Which sabatier?

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Nihilio

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I have been researching quite a bit the last few weeks about those since a colleague lent me his and it was a joy to work with. Nothing fancy, simple stainless, but the handle and blade geometry were just...**** dammit, I want one! And since, to my dismay, I cannot simply walk into E. Dehillerin and try them:

Here's your questionnaire:

What country are you in?

Germany, EU

KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chef’s knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?


Chef's Knife, paring knife.

Are you right or left handed?

right-handed

Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?

The classic sabatier-handle and blade plox. :)

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?

23-26cm...9-11 inches I guess.

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)

I guess yes, there's work to be done and a boss to shout at me if I stop for proper care every time I change work material.

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?

120€



KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?


professional.

What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)? (Please identify as many tasks as you would like.)

The finer uses for a chef's knife, I'd go easy on it and use my sturdier ones for the rough parts. Nothing that'd damage a finer blade in this case.

What knife, if any, are you replacing?

none really...just want a new plaything.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use?

Pinch or finger point, depends on what I'm doing really.

What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)

Push cut --> rocking

What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)

All those you mention really, except maybe edge retention. I'd actually prefer something that goes out of shape but can be rectified with a steel to good sharpness to something that requires more involved maintenance (water stone and whatnot).

KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)


Synthetic :/

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)

So far no, though I'd be willing to learn.

If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)

This should not be an immediate neccessity following the purchase, but yes.

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)

Long-term maybe, but not now.

SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS

So...Wikipediaturned up the usual candidates: Thiers-Issard Elephant, Sabatier Aîné & Perrier, Mexeur, Diamant...I'm missing Déglon there, for those were what I borrowed from my colleague. I have no idea how to rank these quality-wise. I absolutely loved the round bolster, he had a paring knife that looked like this and was just amazing...told me any french kitchen supply store sold these for under 10€...******* perfect, but german stores don't carry them that readily. Found them online, question would be whether I accompany the order by a Déglon 25cm chef's knife or whether there are better options.
 
K-sab seems to be all the rage on the internet right now, and their website has a sort of "hipsterish" feel to it (up to the 100$ leather knife roll) - makes me somehow feel suspicious. How do the other manufacturers rank in comparison? I could easily get Déglon or Rousselon Frères (lion-sabatier) here, and tere's also a lot of Mexeur & Cie (umbrella-logo) around, albeit under different trademarks. Thiers-Issard is hard to get, UK-import propably, but they also (like Déglon) sell butcher's tools which inspires confidence.

Since I propably will have to import anyway I checked out some french suppliers, and after a near-fatal attack of "dammit, I want to go there NOW!" while drooling over pictures of E. Dehillerin I found a few that look promising. Now if I found a vendor that will ship to me for a decent price...ah, here's the company behind the Elephant: http://www.reynewaeter-chambas.com/coutellerie-monnerie-le-montel

Marques
Coutel'thiers
Sabatier****
Opinel
Victoria Nogent
Laguiole

One way or another I should be able to get one...but how do they compare to Aîné & Perrier which you recommend in such abundance?

Another brand I didn't find on this forum was http://fischer-bargoin.fr/en - buther's tools, pro knives. But what quality?

nogent_6in_slicer.jpg

What I absolutely want (!) is one of these marvellous parers (not neccessary by that brand though)

As far as I can see "Déglon" is sort of the french equivalent to my F.Dick in german soil: sturdy professional stuff but nothing fancy. What I'd wanted to do though was not to simply buy "another one" but something better.

Finally here's a google translation of a french forum to the matter at hand: http://translate.google.de/translat...eau-acier-carbone-sujet_2935_1.htm&edit-text=

Edit: so ******* frustrating...found vendors in the USA, even in Japan, but none that will ship to Germany for a decent price. :Beersausage:
 
I have a 10" Sabatier K Au Carbon and I am planning to get a 2" paring. Although you mentioned that you dont want a carbon, I have to admit that the Sab isn't reactive and it gets a very very nice edge. Just cut some meat once you get it and it will form a very nive patina :)

The knife it performs very well and I haven't regret a sec for buying it. Plus the steel is easy to sharpen (as it is on the softer side).

@mhpr262 As for the softer steel, well this is a european brand which is in another market segment.
 
I owned a few Sabatier K knives over 12 years ago and they were great knives so I'm not sure about the "hiptserish" thing.
I also had Elephant sabs that I had to send back for fit and finish / quality control issues.
 
@mhpr262 As for the softer steel, well this is a european brand which is in another market segment.
Exactly. French makers serve a large conservative home market where steeling is very common amongst the general public. Introducing harder steel types would be a wager.
 
I have two of them that I have had for over thirty years. Two of my favorite knives, don't know if I would ever get rid of them. Just had Mrmnms do a reprofile, tune up & re-handle on both of them. I can now proudly say that they are the "cat's meow!!!" Great cutters & I don't worry (to much) that one of my cooks or sous chefs might chip it, bend the tip, etc.
 
I have two of them that I have had for over thirty years. Two of my favorite knives, don't know if I would ever get rid of them. Just had Mrmnms do a reprofile, tune up & re-handle on both of them. I can now proudly say that they are the "cat's meow!!!" Great cutters & I don't worry (to much) that one of my cooks or sous chefs might chip it, bend the tip, etc.

That soubnds great. I'm just a lowly demi, but the people I work with are great in that regard. No worries there, my one concern would be the care. You're talking about that one, right? Hm. What can I expect about that patina, what would I have to do to get it done? Any effects on my product before or after forming patina? And just what amount of care does it actually require?
 
Before patina has formed you may expect discolouration of onions. After you've forced a patina or a natural one has been formed, none. For care, wipe with a damp cloth after a task, especially the edge. After work, clean with very hot water and let it thoroughly dry at air before ranging.
 
Sorry, apparently my English needs work...what's "ranging" in this context? Hygiene-wise this patina should be alright I guess...can I keep using my sharpening steel? After every task I could rinse it in cold water and wipe it dry with a clean paper, would that do? Do I have to air-dry it or will a dry rag do? I could carry a fitting fabric in my roll, but hanging around after work until my knifes are dried off? I do believe this I cannot do :crazy:
 
Once a patina has installed you rinse it with really hot water after work and it will dry within a few minutes. It isn't all that critical. You just have to make sure real, active rust doesn't get a chance.
 
And about steeling: I realize it's unavoidable in a pro environment. But it will always damage an edge to a certain extend. At home I can maintain soft carbons with leather and Cr2O3, though. A steeling rod should be very smooth, consider a fine ceramic one or a polished steel.
 
And about steeling: I realize it's unavoidable in a pro environment. But it will always damage an edge to a certain extend. At home I can maintain soft carbons with leather and Cr2O3, though. A steeling rod should be very smooth, consider a fine ceramic one or a polished steel.

Hm, I have an old one the guy I trained under gave me, it's almost chrome shiny nowadays...would that do? And leather...like a razor? Cr2O3? Sorry, I'm totally clueless here.
 
About that rod: if you do feel ribbons it's far too coarse. Soft carbons benefit from highly convexed polished edges.
 
Hm, I have an old one the guy I trained under gave me, it's almost chrome shiny nowadays...would that do? And leather...like a razor? Cr2O3? Sorry, I'm totally clueless here.

I think he meant CrO2, chromium oxide. It's used to "load" strops
 
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