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DwarvenChef

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Given my current dry spell as far as getting a good BoH job, 2.5 years here and worked 7 months in an assembly line kitchen, no real cooking... I have come to the idea that I may be just to old for breaking into a good job as an "Unknown" cook. So I have been looking elsewhere workwise...

But knives, while not my "tool of the trade" any longer, are still a large part of my kitchen addiction. Years of working with Japanese blades, western and traditional, has not lessened their fascination with me. And yes KU knives are still the top shelf of interest to me. Funny I have been looking at sites and counters here and there looking at their knives, if I don't see a KU knife in there I don't even stop to look around any farther... ya I'm twisted...

I'd buy a lesser knife in KU than I would a polished up knife at the same price :p Any how

I'll not be getting rid of my line knives or the ones I bought just for "line tasks" as I have really grown attached to these knives over the years. It has however dawned on me that I have very few knives in the smaller range lol. As I call Home Use Size. I already know I'll not be getting any shorter knives in western handles unless I have played with it, the Kramer/Zwilling knives have a resonable handle so I will grab one if I get this job. But there are many Wa handled knives that have hit the market while I have been hiding and I will be looking for them as I have a few slots I need to fill for the home line up.

If the hours clocked in on any knives I have used in the past 2 years of hiding, it will show that I have used the 150 wa petty from JCK, even though it's damascus (not a favorite cladding) the dementions and feel have been very pleasing for light duty single meal tasks. I have weird hours and so do the rest of the family, we only do big meals about once a week. So the big 270's and 300's sit on the wall till a task jumps out for them.

I think I'll be getting 2 or 3 knives over the next year in the 150 to 240 range in a wa handle, and yes KU will be the order of the day with them lol. One advantage is that they will be cheaper than my usual targed big knives lol. But that still leaves me with 3 makers that I don't already have a knife from in a KU style... ugh...

Not sure what Shiggy is doing in that size range but I don't need a nakiri or santuko...

Moritaka is still in the running but most likely the smaller of the blades.

No clue on the 3rd...

All my knives are users as the old forum knuts know, and I don't think I baby them but I do take good care of them, I want them to last me a VERY long time. So I would like to hear from all the home cooks that love getting their knives out to use and abuse on a daily basis. What do you use, why do you like the knives you have and have you latched onto a veriety of knife that singles you out as a knut amoug nuts :p

Have away with it.
 
As a strictly home cook, I'm taking things in different learning processes! The first: New knives 2: Sharpen said double-bevel knives 3: New single-bevel knife 4: Sharpen said single bevel knife 5: new single bevel knives 6: learn to use single bevel knives properly! (current stage) 7: Cleavers (these things look hella fun)

Right now my strict set up is:

Gesshin Ino SB Wa-Petty 180mm - For Chicken and Beef poritioning
270mm Sakai Ichimonji-Kichikuni Yanagiba - For brisket slicing (least used of the bunch)
Aritsugu hon-kasumi kamagata usuba 180mm - For all vegies and prep material
210 Mikihisa Miroshi deba - for all fish related tasks
Tojiro ITK bread knife - Its almost like a single-bevel bread knife

After learning to use all these as correct as possible I have a feeling my daily task knives will be:

240mm DaveM/Del Gyuto (for all them chicken and beef proteins)
210 Artisugu Kama-Usuba (for them vegies and prep materials)
210 Mikihisa Miroshi Deba (for the fish)
Gesshin Ino SB Wa-Petty (for the smaller tasks)
Tojiro ITK bread knife

With beaters for friends:
210mm Tojiro Shirogami/DP
Tojiro DP Petty
French SK-5 chef knife (this is my absolute favourite of the beaters)

But hell this won't stop me from buying more knives!
and stones I really need more stones!

As far as boards go: I have some sani-tuff, rubber wood cart, and an end-grain board. Just waiting for someone to ask what I would want as a present and I will be getting a board from a maker in Canada as well.
 
I'm still working with my Shapton Glass Stones for my kitchen knives, my Jnats go with my razors, and someday I'll have to get new stones when these poop out. I have taken my single bevel knives to the Jnats to get the contrast in the iron cladding and have been very happy with that.

As for boards I still use a thick poly board for chicken and such and the BoardSmith board for everything else. I have yet to go with a Sani-tuff as I have not seen one around when I had the funds available... (what funds?...lol). I've been cooking at home so much with the same basic (cheap) ingredients that I have been forced to dig out all kinds of different cooking implements to make the same items seem different lol.
 
So I would like to hear from all the home cooks that love getting their knives out to use and abuse on a daily basis. What do you use, why do you like the knives you have and have you latched onto a veriety of knife that singles you out as a knut amoug nuts :p

Have away with it.

I'm only a few years into knives, so I'm still finding may way. And with an infant in the house, I have been cooking a bit less in the last half year. That's changing though.

With that said, I try to spread the love to all of my knives, but I also have weird hang-ups, so even though I could use a 240 gyuto for almost everything -- I don't. I alternate my 240 gyutos and my 270 DT, but I often pull specific knives throughout my prep.

For small to medium fruit my favorite is Pierre's 150 petty, my Mr. Tanaka santoku (gasp) always gets onion duty, and the DT 270 gets melons, segmenting fruit, and other larger tasks. For protein slicing I use my 270 yoshihiro yanagi, and for soups I like to use my cheap tosagata nakiri. When I want really fine slices or cuts, I use my Carter.

k.
 
Don't forget to add lots of salt and msg!
 
Lets not forget the preservitives that keep it from ever breaking down :p
 
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