I am also looking for a GOOD sturdy bread knife. I am not happy with any of mine-- I want a solid and sturdy bread knife, my blades are flexible. I have a few recommendations I will check out but please share yours if you are happy with it!

Any other recommendations? I am a big fan of JK Adams cutting boards so will likely include a unique bread board, linen bread bags, maybe some nice preserves.

I definitely prefer a clear container for starter - I like to see how/what it's doing and that's much easier with glass. I love my Victorinox bread knife. I find Victorinox knives to be reasonably priced and they hold an edge well.

I have always used clear glass containers for my starter and a Rada bread knife. It works great for me, so never felt the need to look for anything better. Maybe I just don’t know what I am missing😜. My DD thought she had a good knife until she tried mine so she put it on her birthday/Christmas wish list.

You could also get a proofing basket, and some artisanal flour.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/797190028/bread-flour-10-lb-parisian-blend-bread?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=bread+flour&ref=sc_gallery-1-2&plkey=8839958e419ed84970bbca9bcb2ae0ffa719dafb%3A797190028&cns=1

I’ve been doing SD for about 10 yrs. I use a really small 6 oz or so clear plastic container that had deli olives in it lol. The ways of storing starter have changed. It should be quite stiff... about 60% water. It should only be about 6-8 oz worth. The way to get larger holes is fermentation not high hydration. Thus you take a few grams say 30= 1 oz out of the storage and build in three feedings spaced over a day or two till you have what you need for the recipe you are making. Add back any extra you built to get back to the amount you had in your container. Always store in fridge.

Great info, Trail, I was pass it along.

Thanks for the knife recommendations-- I will check them out! Even in the better brands, i have encountered "bendable" blades. I prefer something heavier, more solid for crustier breads.

I had also thought about artisanal flour --but i was leaning more rustic (to match my flavor preferences-- if only he lived closer!) . I am sure he has a proofing basket but i guess you can have more than one!

Thanks all-- appreciate all recommendations. Please share more if you have them!

No need to spend a lot of money on a "bread knife." I've had a 14" Ginsu serrated knife for so long I can't remember buying it. It is super sharp, cuts perfect slices of bread and perfect slices of tomatoes after all these years. Blades don't bend either.

Mine is older than this knife.

Ginsu serrated knife 14" Nothing I hate more than a dull knife and we use ours on all homemade breads, cakes, veggies.

Funky, do you use "saw strokes" for lack of a better description, to slice crusty breads? If the knife is sharp you shouldn't have a problem if the blade does bend. And always a serrated knife. Slow and easy. :)

Yes, i use "saw strokes" .. i don't have an issue with cutting. I have an issue with quality and "feel" in the hand. I prefer a heavy knife.. as does my nephew (who is a very tall, broad guy).

Visit breadtopia for ideas. He may like a lame? https://breadtopia.com/?s=starter+jar&post_types=post%2Cproduct&posts_per_page=20

Clear for the container. Maybe he has one, but I would love to get a dough scraper. Maybe a cloche . . . but that's pricey. And yes, artisnal flour . . .

Thanks for the continued suggestions-- I am pretty sure he cooks his bread in his dutch oven and i also feel certain he has a dough scraper. His mom (my sis) outfitted him pretty well when he first moved out and he's picked up lots along the way.

I think he'd prefer a dough cutter to some of the stamped lames -- i have this black walnut dough slasher in my cart just because i think it looks cool and manly.

I didn;'t select a bread bag-- well, not for him at least. I am also ordering this one for my sis. I just love the design!

Thanks all -- shopping is a chore this year so i appreciate your help!!

I do mine in a dutch oven too. LOVE the lame! Here's a link to a bread flour I have been wanting. Also if you could score some graham flour and maybe some diastatic malt powder, they are good for growing yeast.

https://sunriseflourmill.com/

Thanks, Pink.. i was trying to remember where i used to buy my organic rye flour and I have been coming up short. Since I will need to mail the gift-- and i think flours are a personal thing-- i like the fact that they have a gift card. I don't like giving gift cards as a sole gift.. but as part of a package, i think it works well.

I have that lame. It is beautiful and I liked the fact that the blades are replaced without the pressure of the arc -- just seems safer. But that also makes it cut differently. I have only used it a few times and it is not my favorite - so far. I can't say anything negative about it, just that it angles differently from my other one and I probably haven't gotten the right feel for it.

As far as a sourdough container, I've been using a Mason jar with a plastic cap (they sell them by the box with the canning jars) for years. I prefer seeing the starter -- the bubbles, any hooch, etc., and there really isn't any reason for anything fancy. Wide mouth is easier, but that's about it. The one you pictured with the rubber gasket and clips would actually not be as good. Sourdough is a living thing and it needs to breathe and will release gas. I use the white plastic caps -- and older style that is not airtight. They have newer grey ones that are airtight - I would leave those a quarter turn or so fro tight if I used those.

I have several bread knives. The best one is a Bob Kramer DH got as part of a gift set. It is my go to if I make a really dark, crusty loaf. On the other extreme is a Kuhn Rikon they apparently don't make now -- had a sheath that looked kind of like a loaf of bread. I'd always been happy with that one even though it was inexpensive, but I had some really crusty sourdough it struggled with. It was a large loaf with a sturdy crust and i had to turn it on its side to start the slice.

Linen bread bags are very popular of late -- Rough Linen has them and everything they make is so nice.

Thanks for all the valuable info-- i will respond more later (just a quick peek in the middle of a hectic day)...

Lascatx - i soooo want a bob kramer knife! Bummer on the performance of the slasher though. I just posted two sourdough keepers that were shared on a blog. I'll check out other clear options. Thanks!

Localeater-- perfect! They live in NH so Maine Grains is *almost* local to them!

This is great. My son asked for sourdough starter for Christmas, this gives me a ton of ideas to build off of!

I should be clear -- the Kramer is the best bread knife I have used. I've recommended the Kuhn Rikon a number of times and never had any issues with it until I baked a large, super crusty loaf. I t had a tough time getting throught he ear without slipping, but once I got it started, it did fine an I found that if I started on the side of the loaf, I didn't have the issue with starting on the ear. I suspect it would be fine on a smaller loaf even with a sturdy crust. Have fun shopping!

Thank you all again.. Localeater, Maine Grains was a perfect suggestion -- I wouldn't say he is "local" but he is in NH and i think will really enjoy their story and their products!

I also bought the beautiful walnut/brass lame.. it just looks so handsome. I have both a beautiful bread basket and a proofing basket in my cart as well as some handsome breadmaking books.

I ended up buying the Mercer bread knife. It was rated top by ATK and a few others and it was very inexpensive. Actually, i bought TWO. One for nephew, one for me (which let's face it-- is the way I christmas shop anyhow! LOL).

Speaking of one for me.. i also just bought my first Le Creuset. I love my staub but this was just too beautiful and too good a deal to pass by... plus I have been wanting one of the wide dutch ovens.

Thanks to all on this thread. I now have an idea of what to buy for a male relative who doesn't nee anything. He is an avid cook and bread maker. I am going to buy him an assortment of flours, several utilitarian white kitchen towels, and possibly a sturdy apron. I'm going to shop at Whole Food's and a specialty Italian market tomorrow. One checked of my very short list.