Knife set

**Bushmiller** · 7th April 2013, 01:02 AM

Knife set! What am I thinking? This is not just a knife set....it's a Japanese knife set, but here is the bad part: It's not for me

.

Well, I s'pose I'd better explain. Last Christmas I bought a couple of Zhen knives for my daughter. You know the ones you make up your own handles for (that's the knives not the daughters). Anyhow, she really liked them and finally I got the knife block made up too after my initial stuff up. Some of you may have seen those threads in this section of the forums and under reviews.

What I didn't see was my son's face drop when he saw his sister's present. At least that is the story according to SWMBO. So I decided for his next birthday (July) to get together a couple of knives (well three actually, but I always struggled with advanced maths).

I leaned towards buying blanks again and attaching my own handles, but in the end I opted for three Japanese knives complete with JP style handles. Again I leaned towards the damascus style blades in stainless, but the reality is that this is probably essentially aesthetic more than practical. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love the folded look. It is special.

However, I ended up with these four knives

JP Knives 002.jpg JP Knives 001.jpg JP Knives 007.jpg

In buying the Gyuto chef knife I had opted for a larger version, but was sent the standard knife in error. The seller offered to refund the extra money I had paid, but I explained it was the large knife I was after as it in particular was to replace one that my son had lost when he was working as a chef in the UK. The seller agreed to this and to arrange for the knife to be returned.

Then I was speaking to FenceFurniture and more in jest asked him whether he was interested in a Japanese chef's knife. To my surprise he said he had been thinking about them and agreed to buy it off me. I think it was just as much of a surprise for him as he is more used to selling me stuff! At the time of writing neither of us have it as it is in NC Archer's custody in Singleton.

Back to the knives: There is the Gyuto with a 270mm blue steel blade, the Petty chef with a 150mm SS VG10 damascus blade and a 120mm ko-deba left bevel made from blue steel.

The Gyuto is also made from V2 blue steel and is laminated. It has a rough hammered finish to the back of the knife progressing to a polished finish before reaching an incredibly sharp refined edge.

I hope I have described the knives correctly as I have some difficulties in identifying the names of the maker as opposed to the type of knife. I recall seeing somewhere on the forum a glossary of terms, but I wasn't able to turn this up quickly (eh..I didn't look really hard.) I don't mind at all if I am corrected on this.

It is my intention to make up a knife block and that will be my way of personalising the present. I get a little bit of a kick in devising a sculptural shape rather than just a lump of wood with slots in it. However, SWMBO's order book is a little full at the moment and I realised that it will be a few weeks before I can get to the block. I have a little time up my sleeve on this (famous last words there) so I will post when it is done.

The seller whose name is Nakoaka Tomonori started his career as a carpenter specialising in building shrines and palaces, but decided to take a career change and mine natural whetstones. Just as an aside this is from his ebay site:

Japanese natural whetstone Nakayama GOLD kiita AKA Nashiji so big 4569* | eBay

I wanted to show the video of the plane blade being sharpened and the bloke picking up the stone by the plane bevel, but I think the whole listing will come up. Never mind if it does. Also, does anybody buy these exorbitantly priced natural stones?

One last comment is that knives are difficult to photograph. I have asked FenceFurniture to take a picture of his knife and post it here. However, he probably won't get the knife until 5 May (The Blue Mountains GTG2).

Regards
Paul

**NCArcher** · 7th April 2013, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

JP Knives 002.jpg JP Knives 001.jpg JP Knives 007.jpg

... At the time of writing neither of us have it as it is in NC Archer's custody in Singleton...

The Gyuto is also made from V2 blue steel and is laminated. It has a rough hammered finish to the back of the knife progressing to a polished finish before reaching an incredibly sharp refined edge.

Regards
Paul

Oh oh. I've been using it to sharpen the end of my tomato stakes.

I'm sure it will be fine

**Bushmiller** · 7th April 2013, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Oh oh. I've been using it to sharpen the end of my tomato stakes.

I'm sure it will be fine

I think your inconsiderate use of Brett's treasured kitchen knife will pale into insignificance compared to when he realises just how large your commision is on that Tallow Wood

.

Regards
Paul

**NCArcher** · 7th April 2013, 10:49 PM

True

**FenceFurniture** · 13th May 2013, 12:29 PM

Knife unused as yet - not sure how sharp it is - might have to send it to Ern for the finger test. See here.

**rsser** · 13th May 2013, 12:48 PM

Yes, there are easier ways to check than radical dermabrasion!

Trad method is to cut a sheet of paper and then thinner paper. Another is to lay the edge on your thumbnail at about 45º off vertical, acute angle including the cuticle, and gently push forward. It should stick.

That's a handsome knife; you'll have fun with it.

**FenceFurniture** · 13th May 2013, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by rsser

Trad method is to cut a sheet of paper and then thinner paper.

You mean like, splitting the paper? Now THAT would be a good test!

**rsser** · 13th May 2013, 04:33 PM

Some folk boast about splitting hairs. Really.

**Bushmiller** · 13th May 2013, 05:38 PM

Brett.

To quote the Croc, "Now that's a knife." It certainly shows off the knife to it's full potential and you can hardly see where Tony sharpened his tomato stakes with it

.

Thanks for putting up a professional quality pic.

regards
Paul

**NCArcher** · 13th May 2013, 06:09 PM

I might also have hacked the roots away from a couple of trees I was transplanting, bloody rocky soil

..but we won't go into that

I hope we are going to get some pics of the first cullinary masterpiece that the knife produces.

**NeilS** · 14th May 2013, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

I hope I have described the knives correctly as I have some difficulties in identifying the names of the maker as opposed to the type of knife. I recall seeing somewhere on the forum a glossary of terms, but I wasn't able to turn this up quickly (eh..I didn't look really hard.) I don't mind at all if I am corrected on this.

I think the ko-deba is by Ikeuchi Mikihisa and the petty by Tanaka, both from the knife making area of Miki.

The two gyutos look very much like the work of the blacksmith Yamawaku, from the the blade making area of Sanjo in Niigato (same area as Watanabe), but I cannot see any kanji to confirm that.

All very good choices for a starter Japanese knife kit.

I put a liberal coating of brass lacquer (although I cannot vouch for its safety on a kitchen utensil) on the soft iron clad ones that I have given to 1st time users. They often come with a very thin coating of something, but need more in IMO.

**NeilS** · 14th May 2013, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

In buying the Gyuto chef knife I had opted for a larger version, but was sent the standard knife in error.

Not unknown with this seller, in my experience.

**Mutawintji** · 14th May 2013, 12:43 PM

Wow .... some very nice knives Paul. I have also seen the others you have made.

Altho I know almost nothing about Japanese knives. Would this be the glossary of Japanese-animistic-religious-knife-names ?

I have a Mundial set myself, but have abandoned it as too hard too keep sharp. A lot of people find this I think.

I have a German, (name escapes me at the moment) Chef's knife, and I sharpen it till it shaves hairs on my arm. Seems to be a good yardstick for sharpening.

Greg

**FenceFurniture** · 14th May 2013, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by Mutawintji

I have a German, (name escapes me at the moment) Chef's knife, and I sharpen it till it shaves hairs on my arm.

Wusthof?

**Mutawintji** · 14th May 2013, 12:57 PM

It could be ... and I'm inclined to think it maybe from memory ..... Hmmmmmmm ....

Cost around $80.00 and is a 'softer' steel than mundial and very easy to keep sharp and stays sharp longer. In general, and this is a personal opinion, softer blades stay sharp longer than hard blades.

Can that be ? I once tried to figure it out and came up with the idea that cutting use tends to self-sharpen them to a reasonable degree.

Cutting onion skin, garlic skin, is out for my knife ... I use an old knife for that ... and my knife NEVER touches another piece of steel, hand washed and dried, and is stored by being stuck, point first into the cutting board.

Greg

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