How can I replace this knife?

October 11, 2020 3:45 AM

We have this set of knives, they were a gift many years ago (I wanna say... 2008 ish?). But one of them snapped in an unfortunate garlic smushing instance. I am assuming there's no way to fix it, but is there any way to get a matching replacement?

Here is the full set.

The knife block is badged but I don't know if that tells us much.

Any idea how can I make my knives complete again?

posted by Just this guy, y'know to Shopping (20 answers total)

Hmm would real Sabatier would not break while crushing garlic? I found an image here on a dodgy 'design' blog: "Bamboo Knife Block Set From Sabatier International" - it's about a quarter of the way down. They look almost but not quite like Sabatier. Looks almost like your knives too. Not sure where to get them though. The same image appears on multiple other scammy 'design' blogs (thanks, tineye.com).
posted by carter at 3:58 AM on October 11, 2020

Tineye results ...
posted by carter at 4:00 AM on October 11, 2020

I think sabatier isn't a brand per se but almost a generic term for "french" knives. There's tons of different brands that are "[x] sabatier" that vary in quality greatly.
posted by Ferreous at 5:09 AM on October 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

AFAIK that style has gone out of production (and a visit to the Sabatier website confirmed this, as you probably know). You won't find many good quality European knives with steel handles anymore, from any brand. There are still cheap knock-offs out there, but you should avoid them.
If you want to keep the steel handle style, maybe look at Global knives. The reason all-steel knives ran out of style is that they lack a stop between handle and blade and the handle can get slippery and thus combined can be dangerous if you are doing a lot of prep-work in a professional kitchen, which rarely applies to home-cooking. I have Global knives that I treasure, the dots make the handle firmer to hold, but I also love my Sabatier olive wood handle paring knife, if you don't mind changing to another style.
There's also an all-steel Zwilling knife, but I haven't tried it. I don't like the shape.
Out of curiosity I searched for American made paring knives with stainless steel handles, and didn't find anything I'd recommend.
posted by mumimor at 5:29 AM on October 11, 2020

Tojiro Pro could be another line to look at, though this specific series from Tojiro is primarily sold in Japan and European markets vs the more popular DP series here in the US:

https://www.tojiro-japan.com/products/tojiro-pro-service-en-salle-dp-damascus-steel-petty-knife-150mm/

https://www.tojiro-japan.com/products/tojiro-pro-service-en-salle-dp-damascus-steel-petty-knife-120mm/
posted by oceanjesse at 5:39 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

AFAIK that style has gone out of production (and a visit to the Sabatier website confirmed this, as you probably know).

K Sabatier is not the same brand as “Professional Sabatier” - as someone suggested up thread, anyone can use the Sabatier name. Even if you could find this exact manufacturer, you’ve amply demonstrated that they don’t make good knives. If you’re set on the steel handle look, another option is the recently discontinued Wusthof Culinar line.
posted by zamboni at 5:44 AM on October 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

Best answer: An alternative approach: will you really miss that specific knife... or would you be just as happy with the one-size-up, but do you simply not want an empty spot in the knife block (or a different looking knife) and are you otherwise happy with the knives?

If all of the latter applies, you could take some tools to the broken knife and make it into a bottle opener like so... and then just keep using the set.

Some things need to be replaced. Some do not. It's up to you.
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:56 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

I have a set of Wustof (trident) knives. I dropped one from a height onto a flight of concrete steps and chipped the tip. They replaced it for free without question, and the knife was about 20 years old. Good manufacturers stand by their merchandise. Whatever brand knife you replace this with, it would be worth a little research into their warranty policy,
posted by citygirl at 6:27 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Honestly, as a former professional chef in a past life, if I had a knife “snap” on me —at the base of the blade, no less — while crushing garlic, the whole set is going to Goodwill and getting replaced. Combined with the slippery handles, that’s a nope. Quality forged steel should not snap like that under any amount of force your arms can apply.
posted by spitbull at 7:03 AM on October 11, 2020 [34 favorites]

To add: ten fingers is all you’ll ever get. Even the very best knives are cheap by comparison.
posted by spitbull at 7:10 AM on October 11, 2020 [18 favorites]

This sort of stuff is still made. It’s not particularly high quality which is unfortunately not uncommon for the various Sabatier makers (In contrast, I have several pieces of NOS prewar Sabatier that are outstanding). That’s neither here nor there if you like them! As you can see, they are quite inexpensive but, as spitbull correctly points out the combination of low quality steel and slippery handles make them pretty dangerous to use.
posted by slkinsey at 7:16 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Search for Sabatier “hollow handle” and you should be able to sort for a paring knife and find reasonably similar examples. Maybe you could find an exact match on someplace like eBay if you’re lucky. I doubt it’s made any more.
posted by slkinsey at 7:25 AM on October 11, 2020

Also, small point, your knives lack the small hook on the bottom of the handle (butt) that helps to prevent them slipping out of your hand.
posted by carter at 7:46 AM on October 11, 2020

FWIW, smashing/smooshing garlec should be done with the larger chef's knife, not the small knife.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:18 AM on October 11, 2020 [6 favorites]

I think it’s a mark of a good cook when their knives are not all matching. A hodgepodge of handles and shapes means they’ve acquired them over time, out of love/lust and just right for their purpose.

So OP, go forth and acquire the paring knife of your dreams! Go try a bunch of them at Sur La Table or your local knife shop. Don’t worry about them matching, just get one you love. (Take the rest in to be sharpened if they haven’t in awhile while you’re at it! Two birds with one scone.)
posted by amaire at 9:17 AM on October 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

I use the flat-sided handle of a large knife to smash garlic. I broke the blade of a nice ceramic knife using it for some non-cutting task and I repented and changed my ways.
posted by kingless at 10:54 AM on October 11, 2020

if I had a knife “snap” on me —at the base of the blade, no less — while crushing garlic, the whole set is going to Goodwill and getting replaced.

Came to second this.

Also the bit about "Professional Sabatier" being a wholly different brand than the venerable Sabatier "Elephant" manufacturer, Thiers-Issard, who make very nice knives.

I'm not fond of this kind of handle myself, but as someone mentioned above, Global has the same aesthetic and is a reputable brand.
posted by aspersioncast at 10:58 AM on October 11, 2020

OK, with some digging, I've found what looks like your knife block in this catalog: SA61B001 5PC RUBBERWOOD SLOPING BLOCK SET WITH STAINLESS STEEL KNIVES. Here it is on Amazon UK, out of stock.

Sabatier Professional is one of the brands owned by Taylor's Eye Witness, a UK knife company. It appears to be their low end line

• produced
• have their roots in Thiers, France
• 15 year warranty

compared to their other Sabatier mark, Veritable Sabatier:

• forged
• Made in France by skilled craftsmen
• Lifetime guarantee

You could try to collect on the warranty, but it might be tricky to prove how long you've had them, and they don't seem to be very good knives. I'd count myself lucky (on all ten remaining fingers) and take the chance to upgrade.
posted by zamboni at 12:13 PM on October 11, 2020

Just for context: the knife set was a gift from my dad, who died eight years ago. I don't have many items from him and so I'm reluctant to part with the set.
posted by teaspoon at 3:34 PM on October 11, 2020 [4 favorites]

That's perfectly understandable, teaspoon - sorry to hear about your dad. I'd try seeing if you can get anywhere with Taylor's Eye Witness, and if that doesn't pan out, get something similar in good conscience.
posted by zamboni at 3:44 PM on October 11, 2020