this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2024
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The cheap, but well made carbon steel cleavers from https://www.wokshop.com/ or your local Asian market are very good. They will discolor your onions if you don't oil them (the blades, not the onions. Are you getting enough iron?).
I feel I am getting on a tangent. Victorinox sucks and is overpriced despite what Americas Test Kitchen says, Kenji agrees with me.
Buy some cheap crap, a decent steel, have people ask 'why isn't there any hair on that part of your forearm? That's a bit weird' and seriously show some veggies what's what.
The site you linked is where I got my cleaver and I vouch for exactly what you've said. Though I haven't seen an issue with my onions. I don't oil the blade often but I do use it to chop meat (and thus their fats) once a week.
I'm pretty sure I got their #3 veggie cleaver, though I'm not really sure the difference between that and their carbon steel cleavers. Works fine for meat, but I don't chop bones with it.
Got any tips on sharpening? I feel sloppy whenever I'm doing it and it seems like you take a pride in it, so if I could pick your brain on how to sharpen my cleavers better, I'd appreciate it!
For sharpening I use whetstones, I really like this www.amazon.com/King-4000-Combination-Waterstone-KING/dp/B01LX6AIY3 though the price comes up for me at $50. I paid half that, though it will last a lifetime if it isn't abused.
The 800 is for stuff fresh from the flea market/Daiso (their knives are awesome and cheap) the 4000 is fine (for me) for daily showing veg and meat who's boss. For straight razors I use 10k.
Regular use of a steel (daily for me because I have issues) means I only sharpen once a month. If you don't, or you are using different steel in your knives you may want to sharpen more or less frequently.
I'm looking to actually buy myself a chef's knife. I really only care about having a long lasting knife, that's not horrible. You would recommend a daiso knife? (Daiso the Japanese Asian import store, right?)
I had a $5 knife from Daiso, the balance was very nice, I really liked it. I bought it around 2008? A friend has it now, they like it. Cheap knives are rarely full tang and will rust inside the handle, I drip oil into the handle, dry them carefully, and they last for a long time.
My recommendation would be to get a cheap knife like that and a nice carbon steel cleaver like The Wok Shop, or your local Asian market sells. With those two and less than $20 outlay you can do most anything. Breaking down Winter Squash is a pain, but doable, or you can get something heavy and brutish just for that if it's you thing.
Daiso is Japan's version of a dollar store (though admittedly far, far better than American dollar stores), so I would not go there for a long-lasting knife. Dishes? Absolutely. Knife? No.