What’s your favorite beater knife?

[big D]

This is me. Maybe all my knives count as beater knives?

I just have no desire to own a knife I'm afraid to cut stuff with. You can have slicey and not afraid at the same time.

For that matter, I think knife vendors waaaaay over hype the supposed fragility of most Japanese knives.

Just discussing. So does this mean that you are willing to use all of your knives to remove the backbone, and split the breast of a chicken, splitting lobsters, along with opening cans in some form? Perhaps all of your knives are sharpened at such a high angle that you have no concerns even if they are very thin behind the edge? That is what is being discussed here, at the very least.
edited to add - just curious.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Just discussing. So does this mean that you are willing to use all of your knives to remove the backbone, and split the breast of a chicken, splitting lobsters, along with opening cans in some form? Perhaps all of your knives are sharpened at such a high angle that you have no concerns even if they are very thin behind the edge? That is what is being discussed here, at the very least.
edited to add - just curious.

No. If I get serious about chicken bones it is either my poultry shears or a thick cleaver. I don't eat enough lobsters in the shell to be concerned about it but would use either the cleaver or maybe my suji. It's pretty robust. I don't open cans with knives.

There were comments about not cutting melons, squash, etc and that was more what I was addressing.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Oh and I will say, I have learned that there truly is a place for those horrendous, shark toothed aberrations called bread knives.

Like, ya know, it may not be the best idea to have a couple (or a few) beers and cut a thick-crusted sourdough with your Munetoshi gyuto.

 

[SABOL BROTHERS]

Yes, would have guessed it is similar to VG10 at that hardness.
Had a Tojiro DP (~VG10?) that chipped easily with tougher jobs but it also was thinner than this blade and without micro-bevel.
Also, 61-61.5RC is what Zakharov states. Not sure how exact that value really is.
At low hardness it seems tough(er) and a favourite for outdoor knives.

N690 isn't the best choice for a beater (kitchen) knife. If you have a very tough steel like 3V, 4V or Vanadis 4 Extra, you can have a thinner grind and still have a blade that can take a lot of abuse before it breaks.

 

[Cliff]

I use my Masahiro VC or Misono Dragon for most tougher jobs, but it's been ages since I made lobster. I love my Yoshi SKD, but I don't use it on tough jobs.

 

[blokey]

Just discussing. So does this mean that you are willing to use all of your knives to remove the backbone, and split the breast of a chicken, splitting lobsters, along with opening cans in some form? Perhaps all of your knives are sharpened at such a high angle that you have no concerns even if they are very thin behind the edge? That is what is being discussed here, at the very least.
edited to add - just curious.

I would use a cleaver or Yo deba for such task, much more enjoyable to use than beater.

 

[Cliff]

Me too. I have a cleaver for really rough stuff, which is pretty rare for me. But I have no hesitation using a Masahiro or Misono or Ashi for things like squash. For chicken, I don't go through bones, almost ever. I can't remember the last time I did. I just take them out.

 

[panda]

masamoto hc prolly the tankiest knive I ever had. beat the living crap outta that thing. quite a bit better than 'beater level' but takes the beating just the same and is way nicer to use than some crusty cheap sh1t.

 

[Tanalasta]

Wusthof Classic Gyuto.

It's inexpensive (relatively) ; relatively robust. Stainless. Easy to sharpen. I chipped the hell out of it splitting a lobster once so I wouldn't be so keen to use it like a $20 cleaver.

But It's a pretty versatile knife for most else.

 

[SharpestToolintheShed]

My beater knife was a Global GF33. I ended up just giving it to my brother. Also had a Misono Molybdenum gyuto that I gave to my roommate. She likes to leave knives around for a day or two covered with food so she knows never to touch the good knives.

 

[Vertigo]

I use my Masahiro VC or Misono Dragon for most tougher jobs, but it's been ages since I made lobster. I love my Yoshi SKD, but I don't use it on tough jobs.

Ya, the Dragon is my beater too.

Got a random 7" Mercer Genesis snacktoku in my bag too, that thing is a *tank*. When everything goes tits up, 9 people call in sick, and I end up having to work the line, that's the knife I bring with me.