For most people, kitchen knives are a set of almost passive items in their home; something taken for granted, like furniture. Many couples use a set of knives they received as a wedding gift years or decades past. It was an upgrade from the mismatched chef knife and paring knife they got for their first apartment. Most couldn’t tell you the last time their knives were sharpened, if ever, and in my experience most people don’t even know what it feels like to cut with a truly sharp knife. I have always found this strange. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and a set of kitchen knives is without doubt one of the most essential tools one could have when cooking. And for most, kitchen knives are almost entirely ignored as objects of consideration or care.
My Top Picks For Forged Knife Sets:
- All-Around: 7” Chef’s Knife
- Luxury: River Of Fire 300mm Gyuto
- All-Around: Drop Point
- Luxury: Bird & Point
What To Know About Knife Sets
When a customer is considering one of my hand forged kitchen knife sets, one of the things I hear surprisingly often is, “oh I’d be afraid to use them, sharp knives are scary.” While it is of course true that sharp cutting tools should always be handled with focus and attention, any professional cook will tell you: a sharp knife does what you tell it to; it’s the dull ones that you must look out for. When a knife goes dull, you need more force to accomplish the cut, and that is when accidents are more prone to occur.
Any knife will dull over time due to the same physical constraints that prohibit the possibility of true perpetual motion—simple wear and tear. One of the things that stands out, however, about a handmade kitchen knife set is that I am able to really push the metallurgy of the steel in order to get the very best performance out of the blade. Commercial manufacturers must build by keeping the lowest common denominator in mind. They must not only make tools at bottom dollar prices in order to maintain profit margins, but must also make tools designed to survive all manner of abuse.
One of my hand forged kitchen knife sets is another thing altogether, a collection of objects made by and for the hand, and designed to last many lifetimes. For professional cooks and casual users who own my knives, cutting becomes an active experience, and the word that I hear most often in describing that experience is “joy.”
To own a hand forged kitchen knife, or even better a set, is to possess something that has been formed at every opportunity by passion and a commitment to excellence that you just can’t find in a commercial object. First, the knife will feel good in your hand. Once you get past the curb appeal, the first thing that might occur to you is how light the knives are, but the truth will surprise you: my knives are typically heavier than commercial knives of comparable size, but the difference is that mine are balanced. This allows you to control the knives with the larger muscles of your hand and arm, which in turn makes your brain think they are lighter.
In short, a forged kitchen knife set will transform the experiences you have in the kitchen of your home or business.
All Around: 7” Chef’s Knife
I believe that this chef’s knife is the most versatile tool for everyday use. It is made of forged high carbon steel and has an edge that allows you to hold it more comfortably than what is available at stores. The handle is also available in different styles.
Luxury: River Of Fire 300mm Gyuto
This specialized Japanese culinary knife called gyuto, has a name that translates to “beef sword”. As you may have guessed, it’s for slicing meat, with a western style handle and a hollow-ground blade that is 18” length. I believe this works as a showpiece and also works as a basic chef’s knife.
All Around: Drop Point
I believe a compact knife like this is good for general use such as hiking, camping, hunting. The handle is available in different styles and has a number of different positions to fit your hand. Its blade also has a hollow ground with a razor’s edge.
Luxury: Bird & Trout
If you are a sportsman, then I believe this is for you as it is smaller than other hunting knives and is meant to work for a delicate workload.
If you would like to customize these knife sets, learn more about commissioning a project with Jonas Blade here!
About The Author
Zack Jonas was born and raised in Massachusetts in the 1980’s and is still a New Englander today. With his growing love for art over the years, he took an introductory bladesmithing class at MASSart. It was there that he learned one of his most valuable lessons, which is that everyone has some insight worth learning. Today, he is a full-time bladesmith and feels incredibly fortunate to have found his calling.