thanks for the links. they remind me of when i used to spend all morning watching itisan18 videos on youtube. Its nice to see them done, but without narration or somebody explaining WHY they are doing each step the WAY that they are doing it I don't feel like I'm learning everything there is to know. I know the procedure of breaking down a fish in that style, at a previous job wed get many large fish that I would use my deba for (grouper, sea bass, snappers). But at that time the only people I knew that I could physically talk to about it were of the mindset that its going to chip going through large fish bones and that it wasn't worth spending more than 100-125 on a deba. I'd like to really dive into the use of these knives (it doesnt hurt to know what the **** you are doing in a pro kitchen either). I am certain there is a specific technique around going through the ribs that works with the blade structure and what not.
And why do those guys never wipe their knife in those two videos. It bugs me when people do that at work too. Dirty knives cause the flesh to stick when you are slicing and thats far from ideal especially with delicate fleshed fish.
As for garasuki/honesuki. Have these been around as long as the traditionals. What did they use for birds before the sukis?
A current coworker suggested this book
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1568364903/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20. Its not too expensive and I want to know what the hell im doing before I open up my next single bevel knife.