Carter Paring?

anyone used one of the carter 3" paring knives?



I have a butch harner petty and a warther but thinking of switching.



the carter looks a bit thick or something, also I'd need to rehandle that, so could end up with a very expensive paring knife lol

failing that maybe one of the forum FH's?

I tend to peel lots of potatoes granny style in hand lol and garlic etc.

The rest of veg tasks just go to my carter waboucho.

anyone any other suggestions?

I don't have anything to say about the Carter since I don't own one but I can tell you that I have three versions of that Harner parer and nothing I've used comes close to being as good a parer as that.

I don't peel potatoes often but I haven't found a better knife for peeling fruits.

If you're getting rid of the Harner let me know since I want one as an EDC.

-Sam

I agree, Its certainly not a bad knife and the amboyna is stunning.

I just find it awkward for peeling tasks, for coreing and detail work and on the board its great.

playford said:

I agree, Its certainly not a bad knife and the amboyna is stunning.

I just find it awkward for peeling tasks, for coreing and detail work and on the board its great.

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When I get home ill put up a pic of a different profile. It's got quite a bit more curve to it which helps with the peeling. Also the handle is longer too.

You might want to ask Butch to see if you can get one modified more to your liking, though I don't believe I've seen him on the forum much recently.

Personally, I'd keep the Harner and buy a Kyocera ceramic peeler. :wink:

I have been using a 4-inch version of the same knife for years. My all time favorite paring knife. I liked it enough that I bought a spare for when the first one wears our. You do need to be careful not to pry with them. Those outer layers of steel are very soft and will bend. I learned that while cutting some ghee out of a jar that had been in the frig. Not really rock hard or anything but not supper soft either . The knife came out with a big bend in the blade which I straightened with my bare hands.

ecchef said:

Personally, I'd keep the Harner and buy a Kyocera ceramic peeler. :wink:

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and miss the fun of playing with knives lol

tracking down a carter paring in a small size could be fun, he seems to have loads of petty sizes but few very small.

I didn't mention I also have 5-inch and a 4-inch with a much wider blade versions of that knife.

you mean the carter I take it as the harner is all s30v I think?

I've never used one of Carter's parers, but I do know someone who has one and says it's a really good parer. Come to think of it, he has two... This goes back to a thread that Devin started a couple weeks ago, but I think the Carter, while kinda ugly, would be a really good parer for in-hand peeling, because of the heel location. It's flush/inside of flush from the handle, which makes it so your hand doesn't have to stretch out as much during use. But, I'm not a fan of the hollow grind type of edge he has on it. You kinda lose some useable edge (where a lot happens, to boot).

The Harner parer, to me looks like it would do double duty, but maybe be a bit challenging for peeling. The heel is out from the handle (makes you work harder with in-hand tasks), but it's not so far that it makes it impossible to use as a peeler. I like the blade shape, as well.

I might be slightly biased, however, I know Butch and Murray's work really well, and would go with Butch on this one. He can grind insanely thin and consistent blades (just like Murray), but the aesthetics are much better, which is important. Maybe send him an email to see if he'll bring the edge in on your parer. BUT, if you want a new knife, for the heck of it, then grab a new one from Butch or Murray. You can't go wrong either way. Oh, there's always Pierre, as well.

Yes, all three are Carters.

The only bit with the carters is your factoring in a rehandle, so $140 plus say $100 with postage and then customs. Its a $250 paring knife.

I could pick up a 70mm + 120mm hattori FH for that.

I have a 210 western waboucho thats rehandled, but that was a deal from when carter wasnt quite so expensive.

Hey, sometimes there's nothing wrong with choosing vanilla.



*Says the guy with a custom Rodrigue parer being made for his wife*

All my Carters are a few years old, many from when he was still in Japan. Prices do seem to have gone up dramatically in recent years and not much chance I would buy as many now.

his smaller knives arent so bad, just those handles arent liveable with long term.

playford said:

his smaller knives arent so bad, just those handles arent liveable with long term.

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Gee, I've had my SFGZ-RH paring knife for almost four years, and I still like it. It's a plain, but serviceable handle really no different from those on other Western handled knives. Now Carter's wa-handles on his lower tier models are another thing ...

If you ever feel like selling/trading that lol

Ok, so I thought about custom alternatives to murray carter as he isnt taking custom orders. I have always like fujiwara terayasu and its similar to carter Stainless/white steel san mai construction. I know everyone hates his handles, bit I would rehandle these knives regardless more than likely eventually.



So I mailed him asking if he could make an 80mm paring knife.

I got an email from the man himself this morning!

Dear Mr Playford

Thank you for your interest about japanese knifes .
Of course it's possible to make it for you ! I send you them prices :
17850yens for the moboroshi line
and 8400yens for nishiji .

In the waiting for your answer , please accept our best regards .
Teruyasu Fujiwara

So basically $100 roughly the same price as a carter paring, this is from japan so if in USA ordering this way might not be so cheap compared to american sellers (customs, import duty etc) but I'm in uk so have to pay that regardless of ordering from japan or US.

I think this blade shape might work better for a smaller paring knife, than carters which seems quite thick?

So choice is now Hattori FH, Carter or Fujiwara Teruyasu

my vote would be fujiwara without handle, tang for WA style. this saves you around 4000yen. and then send it to handle vendor for a simple custom wa-handle for around 100-150 bucks.

"my vote would be fujiwara without handle, tang for WA style. this saves you around 4000yen"

care to explain? do you mean its a cheaper rehandle?

it will cost abit more but will both look and feel better in hand. but thats imo.

17850yens for the moboroshi line. minus the handle cost should be around 4000yen.

13850 yen + 100$ custom handle from a vendor here.

the western handle on the picture looks like a steakknife handle with no bolster.

carters are the same handle...

I'd stick with the nishiji line, its basically the same steel and cladding except you dont get a bolster.

but with a little rehadling magic become!



I'll maybe have another look at wa handled parers.

I'm thinking of just going for a 70mm hattori forum paring knife.

ill have to rehandle both the others.

Anyone have a hattori they want to sell PM me.

http://www.cartercutlery.com/japane...eted-handle-series/28-sun-stainless-fukugozai

Interesting development by murray here.

basically like the old sfgz knives buy replacing the wood and then adding basically $100 per knife.

I dunno if I can go for this paring, with postage and customs to the uk im looking at $300-$320 dollars for a paring knife.

Shame as I really like this one.

playford said:

Shame as I really like this one.

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Guess you're not alone, because it's sold!

playford said:

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Playford, what's the little knife on top in this lineup? I love the looks of it.

its stefans, but subject to correction its a dojo paring knife (blue steel/stainless laminates) rehandled by butch harner.

Johnny.B.Good said:

Guess you're not alone, because it's sold!

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I'm almost tempted to ask him to make me another one, when I've a bit more cash about.

So been speaking to TB London about grinding down a 110mm carter petty I have into a paring knife, this is a very rough outline to give him an Idea.

Gonna have it rehandled afterwards.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/217/photopzt.jpg/

I thought about doing that to it aswell! I think it will suit that knife perfectly. Good luck with it and keep us posted.