HSC3 pass around gyuto

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I've used the knife for one long day and a couple other shorter ones. I likes it. I've already asked Alex what he asked for in way of custom and may order one like it.

First day up I took it to a couple catering events. Early event was Bar Mitzvah brunch for about 100, putting on the swank. No prep had been done ahead of time so I spent a couple hours making big stuff into little stuff. Did bell peppers julienne, diced onions, much fruit, mushrooms, rough chop tomato, cut new potato, bloody mary fixins (sold a LOT of bloodies for a 10 yr old's party), etc. I was filling Cambros as fast as I got product. The HSC was the only gyuto I had with me and there was nothing it did not do well. No wedging. Cut very well. Nicely balanced and nimble. Good food release. And I loved it being stainless.

The afternoon was more of the same, wedding for 4 or 500. I "won" the charcuterie board(s) prep and was cubing cheese, cutting wedges, slicing some. Doing all manner of cuts on all manner of fruit, slicing / dicing a variety of cured sausages. And again the results were impressive. During the whole adventure I never wished I had a different knife for any task. And it was stainless.

The day job stuff was cutting raw and cooked beef, turkey, ham, and probably some others. Some cubing, some slicing and even peeling the skin off the ham. All was good.

Sharpening was a little more difficult than with some other knives. Was having a hard time raising a burr with the G2K so switched to Wat 1000, (said to be same as SP1000), got a burr quickly then back to G2K and finished on G4K. I'm not big on strops so didn't' try and find mine. At the start the edge had degraded to no stickiness on fingernail and a bit ragged on paper. All was good at the end - perhaps 30 min. Craig has compared it being like a DT IDK to sharpen - I found it harder, have not in my recollection ever had to take a DT to the Shapton.

I like it enough to be considering buying one. Going to start counting nickels.

Thanks Alex for putting this on.

BTW - Who's next?
 
I've used the knife for one long day and a couple other shorter ones. I likes it. I've already asked Alex what he asked for in way of custom and may order one like it.

First day up I took it to a couple catering events. Early event was Bar Mitzvah brunch for about 100, putting on the swank. No prep had been done ahead of time so I spent a couple hours making big stuff into little stuff. Did bell peppers julienne, diced onions, much fruit, mushrooms, rough chop tomato, cut new potato, bloody mary fixins (sold a LOT of bloodies for a 10 yr old's party), etc. I was filling Cambros as fast as I got product. The HSC was the only gyuto I had with me and there was nothing it did not do well. No wedging. Cut very well. Nicely balanced and nimble. Good food release. And I loved it being stainless.

The afternoon was more of the same, wedding for 4 or 500. I "won" the charcuterie board(s) prep and was cubing cheese, cutting wedges, slicing some. Doing all manner of cuts on all manner of fruit, slicing / dicing a variety of cured sausages. And again the results were impressive. During the whole adventure I never wished I had a different knife for any task. And it was stainless.

The day job stuff was cutting raw and cooked beef, turkey, ham, and probably some others. Some cubing, some slicing and even peeling the skin off the ham. All was good.

Sharpening was a little more difficult than with some other knives. Was having a hard time raising a burr with the G2K so switched to Wat 1000, (said to be same as SP1000), got a burr quickly then back to G2K and finished on G4K. I'm not big on strops so didn't' try and find mine. At the start the edge had degraded to no stickiness on fingernail and a bit ragged on paper. All was good at the end - perhaps 30 min. Craig has compared it being like a DT IDK to sharpen - I found it harder, have not in my recollection ever had to take a DT to the Shapton.

I like it enough to be considering buying one. Going to start counting nickels.

Thanks Alex for putting this on.

BTW - Who's next?

thank you for this.

just to clarify on it being "stainless"

Z Wear PM - This is a powder metallurgy high alloy carbon tool steel. It has the added benefits of some increased corrosion resistance (7,5% chrome) and added toughness, and perhaps best of all, better edge holding. This steel takes a great edge.

So it's not a stainless steel but definitely has enough corrosion resistance to make you think that it is. :)

and I also think that it's a little more difficult to sharpen than AEB-L that I have made,
 
How’s this passaround coming along @ashy2classy :)

here’s a z wear I just completed for a forum member at 64 Rockwell

oc5Ptbr.jpg
 
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What is it about Shapton that makes them people's "break glass in case of no burr" stone? Isn't it just AlOx? Wouldn't SiC be a harder medium that cuts faster? Don't other stones also use AlOx as an abrasive?
I'm coming at this from a place of considerable ignorance. Just curious what's special about Shapton.

Don't want to derail, I'm happy to go read another thread to edutain myself.
 
Subbing to this. Just talked to Harbeer earlier about a custom boy for me so this is great stuff to read.
You won't be disappointed. I have one of his zwear gyutos and i love it. Once i get some more money together i might get another one.
 
What is it about Shapton that makes them people's "break glass in case of no burr" stone? Isn't it just AlOx? Wouldn't SiC be a harder medium that cuts faster? Don't other stones also use AlOx as an abrasive?
I'm coming at this from a place of considerable ignorance. Just curious what's special about Shapton.

Don't want to derail, I'm happy to go read another thread to edutain myself.
I dunno, but it works.
 
Can't speak for others but for me it acts like downshifting from a normal 1K to a faster, possibly coarser stone. If you can't raise a burr with a SP1000 then time to bury the knife (or improve technique). I find reverse true with the SP2000, it's not unusual for me to go from the 1K to the 2K and be done - esp with house knives or relative's knives.
 
just to give an update on pricing on these large Z wear gyutos...
I've exhausted my supply of heat treated blanks, meaning they have all been ordered/purchased.

So I have to order and process more steel. So any large (>210mm) Z wear gyuto orders will be $500 plus shipping.
The steel is expensive, the grinding is time consuming and it eats up abrasives.
I never got into this to get rich and I'm not money hungry but I have to make a living.
I believe this steel provides a higher value to the user, and I know I'm still cheaper than others.

And since these are all custom orders, they are more costly for a maker. Sometimes there are 50 messages back and forth in the ordering of a project. And I don't want to stop taking custom orders, because I like the personal interaction and connection. It's why I don't sell on a website, I don't want to make and sell "merchandise"

Smaller pettys and paring knives will be less costly for both of us.

Harbeer
 
Didn't get much time to use the knife, but I'll reiterate that the construction is awesome. Thinner spine but still rock solid. Love it! Very comfortable in the hand and the profile works well for me. Didn't sharpen it, but it was nice and sharp when I got it so it had no trouble with anything. Fantastic all-around knife that performs extremely well. Overall the HSC3 was very enjoyable to use and a great kitchen tool anyone would be happy to own. Did everything extremely well for me as a home cook.

Thanks to Harbeer and Alex for letting me participate!
 
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Didn't get much time to use the knife, but I'll reiterate that the construction is awesome. Thinner spine but still rock solid. Love it! Very comfortable in the hand and the profile works well for me. Didn't sharpen it, but it was nice and sharp when I got it so it had no trouble with anything. Fantastic all-around knife that performs extremely well. Overall the HSC3 was very enjoyable to use and a great kitchen tool anyone would be happy to own. Did everything extremely well for me as a home cook.

Thanks to Harbeer and Alex for letting me participate!
High praise considering all the knives you're tried. Now I'm looking forward to trying this one even more.
 
In the box this knife was delivered in was a list of participants and who gets this next. I have a couple boxes in my office, and accidentally grabbed the wrong one. So now I'm down a list, but need to know who gets this knife next. Let me know and I will ship it off asap.

I'll throw together a quick review here soon as well.
 
Just shot @SilverSwarfer a message for address. Hope to get this bad boy in the mail while they're still in effect. I hear Amazon is suspending deliveries already, or come soon.
I kinda wish mail was suspended so I'd be stuck with this knife longer...
 
In the box this knife was delivered in was a list of participants and who gets this next. I have a couple boxes in my office, and accidentally grabbed the wrong one. So now I'm down a list, but need to know who gets this knife next. Let me know and I will ship it off asap.

I'll throw together a quick review here soon as well.
You need to get your **** together, Marc. I included the list and sent the knife in a brand new box. ;)
 
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