Chopping vs pulling on usuba

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leiatlarge

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Looking to pick up a 21cm usuba but I really enjoy using the chopping up/down motion for some small vegetables. A lot of the literature I've read on usuba tells me to use a pulling action towards my body during the down stroke. How bad is it for the single bevel on an usuba to constantly chop with it?
 
In my experience, very bad. You end up with a chipped edge after it cuts into your board with next to no effort and you pry it out without even realizing it. Usuba require special skills and they are not single bevel nakiri.
 
No choppie please!
I mean the chopping motion still works okay, but you have to be very delicate. It all depends on what you're cutting. The usuba is such a finesse knife. I feel like it has the potential to have the most board contact of any of the traditional single bevels......well maybe deba, but that's different.
I would definitely pull towards myself when slicing scallions, but maybe not carrots. It all depends on the size, shape, texture, density,etc of what you're cutting.
Just no banging on the board, you'll end up with a ton of chips.
 
Thanks guys, that's sort of what I figured. I just got confused watching Youtube videos of guys showing off their sharp usuba by chopping/dicing.
 
Ah yes, the Youtube... not always the best example Weed Hopper. For instance...

[video=youtube;CXJRlpEfPnU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXJRlpEfPnU&noredirect=1[/video]

Be well,
Mikey
 
You should watch this one.

[video=youtube;HaEYZZapaTs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaEYZZapaTs[/video]
 
mkriggen said:
Ah yes, the Youtube... not always the best example Weed Hopper. For instance...

[video=youtube;CXJRlpEfPnU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXJRlpEfPnU&noredirect=1[/video]

Be well,
Mikey
Click to expand...

Please make it stop. I have winced less at an S&M club.
 
Does he have a colander in the sink or does he really keep flushing down the drain all the cut pieces that are stuck on the bladeface :eyebrow:

Talim said:
You should watch this one.

[video=youtube;HaEYZZapaTs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaEYZZapaTs[/video]
Click to expand...
 
Chopping is really not good for it, its really fun and really easy, but someone chipped mine that way a while back.
 
The video with the Lady, what is that type of Nikiri? Not a cleaver as she says and not a Usuba. A good medium weight cleaver is great for Lobsters & crab.
 
keithsaltydog said:
The video with the Lady, what is that type of Nikiri? Not a cleaver as she says and not a Usuba. A good medium weight cleaver is great for Lobsters & crab.
Click to expand...

It's a Calphalon Katana, VG-1 core and stainless damascus cladding.

http://store.calphalon.com/calphalon-katana-series-7-in-nakiri-asian-cleaver/362809

KN0027VS_001
 
There's a guy at work that has one of those.

Sadly it's one of the best knives in the kitchen, and he doesn't treat it much better than she does.
 
I sharpened/repaired one of those for an employee once. Once.
 
they are not horrible, but not good, heavy as hell, a coworker of mine had the whole set, it was decent, better than a Wusthof or Henckles
 
I would go with horrible (and call it a charitable description). I was recently "volunteered" for a charity knife sharpening event and several of these came in. They rival the Kitchenaid knives in quality, got so it was a relief to see a Wustie or a Henckles.

How did a thread on Usaba devolve into a discussion of chitty Nakiris? :nono: hehehe
 
Word Dave.

I got poo pooed but McKriggin for making a non-positive comment about someone else's stuff, so I'm a little gun shy now with honest FB. Although I guess those with words for me, live in stone proof glass houses. Seems to me there's double standard here, but I'll STOP my ***** for now.

My friend has these knives and I've sharpened the set once or twice. They're stamped low heat treated Molly home owner knives. I do like that they have some high to the heel, but that's about it. Shun in VG 10 blow these away in all respects. the woman in the video is their target market. How she can produce an authoritative video on a Nikiri that she call a clever, then uses that dangerous hack technique for chopping carrots is beyond me.
 
Fpr the ;longest time I have been very curious about Usubas (I like the kamagata style purely on aesthetics) but not even sure where to start and even less what to get... any of you guys have them / use them?
 
Surprised by some of the pull-cutting talk above. As seen in the video, I think push-cutting is the main usuba technique. If you think about it, a more rounded blade (gyuto, etc) should suit a pulling motion better because it'd be natural for the handle to want to come up a bit during the motion towards your body. A straight-bladed usuba feels much better along the board as you push away. If you have a kamagata and you pull, I imagine it's also likely you'd end up breaking your tip at some point, if your handle end rises up and the tip gets into the board. However, if pulling feels good to you, I guess a kanto-style (square-tipped) usuba is a better option. Me, I have 1 kanto-style Shigefusa usuba, but push-cut with it.
 
Asteger said:
Surprised by some of the pull-cutting talk above. As seen in the video, I think push-cutting is the main usuba technique. If you think about it, a more rounded blade (gyuto, etc) should suit a pulling motion better because it'd be natural for the handle to want to come up a bit during the motion towards your body. A straight-bladed usuba feels much better along the board as you push away. If you have a kamagata and you pull, I imagine it's also likely you'd end up breaking your tip at some point, if your handle end rises up and the tip gets into the board. However, if pulling feels good to you, I guess a kanto-style (square-tipped) usuba is a better option. Me, I have 1 kanto-style Shigefusa usuba, but push-cut with it.
Click to expand...

Like I said before, it all depends on what you're cutting. To address the tip, I know there's a thread around here somewhere. JBro discusses adding a slight curve to the tip on his Kamagata Ususba to avoid chipping. He posted a pic of it and I remember it being a very small/tiny curve.
I think the OP's question was more related to a "hard bang bang bang" chopping technique versus a slower, more delicate one. Like you said though, whatever feels good and works for you!
 
As Chris says, there is talk here about relieving the tip and the shigs I have come this way more than say the nenohi and suisin. But I also think you sharpened for your style. If you want to chop with a usuba put a microbevel on it or sharpen more obtusely. Traditionalist will save the chopping for the gyuto.
 
tangent-ish: I dunno how common it is, but my usuba does not have a completely flat edge. about 2" from the tip, there is a slight bend--you have to put it against a flat surface to see it-- that would spare the tip from damage during any motions that keep the main edge parallel to the board.
 
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