I'd like to have a few good knives but I really don't trust many of the suppliers and certainly not ebay. You get what you pay for but only sometimes and there are suppliers who simply attach a high cost to make something seem valuable. I know that a cheap knife isn't going to work.
Any recommendations for a name brand that hasn't sold out to an overseas factory?
I'm also considering converting old european cutlery and tools into handmade knives that I may come across in yard sales or flea markets. I don't understand the rules when it comes to shaping a blade. If I have good steel, can I cut the blade with a cutoff wheel grind the edge and have a way to return the temper? I have a couple 70 year-old+ dinner knives with ivory handles. They keep a great edge despite looking like a butter knife. They slice through tomatoes and meat like a brand new razor and always have done so. Can these blades be repurposed without ruining the steel?