Best BOLSTER for Chef Knife???

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Albo17

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Hi Guys,

I am looking to get your opinions on the best kitchen chef knife BOLSTER. Images would also be awesome. I am looking to purchase a Japanese Damascus Chef Knife.

Thanks,
Al
 
To me, the non bolster sucks.
I mean by that:

1. Bolster is clean, and no water goes into the handle.
So no worries in a hectic environment

2. Balances the weight of the knife, handle - blade,
Which balance is
a. Better for your wrist
b. Better for your knife, in case it falls down. Handle heavy knives land with the handle while blade heavy knives land with the blade or the tip of the blade and then the tip is a goner. Balanced knives can land with the above 2 ways, or totally horizontal( as it happened with my Hiromoto Honyaki, and I was about to have a heart attack during the fall, but I got so happy the moment of the landing)
 
To be clear, I was speaking of the "full bolster" which travels down to the heel of the blade's edge. That sucks.
 
To me, the non bolster sucks.
I mean by that:

1. Bolster is clean, and no water goes into the handle.
So no worries in a hectic environment

2. Balances the weight of the knife, handle - blade,
Which balance is
a. Better for your wrist
b. Better for your knife, in case it falls down. Handle heavy knives land with the handle while blade heavy knives land with the blade or the tip of the blade and then the tip is a goner. Balanced knives can land with the above 2 ways, or totally horizontal( as it happened with my Hiromoto Honyaki, and I was about to have a heart attack during the fall, but I got so happy the moment of the landing)

1. Knives with bolsters frequently experience water penetration. All depends on maker's f&f quality control.
2a. Not necessarily so. A weight forward blade aids in cutting, therefore requires less force exerted on your wrist.
2b. In a short drop, which is 99% of knife accidents, the balance point doesn't matter. The knife doesn't fall far enough to allow gravity to orient the knife in any direction.
 
1. Knives with bolsters frequently experience water penetration. All depends on maker's f&f quality

2a. Not necessarily so. A weight forward blade aids in cutting, therefore requires less force exerted on your wrist.
2b. In a short drop, which is 99% of knife accidents, the balance point doesn't matter. The knife doesn't fall far enough to allow gravity to orient the knife in any direction.

1. Thank you for the information [emoji4]

About 2a. Yes, but it makes it heavier to guide the knife, which is sharp enough to slide through anything 🤘

2b. You are right, but out of experience, I have noticed that possibilities and angles of fall, lean towards the description I made before( laws of gravity affect as well)
As usually the knife slips from the working surface, where it is horizontal
 
Actually, unless we are talking a knife mostly used for fast, careless towards-the-thumb peeling, I love the heel razor sharp and pointy - great for scoring peels etc. Always tempted to try and sharpen an edge into a choil. So I think I could never agree with someone like JF on full bolsters :)
 
this one (A)?
http://www.cheftalk.com/content/type/61/id/85899/

or this one (B)?
http://www.cheftalk.com/content/type/61/id/85900/

I am leaning towards A at the moment as it feels like it would suit my "pinch grip" on the knife. Or do you guys think it doesnt matter?

Thanks

It does matter. the B example is exactly what I was talking about earlier. It is the stupidest thing you could put on a knife. It makes for a difficult time sharpening down the road. As the edge erodes over time through the natural process of sharpening that full bolster will remain. This will leave a hole or an overgrind near the heel. This will prevent edge to board contact while cutting and create what we call accordion cuts.

My advice? Before you even buy a knife I suggest you fill out the "which knife should I buy" questionaire. It will help us to understand your needs so that we can make a proper suggestion for you to consider.

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Because you find the profiles wrong because they are German, or because you think they implement the German profile incompetently?
 
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I like French profile.
 
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