Sharpen Somethings 2024 Holiday Gift Guide
I’ve been getting asked so often “what are the best knives for (fill in the blank) lately that I wanted to create a little buying guide for customers.
For the home cook who loves to chop it up
This is the first newsletter I’m sending out - if you want my updates related to where I’m sharpening, news, discounts/sales and more, please do subscribe! Three subscribers will be picked at random and will win a gift card worth 3 knives being sharpened!
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I’ve been getting asked so often “what are the best knives for (fill in the blank) lately that I wanted to create a little buying guide for customers.
I am a firm believer that good knives don’t and should not need to cost a ton of money. However, given the flood of cheaper imported knives and knock offs that have been introduced to consumers via social media, it’s important to know what to look for when either trying to get a value knife that checks most of your boxes or a premium knife that could eventually be an heirloom.
Most of these knives are dishwasher safe - so if you’re the type of person who likes to throw all your dirty dishes in the dishwasher for convenience without worry about rust or damage, these are a great value and very high quality.
I sharpen a lot of Global knives and am always surprised at the level of quality, the feel in-hand, and sharpness they retain after sharpening. While these look like stainless steel, their warranty will be void if you put them in a dishwasher. Hand-wash and dry only.
If you’re one of my customers looking to buy local, Lamson is about as good at it gets! Based out of Westfield, it’s a joy to visit their shop and browse endlessly. I personally own a few of their knives and the handles and blades are all wonderful and performant. Definitely not dishwasher friendly, so please hand wash and dry before putting away.
Another brand I can personally attest to loving - I have several of their folding pocket knives and paring knives and just love the quality and simplicity of what they offer. Many of their blades are carbon steel which rusts very easily, and even with their stainless blades proper care and keeping them dry after use is very important. But in terms of quality for the price, they’re hard to beat.
For the finer and more bespoke options related to kitchen knives and specialty blades, there are no shortages of craftsmen and craftswomen making truly beautiful works of art that perform masterfully in the kitchen. Frankly there are too many to name, so I’ll reference my favorite knife and kitchen shop in New England, Strata out of Portland Maine. The folks here are just lovely, they answer all your questions with passion and a smile and never rush you to buy. You can go to their store or shop online. For a blade geek, it’s like Disneyland!
Other Accessory Ideas:
Knife accessories like sharpening kits and display/storage options are also great gift ideas if you’re shopping for someone who loves fine cutlery. For sharpening, I really recommend the WorkSharpTools brand of sharpeners. They perform quite well and are easy to learn how to use.
For a magnetic knife holder, I like the one Global makes, however there are tons of options online that you can choose from at lower or higher price points.
A simple bottle of mineral oil will go a long way as a gift too. For knives with wooden handles you’ll want to apply some regularly to keep the handle from expanding or getting rough and cracking. It’s also great for wooden cutting boards!
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If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you! Send me an email at sharpensomething@gmail.com and I’ll get right back to you.
Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter for a chance to win a gift card from Sharpen Something!
