Least used knife?

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user 1925

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Without doubt my least used knife is my slicer, but I think this is a reflection of my circumstances and not the utility of the knife. I have a second set of “butcher” knives that I use for skinning, breaking down/boning and portioning cuts. The only time I “slice” raw meats on the home board is when carrying out small trimming work, but I don’t use my slicer for that opting instead for a boning knife or petty.

That leaves me with carving work, which my extra long scalloped edged bread knife works better—go figure. I have seen [unjust] criticisms towards the use of serrated knives of cooked meats with imagery of torn up meat, but I can vouch first hand that the “right” serrated knife works absolutely fantastic on crusty cooked meats. So much so that mine has replaced my “dedicated” slicing knife.

So what’s your least used knife in your roll/block?
 
The one that has lost most of its time in the limelight in my kitchen, while still staying in my setup, is the Nakiri.
No real reason for it, other than I seem to reach for various alternatives most of the time
 
Suji. I rarely prep anything that needs a long, slim slicer that's not a yanagiba/kiritsuke. Useful on those rare times when I do use it, which is why I keep it and have only 1.
 
The leat used are the ones that are sowed away in boxes and not in the knife block... Other than that, I think the boning knives see the least action.

Stefan
 
I work meat station on the line, and all I use is a 240 suji for slicing, my most used knife hands down. Least used would probably be my misono swedish steel hankotsu, I use it for chicken seldomly, usually use a carter 143mm funayuki for chicken butchery.
 
I am the lowliest of home chefs, and I just purchased a slicer (a 270mm takobiki to be exact). While it won't get a ton of use, if it does a good job on on smoked brisket like I expect then it will be well worth it. Not fun to smoke brisket all day and make a mess of it at serving time.
 
It's interesting to learn the impact a person's environment has on what knives he or she uses most/least.

I wouldn't be without my traditional pattern boning knife. I even use it to portion whole tenderloins.
 
Yanagiba would be my least used knife, but I don't love mine, if I had one I lives it may be a different story, i always tend to find uses for knives that I really love even if it's not always the exactly correct usage.
 
usuba and yanagi. But I go them knowing they would see little use; mainly wanted to start experiencing true single-bevels.
 
My bread knife. But it still sees some good use, because the rest of my collection is currently just cleaver, carbon petty, heavy cleaver, and stainless petty.
 
My Deba is my least used knife behind my flexible Mac 7" Filet. Canadian, I hear what your saying about the Slicer/Suiji not being used that often. I feel the same, I have a Yusuke Sakai 300 Suji and a 210 HD Suiji gets little use. But at least they are relatively inexpensive. I just sold off my Kono HD 240 Kiritsuki and 165 Takeda Banno cause I wasn't grabbing for them either.
 
Amongst the large blades the suji is certainly the least used -- with a home user. When I got my first one I felt I should have bought it years before, though. The relatively rare use doesn't mean it hasn't a great specific function. I wouldn't like to cut my roast with a chef's knife again. Not only because of the narrow blade to avoid dragging, but as well because it gets a very peculiar sharpening regimen.
As for smaller blades, they seem to be more easily interchangeable. You may use a petty for occasional deboning, and do you really need a parer if you have a petty?
 
Amongst the large blades the suji is certainly the least used -- with a home user. When I got my first one I felt I should have bought it years before, though. The relatively rare use doesn't mean it hasn't a great specific function. I wouldn't like to cut my roast with a chef's knife again. Not only because of the narrow blade to avoid dragging, but as well because it gets a very peculiar sharpening regimen.
As for smaller blades, they seem to be more easily interchangeable. You may use a petty for occasional deboning, and do you really need a parer if you have a petty?

I've never understood this petty/parer interchangeability that some people talk about. To me, the paring knife is strictly for in-hand work. While I can appreciate that some of the jobs of a paring knife can be carried out using a petty/utility knife, I have always found it to be unwieldy, awkward and sometime flat out the wrong tool for the job.

Now if you are talking a 4" petty, then that is simply a paring knife.

Regarding a petty and its functionality. Some might like it for small jobs, trimming, deboning chicken, etc. However, I would have to say for me personally that it falls under the same ruling of use as a slicing knife insofar that I feel a boning knife is a more appropriate and versatile pattern and thus that I what I use most.

I prefer paring knives to petty knives for all in hand work and I prefer a classical boning knife to a petty for all trimming and deboning tasks. Where does that leave a petty?
 
For me my knives are often seasonal. I almost never use a nakiri from April-September, but October onward when root veggies are utilized more in my cooking, I use it almost every day. I have had a Carter nakiri just lying on my counter all day long for a week or so.

My slicers tend to get more work in the summer when I grill, eat a lot of meat, and tend to special order more charcuterie. The HHH wootz slicer and Tsourkan are wonderful for charcuterie. Though I must admit the Marko gets used as much as any knife in my house.

My yanagiba gets the least use hands down. I just don't have fresh enough fish here.

k.
 
I just don't have fresh enough fish here.
k.

I thought you guys had like 10,000 lakes?

My least used is a bread knife which is why I got rid of the nice one and got a Forschner. All gyuto's get pretty regular use or get sold fairly quickly.

Cheers
 
I thought you guys had like 10,000 lakes?

My least used is a bread knife which is why I got rid of the nice one and got a Forschner. All gyuto's get pretty regular use or get sold fairly quickly.

Cheers

For three months out of the year, and you have to catch them ;)

k.
 
Anything single bevel, which is why I keep getting rid of them.
 
I was a cleaver whore. I have maybe 6 cleavers left. They just dont get used all that much anymore.
 
I have become a cleaver Whore the last few weeks....so everything!!!.....I really need to make one

+1

I pretty much just use my cleaver and hankotsu for everything. Sold most of my cleavers recently so I just have the Saji and the Fujiwara Teruyasu left, plus one more on the way. Probably the least used type of knife in my kit would be my filleting knives (both sabs). Great knives, but I haven't broken down fish in a couple of months now, quite sad really.
 
Bird's beak pairing knife. I enjoy the opportunity to bring out this little guy whenever I can. That's just not very often at all.
 
square nosed blade shape.. ie cleaver/nakirii. I always carry a boning knife and slicer.
 
Least used is defiently my boning knife or 300mm suji they barely ever make it out of the bag
 
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