New Geometries Offered - Convex and Asymmetric Convex

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Marko Tsourkan

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Just to give you guys some heads up.

I am going to start offering these as my ready-made knives, and do S grind only as custom orders. Unfortunately, S grind takes me 50-60% more time to grind and hand-finish a blade and it is hard for me to stay competitive.

There will be 2-3 variants, ranging from thin, medium, heavy (heavy duty prep knife, similar to Kato) convex. Asymmetric convex will be offered with wa handle only.

These will be good all around knives, with excellent HT (sharpness, sharpen-ability, edge retention and edge stability). I am going to offer these in 52100, A2, and AEB-L. Target hardness 62-63RC. These knives will be offered with leather and wooden sayas. Blades will be hand finished.

Thanks,

Marko
 
Sounds great Marko!

I'd like to see a comparison between your grinds and performance.
 
Marko - what should one expect concerning food release when comparing the S grind to convex one?
 
The release on my convex blades will be comparable to other US makers who grind their blade to true convex (spine to edge vs convexed edge).

Heavy convex will have the best release out of the three as also will asymmetric convex, due to the smallest contact area on the sides. Thin and medium will glide through food with less effort.

S grind has better food release on most things in my opinion, but is also the hardest to produce.
 
Marko,

I have been looking for s grind and can't find anything online just curious can you explain it?
 
I think we can credit Devin for the coining the term S-grind (among other things) as the grind resembles the letter S. It's a combination of a convex and a concave grind.

The aim of this geometry to reduce a food contact surface to facilitate better food release and to reduce friction, as well as to lighten a blade. Shigefusa and Takeda are the only other two makers (known to me) that use this type of grind. In non-knives cutting things, I have seen this grind on axes and straight razors.

To my best knowledge, the S-grind blade can't be finished on a machine well, so there is quite a bit of elbow grease (hand sanding) to blend these two geometries into one, adding to a production time.

When I started making knives, I was grinding them in medium convex geometry. Over time I switched to S-grind as it was my personal preference and I thought it was a better grind for pro chefs who use up a knife faster than home users and would would find it easier to thin and maintain down the road.

Most knives by US makers are either convex ground, or flat ground with convex above the edge.

Marko
 
Ready made knives... did I hear there might be a Marko knife available for sale... perhaps a wa handled asymmetric convex grind gyuto in AEB-L... :begging::begging::begging:
 
I think we can credit Devin for the coining the term S-grind (among other things) as the grind resembles the letter S. It's a combination of a convex and a concave grind.

The aim of this geometry to reduce a food contact surface to facilitate better food release and to reduce friction, as well as to lighten a blade. Shigefusa and Takeda are the only other two makers (known to me) that use this type of grind. In non-knives cutting things, I have seen this grind on axes and straight razors.

To my best knowledge, the S-grind blade can't be finished on a machine well, so there is quite a bit of elbow grease (hand sanding) to blend these two geometries into one, adding to a production time.

When I started making knives, I was grinding them in medium convex geometry. Over time I switched to S-grind as it was my personal preference and I thought it was a better grind for pro chefs who use up a knife faster than home users and would would find it easier to thin and maintain down the road.

Most knives by US makers are either convex ground, or flat ground with convex above the edge.

Marko

Awesome thanks Marko!
 
The idea is to keep getting some knives out, while my custom order list is closed for some time. I need to be able to generate some additional resources more efficiently, as my overhead cost keeps getting higher and that puts quite a bit of pressure on me.

I will do convex and asymmetric convex, and possibly some S grind as ready-made, but latter will have to be priced higher. Realistically, it will be about one blade a week.

AEB-L in the thickness I like to work in is on the way.
 
Cool.
Are those ready-made knives are going to be sold as lottery? As you may have noticed already, your knives are really hot here and usually sold in minutes in BST. So one knife in a week probably wouldn't change the situation…
 
Just to give you some heads up on asymmetric convex. There will be two variations of this geometry offered, a workhorse and a laser. First one is a great knife for prep work, when moving through volume of produce is the goal. It will come in AEB-L, 52100 and A2

thinner version will be more of a detail knife, lighter and more nimble.
 
Making some good progress on grinding knives in asymmetric convex geometry. Just a little more testing and feedback and this might join the S grind as my favorite geometries.

M
 
I will do a video between performance comparison between these geometries in the next couple of weeks.
 
A video would be neat-o. Based on your targets and initial build observations, do you have any idea on what the general production volume of the new grinds might be over time? This would help us know the chance of general availability.
 
I should probably include a convex blade in the video as well.

Come to think that I should to call the S and Asymmetric grinds - composite geometries (comprised of two geometries), and convex - single geometry, to differentiate the three.
 
250mm Asymmetric Workhorse in A2, Western handle, approx. weight 275g. 63.5RC.

[video=youtube;xSprfvog2tk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSprfvog2tk&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
250mm Asymmetric Workhorse in A2, Western handle, approx. weight 275g. 63.5RC.

[video=youtube;qEIFd5nbaKU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIFd5nbaKU&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
250mm Asymmetric Workhorse in A2, Western handle, approx. weight 275g. 63.5RC.

[video=youtube;zSJhLYcmymI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSJhLYcmymI&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
Thank you, I have been working on this geometry on and off for almost a year.

So folks, there you have it. Excuse my poor form, I always seem to manage to cut myself before demonstration (middle finger on my left hand) and can't put much pressure on that finger.

I will do a series of similar videos for S grind and convex in a couple of days.

PS: I purposefully scraped food of the board in the third video. I know you guys wouldn't approve. LOL
 
250mm gyuto in 52100, S-grind, Western handle, approx. weight 245g.

[video=youtube;X7IS9aiiCdw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7IS9aiiCdw&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
250mm gyuto in 52100, S-grind, Western handle (shown without), approx. weight 245g.

[video=youtube;4xbFVEgu-Ls]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xbFVEgu-Ls&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
250mm gyuto in 52100, S-grind, Western handle (shown without), approx. weight 245g.

[video=youtube;2BpYPutkogU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BpYPutkogU&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
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