Knives for makin` delicious food.

[gofastsandman]

Vezo Pt Deux sent me a PM asking for advice on selecting knives for the kitchen.

I started in the biz at the age of 12 washing dishes for a crazy Italian chef who liked
to throw knives. I`ll tell that story later...

I first used Dexter knives in a commercial kitchen. These were house knives meaning
they were rented and changed weekly or bi-weekly by the service.

They were light and ergonomic which is important if you are prepping for 200.
They are stamped SS which is not my choice for most knives these days.

Over the years, I worked with folks who had personal knives. We collected kits
of our favorite blades for many tasks. We didn't use house knives at all.
We shared knives amongst our friends in the hope of finding the best tools for our
daily tasks. Some of us had 7-10 daily knives. All for a different task.

Some had 2 or 3. Some only brought one.

This is one of those open ended questions.
What is the best?

I don't think many would place F Dick on their Christmas list for knives.
I had been hunting for a gravlax knife for over a year when I flexed the blade
on a block. It sat flat. Dead flat. The breadth and width were perfectly tapered.
One of my newer blades at 22 years old now. I don't know who designed that
blade, but I would like to shake his or her hand.

Let`s go deeper.

You have a blade, a hilt, and a tang.
Just like that front to back.

[Vezo, Part II]

I’m looking for something in a bamboo block, small as everything in the Beach house is bamboo and small! I have a set of four steak knives, two routinely used and bleached out because I run them through the dishwasher. I guess I’m just in the market for a set of Chef’s knives.

Last night I used a Wusthov 3.5” paring and an 8” Chefs knife. I was really impressed. I’ve donated many hours in a ‘71 Pontiac LeMans Sport convertible for free for a friends brother. He sold Costco 35 years ago, still has them, sends them back for sharpening, and loves them. I would have been happy to accept that for all of my time, but I don’t think that is going to come to fruition. So I’ve had my eyes open since I purchased the house in Hernando Beach.

And yes, Sandy I have followed some of your threads on THT. Thanks.

Michael.

[erebus]

Originally Posted by gofastsandman

Vezo Pt Deux sent me a PM asking for advice on selecting knives for the kitchen.

As a fellow former professional kitchen serf and a lover of quality knives, your post hit me right in the feels.

I currently have several very nice Lamson-Sharp's that I use most often for home prep. Lamson-Sharp unfortunately went bankrupt a few years ago (They may have re-opened after a reorg, dunno), but all my knives were purchased at their original factory which dates to the early 1800's in Shelburne Falls, MA.
The factory is amazing. Typical western massachusetts old mill, and old mill town. Knives are also wonderful to use. I love my 10" chefs knife. Also known around the house as "The Big Stabber".

My most recent knife related sadness was that my go to knife sharpening service, Ambrosi Cutlery in North Salem NY, got out of the residential knife sharpening biz. Only commercial kitchen knife work now.
I used to send them (via UPS) my knives every 6 months or so and they'd come back 3 days later gorgeously sharp, with an edge that would last and last. You could perform surgery with them.

Anybody have any recommendations on a sharpening service?
I can sharpen them myself but a professional sharpener is almost more important to me at this point than having a good doctor.

[erebus]

Originally Posted by erebus

Lamson-Sharp unfortunately went bankrupt a few years ago (They may have re-opened after a reorg, dunno)

Looks like they have reopened.
Don't know if the quality has changed any. Looks like they now make them in Westfield MA, and the factory outlet store is still in Shelburne Falls.

This is "The Big Stabber".



https://lamsonproducts.com/collectio...nt=24240094915

Also have this guy. Kind of random, I know. But an offset bread knife is key...:



https://lamsonproducts.com/collectio...nt=35959877390

This little guy is nice too, as far as paring knives go.
The handle to blade ratio is pleasing.

https://lamsonproducts.com/collectio...nt=35956586510

[Vezo, Part II]

Laughed out loud at the doctor comment! Is Costco American made? I kind of like that idea, though probably about like hunting glass, (scopes), German may be the way to go.

I searched and searched for heavy, .316 Stainless for the tableware. Set of 8, (Max capacity!!!) that lets your brain know when you’ve picked up a utensil.

[kmoose]

I’ve dabbled in the knife realm for a few decades and stumbled on a Shun that has utterly changed my entire perspective in prep tooling. I now own 7 and use nothing else. Each one feels like a living extension of your hand but is jealous of your opposing hand and will punish it with crimson vengeance if one fingertip strays a single millimeter past the knuckle line.

[Capt Chuck]

Try this one !

[Spidercrab]

fer all are cuttin an jabbin we uze da swingguard maid in italiy
by aga campolin

[erebus]

Originally Posted by kmoose

...and stumbled on a Shun that has utterly changed my entire perspective in prep tooling.

Oh my. Those are gorgeous knives.
Me likee...

https://shun.kaiusaltd.com/knives

[gofastsandman]

Originally Posted by Vezo, Part II

I’m looking for something in a bamboo block, small as everything in the Beach house is bamboo and small! I have a set of four steak knives, two routinely used and bleached out because I run them through the dishwasher. I guess I’m just in the market for a set of Chef’s knives.

Last night I used a Wusthov 3.5” paring and an 8” Chefs knife. I was really impressed. I’ve donated many hours in a ‘71 Pontiac LeMans Sport convertible for free for a friends brother. He sold Costco 35 years ago, still has them, sends them back for sharpening, and loves them. I would have been happy to accept that for all of my time, but I don’t think that is going to come to fruition. So I’ve had my eyes open since I purchased the house in Hernando Beach.

And yes, Sandy I have followed some of your threads on THT. Thanks.

Michael.

If you run your knives thru the dishwasher again, we may have to have a talk out
back by the used fryer grease.

AKA this ruins the temper of the blades not to mention what it does to the tang and handle.

Never been a fan of the cutco knives. The handles alone disqualify them for me.
I am a harsh critic no doubt, but they check many poor boxes for me.

I like long blades, rounded hilts and high carbon steel.
I like balance and great steel.

The first time I used a pre-war Sabatier high carbon 15 inch chef knife, I fell in love.
Crazy Bob brought his in for me to try when I was 15.

I had gotten a summer job working at Kennedy`s clam shack in Hampton Bch., NH.
It was said if you worked for Bill for a whole summer, you could go anywhere and say
I worked for him all season and get hired on the spot. My second summer I went to the
Ashworth Hotel and said just that. They said when can you start.

I told Bill about the offer and he gave me a big fat raise.
Bill wanted his headstone to read .
I ran the cleanest restaurant in the world. We all had nightly check out.
His son failed damn near every night. Bob and I would laugh as we spit out beer.

Crazy Bob was old school. Drove a `73 green 455 GTO up from Malden every morning.
He was the head saucier at the Ritz in Boston for a decade. This was his yearly
vacation of sorts. At some point in time, he had slipped and put his arm in a fryolator.
It was about the width of my wrist.

Bob`s nickname for Bill`s son was Bong.
My nickname was Bing. He either liked you or he didn`t.
We were bing and bong. Not sure if bong even smoked pot.
He just hated what he was doing.

My first morning Bob said pick up the knife.
I did. He shook his head. He said point it at me.
He then turned the blade in my hand.
He said put your thumb and fore finger over the hilt and on the blade.
I asked where the hilt was. He said right here where the blade meets the handle.
He then tried to turn the blade. He said this is how you control the blade
and avoid the obituary column. He smiled and took me under his wing.

He brought out a giant bag of the biggest onions I had ever seen.
He said dice one.

He shook his head again.
He said watch this closely.

This is how you hold.
This is how you rock.
This is how you hold your dead hand.
Do not ever raise your blade above your knuckle.
Tight on your fingers like jailbait.
Capish?
He was Irish.

The next day was feeding celery.
Dead hands indeed.

Carrots were the day after.

Ken, the Seki steel is among the best ever made.