Custom Bread Knives?

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MAS4T0

MAS4T0

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Hi KKF!

I've been intending to pick up a really nice bread knife. I've learned that Guede will be offering a stainless damascus bread sword (with handmade damascus), but as the price is right up there with a full custom, I'm looking into custom options.

Would I be correct in assuming that for a bread knife, a top quality factory produced blade (such as the Guede) would likely outperform a full custom?
I know that this obviously would not be the case for any straight edged blade, but are things different when dealing with serrations?

As an example of what would be possible with a full custom, I recently stumbled across this blade by Michael Rader while looking into custom options:

two+knives.jpg
 
Damn Rader's knives are so sexy!

I think that a custom knifemaker could do a good or bad bread knife. And if he can get the profile, grind, and serration pattern correct then the custom maker can likely do a hell of a lot better performance wise from the heat treat and steel choice aspects.

In the case of the Rader bread knife above I think the (distinctive) serration pattern would work for both soft and hard crust breads. The pattern also appears to be sharpenable on a stone along the flat sections of the "teeth". These flat sections are what I think would cut soft crust while the sharp corners (and sharpened gullets?) would do the tearing on hard crust. I'm sure the knife is ground thin enough yet not flexible which I feel is required but I'd have gone with a slightly more curved blade profile.
 
Thanks for the advice Dave!

The idea of a custom is looking more and more attractive. I wouldn't be comfortable sharpening this type of serrations, so if I were to commission something similar would you be willing to sharpen it (obviously at a much higher rate than you charge for a straight edge)?

Or would you maybe consider taking on a commission for a Martell bread knife?
 
chiffonodd said:
I'm just going to leave thsee here for . . . inspiration :groucho:

nqo8ds.jpg
Click to expand...

Is that a double edged bread knife?! I wonder if both sides of serrations are functional, so you use the regular side for hard breads and turn it over for soft breads. :bigeek:



Edit: I didn't realise at first that he managed to incorporate a serrated knife into the spine of the santoku! :D
 
Out of curiosity, who is the maker of those knives?

EDIT: looks like that was answered while I 'typed' this up. =)
 
Or you can customize your Tojiro ITK like I did.

IMG_20130410_003035.jpg


IMG_20130410_002940.jpg


IMG_20130410_003420.jpg
 
That is a beautiful handle. I am wondering whether our MAC bread knife should get a new handle ...
 
ThEoRy said:
Or you can customize your Tojiro ITK like I did.
Click to expand...

That looks awesome Rick!

If only there was a way to get a lefty mac or tojiro; even after a whole year of practice I can't seem to cut straight slices with the mac...
 
Unfortunately not, but I have been itching to get one for a a while. I do have non-serrated Schanz knives and they are really fantastic, SB1 aka Niolox is really a rather spectacular stainless steel. If his bread knife is anywhere close to these knives it's got to be great.Downside of course is its a bit pricey. If you don't like the "series" knife, you could also go full custom and get whatever design you like, he's also got quite a selection of handle materials available. You could have him make you your fully custom Güde-Schanz.
 
If youre interested check out his Website: http://www.schanz-shop.de/
I have to admit I am not all that much into his "serial" designs, but if you go custom he'll craft you whatever you want.
 
Thank you for the info and the link Tobes. :thumbsup:
 
You're welcome! Really looking forward to seeing and reading about the result of your bread knife search! :)
 
Dream bread knife…
10" Bread (Euro Style) 425 Layer Ladder Damascus, Dyed Buckeye Burl Handle:
CA092EAA-394B-4624-A070-D09886D5D74B_zpslvqjnmnc.png


This is what I settled for…
EUROLINE Stainless Damascus Collection BREAD KNIFE 10" / 260 mm, SCALLOPED EDGE
43F26EA7-5CB2-4743-9A2C-05A37C263043.png_zpshab4ypem.jpeg


When I was thinking about a nice bread knife I was debating the usuals like Mac Pro and Tojiro ITK, as well as the Zwilling-Kramer Euroline Essential and Damascus. I got the Damascus ZK as the handle is acceptable in the interim; although I still wouldn't mind getting it rehandled with something special at some point.

Here are the links to the original pictures (you'll need to delete the '):
'http://kramerknives.com/resources/images/readymade/dec11-2.png
'http://www.zwilling.ca/images-product/350-300-.png
 
Thanks Tanner.

I was looking into those a few years ago when they were released, I have the matching parer and it's great. There's nowhere on this continent where I can try one in person, but I assumed that it would steer badly; am I correct to assume that the serrations are only ground on one side?
 
MAS4T0 said:
Thanks Tanner.

I was looking into those a few years ago when they were released, I have the matching parer and it's great. There's nowhere on this continent where I can try one in person, but I assumed that it would steer badly; am I correct to assume that the serrations are only ground on one side?
Click to expand...

Yes they are only on the right side. I don't cut bread too often but can't say I've ever really noticed steering that was problematic (with this or other bread knives) as the blade is fairly thin relative to the thickness of the slices I'm making. If I was cutting very thin I'd think it'd be more of an issue.

Another bread knife I have is the Misono 360mm from JCK. Koki told me it'd be 50% more for a LH version plus a wait, so I just settled for the regular one. That said, the knife is only about $140 usd for the regular, so a LH version wouldn't be too terribly expensive. I'm rehandling mine with a standard wa handle (easy conversion because it's a partial tang), but wouldn't rule out doing something else in the future.
 
Thank you for the details on the ZKramer and for the tip regarding the Misono, I wasn't aware that was an option.

I do a lot of thin slices with crusty bread, so that may be contributing to the steering. I think that short term I'll order a lefty Guede and probably a lefty Misono and between those two I should have most bases covered.
 
I don't think there's a steering issues with cutting wrong handed witha bread knife. Rather the serrations on the right cause the cut slices to fall away from the loaf - for a rightly. For lefties they will want to fall into the loaf.

I use my Gude(s) on hard crusts, soft crusts, hamburger rolls. Should there ever be a zombie attack I'll grab the 320. Suggest you get the Gude first. You'll likely be done.
 
daveb said:
I don't think there's a steering issues with cutting wrong handed witha bread knife. Rather the serrations on the right cause the cut slices to fall away from the loaf - for a rightly. For lefties they will want to fall into the loaf.

I use my Gude(s) on hard crusts, soft crusts, hamburger rolls. Should there ever be a zombie attack I'll grab the 320. Suggest you get the Gude first. You'll likely be done.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave, I will do.

I'm sure that you're right and it is my technique rather than the knife. I'll go for the lefty guede in any case to see if it helps, but I'll probably just end up steering it the other way. :whistling:

Would you recommend the 320mm or the smaller one?
 
I have both the ZK and the Gude. The. 320 Gude is in a class of its own. When it first arrived I was afraid I had made a mistake. Out of my five bread knives I use the Gude about 97% of the time.
 
MAS4T0 said:
Thanks Dave, I will do.

I'm sure that you're right and it is my technique rather than the knife. I'll go for the lefty guede in any case to see if it helps, but I'll probably just end up steering it the other way. :whistling:

Would you recommend the 320mm or the smaller one?
Click to expand...

I use the shorty (210) more than I do the 320. It does almost everything I need, and it's more readily transportable - important to me. But the 320 is the Mother and is the one I use most at home.

Pic of little one with nice handle:

Little%20Gude%20%28210mm%29%20%282%29.jpg
 
personally i'd get the gude and call it done, resharpening a bread knife is a ***** too.
 
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