More knife content

[maunahaole]

Link from the prochef email (thanks go to TT for the hookup on that). If someone would like to send me a Shun knife set, I would greatly appreciate it.:beerglass:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08346/934178-34.stm

[Catulle]

Shun from Kershaw...

KDM0006
MSRP: $313

Description:

Shun Kaji- Forging Elegance With Style And Performance…In Japanese, Kaji refers to the blacksmith’s forge used to make the famed samurai swords. Shun’s Kaji line is a combination of Damascus and Clad construction, the perfect blend of ultimate technology and hand craftsmanship. From the exotic SG-2 powdered steel cutting core to the Pattern Damascus cladding, these knives are truly the premium high end knife line on the market. Available exclusively from Williams-Sonoma.


Damascus cladding. Like Damascus wannabe? $313? Sorry, but I pass.

[steve garro]

anybody ever try one of those wusthof "wave" blades? i've worn out my fave serrated pico de gallo dicer and that looks like the bee's knees for super fine dicing ripe tomatoes........steve.

[Joel]

Steve,

After more years in the restaurant business than I'd admit or most folks would believe, we have really simple knife strategy at home.

A handful of paring knives, a few french chef knives of unknown origin, one sushi/fish knife and three cleavers of different weights. And a sharpening stone. Kind of old school, but gets darn near any job done. Nothing serrated, scuplted or otherwise fabricated...just straight blades.

And there's something theraputic about using a sharpening stone...kind of like downtube shifters. Any money not spent on knives is of course shifted over to bikes :)

Joel

[steve garro]

yeah, joel, i got where you're coming from - i have nothing but straight blades too {i was a cook, a prep slave and a scratch baker} but i love my 6" serrated for salsas.........fillet knives are my weakness check out the wild trout fillets!.......i bet i have four and a hand-made one on the way. just don't drop them in the drink! and, i hear ya about the stones, i really dig my diamond steel too {a gerber - found it new in the box at goodwill for $1.50!!} so i was suprised that the article quoted above mentioned electric sharpeners! steve.

[hampco]

i checked out one of the kramer-designed knives at sur la table - $340

i'll be needing one of those pretty soon, it felt great in my hand

that's a lot of money for a knife however

[Catulle]

Steve,

After more years in the restaurant business than I'd admit or most folks would believe, we have really simple knife strategy at home.

A handful of paring knives, a few french chef knives of unknown origin, one sushi/fish knife and three cleavers of different weights. And a sharpening stone. Kind of old school, but gets darn near any job done. Nothing serrated, scuplted or otherwise fabricated...just straight blades.

And there's something theraputic about using a sharpening stone...kind of like downtube shifters. Any money not spent on knives is of course shifted over to bikes :)

Joel

Nothing better for filleting a bunch of fish than a couple of $5 thin flexible blades and a stone.

[steve garro]

Nothing better for filleting a bunch of fish than a couple of $5 thin flexible blades and a stone.

a schwinn varsity will take you anywhere you wanna go :) steve.

[arik]

stuff discussed above is nice but I put in a lot of research and have to recommend:
http://www.macknife.com/

I got the mac ultimate chef's knife and it's killer. I also picked up a kyocera kyotop ceramic and what it does to tomatoes is unreal.

https://secure.kyoceraadvancedcerami...-damascus.aspx

[rydesteel]

I like Henkels, I've got most of a set of the various models. I find them on sale and pick up whatever I'm missing. I always get a kick out of folks who come over for dinner the first time and want to play with my blades :omg:. Uhmm please dont play with my uhhh you don't have really sharp knives at home do you? No please don't touch the edge,... here watch it slice a tomato. My favorite trick is to lightly grab the back of the handle with the tip on the cutting board and pull the knife through cutting paper thin slices of tomato with no weight other than the blade itself.
Our discussion here is sort of like our framebuilder/material discussions, a quality tool is a pleasure to use, and some are prettier than others, but for the most part they all get the job done. I like good knives, hell, I just like knives. Someday I'd love to own an ultratech, but that's another story and a different tool. Enjoy the day all. Frank

[Too Tall]

i checked out one of the kramer-designed knives at sur la table - $340

i'll be needing one of those pretty soon, it felt great in my hand

that's a lot of money for a knife however

Funny timing, a good pal is trying to get me to buy that overpriced GORGEOUS knife.

Joel, talk to me about stones and tell me why the professional chef's sharpening machine is whack? I use that machine and a gerber diamond steel...seems to get the job done. For yrs. I used stones to keep my hunting and pocket knives tuned up...it was very therapeutic...but not something I want to do in the middle of the kitchen yo.

[jimi]

i checked out one of the kramer-designed knives at sur la table - $340

i'll be needing one of those pretty soon, it felt great in my hand

that's a lot of money for a knife however

The New Yorker aritcle really got me curious about those knives. They mentioned in the article that there was a piece on the knives that Kai was having problems manufacturing but that Kramer was adament about keeping. I can't remember specifically what it was but it had to do with the transition from the handle to the blade. I need to go back and look at the article b/c I'm dying to find out if Kai was able to do what Kramer wanted.


jimi

[steve garro]

well, damn - i just open my gift from my sis and bro inlaw and scored! a handmade 18' x 18" x 1.5" maple cutting board and a 7" henckle santoku - sweet! steve.

[SpeedyChix]

Custom knives are much like the custom frame,
They can be used every day and add joy to a favorite thing.
Eating or biking.

Here are some that have become my favorites:
A Butch Harner "Starry Night" with the Micarta handle based on the VanGogh painting. This makes me want to cook. Santoku blade. Excellent balance. Feels great in the hand. Cuts like crazy.



Here are a few others of his that are for sale:
This set is o1 steel (carbon steel) rather than stainless. But the edge it will hold even longer with a little more care. I think he was asking $800 for this set.


This is a recently completed slicer, listed at $250


More of his work here
http://www.harnerknives.com/?page_id...um=2&gallery=6
He does kitchen, hunting and straight razors.

Some simple things bring great enjoyment. Yes, you can cut with a regular knife. Just like you can bike on a stock bike. Fine knives = craft.

[Too Tall]

Woah SpeedC beautiful stuff.

Mr. Garro have you tried any of the ceramic knives? I recently scored a job off ebay. Pretty darn amazing for slicing anything soft. Follow the rules it holds an edge.
Here is a linky:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kyocera-Ceramic-...3A1%7C294%3A50

[sashae]

Once you get into the dorky world of knife-dom, it's difficult to stop. The super high Rockwell hardness Japanese blades are epically wonderful.

Takeda Hamono:



Ikkanshi Tadatsuna:


Heiji nakiri, Watanabe santoku:


Damascus boning knife, Kanemasa petty with forced patina:

[dang]

anybody ever try one of those wusthof "wave" blades? i've worn out my fave serrated pico de gallo dicer and that looks like the bee's knees for super fine dicing ripe tomatoes........steve.

No, although I have a wusthoff "santoku" and one of their cheapie bread knives (never really understood people dropping big bucks on bread knives), in addition to a 25 year-old set of wusthoff classic knives and one more recent miyabi. Really, for tomatoes, almost any chef's knife should do provided it is sharp. Slicing thin or thick, dicing, what have you -- if tomatoes are getting torn or mashed, it's a sign of a dull knife.

[dang]

The New Yorker aritcle really got me curious about those knives. They mentioned in the article that there was a piece on the knives that Kai was having problems manufacturing but that Kramer was adament about keeping. I can't remember specifically what it was but it had to do with the transition from the handle to the blade. I need to go back and look at the article b/c I'm dying to find out if Kai was able to do what Kramer wanted.


jimi

Lovely looking knives, although the chef's knives seem to have very large blades and rockers to me. I agree that it's a lot of money for a knife. My wusthof classic knives still take a good edge after 25 years -- less than half the price -- and my over-deocrated miyabi (second experiment with a Japanese knife after I returned a Shun) also costs much less money. On the other hand, if you love these, and use them every day . . . well, amortize the extra 2 hundred bucks on a chef's knife however you like and it's not a ton of money. I'm not a knife maven and don't wish to become one. But the price of one or two key knives relative to all the crap most of us (myself included) buy . . .

[SpeedyChix]

Long ago query about tomato slicing, but this thing rocks. Been using a ss serrated paring knife for tomatoes this summer
Tomes Knives:Serrated Paring

Good steel, sharp blades, comfortable handles. Once you've started to use good knives it's hard to go back.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Holy shit!!! an 18 Foot cutting board..! Thats huge!

well, damn - i just open my gift from my sis and bro inlaw and scored! a handmade 18' x 18" x 1.5" maple cutting board and a 7" henckle santoku - sweet! steve.