Parer Ideas

[heirkb]

Why does everyone love the pointy profile so much? My physics knowledge is fading and weak, but wouldn't a slight curve make push cuts (like when peeling) much easier? That's I think the reason I like to choke up and peel with the curved area before the tip.

My ideal handle would be a wa-estern like you've done in the past Hoss. Has the feel of a western handle, which I prefer only for paring knives, but the lighter weight of a wa so the knife doesn't want to slip out into your palm if you use a light grip (which I find essential unless I'm looking to have some soreness in my hand). In fact, I think I'm going to try a wa-estern conversion on my paring knife, leaving the bolster intact but making the rest of the handle hidden tang.

 

[DevinT]

I'd love to see a sketch(s) of what you're describing.

Hoss

 

[heirkb]

I'll post one up tonight. It's basically a western handle with a regular bolster but then has a hidden tang so that there is less metal in the handle. I'll also post a parer profile I like. The only flat one I've used was hard to peel with and I always assumed it was because of the physics of a flat vs. curved edge. If any of you have heard of the guillotine technique in straight razor shaving or if you've heard people say they prefer a smiling razor, it's the same idea withrehearse to cutting performance (I think). Man, I wish I wasn't so rusty with physics so I could offer a more technical explanation. I'll post some pictures, though.

 

[heirkb]

Ok so check this thread for now: http://straightrazorplace.com/shavi...-guillotine-cuts-spoiler-they-same-thing.html

It makes sense to me in terms of my experience with shaving and peeling. A curved edge is always angled a little off from a straight push-cut relative to your direction of movement, so it's always doing a guillotine type movement, which means it is always slicing a little while also push cutting. That's what I would think at least...

 

[convis]

in my small amount of experience i second the flush edge/ handle. For peeling, tourne ect it makes sense to me, or even an edge slightly in from the handle. I think it puts the edge at the center of your hands rotation and makes it much easier to do smooth curving cuts and or follow the contours of something. if that makes sense.

 

[Andrew H]

This is my favorite: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019WXPQY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[heirkb]

in my small amount of experience i second the flush edge/ handle. For peeling, tourne ect it makes sense to me, or even an edge slightly in from the handle. I think it puts the edge at the center of your hands rotation and makes it much easier to do smooth curving cuts and or follow the contours of something. if that makes sense.

It does make sense, but I personally wouldn't want to pay custom knife prices for a paring knife that'd have a much shorter life (and be harder to sharpen). At that point, I'd get a Victorinox.

 

[DevinT]

heirkb, I would still like to see a sketch of a parer from you.

Hoss

 

[heirkb]

Hoss, sorry about the delay.

I don't think I can draw the idea I was trying to describe any better than what was shown in that SRP thread. I did draw some handle pictures and marked some areas of the profile on my paring knife that I think relate to what I was describing earlier.

So with the first picture, I marked the area on a wa handle that is typically annoying with a star. That gap from ferrule to emoto (thick to suddenly thin) is annoying and why a western handle is nicer on a paring knife IMO. On the other hand, the western handle has the full tang, which makes the handle too heavy IMO. The wa-estern would have the comfortable transition of the western handle and the hidden tang of the wa handle so that the handle could be light, making it easy to hold the knife with a much lighter grip. This is all my personal preference, but it sounds like a few other people here also like the smoother transition of a western handle while also liking lighter handles. BTW, in the last three handles marked wa-estern, the top and bottom are two different shapes, and the middle is just showing either one from above to show the lack of a full tang. I don't know how a coke bottle handle would feel, but maybe it'd be even nicer.

The second picture is my current paring knife. The edge profile is fairly similar to the one you made, but just had a little more heel height. It has a flat spot, which is the area near the heel that I marked but also has a curved area that I like to use (which I also marked). Somehow I think the curve in the edge causes the knife to always be cutting with a guillotine stroke everywhere where the edge is contacting the food, kind of like a smiling razor would theoretically cut hairs if hairs were as wide as a potato. Again, I could be wrong, but I feel that this makes it easier. That's why I like a profile like the one you already made but with added heel height for longevity. If it's stubby, which is another thing I like, then it's not at all difficult to choke up and use the tip area of the knife even if it has a little height at the heel.

Just to add, there seems to be some variability in preferences as with any knife. Some like the narrower, longer profiles and I don't think I'm all that crazy about them. They don't feel quite as nice in my hand when I'm peeling. Just wanted to add this to emphasize that although I think there may be some physics (or not) to the whole guillotine stroke thing, these are my personal preferences.

 

[Chuckles]

I really like where this is heading.
I agree with heirkb about the heel.
I also think the prototype is on its way to being something very special.

Can't wait to see more! :doublethumbsup:

 

[stevenStefano]

Wasn't there another parer thread a while ago? I remember posting a couple of pictures in it. This is my favourite profile, my Global. Can't fault it at all

 

[DevinT]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on parers. Parers seem to be diverse but not too complicated. I'll probably make a couple of different kinds to match a broader base of customers.

Hoss

 

[El Pescador]

Any updates Devin?