The Steak Knife Conundrum

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The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by ronnie_suburban »

I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in General but since I hope it will lead to some recommendations, I decided to post it here. Mods, feel free to move it if you see fit.

Having eaten pretty much every meal at home over the past 6+ months, I'm becoming way too familiar with all my kitchen gear. When it comes to steak knives, it seems to me that there's an inherent problem. Steak knives that are soft enough to survive the perils of regular, typical use (e.g. cutting into and around bone and on hard surfaces) require constant and ongoing attention. I have some Henckels, some Misens and a couple of Daovuas. After 2 or 3 meals, they all seem to need some touching up. On the other hand, knives that might be hard enough to hold their edges for longer seem vulnerable to chipping and other damage that would be caused by typical, non-abusive use.

Unless one's willing to change all their dinner plates over to wood planks, it doesn't seem like there's a solution to this. Since I'm philosophically opposed to serrated knives -- which saw and tear meat but do not cut it -- that leaves two options. Either buy softer steak knives and be prepared to sharpen them often or buy harder steak knives and risk damaging them most every time you use them. Or . . . are there steak knives that fall somewhere in between? Knives that are hard enough to maintain an edge for a while through typical use that aren't particularly at risk for damage?
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by XexoX »

ronnie_suburban wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 4:39 pm I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in General but since I hope it will lead to some recommendations, I decided to post it here. Mods, feel free to move it if you see fit.

Having eaten pretty much every meal at home over the past 6+ months, I'm becoming way too familiar with all my kitchen gear. When it comes to steak knives, it seems to me that there's an inherent problem. Steak knives that are soft enough to survive the perils of regular, typical use (e.g. cutting into and around bone and on hard surfaces) require constant and ongoing attention. I have some Henckels, some Misens and a couple of Daovuas. After 2 or 3 meals, they all seem to need some touching up. On the other hand, knives that might be hard enough to hold their edges for longer seem vulnerable to chipping and other damage that would be caused by typical, non-abusive use.

Unless one's willing to change all their dinner plates over to wood planks, it doesn't seem like there's a solution to this. Since I'm philosophically opposed to serrated knives -- which saw and tear meat but do not cut it -- that leaves two options. Either buy softer steak knives and be prepared to sharpen them often or buy harder steak knives and risk damaging them most every time you use them. Or . . . are there steak knives that fall somewhere in between? Knives that are hard enough to maintain an edge for a while through typical use that aren't particularly at risk for damage?
You've missed the obvious solution --- stop eating steak. :mrgreen:
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Mowgface »

Lol i have been on the hunt for wooden plates for just this reason...
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Bensbites »

I know one person who buys HAP40 and other “super steel” petty knives to use as steak knives.

In this case, I think serrated is perfect, but i respect your opposition.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by mauichef »

Mowgface wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:31 pm Lol i have been on the hunt for wooden plates for just this reason...
I cannot get into wooden plates in any way. They seem so unhygienic and look awful!

I have a set of steak knives that have been in our home for 30 years. Use the all the time.
Sharpen....no need!
They are serrated, but they work.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by RonAZ »

I converted several of the Spyderco Mules in M390 to steak knife duty. The profile isn't my favorite for the purpose but they hold up much better on ceramic plates.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by slensgra »

old_hickory_steak-small.jpg
this is my noobish attempt to turn a 9 dollar carbon steel knife into a steak knife. It has worked well for me.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by TheLegalRazor »

I use serrated.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by ronnie_suburban »

I can't abide by serrated but I completely respect those who can. I used to have some but I gave them to my sister. It's not that I don't love her but I didn't want them and I knew that because they were low-maintenance (possibly even dishwasher-safe :o), they'd be a perfect fit for her household. They were reasonably effective but I felt like they weren't the best tool for the job. My butter knives have micro-serrations and they can be useful at times but they definitely have their limits.

The concept of re-purposing and/or modifying knives primarily intended for other uses seems promising, though. I was thinking about trying out some ~4" fixed blade camp knives. For example, I love the profile of Spyderco's Phil Wilson Bow River fixed blade knives but the 8Cr13MoVAs is a dealbreaker. As RonAZ posted, M390 seems like a solid choice, though it's pricey (and I'd be buying at least four of these). The good news is that there seems to be an endless selection of knives in this category. The bad news is that finding one with a preferred steel and profile combination is a needle + haystack situation.

Thanks, for all the input. I meant to reply earlier but I was busy sharpening steak knives. :P In all seriousness, I love sharpening. It's a meditative act for me. The more I do it, the better my skills get. So, I'm not trying to avoid it. But more often than not, I'd rather be cooking or baking or eating.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by ken123 »

Ive had excellent luck using a Misono Hankotsu for a steak knife. Try one!
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by timos »

This is a good candidate for a custom job. I agree the m390 or 20CV would be ideal. It is expensive steel, but not too bad in the 1/16" thickness a steak knife would be. You could also look into the carbon steel route, something in M4 would work as well and be a bit less expensive. Knives that thin aren't too bad to grind scandi bevels on with a somewhat rough but uniform belt finish. Some walnut or curly maple handles and you have yourself a fine set.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Kalaeb »

I use serrated Vic's but have been eyeing these for some time: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tojirosteak.html

Also been looking here: https://warthercutlery.com/collections/ ... a-gift-box
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by RonAZ »

I like the M390,stainless, good toughness and very good edge retention. They've worked out well for me as steak knives, and being a knife fan it's just fun using them. BUT.... If I were to go with a custom set with what I know now, I'd use K390 steel. Compared to M390 it's not stainless but it's toughness is equal or slightly better and the edge retention is about double. I have a couple of gyuto's in M390 and they're great but a few months ago I got one in K390 and the steel is a step or two above anything else I've used (except for ease of sharpening).
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Wjhunt »

I think cheap steak knives are the way to go. With something expensive, I would cringe at the table every time someone rubbed the knife against their fork while cutting the steak.
For a custom super steel steak knife I would probably try 3v.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by taz575 »

I cut my steak on a wooden cutting board (after letting it rest) with my gyuto and transfer it to my plate, which is often a plastic plate.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Ut_ron »

I use cheap steak knives and sharpening them with cheap belt sander with 120 grit belt.
Home cook that enjoys sharp knives.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Bear007 »

I don't know if these are of any interest but I do have two of his knives and they are top notch.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxlaWmDV_s ... _copy_link
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Bob Z »

Bear007 wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:23 am I don't know if these are of any interest but I do have two of his knives and they are top notch.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxlaWmDV_s ... _copy_link
They looked interesting until I noticed the bolster...
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by Jeff B »

My steak knives are serrated but are now 25+ yrs old. I was using one the other night thinking "it's time." They were great in their day but just don't get it done anymore. I don't have a problem with serrated as long as they are quality. I've used some that felt as good as a standard edge and some that needed to be thrown away out of the box. I just can't make myself buy standard edge knives given the cost knowing they will be used on ceramic. I will be looking for some good steak knives soon myself but they will be serrated again.
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Re: The Steak Knife Conundrum

Post by LaVieestBelle »

ken123 wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:20 am Ive had excellent luck using a Misono Hankotsu for a steak knife. Try one!
---
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+1

I have not yet tried this myself, but I once walked into a Japanese knife shop and all their "steak knife sets" were hankotsus. Seemed like an interesting idea unless you needed 12 or so! In that case, maybe not... Would like to try a steak using one some time.
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