Oyster Knife

Looking to get a new oyster knife, anyone used those Japanese style ones, for example from Korin or JKI.

It will be used fairly heavily. Anyone sharpen their knife?

I use the masamoto Oyster knife with the round tip not the pointed one. It works really well. I'm no master shucker or anything but I do like it quite a bit.

ThEoRy said:

I use the masamoto Oyster knife with the round tip not the pointed one. It works really well. I'm no master shucker or anything but I do like it quite a bit.

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Is your technique any different from using a standard dexter-russel type shucker? Also do you use the masamoto because you find it works better/same as the standard type of knife, or does it work not as well but you just like it?

I could see myself buying something like that and not liking it as much as a standard knife, but using it anyways because I like it, and I want to avoid that.

That sounded confusing...makes sense?

I have a Rösle oyster knife that I like. Very pointed and maybe too sharp. I slipped once and put a gash in my left thumb that's took 5 stitches. My wife insists I wear a glove on my left hand now.

-AJ

I have a masamoto that is way to wide for some small oysters from some of the nice points, but is fine for big malpeques. My favourite is a red handled victorinox boston styled one, I like it the most by far.

I shucked for about a year at a busy seafood spot here in Maine(which frankly have some of the best oysters in the world, sorry southies... I do like a nice Kumamoto tho...). If you know what you're doing, you can use a flathead screwdriver, but I prefer the 'western' style spear tip. Tried the French 'spade' shape. And IMO the suck! And the Japanese style ones scare the crap out of me. I've shucked literally- thousands of oysters. The western style is the safest, and IMO the best. A chain mail glove is a good investment for sure, but proper placement of a dish towel(wrapped around the entire oyster, with your non dominant hand cradling), and a tender probing technique, will yield great dividends. But literally- you can use anything that will fit into the hinge, as long as you control the amount of force you apply. I've used butter knives, screwdrivers, pocketknives, spoons...

Btw- it's very difficult to cut the lower tendon cleanly with the French style, without mangling said oyster. Japanese style look as though they might be a little more effective, but based on how many sushi restaurants I've frequented where they don't perform this procedure... Not to say that all sushi joints use J-style oyster knives...

I shuck somewhere around 300-800 oysters a night here in Chicago, and my go to is a 4" Dexter Russel Boston Style. I also use a "gulf style" from R Murphy another great knife. And I have to agree with Brainsausage, I too am a fan of Maine oysters, Pemaquid and Wiley Points are amazing.

dubie said:

I shuck somewhere around 300-800 oysters a night here in Chicago, and my go to is a 4" Dexter Russel Boston Style. I also use a "gulf style" from R Murphy another great knife. And I have to agree with Brainsausage, I too am a fan of Maine oysters, Pemaquid and Wiley Points are amazing.

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I will fight over how tasty those damn pemaquids are! Possibly one of my top ten food items.

brainsausage said:

Tried the French 'spade' shape. And IMO the suck!

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Like this?

Or is this the good shape?