Cooking For Engineers

OPTMSTK · Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 3 Location: NY

First of all I just wanted to say that this has been a very helpfull and informative forum/website I've come across and thank you ALL for your mature & helpfull discussions.
This website/forum has helped me select a good knife, (which I will head down to the closest store for a grip test of Global 8") and others as well. However, I could not find information on how to pick out a good stone and steal sharpner at a reasonable price to leave me enough to also buy a cutting board of course with the chef Michael recommendation.
Thanks in advance
Frank

Guest · Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:40 am Post subject:

I don't know what knife you bought but if it is Japanese the answer is simple - learn to free hand sharpen.

Cutting boards:
Pretty: Get an END GRAIN wood board. Period.
Not pretty but even better for your blades: Get a Sani-Tuff rubber board. I chop, pound, and slice my delicate Japanese knives on this board and have yet to chip an edge.

My wife gets the walnut, I use the Sani-Tuff. This is a no brainer once you try them all out.

Buzz

OPTMSTK · Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 3 Location: NY

Hey Buzz,
Thank you for your reply...I have decided to go for the a 3pc set of Global: a 7"santoku, a 5 1/4" utility knife and a 3 1/2" pari...now you mentioned "free hand" sharpen, do you mean a Whetstone or a the steel?...or do I need both? also would you recommend; a Ceramic or Diamond Rod?
As I was reading many forums, I've come across the idea of having your knives Professionaly sharppened once in a while by a professional and just yourself fine tune it in between with either a whetstone or a steel? what's your opinion on that?
Thank you in advance,
Frank

Guest · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:03 am Post subject: Re: Knife Sharpners

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

buzzard767 · Joined: 30 Jan 2008 Posts: 21

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

Last night on the Discovery Channel, the program Some Assembly Required, they showed the fabrication of a high carbon steel sashimi knife from a block of steel to its first use.

They showed a Japanese craftsman heating and forging the bar of steel into the shape of the knife from the furnace to anvil, followed by tempering the blade, sharpening on what appeared to be a 3-4" wide, 24-30" diameter rotating stone, then hand sharpening, followed by connection to its handle, polishing and the craftsman signing the blade. Its first use was in a sashimi restaurant. They showed how after every single cut, you had to dry the blade or else it would pit and rust. The end of the show was kind of funny, because the American from the Discovery channel who narrated and described what the knife maker was doing was using the brand new knife for the first time in a Japanese restaurant. He had been given a piece of fish that was so freshly killed, that it was still moving while he tried to slice it! They guy couldn't take it and said he wanted to use the knife to cut a completely dead piece of fish!. The knife was a work of art.

buzzard767 · Joined: 30 Jan 2008 Posts: 21

I heard good things about this program on another forum. Apparently the episode is scheduled to run again on Feb. 23 at 8:00p.m. Eastern

OPTMSTK · Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 3 Location: NY

Hi Buzz,
Once again thanks for the info...well, as I'm getting ready to throw my Super Bowl party, I needed to get my knives and start the preparation early, so before reading your last email, I got my Global knives-7"santoku, a 5 1/4" utility knife and a 3 1/2" paring knife-which just last night put them into use and they seem alright...did a pretty good job...very light, and comfortable grib...also, to your advice, got the Sani-Tuff Rubber board, which I'm satisfied with...got grib on the food, and very easy to wash & clean...and the look is not that after all once on my counter!!!
As for the sharpners, thanks for the headsup on the steel...I will definitely go for the med-grind stone & I will take that information on that man that you mentioned that sharpens professionaly.
Thank you,
Frank,
ps. take a look at my website, and if you see anything you like for yourself or anybody else, let me know and I will gladly give you a special discount.

buzzard767 · Joined: 30 Jan 2008 Posts: 21

Frank, the Japanese pro knife sharpener is Dave Martell. He has done wonderful work for me including transforming a broken Frank J. Richtig kitchen knife into a first class paring knife with a man sized handle. What he does is to utilize the Japanese knives original geometry and sharpen at those angles. The edges he creates are stunning. Find him at http://www.japaneseknifesharpening.com/.

I'm sure you'll be happy with your Globals. I've read many great reports on them, but they just aren't for me.

You have some very nice products on your site.

Guest · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:27 am Post subject:

Aha, you turn up yet again, Buzzard767! Big smile

You certainly get around. Spreading the Gospel of the Japanese Knife I assume! Smile

-Phaedrus

Guest · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:55 am Post subject:

ERdept · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 39 Location: LA

Hello all, this is my first post.

I like the Japanese chef's knives. Hattori, Kumagoro, Takeda. They use steels that are prone to rust if you don't care for them, but in return, I get a knife that is EXTREMELY sharp and last for a long time before requiring a touch-up on the blade.

Aogami Supersteel, especially. I think Rockwell around 62.

I used to take my knives in to sharpen professionally, with the steel/ceramic reguarly.

But now I just do it myself with something called the EdgePro Apex. This sharpener is quite expensive, but is easy to use, and makes and edge more consistently and easily than hand sharpening. The main benefit is that it maintains the edge to stone angle consistently.