First Day of School Coming up...What to take

I start kitchen labs on June 6th. Here is the standard issue, and what everyone else will have:



9-inch Mercer. I have been able to get it pretty sharp with elementary skills, but still, it doesn't perform anywhere near as well as this:



8 1/2 inch Carter. Do I take it to school? It seems like I saw another post where someone suggested that knives seem to disappear in Culinary School kitchens. But I want to learn the basics with this. The thing is, is that we have a max of 12 people per Foundations class, and almost half of them will probably drop before the end of the quarter. Not to mention, none of them will have any idea what this knife is.

I have some second-year students using custom Japanese knives.

What are all of your thoughts?

On the first day take your Mercer, after that you will know whether or not you will want to take you Carter. If it were me, I'd probably invest in something budget for the first little while at school.

ya when you get used to the people around you then take it in. Other wise use the Mercer, it will make you so much more happy when you are practicing at home.

I would probably get a cheaper J knife to use for school, maybe a Carbo Next or something like it. Not flashy, but still better steel than the Mercers.

If you take the Carter just keep it on your body in a holster when it's not in your hand.

There is a Japanese saying that the nail that sticks out of the board gets hit by the hammer. Just bring the "standard issue." after you get a feel of your classmates and instructor there will be plenty of time to bring the Carter if you feel comfortable. Humility first and let your work ethic and desire make the statements first. Just a thought.

Mercer makes me shudder. Too bad it's standard issue. I agree with deckhand.

Bring the Carter but then also bring a 13" Scimitar, you know for slicing proteins :rofl2:

thats the Liverpool way irate1:

Deckhand said:

There is a Japanese saying that the nail that sticks out of the board gets hit by the hammer. Just bring the "standard issue." after you get a feel of your classmates and instructor there will be plenty of time to bring the Carter if you feel comfortable. Humility first and let your work ethic and desire make the statements first. Just a thought.

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+2

I brought my personal fish cutting kit to work when I worked retail. They were in so much better condition than the other knives, everyone asked to use them. They were nothing special - a Dexter Russell fillet knife with a different grind and shortened height, Dexter-Russel Stainless Chinese Cleaver and Forschner Scimiter - but relatively new, with fresh edges and well take care of by me. Then one dude (a friend) asked to use my fillet knife and then, even after asking him to not steel it like he usually does - he usually steeled knives 30 times total at an obtuse angle without abandon - he proceeded to do so the second time he used it (the first time he didn't because I was right there and had just reminded him) and completely F*****D up my edge.

From then on, I never let anyone use them again. I brought them to work and pulled them out only when I was setting up in the morning and breaking fish down, or doing special orders.

Most people WILL NOT take care of your stuff because they don't take care (or know how to take care) of their own stuff.

Yeah, don't rock the boat first day in. Institutions like conformity, and doing things your way will give you a bad first impression(which, they say, takes 28 subsequent impressions to override).

Appreciate the advice guys. I think I'll leave it at home for awhile...

On another note, has anyone ever had a problem with sharpening guides leaving a mark on their knife? I've since ditched the guides, but as you can see on the Mercer, they left some sort of mark that won't scrub out.

Mercer, but when you do bring in the Carter, wear it as a footlong neck knife, complete with custom kydex sheath.

Get a simple Jknife, I would say a Fujiwara FKH, and give it the darkest patina. A great knife but without the looks.

Gravy Power said:

Appreciate the advice guys. I think I'll leave it at home for awhile...

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Wise choice. You will know when the time is right to take it if that time comes. Just remember quality tools have a way of walking off if you turn your back. I agree with who ever posted up-thread that you might consider a better knife than your standard issue that's not as expensive as the Carter.
Get involved with the ACF.
Enjoy school and remember Eyes and ears open....mouth shut.
Party on Friday not M-F.
Best of luck!

Dave

Benuser said:

Get a simple Jknife, I would say a Fujiwara FKH, and give it the darkest patina. A great knife but without the looks.

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Took your advice. This knife will accompany me on the first day. I'll still use the Mercer initially, but will need to learn on the Fujiwara as well, as it's a different knife.

Thanks for your response! It will need a good patina (mustard) and a good sharpening, and you will be fine.

Please note it will need a few sharpenings before it will arrive to its full potential.

I thought a lot of culinary schools make you use the school issue when in skills class.

knyfeknerd said:

I thought a lot of culinary schools make you use the school issue when in skills class.

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I've gotten mixed responses on this, it may depend on the instructor...

So I got the Fujiwara today. Feels great to hold. Not a bad edge OOTB.

Now, please forgive my ignorance on this question. It has one edge, or is single beveled (?), is that the preferred way to keep it?

That is an asymmetric grind. Almost every single Japanese made knife is biased for right-handed users, few are biased for lefties, and almost none are 50/50 ground(like western knives are). It is best, when sharpening, to just maintain the angles and proportions of the blade as it came unless you are having a problem with it.

BurkeCutlery said:

That is an asymmetric grind. Almost every single Japanese made knife is biased for right-handed users, few are biased for lefties, and almost none are 50/50 ground(like western knives are). It is best, when sharpening, to just maintain the angles and proportions of the blade as it came unless you are having a problem with it.

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Thanks. Another ignorant question, do I hone it like a regular blade?

Gravy Power said:

Thanks. Another ignorant question, do I hone it like a regular blade?

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How do you hone your "regular" blades?

Equal number of strokes on both sides, alternating, hopefully at the proper angle...

What medium do you use? Stones, ceramic rod, sandpaper? Edge leading or edge trailing strokes?

I was referring to the steel hone, but need advice on stones as well. I have a Shun steel purchased about a year ago at SLT. I also have a 1000/6000 Shun stone from SLT, but I've only practiced on it with inexpensive knives.

Oh, and I believe I hone with the edge trailing...

Don't steel your FKH. Steeling might be an emergency solution with soft German steel types, don't try it with a hard Japanese one. As an introduction to sharpening I would suggest Chad Ward's An Edge in the Kitchen, excerpts here: forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/26036-knife-maintenance-and-sharpening/

Read it, and you will understand what sharpening is about. Making two bevels to meet, raising a burr, and getting rid of it.
These are the general principles.
About the asymmetric edge (Ward won't treat): some will advice to ignore it, especially when they're selling inappropriate devices, I won't. Follow the existing edge with the Magic Marker Trick (Ward explains) on both sides. Probably you will just have to deburr the left side - without other material removal. If you will some day perform thinning behind the edge, don't touch the left side: it should stay
as flat as possible.
Use your Fujiwara and sharpen it, again and again. It's great to learn on.

A last suggestion if you don't mind...: don't touch your 6k yet.