macmiddlebrooks
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2011
- Messages
- 252
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I answered a "what knife to buy" post on another forum with my recommendation...(a white#2 gyuto) and the general response both from the poster and others was basically "carbon requires too much maintenance". I'd like to go on the record as saying carbon knives don't really require a "great" deal of care, only a tiny bit more than stainless. When I first get one, it gets a hot vinegar bath for a couple hours. This helps bring down the reactivity a bit and turns the steel gray. Then I take it to work and use it for everything. The steel will still be reactive at first, but if I'm mindful of drying it with a towel every once-in-a-while, all that's occuring is the foundation of a beautiful patina. The patina will continue to evolve indefinately, sometimes being partially erased by very acidic foods, then being built back up by raw meat, ect. So don't let carbon's scare you away, new members to the kitchen knife-nut world...I work in a pro kitchen and don't use anything but white #2 knives and I'll never go back to the shiny stuff . Oh yes, and after a week or two of steady use, the steel becomes very stable and you may fully enjoy the ridiculously sharp edges that one can achieve with a carbon knife. Also, sharpening on the stones will feel so buttery smooth....there's something about it that just feels right to me.