With this 1 little trick, you can give your favorite knife maker a mini heart attack.
CPM-D2 Gyuto Pass-Around (Proposal)
- Thread starter MSicardCutlery
- Start date
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What I smell is a weird mix of guacamole and Matt s#!t in is pants! Quite interesting
Ha! You don't scare me! I don't even see a single lemongrass seed....
Sadly, no lemongrass in house. I think we might have some coconuts leftover from Thursday though...
Time to leave my review. Was able to use it for longer than I should have
Everything felt good in hand. Balance was good. No sharp edges or corners. Handle was well done.
Profile is nice. Definitely reminds me of a Sabatier. Not to much belly, while not being overly flat. Tip flew through onions, rest of the knife went through onions very good. Decent food release. Overall, it handled everything I used it on well. The steel was nice also. I used Shapton Glass stones and it was easy to sharpen.
I did touch up the edge initially on a Shapton Glass 4k. That went pretty easy. Used the knife for a bit. Then went to the Shapton Glass 500 and sharpened at the lowest angle I could hold, followed by Shapton Glass 4k. Afterwards, the edge was even better! The edge held up, no microchipping or edge folding over. Edge stability at a low angle was really great!
Overall, I liked the knife. If I were to make any changes, I'd go for a longer length and a slightly wider spine at the pinch grip. But that's all something that's more of personal preference.
Thanks @MSicardCutlery for letting me participate. I enjoyed your work and can definitely recommend some CPM-D2 steel.
Everything felt good in hand. Balance was good. No sharp edges or corners. Handle was well done.
Profile is nice. Definitely reminds me of a Sabatier. Not to much belly, while not being overly flat. Tip flew through onions, rest of the knife went through onions very good. Decent food release. Overall, it handled everything I used it on well. The steel was nice also. I used Shapton Glass stones and it was easy to sharpen.
I did touch up the edge initially on a Shapton Glass 4k. That went pretty easy. Used the knife for a bit. Then went to the Shapton Glass 500 and sharpened at the lowest angle I could hold, followed by Shapton Glass 4k. Afterwards, the edge was even better! The edge held up, no microchipping or edge folding over. Edge stability at a low angle was really great!
Overall, I liked the knife. If I were to make any changes, I'd go for a longer length and a slightly wider spine at the pinch grip. But that's all something that's more of personal preference.
Thanks @MSicardCutlery for letting me participate. I enjoyed your work and can definitely recommend some CPM-D2 steel.
P.S. I left a little love note on the left blade face, just in front of the heel. Just a little kiss from sharpening at a very low angle. It's not bad, but not tiny either. Just a heads up.
I have the blade and have been pitting it through its paces with happy results...
Preview: Its pretty damn comfortable in hand and sharpens up damn nice!
Preview: Its pretty damn comfortable in hand and sharpens up damn nice!
I've been saying for years that D2 is not very corrosion resistant.
List Update:
@birdsfan -PA-
@Chang -PA -Pro
@FishmanDE -NY-Pro
@labor of love -LA-Pro
@Malcolm Johnson -UT-Pro
@M1k3 -CA-Pro
@ch_br -CA
@superworrier -CA (opted out)
@Barmoley -CA <-- * * Blade Here Now * *
@xsmx13 -CA
@timebard -UT
@AT5760 -NE
@More_Gyutos -FL
@SwampDonkey -FL
@nickrut -GA
@Heckel7302 -IN
@Up_dog128 -NC
@Justinv -NY
@brimmergj -VT
@ian -MA
@birdsfan -PA-
@Chang -PA -Pro
@FishmanDE -NY-Pro
@labor of love -LA-Pro
@Malcolm Johnson -UT-Pro
@M1k3 -CA-Pro
@ch_br -CA
@superworrier -CA (opted out)
@Barmoley -CA <-- * * Blade Here Now * *
@xsmx13 -CA
@timebard -UT
@AT5760 -NE
@More_Gyutos -FL
@SwampDonkey -FL
@nickrut -GA
@Heckel7302 -IN
@Up_dog128 -NC
@Justinv -NY
@brimmergj -VT
@ian -MA
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I liked the knife a lot. Specifically, the profile works very well for me and the balance is excellent. The knife is comfortable to hold due to thickness by the handle and choil area. The knife cuts well. If I kept the knife I think I would thin it a little behind the edge as my other knives from Matt are thinner in that area. Even so the knife cuts well with good food release for this type of grind. I'd call it a nice midweight. For me the handle is a bit too long, but that's personal preference and I like slightly shorter handles. I would also most likely want a little shorter neck or not, haven't really made up my mind on this. All and all a good knife with a really nice profile.
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Knife arrived with me today safe and sound. I should note, there are some very small black spots sprinkled here and there on both sides of the blade face. I don't think they're anything of concern, but wanted to call them out none the less.
This makes a nice first impression overall and I love the profile. The stout spine stays fairly consistent for much of the length before a nice taper to a solidly thin tip. It's a different animal overall, but that aspect feels rather reminiscent of a Xerxes workhorse I have. The spine and choil areas are not polished, but nicely rounded and very comfortable. As others have noted, it could be thinner behind the edge, but it is plenty thin enough without feeling like you need to baby it on the board. I only made some deviled eggs before the basketball game, so I did a few quick cuts on a sweet potato and a large carrot. Certainly not enough to form any significant opinions, but enough to make me look forward to really putting it to work this week.
This makes a nice first impression overall and I love the profile. The stout spine stays fairly consistent for much of the length before a nice taper to a solidly thin tip. It's a different animal overall, but that aspect feels rather reminiscent of a Xerxes workhorse I have. The spine and choil areas are not polished, but nicely rounded and very comfortable. As others have noted, it could be thinner behind the edge, but it is plenty thin enough without feeling like you need to baby it on the board. I only made some deviled eggs before the basketball game, so I did a few quick cuts on a sweet potato and a large carrot. Certainly not enough to form any significant opinions, but enough to make me look forward to really putting it to work this week.
Apologies for the delay, life and work have been a bit crazy. The knife was shipped earlier this week to @timebard and I'll try and circle back to share more details shortly.
In the mean time... Matt, I'm glad they accidentally sent you thicker stock than originally planned. I was especially looking forward to trying this profile in your work. I got 3 real meal preps in and a handful of smaller uses in-between. I didn't have any moments that blew me away in any particular use case (that's not a negative, read on), IMO sometimes knives that are amazing in one way, can sacrifice a fair bit in other areas in a way this one does not.
I compared it to several knives including a Dalman HSS1, and a couple Eddworks. I had designs on side by side comparison with a couple others, but the bottom line was that I never felt a need to transition to anything else aside from cutting a bunch of citrus which I didn't want to put a semi-stainless that I don't own through. It's not as thin as some others, which Matt called out as being done for a knife intended for a pass around. That said it really performed well all around. I never had to baby it, but it never left me feeling like I wanted something different for the task. I really enjoyed the profile, the nice gradual distal taper, and heft without feeling like I lost nimbleness. This is a nicely finished and really practical all around knife that was just plain fun to use. I'd would love this exact knife build, the only thing I'd change would be to a favorite steel like 52100 or maybe to try another knife in Magnacut.
@MSicardCutlery Great ****ing all around knife. Once I finish my current round of customs I want as close to this same blade as possible. Thanks for the chance to participate.
In the mean time... Matt, I'm glad they accidentally sent you thicker stock than originally planned. I was especially looking forward to trying this profile in your work. I got 3 real meal preps in and a handful of smaller uses in-between. I didn't have any moments that blew me away in any particular use case (that's not a negative, read on), IMO sometimes knives that are amazing in one way, can sacrifice a fair bit in other areas in a way this one does not.
I compared it to several knives including a Dalman HSS1, and a couple Eddworks. I had designs on side by side comparison with a couple others, but the bottom line was that I never felt a need to transition to anything else aside from cutting a bunch of citrus which I didn't want to put a semi-stainless that I don't own through. It's not as thin as some others, which Matt called out as being done for a knife intended for a pass around. That said it really performed well all around. I never had to baby it, but it never left me feeling like I wanted something different for the task. I really enjoyed the profile, the nice gradual distal taper, and heft without feeling like I lost nimbleness. This is a nicely finished and really practical all around knife that was just plain fun to use. I'd would love this exact knife build, the only thing I'd change would be to a favorite steel like 52100 or maybe to try another knife in Magnacut.
@MSicardCutlery Great ****ing all around knife. Once I finish my current round of customs I want as close to this same blade as possible. Thanks for the chance to participate.
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Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it!
Arrived with me today in good shape. First impressions - nice proportions, more substantial spine than the last MSicard passaround, good taper and forward balance, a liiiittle thick behind the edge but solid grind once it gets going. Just tested it dicing an onion but looking forward to some more extensive use.
Knife is with me. Traveling this weekend, but I’ll give it some use during the week and then move it on.
I just wrapped up my time with this knife and sent it on to the next user. I held on to it an additional weekend so that I could get some actual cooking in vs. odds and ends.
Use: This feels like a knife that is meant to be used and would do well in a pro kitchen. Others commented that it's not particularly thin behind the edge (intentionally so), but that doesn't mean its thick either. There's enough weight to move through products with authority but I wouldn't call it a workhorse. The profile is great for general purpose use. I'd prefer a little flatter, but there was plenty of a flat spot for what I wanted. It handled fruits, veg, raw & cooked protein with ease.
I was quite surprised at how corrosion resistant the steel is. I was intentionally a little less rigorous about wipe downs and rinse offs just to see what type of patina it might develop. I left the knife on the board for quite a while after cutting a pineapple for al pastor and there was nothing even hinting at rust/patina. Same after an apple/lemon/shallot combo for a salad.
The knife came pretty sharp and for the sake of not increasing BTE thickness, I did not sharpen or touch it up. Despite many of the ingredients I cut being acidic, I didn't notice much change in edge over several days of home use.
Fit and Finish: My take on Matt's knives is that they are tools executed at a very high level. The knife may look a little "plain" for some people's liking, but I personally enjoy the straightforward look of Matt's knives. Coupled with a very comfortable burnt oak handle and everything rounded for comfort, his knives are a joy to use (I own two customs). The handle was longer than what I prefer personally and I would have been ok with it being more balance forward if the handle was shorter.
Thanks for letting me participate!
Use: This feels like a knife that is meant to be used and would do well in a pro kitchen. Others commented that it's not particularly thin behind the edge (intentionally so), but that doesn't mean its thick either. There's enough weight to move through products with authority but I wouldn't call it a workhorse. The profile is great for general purpose use. I'd prefer a little flatter, but there was plenty of a flat spot for what I wanted. It handled fruits, veg, raw & cooked protein with ease.
I was quite surprised at how corrosion resistant the steel is. I was intentionally a little less rigorous about wipe downs and rinse offs just to see what type of patina it might develop. I left the knife on the board for quite a while after cutting a pineapple for al pastor and there was nothing even hinting at rust/patina. Same after an apple/lemon/shallot combo for a salad.
The knife came pretty sharp and for the sake of not increasing BTE thickness, I did not sharpen or touch it up. Despite many of the ingredients I cut being acidic, I didn't notice much change in edge over several days of home use.
Fit and Finish: My take on Matt's knives is that they are tools executed at a very high level. The knife may look a little "plain" for some people's liking, but I personally enjoy the straightforward look of Matt's knives. Coupled with a very comfortable burnt oak handle and everything rounded for comfort, his knives are a joy to use (I own two customs). The handle was longer than what I prefer personally and I would have been ok with it being more balance forward if the handle was shorter.
Thanks for letting me participate!
Thank you very much for taking the time to review it! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Knife arrived safely to me. Like the looks of it overall. Going to post some current pictures. There are minor scuffs on left side of the blade. There is a ding in the handle and some(3) marks on one side of the handle. Sorry if these were already mentioned above, I did not re-read the thread before posting this. Overall looks to be in very good shape.
Knive is still with me and I must say, I am really enjoying it. I plan on doing one more prep session tomorrow and then I will ship it to the next participant. I will post more thoughts then, but overall, the profile, geometry and perhaps even the steel choice would make an excellent pro kitchen knife IMHO.
I just shipped the knife out to @SwampDonkey today.
Overall, I very much enjoyed using it. I could see this knife as a go-to in a professional setting, but I could also see giving it to family or friends who might not be ready for a reactive knife with a more fragile geometry.
Others have mentioned that it isn’t as super thin behind the edge as it could be, however that doesn’t mean it doesn’t cut quite well, because whether push cutting or slicing or draw cutting, this knife easily moved through product. But it did so without feeling delicate and made me feel very confident when using it.
The balance is nicely forward at the end of the maker’s mark which I also liked. The profile works very well in use IMO. As to the steel itself, well I wasn’t sure how reactive it was going to be and I was surprised that it really did seem almost like stainless.
Although I didn’t initially take the knife to stones, it was not paper cutting sharp when I received it and would not cut through tomato skin. I did eventually touch it up on an SG2000 and it felt very much like refreshing SG2. I did not spend a lot of time on this so as to avoid removing much material, just a few passes and then checked to see if it would cut paper. As soon as it did I continued prep.
I have mixed feelings about burnt handles. But this one, like the one on my Shi.han is very nicely done. The handle is not overly charred and the very dark handle along with the clean blade make for a nice combination. The choil is nicely contoured and the spine is rounded and very comfortable. The overall package has a simple, yet handsome aesthetic.
It was interesting for me to compare this to my M. Sicard gyuto that I have had for about a year. Two different knives, but both very good performers.
Thank you for allowing me to participate!
Overall, I very much enjoyed using it. I could see this knife as a go-to in a professional setting, but I could also see giving it to family or friends who might not be ready for a reactive knife with a more fragile geometry.
Others have mentioned that it isn’t as super thin behind the edge as it could be, however that doesn’t mean it doesn’t cut quite well, because whether push cutting or slicing or draw cutting, this knife easily moved through product. But it did so without feeling delicate and made me feel very confident when using it.
The balance is nicely forward at the end of the maker’s mark which I also liked. The profile works very well in use IMO. As to the steel itself, well I wasn’t sure how reactive it was going to be and I was surprised that it really did seem almost like stainless.
Although I didn’t initially take the knife to stones, it was not paper cutting sharp when I received it and would not cut through tomato skin. I did eventually touch it up on an SG2000 and it felt very much like refreshing SG2. I did not spend a lot of time on this so as to avoid removing much material, just a few passes and then checked to see if it would cut paper. As soon as it did I continued prep.
I have mixed feelings about burnt handles. But this one, like the one on my Shi.han is very nicely done. The handle is not overly charred and the very dark handle along with the clean blade make for a nice combination. The choil is nicely contoured and the spine is rounded and very comfortable. The overall package has a simple, yet handsome aesthetic.
It was interesting for me to compare this to my M. Sicard gyuto that I have had for about a year. Two different knives, but both very good performers.
Thank you for allowing me to participate!
Knife arrived safely from @More_Gyutos and well packaged. Proof of life pics below, and the tip is in good shape.
Immediate impressions: I've never really loved the aesthetics of the dark burnt handle, but BOY do I like how it feels in hand. Great texture, enough to make me want one as my visual quibbles were minor.
Rounded choil and spine, the knife feels quite comfortable and natural in my hand, and I like the forward balance. Looking forward to playing with this.
Immediate impressions: I've never really loved the aesthetics of the dark burnt handle, but BOY do I like how it feels in hand. Great texture, enough to make me want one as my visual quibbles were minor.
Rounded choil and spine, the knife feels quite comfortable and natural in my hand, and I like the forward balance. Looking forward to playing with this.
Attachments
Thank you for your participation and taking the time to review the knife! I really appreciate it.
This also describes my feelings towards burned oak handles. They feel amazing.
I shipped off to next participant on Monday, will post review soon
The knife came at a terrible time for me between work and play trips so I only got to use it for about 3 days, and didn't have time to sharpen.
Consistent with my first impressions, I absolutely loved the profile. It felt really nice on the board; flat enough to push cut/g&g with a large sweet spot but had enough curve to rock if I wanted. I'd been wanting to try Matt's sab profile since I became familiar with his work and this was a lovely introduction. The burnt oak handle has great grip and a really satisfying, tactile feeling about it and fit my hand well, I think I'd just want it a little shorter if it were mine.
I enjoyed the forward balance and confident feel of the knife when cutting. It's not a heavy workhorse, but you definitely don't feel like you have to baby it. I agree with many above that I'd like a tad thinner BTE if it were mine and acknowledge that was intentional for the PA, but on the flipside I feel that contributed to its can-do attitude.
Food release is the weak spot of this knife in my experience with it. I noticed some stiction/grabbiness on cabbage and fennel through the cut. Like the knife was getting suctioned on to the cabbage face and creating drag on the side of the blade. The knife struggled with a big sweet potato, it bit in well but then I felt it just get suctioned in to a stop and had to put a little weight behind it to bisect. Sweet potato cubes clung to the blade, as did carrot sticks.
I'm bummed I didn't have time to sharpen this steel but I enjoyed my brief time with it. I kept just picking it up and holding it while waiting for coffee to brew since it felt so natural in my hand. Huge thanks to Matt for letting us try this out, I'll definitely be back for more.
Consistent with my first impressions, I absolutely loved the profile. It felt really nice on the board; flat enough to push cut/g&g with a large sweet spot but had enough curve to rock if I wanted. I'd been wanting to try Matt's sab profile since I became familiar with his work and this was a lovely introduction. The burnt oak handle has great grip and a really satisfying, tactile feeling about it and fit my hand well, I think I'd just want it a little shorter if it were mine.
I enjoyed the forward balance and confident feel of the knife when cutting. It's not a heavy workhorse, but you definitely don't feel like you have to baby it. I agree with many above that I'd like a tad thinner BTE if it were mine and acknowledge that was intentional for the PA, but on the flipside I feel that contributed to its can-do attitude.
Food release is the weak spot of this knife in my experience with it. I noticed some stiction/grabbiness on cabbage and fennel through the cut. Like the knife was getting suctioned on to the cabbage face and creating drag on the side of the blade. The knife struggled with a big sweet potato, it bit in well but then I felt it just get suctioned in to a stop and had to put a little weight behind it to bisect. Sweet potato cubes clung to the blade, as did carrot sticks.
I'm bummed I didn't have time to sharpen this steel but I enjoyed my brief time with it. I kept just picking it up and holding it while waiting for coffee to brew since it felt so natural in my hand. Huge thanks to Matt for letting us try this out, I'll definitely be back for more.
Thank you for being thorough with the knife and for taking the time to do a write up!
Adding more convexity to belt finished blades is something that's been on my to-do list for a while, but will require a fairly expensive equipment upgrade.
Adding more convexity to belt finished blades is something that's been on my to-do list for a while, but will require a fairly expensive equipment upgrade.
Am professional Sushi Chef, would love to get in on this PA. I'm in Western Montana.
I'm afraid you're several months too late to be joining.
Have the knife in hand and it is very nice. Will do a more thorough writeup but intending on shipping it out next week. This week is funny with holiday travel so my apologies for delaying it a little bit. Appreciate being included!
Paging @Up_dog128, you’re up. Sent DM but no reply yet. I’ll give it a few more days before moving on to the next up.
My first time having a MS knife in hand. Lovely knife. I’m a mid weight guy and this felt very nice. Good performance without feeling delicate. Stainless mono is a little Plain Jane for my stylistic taste, but would not hesitate to recommend to someone looking for a high quality, low fuss gyuto.
My first time having a MS knife in hand. Lovely knife. I’m a mid weight guy and this felt very nice. Good performance without feeling delicate. Stainless mono is a little Plain Jane for my stylistic taste, but would not hesitate to recommend to someone looking for a high quality, low fuss gyuto.
