OT—“German Steel” knife sets

[Scott Tschirhart]

Last night Miss Kathy and I were on line looking for a good kitchen knife set. We found some German brands and knife sets that looked great.

Looking closer, they were all made in China but featured “German Steel”

I suppose this is the way of the world, but I don’t really want a German sounding knife block set in my kitchen that was actually made in China.

Does “German Steel” or even “Japanese Steel” mean anything at all?

[Grizz]

Last night Miss Lisa and I were on line looking for a good kitchen knife set. We found some German brands and knife sets that looked great.

Looking closer, they were all made in China but featured “German Steel”

I suppose this is the way of the world, but I don’t really want a German sounding knife block set in my kitchen that was actually made in China.

Does “German Steel” or even “Japanese Steel” mean anything at all?

Yes, it does, but i have not found a chinese made knife worth owning. Doesn't mean they don't exist.

German steel refers to the steels that are ultra high quality with history going back to the beginning of tool steels in Europe. They produced thousands of Bowie knives and trade knives during the trapper eras, as did Britain.

Japanese steel refers to the way the early smiths made swords and knives, different from western steel development, but very good, AND the Japanese produce modern high quality steels.

The provenance of the steel is the 'thing' that great steels come from. Then the working and heat treatment finally decide the value and utility.

High quality blades are routinely produced from leaf-springs from trucks. Provenance again.

Does this help any? Too much info?

[GunnyMack]

Scott, look at Texas Knife Makers supply. They will have finished blanks that just need scales/handles. That is easy enough to do !
That way you can pick and choose whatnlades Miss Lisa wants and you can use whatever handle material you like.

[hfcable]

look at Wusthof knives. they are made in solingen germany. they make some of the best kitchen knives i have ever seen. my wife and i bought an extensive set of these about 2 years ago. they are outstanding.

[Walt]

I am a fan of Wusthof kitchen knives as well. I have used them for years and won't even look at anything else.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Thanks for the tips fellas!

There’s no point in getting a nice looking set of knives that don’t cut well.

[stretch]

Solingen, Germany has a reputation for steel and cutlery going back hundreds of years.

The genuine article is truly good stuff!

-Stretch

[Bill in Oregon]

Good thread. I was wandering around Costco last week waiting for my hearing aids and saw a nice Henckel's knife set with wooden block for $89. Never occurred to me that it might be made in China but the price should have been the giveaway.

[ESisk]

In this day and age I don't think it means squat. When it did mean something, German Steel = Krupp, Japanese Steel = post WWII electric furnace steel.

[jeepnik]

Back in the 1920's a bunch of folks got together and setup the ISA, the first international standards organization. After WWII a bunch more replaced the ISA with the ISO. These were/are non governmental organizations. The idea was simple, have set standards of manufacturing that manufactures who belonged would promise to meet. And it worked really well. A consumer could buy ISO certified products and know they were getting quality. Manufacturers kept to the standards because loosing it would mean loss of business. And the ISO would go after manufacturers that falsely claimed being ISO certified.

Then came China. Manufacturers there began to claim to be ISO certified. They put "ISO Certified" on products. Sometimes even putting bogus ISO numbers on their products. The ISO tried to go after them. But since they aren't governmental their only option was civil litigation. And guess what, the Chinese courts always ruled against the ISO, if it even got that far.

Iso certification Still means something in the US, Europe and some Asian countries. I discovered all of this after a piping contractor bought ISO manufactured stainless steel pipe for a sulfuric acid line. Within days the line and fittings began to leak. And not just tiny pinholes. Two of us ended up getting burned.

Everyone except the manufacturer followed the rules. We contracted for ISO pipe. The installer bought ISO pipe from the piping supply. The piping supply bought ISO pipe from the wholesaler. The wholesaler bought ISO pipe from the manufacture. Everyone had the proper certifications. But the manufacturer, Chinese, didn't have ISO certification, never had certification. The lesson we learned was to always contract for ISO products only from US, European and Japanese sources.

Our government projects always required US made ISO materials. The only exception was if no US made ISO materials were available. We did, once, run into a a US supplier that falsified ISO certification. They are no longer allowed to supply materials to the US government.

Bogus ISO products abound in every sector of manufacturing today. If ISO certification is needed or just desired, you can look up the company on the ISO website. And they appreciate being notified of bogus certification claims.

[new pig hunter]

I'd like to do what I do best: toss some humor into the mix, which is based upon my own personal experience ...... translated: Highly Opinionated.

With that as my preface, I'll get started by quoting Mr. Tschirhart, " ...... knives that don't cut well."

SO, over the past 4 years I've been "collecting" knives of very dubious heritage: Chef Knives, Damascus steel, made in Pakistan. Easily found on ebay ..... $10, free shipping !!! I can't resist. $10 !!!!!!!!!! And great to look at !!!

When I receive the knife, I sharpen it and sharpen it again, then sharpen it some more. What do I end up with: Razor Scary Sharp !! I say again, not just "sharp" ..... Razor Scary Sharp.

And that is, in my own personal opinion, what Mr Tschirhart would like to have: something that can be trusted in the kitchen to clean a filet mignon, a prime rib, a Porterhouse, a chicken, a fish, open a recalcitrant plastic bag, you name it .... $10 Razor Scary Sharp gets the job done. And when the Scary fades a little bit, the edge gets stroked and stroked on a sharpening steel, and is soon enough Scary once again.

So a pedigree like Wusthof and all the others: they also get Razor Scary Sharp, no doubt about it.

And a guy like me: I'll toss $10 for Razor Scary Sharp ..... and all that other cash I don't toss toward Wusthof and other brand names: I turn that cash into Filet Mignon on my table.
.

[AmBraCol]

Years back, somewhere around the turn of the century, we were at a yard sale in SW MO. On a table was a bunch of miscellaneous kitchen stuff. And in there were some carbon steel knives with black handles. For me a kitchen knife has always been carbon steel, not rost frei or inox, good old fashioned rustable carbon steel. When well treated they tend to hold an edge and take a fresh edge nicely as well when needed. Anyway, we carried them down here in our luggage and have been using them ever since. A couple years ago I got curious and started looking them over more closely and found a faded/worn stamp, something along the lines of Sabatier (yep, that's it, just checked). Turns out they're a fancy smancy French knife company. We paid next to nothing for them but they've been my favorite kitchen knives for years now. When up north I keep my eyes open, but so far haven´t found anyone else trying to get rid of "junk" like that. If looking for a first class knife set, that's where I'd start looking.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Thanks guys. We found a reasonably priced made in Solengen Germany set.

[jeepnik]

Years back, somewhere around the turn of the century

I read this and thought "the turn of the century wasn't that long ago". Then I realized one third of my life has been lived in this century. Darn, I suddenly feel old.
My grandparents were born at the end of the 19th century. My parents lived their entire lives in the 20th century. My kids will live well into this century, maybe beyond with luck and better medicine.

[hfcable]

darn! you are right.. me too ! and my young grandkids have every reasonable expectation of living well in to te 22nd century !

i AM OLD ! [77 now and 78 in november if i make it ]