# Any good knives for under $50



## nofronts (Dec 9, 2013)

I want to get a decent knife as a Pollyanna gift for a coworker. I understand that even $200 is really still entry level to getting a decent knife so I don't expect anything remarkable. Are there any cheaper knives that are forged and will hold an edge for a long time?


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## greasedbullet (Dec 9, 2013)

What kind of knife are you looking for? I am assuming you are looking for a chef knife/gyuto. Do you mind if it is carbon steel? My friend has a Tosa Funayuki that he likes a good bit, but it will rust if you don't take care of it. Also it won't hold an edge for a super long time but does get very sharp.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Dec 9, 2013)

Welcome to the forums.

First, abandon the idea that "forged" = "better". It's nothing more than marketing hype, and has no basis in fact.

Second, all knives will get dull and require sharpening. The point at which it needs to be sharpened depends not only on the knife, but on the perceptions of the person using it. Some of the members here would consider a knife "dull" that other people would consider sharp. I would strongly suggest that you get a combination stone and include it with the knife for your co-worker.

Now, as to an under $50 knife as a gift, a Forschner/Victorinox is probably your best bet. Add a 1k/6k King combo stone and you're set.

Rick


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## nofronts (Dec 9, 2013)

Oh sorry that would be good info to include, I think either a chef knife or even santuko, basically and all around daily use knife. Sharpness is important but keeping an edge long i think is most important and low maintenance.

She cooks daily and really has crap knifes. I told her to bring her knifes in to the office so i could take them home and sharpen them, and they were the usually budget knifes that come in a block. Most were bent and had wobbly handles from them being stamped bottom of the barrel knives.


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## Keith Sinclair (Dec 9, 2013)

As mentioned a 8" Fibrox handle Victorinox is better than what she has, the wood handle costs more,still in your price range.As long as you sharpen it for her every now & then.


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## lucabrasi (Dec 9, 2013)

I would bet a victorinox 8" chefs would be shockingly sharp to her if she is coming from those type of knives. My brother got me one last Christmas to replace my Chicago cutlery set and it was truly an eye opener. Most normal people will never need anything better. For a crazy person like me it started an obsession, and hundreds of dollars later I am still on the hunt for my next. Go victo.


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## nofronts (Dec 9, 2013)

lucabrasi said:


> I would bet a victorinox 8" chefs would be shockingly sharp to her if she is coming from those type of knives. My brother got me one last Christmas to replace my Chicago cutlery set and it was truly an eye opener. Most normal people will never need anything better. For a crazy person like me it started an obsession, and hundreds of dollars later I am still on the hunt for my next. Go victo.




This is what happened to me to, I had a hodgepodge going of junk then got the global g2 and now have around $1000K in cutlery. Once i got the G2 i gave away all my other knifes except for like a bread slicer. Literally one good knife is better then a bunch of junk.


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## lucabrasi (Dec 9, 2013)

I don't want to add them up. Someday I'll have spent like 20k on knives and stones and I'll still describe it as "hundreds."


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## nofronts (Dec 9, 2013)

Are these the Victorinox knifes that were talking about?

http://www.victorinox.com/us/product/Cutlery/Category/Chef-s/8-Fibrox-Chef-s-Knife/47520

http://www.victorinox.com/us/produc...al-Series/7-Fibrox-Granton-Edge-Santoku/47529

In everyone's opinion which is the better choice for all round best kitchen knife.


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## bkultra (Dec 9, 2013)

The first is the one they are recommending. The chefs knife is more versatile than a santoku


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## Talim (Dec 9, 2013)

It's on sale at amazon, you have to hurry though since it's limited supply. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M5U1C2...csubtag=4uOH_GEAEeO-bUoKgdashQ0_g0dr3_KdQ_0_0


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## bkultra (Dec 9, 2013)

Talim said:


> It's on sale at amazon, you have to hurry though since it's limited supply. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M5U1C2...csubtag=4uOH_GEAEeO-bUoKgdashQ0_g0dr3_KdQ_0_0



Thanks for that, I even bought one at that price.


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## gic (Dec 9, 2013)

Or for even less get a kiwi (kom kom), not as nice as a fibrox but you could get a full kit for <$50


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## gic (Dec 9, 2013)

Or for even less get a kiwi (kom kom), not as nice as a fibrox but you could get a full kit for <$50


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## nofronts (Dec 9, 2013)

Thanks, going to pull the trigger on the Victorinox 40520 Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife , BTW its on sale now on amazon for $22.70, seems to good to be true.


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## JackD (Dec 9, 2013)

On the off chance you are looking at this thread right now, Amazon has the Victorinox 8" chef's knife on sale for $22.70 as a lightning deal. Valid for about five more minutes; sorry.

Edit-I hadn't refreshed my computer and didn't see you had already got the knife. Sorry for the flurry of too late posts.


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## JackD (Dec 9, 2013)

Sorry, forgot link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000638D32/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


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## JackD (Dec 9, 2013)

Deleted


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## jimbob (Dec 9, 2013)

Cck 1303!


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## nofronts (Dec 9, 2013)

yeah i got that deal for the $22.70 with free shipping! Must have been my lucky day.


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## jimbob (Dec 9, 2013)

Cck 1303!


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## daveb (Dec 9, 2013)

The $5 edge guard would compliment it well - fewer dings if (when) kept in drawer.


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## ChuckTheButcher (Dec 9, 2013)

lucabrasi said:


> I don't want to add them up. Someday I'll have spent like 20k on knives and stones and I'll still describe it as "hundreds."



Ha. I know that feeling.


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## franzb69 (Dec 9, 2013)

there was a time that the tramontina damascus made of vg10 was only selling on amazon for only 60 bucks and it had four knives and a drawer storage block. i think someone said that it's still around that price at sam's club.

=D

pretty darn good price i'd say. worth checking out.


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## toddnmd (Dec 9, 2013)

nofronts said:


> yeah i got that deal for the $22.70 with free shipping! Must have been my lucky day.



I'd say so. I just went to your link, and it is back up to 39.95. Nice score!


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## pumbaa (Dec 11, 2013)

you could have also went with the $50 ikea vg10 shun knock off 
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90131068/


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## boomchakabowwow (Dec 11, 2013)

my friend is an awesome cook. she could give a rat's butt about knives..(weird, right? i think they go hand in hand)

she has older Forchener knives..wooden handles, white handles. she runs them thru that electric knife sharpener from Chefsmate. first time she did that i was like, "no wait! stop."

nope.brrrrrrip! i was almost disappointed that that thing actually puts a good edge on her knives. in her life, with her ideas..the tool is perfect for her.

OP..i think you did well. those things are chopping tons of stuff in restaurants around you.


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## ChuckTheButcher (Dec 11, 2013)

I stell swear by thier butchery knives.


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## Noodle Soup (Dec 11, 2013)

And I swear by ChefsChoice for people that don't want to learn how to hand sharpen their knives. I still use mine for thinning large butchering blades once or twice a year.


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## boomchakabowwow (Dec 11, 2013)

Noodle Soup said:


> And I swear by ChefsChoice for people that don't want to learn how to hand sharpen their knives. I still use mine for thinning large butchering blades once or twice a year.



chef-choice. i think i mis-called it something else. thanks.


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## Keith Sinclair (Dec 11, 2013)

boomchakabowwow said:


> my friend is an awesome cook. she could give a rat's butt about knives..(weird, right? i think they go hand in hand)
> 
> she has older Forchener knives..wooden handles, white handles. she runs them thru that electric knife sharpener from Chefsmate. first time she did that i was like, "no wait! stop."
> 
> ...



You got that right.Forschner's used to be the most used knife in Hotel kitchens here.One of my first knives was a 10".Long time ago remember used to pick them up for 12.00


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## gic (Dec 11, 2013)

I started with a chefs choice, the higher end models really aren't that bad if someone isn't going move to an edge pro or stones. I then went to an edge pro and then recently stones. 
I find an edgepro plus stones is the ideal - if expensive - setup but the edges I got from my chef's choice were pretty good considering. (And the higher end models really don't eat up a lot of steel, they are pretty well made..)


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## bahamaroot (Dec 11, 2013)

My Dad uses a higher end Chef's Choice and loves it. He uses all Victorinox knives too.


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## LZ962 (Dec 14, 2013)

victorinox is the best one under 50$


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## mr drinky (Dec 14, 2013)

Any style of knife you like on this page from Japan Woodworker. I have two of them and they were fabulous for the money. With that said, they were about $10 cheaper a couple of years ago. 

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/category/13198/country-style-tosagata.aspx

k.


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## Keith Sinclair (Dec 14, 2013)

mr drinky said:


> Any style of knife you like on this page from Japan Woodworker. I have two of them and they were fabulous for the money. With that said, they were about $10 cheaper a couple of years ago.
> 
> http://www.japanwoodworker.com/category/13198/country-style-tosagata.aspx
> 
> k.



:knife:Those are good blades for the money,bought a few of them when they were even cheaper,as expected the handles are cheap,but the steel gets razor sharp.The 8.25" drop nose gyuto is a great blade to learn freehand sharpening with instead of a 300.00 gyuto.


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## Eric (Dec 14, 2013)

mr drinky said:


> Any style of knife you like on this page from Japan Woodworker. I have two of them and they were fabulous for the money. With that said, they were about $10 cheaper a couple of years ago.
> 
> http://www.japanwoodworker.com/category/13198/country-style-tosagata.aspx
> 
> k.




I agree. These were my first japanese knife, too. I think mine was 30 bucks 2005.


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