Best Knife = Emotional Decision

Someone’s choice of what knife it use for whatever task is at hand is as much an emotional as a practical decision.

When customers bring me knives to be sharpened, the customer often points out their favorite knife, and their favorite knife can be anything! From a sparkling new expensive chef’s knife, to a worn and treasured heirloom. I’ve sharpened one customer’s favorite that is a carbon steel slicing knife, and so worn that the blade just in front of the handle isn’t any more than maybe 1/2”. Other knives have handles that are in pieces, or the tiniest of tiny paring knife that is the only knife used.

The reason I’m writing this spouses often ask “What knife should I buy for my better half.”? My decision is always given with a disclaimer that is as much an emotional as a practical decision, and it’s hard to know what anyone person will like.