NY Times article on a new Brooklyn custom maker

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Forging junk and charging a premium is something only a hipster can appreciate.
 
Nice article. Probably would not purchase one of her knives since the price seems a bit out of line with the product. Someone needs to let the media know about Marko.
 
I've seen those things before and I am amazed people buy them. I think people in the hipster kingdom of Brooklyn are so happy they have tradepeople in their midst, regardless of quality, they are happy to throw money at them. And it's easy and cheap for the NY Times to do an article on them. I would like to see a real deal prep cook or chef rock that little POS for a shift see what they think. What incentive is there to properly learn a trade, when people will pay top dollar to buy your practice pieces.
 
only cool thing about this is that there's a woman making a name for herself as a blade smith of sorts.
the website is pretty revealing, look at the press page! either she's really well connected with a hip PR firm or had a bunch of money to throw at one.
the knives look terrible to me and it makes perfect sense in williamsburg.
I cannot ***** stand brooklyn as a brand, it's deplorable.
'Handmade' sh#t at unreal prices with some slick website and some ass in a beard, or an out of work actor playing farmhand.
The Mast Brothers epitomize it for me.
Well, good luck to her anyways, i shouldn't be such a jerk about it.
ugh.
 
Without putting words in his mouth I recall Marko suggesting that getting that kind of PR requires considerable grease for the wheels. I've seen the same bio before, WSJ food?, New Yorker? Good on her if it makes her some coin and makes the yuppies happy. But I'll pass, thank you.
 
James said:
Nice article. Probably would not purchase one of her knives since the price seems a bit out of line with the product. Someone needs to let the media know about Marko.
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To be fair, Marko has not yet made a knife with a built in cheese grater.
 
Also let's face it: her back story is interesting: former actress, extremely good looking, from a family of blacksmiths is going back to the family business
 
TheDispossessed said:
only cool thing about this is that there's a woman making a name for herself as a blade smith of sorts.
the website is pretty revealing, look at the press page! either she's really well connected with a hip PR firm or had a bunch of money to throw at one.
the knives look terrible to me and it makes perfect sense in williamsburg.
I cannot ***** stand brooklyn as a brand, it's deplorable.
'Handmade' sh#t at unreal prices with some slick website and some ass in a beard, or an out of work actor playing farmhand.
The Mast Brothers epitomize it for me.
Well, good luck to her anyways, i shouldn't be such a jerk about it.
ugh.
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She's not the only one in NYC. Moriah Cowles is out there as well, used to be apprentice of Joel at Cut Brooklyn. Like her style better, but even more expensive ...
 
Good for her...at least she didn't wind up as a waitress or stripper like most other aspiring but failed NYC actresses. Throwing in a soft endorsement from Humm won't hurt either. The product is crap though.

Although not very prolific, Dee Hedges from Dark Woods Forge is what I would consider a true artisan.
 
I bet the cheese grater feels great against your knuckles when chopping.
 
gic said:
Also let's face it: her back story is interesting: former actress, extremely good looking, from a family of blacksmiths is going back to the family business
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I bet she would have an easier time cutting the produce for her "long simmering stews" with her nose than with one of her crap knives.

22CLOSE1-master675.jpg
 
The only way I could appreciate such a knife is if it is made from a personal family heirloom (such as your grandfather's rasp from your farm) that you provide to get "repurposed". At least this way it could have sentimental value.
 
daveb said:
What an incredibly chitty thing to say. Play nice.:thumbdown:
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You beat me to it Dave. And hot DAMN am I sick and tired of people throwing the word hipster around to describe anyone that doesn't fit whatever passes for the 'norm' nowadays. It's just another way to call someone lesser than you without actually saying as such.
 
First off, Brooklyn is a very big place and not everybody that lives in it wears suspenders while riding a fixed gear unicycle to their artisanal kombucha Brewers club.

Second off, those knives are disgusting and insultingly overpriced for something that looks barely functional in any kitchen.

Also, I don't think "Williamsburg hipsters" are buying this junk. Williamsburg is now filled with rich people, high rise condos, boutique hotels and chain stores. I think upper class, NY Times style section following dopes are buying them to use as kitchen decoration along with their untouched le creuset Dutch ovens.

Last, I think it's unfair to group Orchard Steel in with this lady. I have a Moriah Cowles knife that I got custom for a little over $400 and it is a real solid hand forged knife that I really enjoy using with a nice grind, great F&F and a ton more character than a lot of stuff I have seen and used.
 
I'm genuinely curious about how well these work functionally in the kitchen

do these actually cut anything with the profile and the cheese grater attached to the side
 
It doesn't make sense, that would catch and butchur Food. She specializes in cheese knives and they actually look good. Her chef knives are a joke, I'll go back to cuisinart before I'd use those purely on grind and geometry. Her handles also look ridiculous. These aren't so much knives as little pieces of unfunctional art. Like a kid made a macoroni picture. I can no longer eat the macoroni. I'm sorry about this post I've made like 8 other ones and deleted them all.... Why can't someone good get featured, stir up some buzz for American makers.
 
daveb said:
What an incredibly chitty thing to say. Play nice.:thumbdown:
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+1

I have talked to her. She's awfully nice... not sure why we can't appreciate it when more people are getting aware of handcrafted knives. And she certainly helps with the exposure...

Why is it a problem that she's attractive? Would we rather see ugly people in the business? I've never seen Marko, but would we have a problem with him if he'd be a perfect 10 on the male hotness scale? (No offense Marko [emoji6])
 
brainsausage said:
You beat me to it Dave. And hot DAMN am I sick and tired of people throwing the word hipster around to describe anyone that doesn't fit whatever passes for the 'norm' nowadays. It's just another way to call someone lesser than you without actually saying as such.
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I wear skinny jeans, duck boots in the city and a slouchy knit hat. I also drink estate pour over coffee from Jamaica because it tastes f**** awesome. Am I a hipster?

Funny, my friends think buying $300 knives makes me a hipster. And now? [emoji6]
 
Godslayer said:
It doesn't make sense, that would catch and butchur Food. She specializes in cheese knives and they actually look good. Her chef knives are a joke, I'll go back to cuisinart before I'd use those purely on grind and geometry. Her handles also look ridiculous. These aren't so much knives as little pieces of unfunctional art. Like a kid made a macoroni picture. I can no longer eat the macoroni. I'm sorry about this post I've made like 8 other ones and deleted them all.... Why can't someone good get featured, stir up some buzz for American makers.
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I contacted her as well... Quite the long wait list, actually. I was hesitant to spend that much money on a knife from an rather unknown maker. Asked her if I could try/touch/see her knives somewhere, but that wasn't possible somehow...

Would love to hear from you how it compares (favorably) to some of your other knives...
 
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