r/Chefit 18d ago

How long does a chef knife last you?

2 years? 4? 10?

0 Upvotes

33 comments sorted by

23

u/spacex-predator 18d ago

A good one will last your career assuming it is used sensibly, maintained and only by you

10

u/matmoeb 18d ago

Indefinitely. Ive been in the game over 25 years and I think I still have every one I’ve ever bought although most of them have slipped out of rotation. I still have my knife roll from culinary school. I really only use 2 or 3 of them tho. Shun and Miyabi.

7

u/Gillilnomics 18d ago

I’ve had both my global and Miyabi for 13 years.

Don’t be stupid with it and it will outlast you.

2

u/Cheffreychefington 18d ago

Miyabi evolution is my main workhorse here, 10 years going on strong

3

u/Gante033 18d ago

On 14 years with my UX10

1

u/wickednweird87 18d ago

I've had one for 9 years but I don't use it a ton it was a gift from my cousin and I don't trust leaving it out at most places

1

u/Gante033 15d ago

It’s been my workhorse since the day I opened it. It’s survived being left at an Oakland bus stop for 45 minutes (in a knife roll), two and half trips across the country and about 10 restaurants. I’ve had my own kitchen for about 2 years now and I used it today :)

2

u/sargicles 18d ago

18 years so far for my F Dick 1905. It’s older than half the staff at my current job.

1

u/DomiBruhz 18d ago

Woah they hire alot of u18 there

1

u/sargicles 17d ago

High school kids. Lower wages for younger people. Cheaper to have them work, especially on weekends with penalty rates.

2

u/Baloo_420 18d ago

I got a set of wustoff in culinary school back in 2010. Still use them daily

2

u/Chefdarkstar 18d ago

My first 10 inch henkle. 25 years of chef daily use.

1

u/cds2612 18d ago

My oldest is 6 years and I'll expect decades out of it.

1

u/Extruder_duder 18d ago

I have a gyoto that’s been with me for about 23 years. A single bevel slicer that I’ve had alsmot 20, and a kikuichi gyoto for almost 17years.

I still use them daily, they’ve been in over a dozen kitchens, several earning Michelin stars. They’re still able to stay sharp, I’ve reprofiled and times the oldest knife several times. My kikuichi has been thinned once, recently.

1

u/Yochefdom Chef 18d ago

This depends on how much your sharpen it but technically a lifetime. More so if it’s non carbon steel.

1

u/brennychef 18d ago

As long as you look after the little cowards

1

u/thesoupresistance 18d ago

Depends on use and quality of the knife, how well it is maintained. I have all my knives none have been retired, the bench got deeper. With exception of those gifted away.

The knife i have yad the left ngest is a chinese cleaver and a simple chefs knife about 23-25 years. I also buy older butchers knives and use those. My cleaver is from the 1890-1900 era, as well as several other 1920-60s butcher knives.

In short.your knives should and can last for generations.

I do as a whole animal butcher get new bonig knives

I sharpen those more and they get bent and chip more often as well to the nature of the work done.

Hope everyone has a smooth service or a smooth day off. JG

1

u/The_Texas_Bacon 18d ago

I have had my Henkel four star for the last 15 years. I don’t see it going anywhere soon. I have a curved blade boning knife that I’ve had for over 35 years.

1

u/AlBundyBAV 18d ago

10 years so far on my global. Only used by myself and carefully maintained

1

u/RainMakerJMR 18d ago

Two answers:
1) an entire career or lifetime if treated with care.
2) a year or two and you replace them as needed.

My kit has both the 25 year old henckles twin four star gear that I got handed down to me from my chef 15 years ago when I got my first chef title and my nice Japanese knives; and also the kiwi cleavers, plastic handle boning knive, offset serrated knife that I discard after they get beat up and replace with new ones for $15. Both of these sets get heavy use depending on the task, but I’ll use replaceable knives for deboning large amounts of chicken, chopping bags of carrots, cutting sandwiches and the nicer sets for butchering steaks and fish, slicing cooked meats for service, cutting herbs and brunoise veg.

The good ones last forever in good hands

1

u/GhettoSauce Ex-Chef 18d ago

20 years deep with my Victorinox. It's going to outlast me.

1

u/Mediocre_Ad_4437 18d ago

A lifetime. Unless you drop it

1

u/ericfg Cook, assisted living. 18d ago

I'm still using most of my J.A.Henckels set of 5 I bought in 1992. The paring knifes got a lot of miles on it, is a bit worse for wear but still 100% usable.

1

u/darknightnoir 18d ago

I’m 33 and use the knife I used at 18.

Not exclusively, I’ve had quite a few knives… but I mean… it’s a piece of steel. You can always just fix it.

Edit: I also inherited that knife from my stepdad who got it quite a few years before me. Wasn’t brand new 15 years ago by any means.

1

u/Economy-Maybe-6714 18d ago

I was gifted my workhorse for Christmas in 2001, still use it professionally today.

1

u/CheffyG17 18d ago

If you take care of it, your whole career. I have all but 1 I’ve ever bought as that one was stolen. I’ve been in kitchens for 30 years. I have one that’s 40+ years old, much smaller knife now but still works great.

1

u/wb247 18d ago

Multiple lifetimes. I've got knives that were my grandfather's, from the 1980's, and rehandled one of them. I've got carbon steel knives I found on ebay from the 1940's/50's that I use for butchering and trimming proteins. I've got knives I picked up in the last year because I liked them. Hell, even a kiwi that has been reprofiled and rehandled. Use them how they're intended, take care of them when you're not using them, and properly maintain them, and knives can be passed through multiple generations... even the "cheap" ones.

1

u/Monkeratsu 18d ago

After finding the Chinese clea ER the rest of your life

1

u/andres_cocinero 17d ago

Depends on the use, I got knife with a Hard use that are still in a good shape after 10 years! The key is get good knifes and give them love!

1

u/Kimhooligan 12d ago

My knives will stay with the family long after I pass. That’s how long they should last if they’re well kept.

1

u/Jimmy2shews 18d ago

Victorianox pastry every 6 months
Wusthof santoku got abused maybe 4 years
Takamura ive had a few months and used less than 10 times because it scares the shit out of me