A little Catcheside love

[ian]

So, I keep seeing all these Catcheside knives just sitting on BST at great prices. What gives?

I only have one, a Forged Geometry Plus 180 nakiri I got a few months ago from @thebradleycrew, but it's awesome. The lack of stiction and food release is really great, and at the same time the food separation somehow manages to be excellent. It sharpens super easily, and yet I seem to be able to restore the edge immediately with 2 passes on a strop. I think it responds better to the strop than any other knife I've owned. It's reactive, but not overly so, and the contrast of the patina on the core vs the patina on the cladding is really pretty, especially with the nickel layer in between. (Doesn't show up so much on the old pic below. Maybe I'll try to take some new ones later.)

I just put in for a petty from his new Forged Geometry batch, due by February, and I can't wait. Probably will have to get a gyuto at some point too, but I have this weird thing about owning at most one knife from each maker, so we'll see what comes of all of this.

Anyone else have some thoughts to share? Any opinions are welcome.

 

[ian]

As promised. I love how dark the core steel gets! This is just normal use, not an etch.

It’s ok if Catchesides are a secret love for most of you. I’ll hold down the fort.

 

[labor of love]

Didn’t realize there’s Catchesides not moving on bst.
Perhaps the forum is more interested in up and coming stuff instead of the classics?
Can’t wait for my Catcheside on order.

 

[Corradobrit1]

There was a time when Will used to put out some new and innovative designs. Quite pricey but unique eg, damascus, integral westerns, honyaki etc. Over the past year or so the design and steels have become standardized for whatever reason, and its one you either love or don't. Personally I'm not a huge fan. JMO

 

[Wdestate]

I just sent will a message the other day, his knives are easily In a small handful for me for best cutters I have ever used.. aesthics and profiles I could see not being everyone’s cup of tea but I’d say it can cut on par with any knife out there

 

[ian]

Yea, I don’t care that much about new and innovative design. I want something that’ll cut the **** out of whatever I put in front of it.

 

[labor of love]

His current system for ordering knives is pretty awesome. Drop a $10-12 deposit and you get a knife out the next batch(feb).
Seems like a win/win for customer and maker to just collect the orders and do a huge batch once all spots are filled.

 

[ian]

Yea, I agree. Good way to keep costs down (well, a bit, they're still pretty expensive) while keeping everyone sane and happy. Personally, I'm more interested in knives that are produced in bulk than one-off knives anyway, because you know, while a standardized knife isn't a special sparkly unicorn, chances are it will cut better. Presumably, there's a reason the maker decided to keep with the particular specs they did, and also I imagine the product more consistently realizes the maker's vision if they've had a lot of practice making that particular knife.

 

[labor of love]

That little step in the blade in front of the handle is quite comfortable to rest a finger on too.