Hi,

My inexpensive chef's knife is too flimsy to cut yams easily. I am wondering
what type of knife would normally be used for large raw yams. Would a
cleaver be the right thing?

I'm thinking about getting something that is good quality but not too
expensive. Are there any brands that would fit that description?

My inexpensive chef's knife (the kind with lots of tiny serrations) works
fine for what I use it for (mostly cutting raw things into smaller pieces so
they cook fast). If I bought a better quality chef's knife what differences
would I notice? What can the hundred dollar knives do better?

I'm also wondering what it would take to keep a good knife sharp. I'm handy
and coordinated but I'm not sure I'm dedicated enough to learn the art of
sharpening a knife properly. Are there any sharpening tools that work, are
easy to use, and are not too expensive? Would there be any point to getting
a good quality knife if I don't keep it properly sharpened?

Thanks