Do you know of any information that confirms that these are actually more dangerous than steel?
I can cut anything but raw meat with my $10 Victorinox Standard Wavy Edge knifes - I have several and have bought them for friends and family. Sometimes I’ll grab one to cut a slice of bread. Buy them in any of those House, Matchbox etc stores. I use a Wiltshire bread knife from Big W. I’ve got a knife block but hardly use the knives, except for cutting up raw meat. So if your budget is tight, buy one reasonable knife and a sharpener for that purpose - ask at an Op shop - these days for security they keep donated knives out of sight.
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That wasn’t the point. It doesn’t matter how well they cut, they look like children’s toys.
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I’ve found some surprisingly cheap knives that I use every day. They’re from House store and they are “Cuisine::pro brand”. They start from about $5. They’re the ones that have a coloured handle - usually sold separately and usually somewhere near the registers. They’re your paring knives, vegetable, serrated knives, etc. Be careful though - they’re super sharp! Mine have lasted a few years now. Also in the same category are “Victorinox” brand. They’re slightly more expensive (starting about $7), and are also very good.
As far as “better” brands are, I use Global brand knives. I’ve had them since 1999 and they’re still great, but I bought the sharpening kit and sharpen every 6 months or so. I just bought the knives I knew I’d use. I didn’t buy the “whole kit”.
I’m not sure where you’re from, but in Sydney you could go into places like Victoria’s Basement, Peter’s of Kensington, House, Robin’s Kitchen, Kitchen Warehouse etc to hold these knives in your hand to get a “feel” for them before you buy. Also Myer, David Jones and House of Knives.
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I understood that from the start that you are saying that because they look bright and colourful they will attract children more and there lies danger. And you went on to hint they ought to be banned, I assume because you think they are more dangerous.
If we are looking at banning things because of danger then we need to know if there really is more danger or not - we need facts. So what facts do you have that say these bright plastic knives are a danger and require banning? Is the incidence of harm to children from knives growing? Can it be linked to the prevalence of coloured knives?
To have an accident, the knives must be accessible, the child must be attracted to play with them and they must be sharp enough to do harm. You have focussed on the attraction but the other aspects also matter to determine risk. So we disagree there too - it does matter how well they cut.
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This discussion seems to be edging toward the American argument against gun control. That being it is the responsibility of parents to assure their dangerous ‘weapons’ (of whatever form) are always safely secured and away from prying hands. In the US it has not gone well.
While dangers of the colourful knives just because they are colourful may or may not be able to be documented, being dismissive of the worry seems inappropriate. Children like colourful things and many gravitate to them.
One aspect of Australian values I still find confronting after decades is that attention to many things seems to be ~100% reactive and ~0% proactive. The latter group includes shooting the messengers and avoiding dealing with the problems while the former bubbles up after ‘it’ happens on scale. I don’t keep a list so consider it anecdotal.
How do you make reasonable decisions about what to ban in the name of public safety without fact finding? Why is asking for facts dismissive?
Yes they do. I have a hypothesis that little children like shiny silver things too, I have several in my knife block. How will you find out if either colour actually matter to public safety?
How does that apply to children and knives?
Assuming there is no worry as your default rather than doing an honest risk assessment of what might happen and weighing the risks.
Before you reply ‘How do I know this’ I don’t in an authoritative answer yet when a member broached a possibility many questions were asked that most of us consumers would not know the answers to beyond our suspicions. Rather than ‘good point, maybe’ it was more in the direction of an inquisition to prove a problem or potential problem.
edit: apologies as this has gone well off topic so I’ll step back and away.
That assumption is not mine. My default is don’t legislate until you understand the issue.
Go to ebay. Look for Kiwi knives knock yourself out!
My son, a chef came back from A stint in Darwin where the Indonesian kitchen people used them. I love them, everyone who has used them at my house has ordered them.
These are very cheap but look basically serviceable. Rather thin and flexible so not suited for all purposes. I find a knife that bends easily (except a boning knife where I am expecting it) rather disturbing, it feels risky to me, YMMV.
Also they are a bit too soft, you will be reaching for the stone or steel frequently to touch them up. These are not going to be handed down to your heirs but you can’t expect more for the price.
Ive had my three since 2009 I sharpen them on occasion (not even every three months) easy to sharpen with only a steel. Honestly they will probably last another 10 years before thedishwasher wears through the handle. Total cost was $20 for three. Always take one on holiday because I cannot bear other people’s blunt knives. Each to his or her own. Every person I’ve stayed with have ended up ordering them. Cheap & effective is what the OP asked for.
l’ve bought 2 Japanese knives fairly recently which are glorious to use & scary sharp, they were quite exxy though…the thing with good kitchen knives is to get a good steel, learn to use it regulary and also NEVER cut on a hard surface i.e. glass or stone “cutting” boards, get a good timber one (or 3!). l remember mates who were butchers/pro fishos often bought F Dick knives that were reasonably priced
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I wouldn’t be without a good chef’s knife but it must feel right for your hand. The length of the blade is an important factor.
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I’ll second that. The Victorinox 10cm serrated blades (pointy ends) are a marvel for cutting tomatoes and other small things. The steel is very soft and they wear out over a few years but they are very inexpensive. They are the knives most used in our kitchen apart from a 15cm “santoku” Wotstead knife which I don’t feel precious about and sharpens with a few swipes on the steel .The Global knives mostly sit in the block.
Syncretic, they are still quite sharp - as I noted, I have sharpened them once and I use the stroppy thing that came with them to bring them into line.
