LivingSteel 626 Classic Chef LS235 - Pass around (CLOSED)
- Thread starter thebradleycrew
- Start date
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Well I guess it's time for my review! I just wanted to thank @thebradleycrew for orchestrating this and for letting me join along as a new member here. Also thanks to Abe, if he sees this, for lending the knife out. Hi Abe!
Onto the knife. Having received it last, the box had seen better days but I appreciate the packaging and the fact it even comes with a box. I have had plenty of knives come to me just bubble wrapped with no sheath or case. The knife itself on first looks is beautiful. It's a classy and timeless design with nice proportions. It seems regular and normal in the best sense. It's a pleasure to look at and one of the sleeper knives that if it was on the counter at someone's house, it would fit in, but if you knew what it was you would know, ya know?
Picking it up, it definitely has a little more heft in the handle which isn't necessarily my preference, but I can definitely see people enjoying the weight of it. The grinds at first glance are pretty top notch as expected from a great knife maker. A full flat grind that's nice and thin behind the edge. It feels nimble for the weight. It's honestly one of those knives where you're like "yeah, that's a nice feeling knife" the goldilocks per se. Not entirely heavy or light, just average.
So getting to actually cut with it. I have to thank Greg here as it seems he sharpened it before sending it out, and did a keen job (sorry). I was making a little stir fry so I was able to cut onions, bok choy, mushrooms, garlic peppers and whatnot. I have to admit it was a fun knife to use. It went through everything smoothly and the maybe 30 minutes I spent with it, the edge held up well. As a full flat grind though and being fairly tall, it doesn't have much food release, which never bothered me much anyways but was definitely noticeable cutting the mushrooms and celery as they stacked up on the blade.
Well from my review it seems like a positive one, but I have to rant a little here so forgive me. I don't think I can look at this knife in a vacuum. I will say I am grateful that in my store I'm able to handle many customs from makers all over, and some nice high end Japanese knives, so it's hard not to compare. While I don't get to use the customs in the shop all of the time, I would say most knife makers at this price point make a very functional knife. For me a lot of what drives these prices are experience of the knife maker, material costs, although less significant to me, and finishing touches.
Where this knife falls short to me is the price. I look around at the knives I have in the shop that are around that $850 price tag and think, I'd rather have any of them over this. Brass, bakelite which I just looked up is possibly a vintage micarta or g10 type material, and a fairly common low alloy carbon steel don't scream $850 to me. That, coupled with the fact that it isn't hand sanded or polished, and is missing some roundness at the spine and choil, and a simple full flat grind, make me think that this should be priced far less. I had some chefs come in and I would ask how much they thought it cost or what they would pay for it and the consensus was around $350-500. And I'd have to agree with them.
I have recently started my journey into knife making and it's given me much more appreciation that I already had for the craft. So I can appreciate the skill involved in making a knife like this. Again, it's classy and cuts nicely, and at the end of the day if someone is willing to pay for the knife that they think is comfortable and sexy to them, isn't that what this whole thing is all about??
Anywho... I just wanted to say thanks again to everyone on here for being very kind and welcoming. Happy holidays ya'll!
Onto the knife. Having received it last, the box had seen better days but I appreciate the packaging and the fact it even comes with a box. I have had plenty of knives come to me just bubble wrapped with no sheath or case. The knife itself on first looks is beautiful. It's a classy and timeless design with nice proportions. It seems regular and normal in the best sense. It's a pleasure to look at and one of the sleeper knives that if it was on the counter at someone's house, it would fit in, but if you knew what it was you would know, ya know?
Picking it up, it definitely has a little more heft in the handle which isn't necessarily my preference, but I can definitely see people enjoying the weight of it. The grinds at first glance are pretty top notch as expected from a great knife maker. A full flat grind that's nice and thin behind the edge. It feels nimble for the weight. It's honestly one of those knives where you're like "yeah, that's a nice feeling knife" the goldilocks per se. Not entirely heavy or light, just average.
So getting to actually cut with it. I have to thank Greg here as it seems he sharpened it before sending it out, and did a keen job (sorry). I was making a little stir fry so I was able to cut onions, bok choy, mushrooms, garlic peppers and whatnot. I have to admit it was a fun knife to use. It went through everything smoothly and the maybe 30 minutes I spent with it, the edge held up well. As a full flat grind though and being fairly tall, it doesn't have much food release, which never bothered me much anyways but was definitely noticeable cutting the mushrooms and celery as they stacked up on the blade.
Well from my review it seems like a positive one, but I have to rant a little here so forgive me. I don't think I can look at this knife in a vacuum. I will say I am grateful that in my store I'm able to handle many customs from makers all over, and some nice high end Japanese knives, so it's hard not to compare. While I don't get to use the customs in the shop all of the time, I would say most knife makers at this price point make a very functional knife. For me a lot of what drives these prices are experience of the knife maker, material costs, although less significant to me, and finishing touches.
Where this knife falls short to me is the price. I look around at the knives I have in the shop that are around that $850 price tag and think, I'd rather have any of them over this. Brass, bakelite which I just looked up is possibly a vintage micarta or g10 type material, and a fairly common low alloy carbon steel don't scream $850 to me. That, coupled with the fact that it isn't hand sanded or polished, and is missing some roundness at the spine and choil, and a simple full flat grind, make me think that this should be priced far less. I had some chefs come in and I would ask how much they thought it cost or what they would pay for it and the consensus was around $350-500. And I'd have to agree with them.
I have recently started my journey into knife making and it's given me much more appreciation that I already had for the craft. So I can appreciate the skill involved in making a knife like this. Again, it's classy and cuts nicely, and at the end of the day if someone is willing to pay for the knife that they think is comfortable and sexy to them, isn't that what this whole thing is all about??
Anywho... I just wanted to say thanks again to everyone on here for being very kind and welcoming. Happy holidays ya'll!
Another great write up. THANK YOU!
And a huge thanks to Abe for letting this happen. I hope folks found the passaround fun and the feedback useful in the search for the ultimate knife, or as case may be, knives!
Passaround is now closed and knife will be returning my way!
-Jamie
