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dmike0704 t1_j8ixmyk wrote

You only need 3 knives. 1 chef knife, 1 pairing knife and 1 serrated knife. I made this move 4 years ago and still haven’t needed any of the knives in a big block that used to take up my counter space

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yippekayaye_7 t1_j8jb8sm wrote

This right here.

And one additional knife that I do occasionally pull out is my Rapala fish n filet superflex knife. I prefer it for fileting.

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complywood t1_j8k6ka1 wrote

This, as long as your chef's knife is a "German" style rather than "Japanese" style. Japanese style uses a harder steel and a finer angle of the blade, which means that it holds its edge longer and is easier to make thin cuts with. However, it also makes the blade more brittle, so it's not suitable for cutting bones (the blade can chip). A German style chef's knife is the best single knife you could own, imo. If you want to expand your collection a bit you might get the Japanese style and add a cleaver for heavy meats and bones.

But like others, I really need to emphasize that knives are a really personal thing. At the very least, hold one in the store before buying. Even better, find a friend who owns one and try it before buying. If that's not possible, you might consider buying a cheap version (ideally at a thrift store) of the style knife you are interested in (chef's, carving, cleaver, paring, etc) to see how much you end up reaching for it and whether it's worth it to invest in a more expensive one.

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Rock_Lizard t1_j8kf1e5 wrote

German cleaver and 10" chef's knife here for the heavy stuff. I've chopped hostas apart with that knife. I know, but it works.

Japanese santoku & 8" chef's knife for regular work.

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