Chose a cheaper knife steel over a premium one for my daily driver

I was stuck between getting a $150 VG-10 chef's knife or a $70 AUS-8 one for line work. I went with the cheaper AUS-8 because I knew I'd beat it up and not care about sharpening it every few days. After 6 months on the line, it's held up fine through bones, squash, and heavy chopping. The edge dulls faster but it takes seconds to touch up on a honing rod. I don't have to baby it or freak out if a dishwasher drops it. Anyone else pick a softer steel on purpose for the abuse?

3 comments

3 Comments

leet321mo ago

seconds to touch up on a honing rod" - wait, seriously? That's wild to me. I always thought you'd need a full sharpening stone session for AUS-8 after hitting bones and squash. Sounds like you found a sweet spot though. I'd be too scared to use my expensive knife on squash honestly, I'd probably snap the tip off or chip the edge. Maybe I should just get a beater knife and stop being precious about it.

faithb781mo ago

Oh man, don't get me started on being precious with knives... I used to be the same way with a Shun I got as a gift. First time I took it to a butternut squash I thought I'd ruined it, chipped the edge pretty bad. But here's the thing - a beater knife is actually a great idea for the heavy stuff, especially like squash or bones. That way you can keep your nice knife for the easier jobs like slicing meat or veggies. What kind of beater knife were you thinking about getting? Something like a Victorinox or going full cheapo with a Kiwi?

emery9651mo ago

Honestly, have you ever tried using a frozen chicken breast as a cutting board? I did it once when I was camping and forgot my board at home. Worked surprisingly well for a quick slice job, but the thawed juice was a mess. Anyway, back to squash - I'd just grab a Kiwi if I were you. Theyre like 8 bucks, take a beating, and you won't care if the tip bends off.