KAI Warehouse Sale: Inspire Utility 6" Knife w/ Sheath $5, PRO Chef's 6" Knife

For everyone concerned about the XXXX etched into the blade the text is small , printed along side the logo and other text, and relatively unnoticeable, they are still beautiful knives and to me an extremely small detail for the discount you get.

I have 6 knives I have gotten from the shun warehouse sale and all have minimal damage if any at all, and most have none.

Here is a photo of what the XXXX on the blade looks like https://imgur.com/a/CMZrEyL , I think it sounds more worry-some than it really is.

Haven't tried these knives personally but here are some knife buying tips observations while working in a restaurant for little over a decade:

tldr tips for better kitchen knife experience:
1. Try the knife out in person.
2. Get a cheap pull sharper and 10-12 inch honing rod
3. Get honing rod guides
4. Get a large wooden cutting board.
5. Practice, practice, practice.

When buying knives try the knives in person. Everyone's hands are different and some knives may have places that poke you uncomfortably depending on your hand. If you can, try to get your knife hand a little bit wet and try to see if gripping the knife feel awkward. However, not everyone can do this or you have hard time finding any difference between the knives. That's okay because:

You may need to have 20-40 hours of use before you start to understand what part of the knife you like and don't like. And if you don't know what you like, you shouldn't spend over a hundred dollar on a knife. Which makes knives like these under $100 dollars the best bang for buck you can get. So get a knife, use it, learn to hone, and sharpen it.

Get a 10 - 12 inch honing rod and a honing rod guide and hone the knife before using. Get a cheap pull sharpener and sharpen it every time you feel the knife tearing instead of slicing. I know cheap pull through sharpener are the devil's thing for professionals but:
(1) you're probably not a professional
(2) since you have a cheap knife IMO it's totally okay if you shorten the lifespan of the knife because
(3) this knife is probably not the knife that fits your anyways.

Just like electric guitars and an amp, the amp is arguably the more important gear to invest your money into. Same with the knives and cutting board. IMO having a nice large cutting board improved my prep experience more then having a more expensive knife. I really prefer walnut and at least 1.5 in to 2.5 in. Thicker board helps with stability and resistance to warping.

And of course, practice x3. It's starting to get a bit chilly so learn to make french onion soup. Onions are cheap and make great practice for knife skills.

The $3 Paring and Citrus Knives are very useful if you have a small kitchen. These were great when I was trying to cook in a tiny apartment. I also gifted some to my family members for use in their RVs while camping, and they love how capable these knives are for their size.

https://housewares.kaiusa.com/cat...gory/1055/

https://housewares.kaiusa.com/ins...th-ol.html

The $5 Santoku knife is a great "do-everything" knife to have. If you're not sure why you would want a good knife, give this one a try!
https://housewares.kaiusa.com/ins...th-ol.html

For those who are looking for something a little nicer, to the entire PRO series is fantastic. I have given several of these as gifts and everyone marvels at how much better they are than the old, dull knives they have been using for years.

Shun has some great knives for 50% off, if you're more particular about your cutlery.
https://shun.kaiusa.com/warehouse...=price_asc