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Knives...big, F*** off, knives

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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    tekbow said:
    The Grind had been performed poorly and didn't meet properly in an edge up near the tip.
    That sounds uncomfortably familiar. :(

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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1687
    DLM said:
    tekbow said:
    The Grind had been performed poorly and didn't meet properly in an edge up near the tip.
    That sounds uncomfortably familiar. :(


    Very irritating. Shun are in the upper mid range of production line kitchen knives, and the Japanese are generally tip top with mass manufacture QC.

    The problem was that because the last layer of laminate Was located parallel and a gnats hair above the top of the bevel, when I attempted to rework it (something I've done plenty of times) it took the bevel up into the laminate layer, and as the edge curved toward the tip, the laminate started to intersect the edge.

    2 different type of steel up on an edge just doesn't Work.

    And there's still a small section where Bevels don't form an edge.
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  • AK99AK99 Frets: 1563
    octatonic said:

    Back when I was building instruments I would spend almost as much time sharpening Lee Valley plane blade as I would actually using the plane.
    I'm almost like that: when I go to do a job I invariably have to spend more time trying to hunt down where I left the bl00dy tools last time I used them, than doing the job itself.
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  • Cutting edge knives are excellent and we have a few from them.

    You'll need to decide if you want stain resistant or higher carbon steel. There are pros and cons to both.

    They're beautiful and very good, but you'll also need to budget for a ceramic honing rod (which we use at least monthly, and usually more on our fancy knives). We've *never* had to resharpen the expensive ones, but we take great care of them and hone regularly.

    A lot of pro chefs don't use these kinds of knives - they're too brittle so while they stay sharp very well, a minor accident can lead to chips and it's back to the whetstone to resharpen/profile.

    Instead, a lot of pros use softer German or Swiss steels - they don't stay sharp long, but they are super quick and easy to sharpen and glide through food just the same. We also use some of these - including some procook knives, which are fine, and some victorinox which go blunt if you look at them funny, but a ceramic rod will actually sharpen them rather than hone - meaning within seconds we have insanely sharp knives. 
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  • To echo others, knives can be quite personal. My fiancées favourite is a nakiri that is made beautifully from folded stain resistant steel and has a simple octagonal handle. My personal favourite is a bunka - it's sort of similar, but has a very fine, sharp tip that I find really useful (I'm not as good with knives as my better half, so I appreciate the extra help). She also loves our cheaper German steel procook chef's knife, which I find uncomfortably heavy - after I chipped it, I had to spend a lot of time on a whetstone and it's now sharp enough for us. She loves it for big stuff - getting through large squash, chickens etc. 
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  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    For me, the best knives are made in Sheffield. If you are local, have a visit to the Sheffield Shop on Ecclesall Rd - it has some lovely knives ranging from moderate to expensive with plenty of local artisan made stuff. Not surprisingly the staff know their stuff. 

    https://www.sheffield-made.com/


    Another place worth going to is the David Mellor shop in Hathersage, which has another great selection of things all made locally. They have various ranges of knives and they are superb - well made and well balanced. I've taken the ends of several fingers off drunken cooking with their blades! 

    https://www.davidmellordesign.com/shops/hathersage/

    I keep mine sharp with an Anysharp thing. very good. Periodic trips to the knife shop also at a couple of quid a blade if the edge is bad.

    Living in Sheffield, I am biased, but come on, where else would you go for proper steel stuff??

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  • fastonebazfastonebaz Frets: 4065
    I made myself a knife sharpening wheel for my bench grinder so I have an mdf wheel coated in a grade of silicone carbide plus a buffing wheel made from material with reverse direction on the grinder. 

     I decided to only use a fairly cheap kitchen knife block set (<£100) and keep them razor sharp using my kit.  I don't care if I damage the temper or wear them unevenly or anything else as they're aren't precious.

    I'm very pleased with my knife sharpening skills these days,  within a couple of minutes with barely an effort my knives are slicing through paper with ease and so far have even and shiny edges so I must be doing something right.  




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  • ShrewsShrews Frets: 2959
    In an industrial setting (meat factory) we always swore by Victorinox knives. They always seemed to maintain their sharpness best snd lasted longest.

    https://www.butchersequipment.co.uk/knives-sharpeners/knives/butchers-knives/victorinox-butchers-knives?gclid=CjwKCAjwwsmLBhACEiwANq-tXJG4DrzfZx4Hic2JMEwwn3N0dimBqoh769dzTWzv00ypfFlB_3u_UBoCeqAQAvD_BwE
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  • I'm with Alan...


    My Trading Feedback    |    You Bring The Band

    Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you
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  • KittyfriskKittyfrisk Frets: 18385
    I'm with Alan...


    C'mon Marian, it was ages ago.
    Let it go.... Let it gooooo....
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  • Wusthof for the main blades. Used them for the majority of my chef career and wouldn't ever change. 

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wusthof-Classic-3-Piece-Knife-Set/dp/B00005MEGJ

    Great balance and feel. 



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  • MoominpapaMoominpapa Frets: 1649
    edited October 2021
    @roundthebend Lots of great advice about traditional high-end knives already given, but I noticed you mentioned a cleaver in your original post. You might be interested to take a look at some of the YouTube videos of Chef Wang ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg0m_Ah8P_MQbnn77-vYnYw ), especially the ones where he is cooking at his uncle's home in the country. He does everything with a single huge-ass cleaver - and I mean eveything, from chopping up giant bones to finely dicing garlic. It looks to me that as far as he is concerned, as long as you have a sharp edge on something, it's all in the technique after that.




























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  • TheMarlinTheMarlin Frets: 7745
    Is this for a gift? 

    It’s rare that someone wants a cleaver at home…
    I have two. Love them, handy for chopping and scooping.  I got them from an Asian foods supermarket about 20 years ago, still look great, I sharpen them with a wet stone, doesn’t take long. 
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