough as a cleaver. Getting comments about seeing someone with dalstrong knives = novice chef. Good thing I'm a lineman and not a chef.
Oh and I never put in the time to be skilled on a stone set. I've got a work sharp ken onion edition. It's cheating and not as good as being proficient with stones, but it works well enough for me.
I think you ordered the one I have, I haven't had any issues with them and they've held their edge much better than I expected.
Mind you I'm not a professional by any stretch, I just enjoy cooking.
🤞🏼
OP if they bought two:
https://preview.redd.it/cbboc1n84x6g1.png?width=777&format=png&auto=webp&s=644a5b352f8b3b89a0f5150f1f235576724fde62
What's the point of the hole in the blade?
Looks more dangerous to the user than anything else.
Kinda looks like the carver from BO3 but worse
Men selling other men random shit they make in their garage
Oh good. A double edged chef knife.
Completely useless.
Uh it's a single edged useless knife tyvm
Dalstrong sounds like a town in WoW and their knives look like they're from the game too
Today is a good day to filet!
Can we have a video of it doing normal kitchen things
So what have you cooked with it?
I dare you to dice an onion with it, go on.
Now THAT’S a proper poop knife!
With that cutout it looks like it is made from a lawmonger blade.
Orcish Dagger-lookin' ass
Need
Dalstrong makes ok slicing blades. Any tool they make that requires impact/chopping are low or mid at best. Just buy a Tojiro. Heck, Global/Yoshikin if you wanna go low.
What's a decent cleaver that can chop through bone? With an over the top/mall ninja design? Want to get one for my wife as an expensive gag gift. Like Homer Simpson with the bowling that had his name etched on it.
Not Farberware!
:(
Dexter makes a solid one.
What would you need that thing for? How often do find yourself in a situation where you need to cleave a sheep down the middle in your kitchen?
Just grab a set of Fiskars kitchen knives, those at least stay sharp beyond the first onion.
Well obviously I have to buy a sheep to justify my silly purchase
Dalstrong? That's a badass knife. I want it.
Gladiator series: Annihilator
They've got a storefront on Amazon too
That ain’t mall ninja shit, that’s a super expensive, high quality cleaver
I mean it's useful, and it is a nice knife (based on initial impressions) but come on...it's definitely mall ninja shit. A badass mullet is still a mullet
Excessive and Overbuilt, sure
Mall ninja shit is by and large crap though
They may produce some good and artistically valid knives. That thing is absurdly stupid and impractical as a working knife.
Nah it’s trash. Dalstrong uses shitty steel.
LMAO that thing is shit, it's both cheap and over priced.
dalstrong. the stupid knives for people who fell for youtube adds 😆
You know it’s good, because it has a lion AND an Ancient Greek warrior on it!
Finally, someone in here that gets it 🤣
I’m a cook and I use a dalstrong for my daily use, the 8” chef knife/cleaver hybrid, feels unnecessary but it is a great quality knife tbh