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Well the calendar says it's no longer ARM, but it's still ARM in my heart. 💔

Here's a new (to me) Sakai Ichimonji compact cleaver, 190x100, 350g, w#2 iron clad migaki, from @blokey . There is a very gentle curve to the profile, with more of the curve allocated toward the tip, that I find super smooth on the board. Very intuitive push cut/touch-of-rock cutting motion, similar to a gyuto. And zero accordion cuts. I think this combination is really dialed in. It's the first cleaver profile that instantly clicked with me, and I think I prefer it to curvier rectangles like sugi 6 that have more dramatic deviation toward the tip, and to cleavers with a dead flat spot toward the back, like moritaka. To me, this is a really nice middle ground that permits a smooth initial cutting motion without a dead stop at the end of the motion. No knock on other makers or styles; people obviously have different preferences in this regard, and a lot of it depends on cutting style (pure vertical chop, gliding push, slight rock, etc.) and other factors like grip, hand size, board height, blade height and length, and so on.

And nice grind too! I can't remember if @blokey did some work thinning it, but excellent cutter.

The little barrel handle is cute and stubby without being annoyingly thick, thanks to the neck taper. And while i understand that manufacturers routinely put clear coats on unstabilized barrel handles to prevent water damage, I really don't like the feel of a varnished handle. I could just sand it off but I'm thinking a rehandle on this baby might be in order 😈 (Ahem @tostadas I'm looking at you).

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It’s factory grind, very nice one at that
 
Well wouldn't you know! Two knives in two days, my ARM-era binge buying continues to haunt me as knives trickle in from around the globe 🤣 😭

Picked up a 165 moritaka AS nakiri from @OyakoDont the other day when I was visiting the old stomping grounds in Seattle. I found the knife quite fun and nimble and was curious how its older brother, the 180 AS nakiri, would fare. Happy to say that the 180 just arrived.

I know that @daddy yo yo prefers the moritaka 180 to the wakui 180 v2 (which I also have on order . . . good god, man), so I'm quite excited to see how it performs!

Peep those welded stainless tangs btw.

1 - Moritaka 180 - Right Side.jpg



2 - Moritaka 180 - Left Side.jpg



4 - Moritaka 180 - Choil.jpg


Family photo:

5 - Moritaka - Family.jpg


Extended family photo with the moritaka chuka:

6 - Moritaka - Extended Family.jpg


Please note that sometime in the future will be my post-ARM sale, and, if that doesn't work, my divorce sale.
 

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Finally got myself an end-grain-board.
Should have done that much earlier instead of buying yet another redundant knife. What a cutting feel!
Had so much joy yesterday cutting stuff.
Don´t know for sure but it feels somewhat softer to chop on it.
Heavy for sure, even at 400x300x50mm. (nut wood)
Ikenami 240mm (pimped by @Jaeger), @Knot Handcrafted and the trusty old Murray Carter.
 

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Finally got myself an end-grain-board.
Should have done that much earlier instead of buying yet another redundant knife. What a cutting feel!
Had so much joy yesterday cutting stuff.
Don´t know for sure but it feels somewhat softer to chop on it.
Heavy for sure, even at 400x300x50mm. (nut wood)
Ikenami 240mm (pimped by @Jaeger), @Knot Handcrafted and the trusty old Murray Carter.
Just wait until you step up to a 60x40, and once again wonder why you didn't do that 10 years earlier. ;)
 
Laser pony -> work pony -> work horse
This

Is the laser pony a brand-specific name for Julian’s laser grind or is it a step between laser and the next grind up?
It basically is his interpretation of a laser but also I think Jules uses it to refer to the fact that it’s what he sometimes calls a “comfy laser” with still some thickness retained at the spine as it comes out the handle ~4mm I think
 
This


It basically is his interpretation of a laser but also I think Jules uses it to refer to the fact that it’s what he sometimes calls a “comfy laser” with still some thickness retained at the spine as it comes out the handle ~4mm I think
Thanks, that’s helpful. I have seen him refer to ‘laser’ on instagram and wondered whether there was a distinction between laser and laser pony. This clears it up!
 
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