I'm in a jam (HeHeHe)

wmhammond

Well-Known Member
Lady came over yesterday interested in a chefs' knife. I told her I could do it and gave her a price. Then she said she wanted a German design chefs' knife and asked if I knew what that was. "Sure", I said, having no clue. We talked a little longer and I danced like I've never danced before. Finally, to my great relief, we decided that she would go home and draw up what she wanted but she insisted that I also draw up a design for her "German" chefs' knife. You don't think she suspected that I didn't know what I was talking about, do you?

Well, anyway, can someone explain to me the difference between a German chefs' knife and a French chefs' knife - pictures would be particularly helpful. I will be eternally grateful.

Wallace
 
Not much and some at the same time! Use google and Look at Henckel & Wusthof for your German Chef Knives and Sabatier are really the only French Chef I know of made in France anymore. There is Mercer, but those are made in Taiwan There are actually a few different lines that are Sabatier knives. Look at the Elephant, those are what the snootiest of the French Chef knife lovers like.

"Generally". There's that word again, Traditionally the French blades are a bit thinner and can be a little taller in the heel and the bolster is smaller and doesn't go all the way to the heel on some of the Sabatier knives.. The German tend to have a thicker steel with a larger bolster.. These days there is a fusion of influence in many of the German, French knives that some have Japanese influence. Hence, even thiner steel and no bolster.

Have fun & stay safe.
 
Wallace
I don't know anything about kitchen knives so no help there, but this quote came to mind when I read your post.

“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it.”
―Theodore Roosevelt
 
It was later last night when I answered your question. Sabatier is a region on two sides of a river in France or so such. There are a few companies. that can use the name.

Anyway, some of the purists like the rattail or stick tang configuration over the full Tang. So you might want to ask full tang or stick tang. if you want to make both? From the way you say this lady asked the question I don't think she cares?
 
I've been doing some research on the internet and here is what I've come up with: A "German" Chefs knife is almost parallel (top edge and bottom edge until almost to the point and then both edges curve sharply to the point. a "French" Chefs' knife tapers more from the recasso, the bottom edge more that the top edge. Take a look at J. Neilson's web site http://www.mountainhollow.net/knife-kitchen.php the guy is a Mastersmith so I bet he knows what he's talking about. Comments?

Wallace
 
Wallace,
There are German and French Chef knives of both slightly different configurations. I still say the size of the bolster and the thickness of the blade are more important in the difference
Also there are two different issues here, One is knife history and one is the tests that J. has pasted for the guild here in the USA.

J. posts here and has always been a gentleman, and I am not disagreeing with him if that is what he said or if that is just what you are getting from his website?

Remind me not to try to help you out again. You asked for help saying you in this big jam and clueless, then figured out how to you google and now have the answer? LOL


Good Luck!
 
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Here's two old french knives very thin, I measured at the spine.
Chefsknifefrench001_zps7a76d332.jpg
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Chefsknifefrench006_zps3740b935.jpg
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