Flat out good looks....

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Cookin808

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Just wondering how many of you have purchased a knife based purely on looks. What percentage does the asthetics of the blade and how it looks in your hand play in to your decision to purchase a new knife. I know how easy it is to get caught up on steel types, grinds, heat treatment, etc, etc. but just wondering about flat out good looks of a knife. Any comments?
 
Yes. When I bought my first two J knives, I went western. I bought the Carbonext 240 Gyuto because pretty much everyone on here said it offered as much bang for the buck as any knife out there. I also like the handle size of it. I bought the 270 Hattori FH suji, which people apparently also like, primarily because it was sexy looking and I wanted to steal the handle shape.:doublethumbsup: The handle on the Hattori seems a tad small for a knife that big, but the shape is fabulous. Oddly enough, my first complete kitchen knife is a suji with a Stefan handle, but the blade shape is a bigger version of the Hattori slightly modified at the heel/machi to match up with the wa handle. Total length from handle fact to tip is about 285 which is a hair longer than the original and it is 41mm at the heel, which is bit taller. That blade shape with a little more beef may look even better than the original.
 
My collection of kitchen cutlery primarily consists of Gyuto's simply because I find them to be the best looking blades around. Luckily for me they are also able to be used for multiple uses so in the end it works out. I have 8 Gyuto's and 6 other types of knives in total.
 
Never bought a knife based "purely on looks", but yeah, aesthetics are important to me. Life's too short to own ugly knives! :razz:
 
Just wondering how many of you have purchased a knife based purely on looks. What percentage does the asthetics of the blade and how it looks in your hand play in to your decision to purchase a new knife. I know how easy it is to get caught up on steel types, grinds, heat treatment, etc, etc. but just wondering about flat out good looks of a knife. Any comments?

I have bought a couple on looks alone, but learned the hard way that looks without underlying substance was a losing proposition. Unless you are planning to just display the knife and never use it.

So looks are just a part of the total picture now.

Rick
 
I agree with Rick - Looks are important but they just weigh in with the other characteristics.

BY THE WAY - I jumped into this thread thinking maybe someone had prompted SON to post a pic of the pastry queen. Oh, well.
 
I have always preferred a functional aesthetic--the look that most appeals to me is one that screams performance. I want everything to be done for a good reason.
 
I wouldn't buy an ugly car just because went from 0-60 in 3.5 sec or date an ugly woman just because she @#^%!! It all has to tie in together.. looks performance etc.
But in the end ,beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
 
Don't get me wrong, I want both. But good looks (or the capability of being made good looking with the help of one of our talented re-handle specialists) is just as much of a prerequisite for me as performance.

I buy all "plain" blades anyway (no damascus) so this isn't a huge issue for me anyway.
 
Looks factor in but are of secondary importance. But they still count for something.
 
Looks factor in but are of secondary importance. But they still count for something.

I bought the Yoshikane 240mm Hammered Gyuto in SKD on looks alone. I only read reviews and asked questions about it to aid in the rationalization. No way I wasn't buying that thing. Same with the Yoshikane 180mm Deba, Tamamoku pattern damascus, with V2 cutting edge. It's got a half round, half octagonal handle with buffalo horn at the end cap and ferrule. The pattern weld is beautiful. I am thankful they both do their job, but the looks won me over.

Cheers,

Jack
 
yep its in the thread Bowie vs. Chef. I went after a damascus blade and well the rest is history. After seeing some stunning damascus here I will be more picky in the future.
 
After seeing some stunning damascus here I will be more picky in the future.

I have a hard enough time choosing makes and makers without throwing damascus pattern options into the mix. I just can't do it, so it's plain blades for me.
 
I agree with Rick - Looks are important but they just weigh in with the other characteristics.

BY THE WAY - I jumped into this thread thinking maybe someone had prompted SON to post a pic of the pastry queen. Oh, well.

That will never happen. you have to dream like the rest of them.
 
The way I use knives, the practical differences between using Old Hickory carbon steel knives ($5-$15 :knife: ) and hand-forged gyutos and usubas are pretty negligible. All of them get scary sharp and all of them are mean slicers/cutters. The longevity of the edge just doesn't matter when you're cooking infrequently at home - sharpening once a month vs. once a year, who cares?

But having something fancy (ooo, forged by hand) and pretty-looking (ooo, damascus and rosewood) makes it much more fun to use. Knowing that they have excellent steel, hardness, etc. is just icing on the cake. :cool2: (it also helps me justify the cost to myself...)

Now that I have some nice toys, I look for excuses to play with them. That's cooking that I probably wouldn't bother with if my tools were more ho-hum businesslike!


:scratchhead: erm, in summation I think I'm trying to say that while I would never buy a knife that wasn't "good e-nuff" on the practical side, the bar is set low enough that my purchases are based more or less entirely upon looks. (and wallet...)
 
It's not so much that I pick based on looks, it's more that I'll pay 2x as much for a pretty knife that works exactly the same.
 
I go for looks first then weed out the ones that don't perform

-AJ
 
I bought my ironwood handled Tanaka dammy on looks, after I checked the steel!
 
I go for looks first then weed out the ones that don't perform

-AJ

Yep, there has to be that initial attraction/interest/vibe, or whatever you want to call it, that calls out to you.
 
You must be younger than me judging from your response re women. LOL
I wouldn't buy an ugly car just because went from 0-60 in 3.5 sec or date an ugly woman just because she @#^%!! It all has to tie in together.. looks performance etc.
But in the end ,beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
 
I will be 51 in June and that strange thing is that I am almost to the point where the idea of a woman who can keep my house from looking like someone threw a satchel charge through the front door is DAMN hot, sex notwithstanding. LOL
I'm 51 and I said "date" not "sleep with" :D
 
My preference is a silent killer.. plain looking never mind not appealing but a great performer..

I suppose that this parameter will govern all preferences of your other tastes

Thus , I suppose your parameters/criteria in selection of women will be the same basis as knives (?)

Stainless steel preference equates for a preference low maintenance women, not necessarily financially, but less problems headaches that could possibly come or possibly being more practical or dont think that going thru the extra care is worth teh extra keeness?

Those that go for test knives are more adventurous adn also with their women?

just thoughts only.. nothing factual..
 
I like my knives like I like my women,sharp,sexy and with curves in all the right places....
 
I like my knives like I like my women,sharp,sexy and with curves in all the right places....

Will your women also bite a piece off the tip if you aren't watching what you are doing?

My knives eclipsed my ability a long way back. Now I just buy them because they are just gorgeous and I slowly replace beaters and less attractive ones. Farm those out to friends so the cycle of addiction grows...
 
I buy on performance then pimp to looks. Cosmetic wood surgery. :)
 
Early on, it was all about looks. Damascus, just looked so darn cool. As I learned to sharpen, the interest changed to how easily and how keen an edge could be put on a knife. Over the past year or so, it's the profile that interests me the most.

Jay
 
i fight the impulse on a daily basis to buy knives purely based on visual appeal. fortunatly for me im a poor working line cook right now. god help if i make it back to sallary sous chef :-(
 
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