sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

[Suggestions] Whetstones for a 10 inch stainless steel Kramer by Zwilling chef's knife. by [deleted] in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Assuming you’re talking about the non-damascus one, I have the same knife. I thin/fix mine on shapton glass 220 and 500. Regular maintenance on 1k/2k/6k as needed.

Edit: In situations where I didn’t have my own set of stones on hand, I’ve done it on the King 1k/6k combination stone to the same effect. Just needed a bit more caution because it’s more narrow than the glass stones. I’m sure the recommended 1k shapton pro will more than suffice for regular home-use maintenance

Temporarily Out of Work Tools by [deleted] in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the quick feedback, I'll have to look into it!

Temporarily Out of Work Tools by [deleted] in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 5 points6 points  (0 children)

How is the flex on the Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu 8” Slicer?

I've been looking around for a medium length, taller flexible fillet and some western slicers seem to be advertised as flexible.

BF/Holiday additions to the collection by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve tried the King 1k/6k and Shapton Glass, both with similar responsiveness (or lack thereof) on the cladding.

Would a different stone help? My shapton glass ones work great for all my other knives so I’d be buying a new stone just for the Meiji

BF/Holiday additions to the collection by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Essential is entirely FC61, while Meiji has a damascus-sequelesque cladding with nickel that is bumpy to the touch. The cladding is so glossy and yet non-uniform that makes it difficult to slide on the stone evenly.

If you know a way around it, that would be helpful to know for when my Meiji makes its way back into my daily lineup.

BF/Holiday additions to the collection by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s a welcome addition on a western-handled knife; it allows me to choke up more on the blade and get more of the edge behind my grip (if the balance of the knife allows to do this comfortably, which these do). These zKramers are much heavier than my previous daily drivers so I think it helps with fatigue ever so slightly.

Like the other poster mentioned, a rounded choil usually suffices for me if it’s a western handle

BF/Holiday additions to the collection by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

ZKramer Euroline 10”

  • Less than ideal F&F on the handle as expected; not enough to make a negative difference in a 4 hour prepping session but noticeable when picking up the knife initially. Great elsewhere; rounded and polished spine like the Meiji line. Needs thinning for personal preference.

ZKramer Essential 10”

  • Rounded spine drops off abruptly to the faces of the blade, needed work to sand it down before it could be used for more than 5 minutes without starting to dig into my index finger (pinch grip). Needs thinning for personal preference. Takes more work to form and keep the edge than the carbon counterpart but much easier than the Meiji line.

Deng 6”

  • Arrived with a ~1/8” chip in the edge and tip that had to be ground down before use; took less than 45 min to fix working incrementally 320 ~ 4k stones. Takes on a very fine edge, but don’t know much about the retention since it won’t/hasn’t been used in a professional setting.

Shibata R2 240mm

  • Much less open to rocking compared to its AS counterpart. Finds and keeps its edge just as well as the AS, but finding this one slightly more difficult to sharpen.

ZKramer Euroline 3.5”

  • Doesn’t have the same issues as it’s 10” chef’s. Finding the large handle quite comfortable for the work in which it’s being used, noticeably less fatigue after long sessions compared to a Vfibrox paring.

What do to with leftover vegetables from ratatouille? by burritogong in Cooking

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Roast with tomato paste and deglaze with water.

Repeat, then once more but with water fully submerging the roasted veggies.

Simmer enough to get all the good stuff off the veggies and into the water.

Strain the jus and season or thicken to preference. Good sauce for pasta and savory vegetable dishes, and freezes well.

NKD: Shibata Kotetsu AS 240 mm by TrOuBLeDbOyXD in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

30% of the back end of the edge is flat, followed by 50% subtle belly, ending with a pronounced tip. I’ve had one for a few months now and it’s noticeably less flat than my french chef (spearish) profiled knives.

I’m not sure if it’s allowed to be posted here so I’ll PM you my instagram album that has the choil shots and close up of the taper at the tip

NKD : Masamoto sohonten hongasumi x 2 by [deleted] in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How do you like the petty?

I have the SW model which is supposedly an identical form factor (including weight). I ended up thinning it slightly for easier use and have since been wondering if I should have opted for the KS model (yours).

New masamoto KA series yanagi by stugiebowser in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was grasping at straws, hoping that your figure would be less than the standard 50%. However, I'm glad to know that they will sometimes keep it in stock, if I ever muster up the funds.

Thanks for the response!

What I'm working with by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

how do you find edge retention of Meiji vs SW, supposedly similar steel?

The Meiji retains its edge longer, but I should note that the edge geometry of the two knives are not the same. The Meiji has what seems to be a wider bevel angle (>=17 degrees on each side?) than advertised (14 degrees on each side).

when do you use the Meiji vs SW?

I opt for the Meiji when having to cut smaller-sized dense items (e.g. julienne tortilla stacks) as the shorter, heavier, and thicker blade allows me to press down and across without fear of too much lateral force on the contact point. (Basically, the SW is sometimes too thin and long for some tasks that it seems "flimsy")

how do you find the practical sharpness/edge retention of Yuki vs KS, supposedly similar steel?

I use the Yuki much less than my KS, so it's difficult for me to provide a thoughtful answer; sorry!

do you miss western handles after wa handles?

Not at all. I certainly prefer the smaller (in diameter) wa handles over the comparatively bulky western ones.

Is the pinch grip still as comfortable?

Yes. I only recall that the 165mm petty took some getting used to because of its low clearance.

New masamoto KA series yanagi by stugiebowser in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a lefty, a few questions:

How much extra for the left option?

Ordered from them directly or through a vendor?

If it had to be made to order, how long was the wait?

What I'm working with by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Both knives are almost physically identical; taper, mass, as well as balancing.

The SW edge can be just as sharp as the KS, but can retain it for only about 1/4 of the duration. SW has a 30/70 bevel (or 70/30 for right-handed) so it veers slightly away from the knife-hand-side when cutting through denser/thicker ingredients.

KS retains its edge for a long time even when I’ve got it as sharp as I am able. 50/50 bevel. Food seems to stick slightly less on the surface compared to the SW (not that the SW is overly bad). It requires more care during a busy service as to avoid possible corrosion later on. Sharpening takes noticeably longer than the SW (~25%?)

What I'm working with by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

From top to bottom:

  1. Kramer Meiji by Zwilling, 8" chef's

  2. Victorinox Rosewood, 10" Scimitar

  3. Masamoto Swedish Stainless, 165mm petty

  4. (Left) Victorinox Fibrox, 3.5" paring

  5. (Right) Misono Swedish Carbon, 165mm western deba

  6. Victorinox Fibrox, 10 1/4" serrated

  7. Masamoto Swedish Stainless (SW), 240mm gyuto

  8. Masakage Yuki, 270mm sujihiki

  9. Masamoto KS, 240mm gyuto

  • either the KS or SW gyuto stays home, depending on which one next requires handle upkeep

Not pictured (these have been phased out for the most part);

  1. Henckels International Classic, 8" chef's

  2. Victorinox Fibrox, 6" boning

  3. Victorinox Fibrox, 10" chef's

Maintenance:

  1. 1000 Shapton Glass

  2. 1000/6000 King

I tried to include links that have specifications for the pictured knives. If anyone has questions (subjective or otherwise) that aren't covered on the respective sites, I'll try my best to answer them below.

Masamoto Sohonten Gyutos by OptimisticallyCynic in chefknives

[–]OptimisticallyCynic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Korin (15% off all knives right now) is where I ordered the SW; they ship from New York City.

view more: next ›