Paring Knife recommendations?

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SoCalWJS

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Looking at picking up a good Paring Knife for a Christmas present. Something that holds a good edge and will last. Nothing Hollow-ground.

Wusthoff gets a lot of recommendations in various reviews, but a bunch of them are hollow ground - usually tougher to re sharpen. When I look at the descriptions of them on line, some specifically say they are hollow ground, but others make no mention of edge geometry. Also concerned with handles cracking according to reviews and wonder if they have a handle type that holds up better.
 
How much do you want to pay? Looking for fancy and good, or just good?
 
I recently bought a couple of Dalstrong knives. I got the Gladiator series because I didn't want to spend the monies for the Shogun line. I think they are pretty nifty.
 
SoCalWJS said:
Great Price. Decent blade.

Just not a huge fan of the Handles in the Victorinox.
Click to expand...

The handles are small, but very durable. Blades stay sharp, and sharpen very easy. I have this set, that I prefer over a JA Henkel 4 star.
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-S...60&sr=8-3&keywords=victorinox+3+piece+pairing


You really can't go wrong with Wushtof, Henkel, Dexter Russel, or Mercer. None will perform any better than the victorinox though. Just personal preference, but I would stay away from serrated blades, unless you are cutting bread or tomatoes.
 
SoCalWJS said:
Great Price. Decent blade.

Just not a huge fan of the Handles in the Victorinox.
Click to expand...
I understand what you are saying, but how often do any of us actually "pare" anymore? There are excellent vegetable peelers that do a superior job. Mostly, a paring knife is used for utility cutting anymore, plus opening packages, prying up things, things you don't want to use a good knife for. In our house, they disappear before they wear out.
 
Does it need to be a paring knife? A small petty or prep knife can be a lot more useful if the user primarily uses it with a cutting board. Swilling pro 5.5 inch prep knife is pretty nice
 
highergr0und said:
Does it need to be a paring knife? A small petty or prep knife can be a lot more useful if the user primarily uses it with a cutting board. Swilling pro 5.5 inch prep knife is pretty nice
Click to expand...

In this case, yes.

I understand what you mean though. I have a Fr. Dick 5" paring knife that I love and keep as sharp as a razor. This is for a classic 3.5-4" Paring knife.
 
Paring knives are usually used for softer foods like vegetables, but be be used for other small tasks. They do have a multitude of uses, completely versatile, but because of their size they normally don't see heavy use even in a commercial kitchen.

I use Wusthoff, they hold a great edge because the metal is very hard; but I'm puzzled why you are against hollow-ground? When maintaining an edge on a knife you are only changing microns on the knife's edge, not reshaping the entire blade. The harder the steel the better it will hold the edge over time. You only need to maintain the existing edge, usually just a quick brush on the steel in between uses keeps the edges aligned

If you are seeing heavy use for vegetables you may want to look at one of the Asian specialty knives like a Deba 4' Utility, a Usaba or a Nakari. Although they are specialty knives they can be magic in your hands when used for the proper tasks.
 
This is a small company that I never see get much publication but they do make some nice knives. They started with the idea that a knife handle should fit you hand and built from there. Here is a nice reasonably price paring knife. I own some of their factory seconds and like them. I never could find the blemish. Of course as said above, you can't go wrong with the Victrinox or Dexter Russell.



https://www.ergochef.com/michael-symon-35-inch-paring-knife.php


Robert
 
IamMadMan said:
Paring knives are usually used for softer foods like vegetables, but be be used for other small tasks. They do have a multitude of uses, completely versatile, but because of their size they normally don't see heavy use even in a commercial kitchen.

I use Wusthoff, they hold a great edge because the metal is very hard; but I'm puzzled why you are against hollow-ground? When maintaining an edge on a knife you are only changing microns on the knife's edge, not reshaping the entire blade. The harder the steel the better it will hold the edge over time. You only need to maintain the existing edge, usually just a quick brush on the steel in between uses keeps the edges aligned

If you are seeing heavy use for vegetables you may want to look at one of the Asian specialty knives like a Deba 4' Utility, a Usaba or a Nakari. Although they are specialty knives they can be magic in your hands when used for the proper tasks.
Click to expand...

Everything I’ve ever seen or heard is that a Hollow Grind edge should be sharpened on a wheel (as close to the radius size of the edge as possible).

I use an EdgePro Apex - flat stones.
 
Last edited:
SoCalWJS said:
Everything I’ve ever seen or heard is that a Hollow Grind edge should be sharpened on a wheel (as close to the radius size of the edge as possible).

I use an EdgePro Apex - flat stones.
Click to expand...

It is doubtful that you will find a hollow ground blade that doesn't have a secondary bevel. That secondary edge will likely be flat ground. Even if it isn't, it would be by the time I spend a few minutes on it.

Sharpening a hollow grind should be, and usually is, no different than sharpening a flat grind.

If you start off with a flat grind, you could always put a convex edge on the secondary. That is what you get when you use a loose sanding belt such as with a Work Sharp. Many people specifically like convex cutting edges...I'm ok with a convex or flat grind myself. At work I use a Work Sharp & by design I end up with convex edges. At home I use a Wicked Edge & get all flat grinds (unless I go through the process of forcing a convex edge...which I don't).

The cutting edges (secondary bevels) of all my knives get reprofiled to what I want...so it doesn't really matter to me how I purchase them to begin with.
 
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