- Joined
- Apr 5, 2015
- Messages
- 258
- Reaction score
- 48
Hey guys,
I was raised to cook in the traditional Chinese manner where pretty much everything is done with one Chinese cleaver. To me, a separate deba, gyuto, petty, chef, boning, etc knife didn't make much sense until I started learning Japanese cooking under a chef friend...pretty much everything was done with one knife.
For many years, I've been obsessed with finding "the one chef knife."
I'd tried many Chinese cleavers, Japanese cleavers, and even commissioned a custom chukabocho from Heiji (great edge, I didn't like the ergo). There were good knives with poor heat treat and good ergonomics (CCK, some unnamed chinese guy in hong kong). There were good knives with okay heat treat and fair egos (shibazi). There were knives with great steel, but really bad ergonomics (mizuno hontanren, Heiji, many Japanese makers).
I finally decided to ship my favorite cheap cleaver to Joe Calton of Calton Cutlery to see if he was up for the challenge....and dress it up with my prized stash of Brazilian rosewood.
Joe is an extremely talented blade smith that makes HEPK knives.
He's works with only maybe 3 steels, and milks the very best out of the heat treat.
IMHO, he makes the world's best paring knives.
Three months went by before I could try the knife...2 weeks of extensive kitchen testing of my knife...at least 4 failed prototypes (warpage due to the thinness of the blade)...miscommunication with PayPal...much stress at work...sudden forced move...staff issues..taxes...more equipment integration....argh!
Finally, I got to use the knife this week.
A few points:
1. No visible distal taper on the spine.
2. The handle was beautifully beveled and rounded, but digs into the web of the thumb.
After minor reshaping, it's perfect.
3. Blade spine was beautifully beveled and refined, but slightly digs into the support finger, but after minor polishing is perfect.
4. Blade takes and holds a dermatome sharp edge...I can carve a kabocha squash and shave a tomato afterwards.
For what it's worth, I build guitars. My tools need to be able to shave end grain spruce/cedar...this knife is as sharp as the best of my blades.
5. Blade can shrug off abuse that would likely shatter a Japanese knife.
I can seriously abuse this blade like a true chinese cleaver...chop pumpkins, smash garlic, break bones, and still carve roses out of tomatoes.
6. Blade is extremely easy to sharpen, even on natural stone.
7. Perfectly balanced...weights about 216 g, if I'm not mistaken...only 30-40 g heavier than my Heiji Santoku. This is maybe half the weigh of most Japanes chukabochos. I can easily use this all day.
I'll try to post pictures if you're interested.
Long story short...I could happily live with my Calton Chinese Cleaver and paring knife without ever upgrading. Frankly, I can't think of anything I'd rather have.
I was raised to cook in the traditional Chinese manner where pretty much everything is done with one Chinese cleaver. To me, a separate deba, gyuto, petty, chef, boning, etc knife didn't make much sense until I started learning Japanese cooking under a chef friend...pretty much everything was done with one knife.
For many years, I've been obsessed with finding "the one chef knife."
I'd tried many Chinese cleavers, Japanese cleavers, and even commissioned a custom chukabocho from Heiji (great edge, I didn't like the ergo). There were good knives with poor heat treat and good ergonomics (CCK, some unnamed chinese guy in hong kong). There were good knives with okay heat treat and fair egos (shibazi). There were knives with great steel, but really bad ergonomics (mizuno hontanren, Heiji, many Japanese makers).
I finally decided to ship my favorite cheap cleaver to Joe Calton of Calton Cutlery to see if he was up for the challenge....and dress it up with my prized stash of Brazilian rosewood.
Joe is an extremely talented blade smith that makes HEPK knives.
He's works with only maybe 3 steels, and milks the very best out of the heat treat.
IMHO, he makes the world's best paring knives.
Three months went by before I could try the knife...2 weeks of extensive kitchen testing of my knife...at least 4 failed prototypes (warpage due to the thinness of the blade)...miscommunication with PayPal...much stress at work...sudden forced move...staff issues..taxes...more equipment integration....argh!
Finally, I got to use the knife this week.
A few points:
1. No visible distal taper on the spine.
2. The handle was beautifully beveled and rounded, but digs into the web of the thumb.
After minor reshaping, it's perfect.
3. Blade spine was beautifully beveled and refined, but slightly digs into the support finger, but after minor polishing is perfect.
4. Blade takes and holds a dermatome sharp edge...I can carve a kabocha squash and shave a tomato afterwards.
For what it's worth, I build guitars. My tools need to be able to shave end grain spruce/cedar...this knife is as sharp as the best of my blades.
5. Blade can shrug off abuse that would likely shatter a Japanese knife.
I can seriously abuse this blade like a true chinese cleaver...chop pumpkins, smash garlic, break bones, and still carve roses out of tomatoes.
6. Blade is extremely easy to sharpen, even on natural stone.
7. Perfectly balanced...weights about 216 g, if I'm not mistaken...only 30-40 g heavier than my Heiji Santoku. This is maybe half the weigh of most Japanes chukabochos. I can easily use this all day.
I'll try to post pictures if you're interested.
Long story short...I could happily live with my Calton Chinese Cleaver and paring knife without ever upgrading. Frankly, I can't think of anything I'd rather have.
