So I'm Curious...
That's how I titled my PM to Matt (@MSicardCutlery) back at the end of May. I'd dabbled with the idea of another custom gyuto and even asked you folks for some thoughts but ultimately decided that I needed to keep exploring the knives I currently have and really refining my desires before making that leap. But, as I've expressed here before, I have a soft spot for honesuki. Yes, I do break down whole chickens but more than that, I just think they're cool and unique and like their deba cousins, scream "Japanese niche knife"!
And so I was curious if Matt had ever made one before and fired off my inquiry. I wasn't ready to go yet and was just swirling my toe in the pond over a cold beverage. Matt promptly responded that he had not yet made one but had pondered it previously and was sure he could. I told him I wouldn't hold him to a price as there were so many variables but asked him to ballpark and his response surely accelerated my timeframe!
So after a couple more weeks, I was ready and Matt and I began what became a fun, active, back and forth dialogue as we sorta designed, or at least discussed, every facet of the knife. I gave some rough estimates of what I was thinking, "165mm-ish. 35-40mm-ish. Right hand bias. Bone-scraping spine."
We settled on stock-removal 52100. I'd suggested the steel as I like carbon and don't have any knives in that flavor. Matt and I discussed the finish grit of both the blade face and the spine, the handle material that would hold up well to this work and the best ways to seal it to keep out slime and water. All of it, and it was a ton of fun! Matt was awesome about giving me updates in words and pictures.
After partying with the Customs folks for two weeks, my new knife finally arrived today.
Quote from Matt:
Alrighty...I finally got the blade done. It measures 168mmx41mm. It tapers from 2.7mm at the neck 2.2mm@halfway 1.92@ the start of the tip, and 1.25mm@1cm. Heavy RH bias, only a little convexity on the LH face, well radiused choil finished to 600 grit, 120grit belt finished spine, 320 grit finish on the faces and the tip. It's about .2-.25mm at the edge, so .008"-.010", and should be 63hrc.
It's fantastic! The length will give me a little more versatility but should still be plenty manageable. It feels great and I can't wait to put it to work.
Shown here with my Masakane:
The entire experience, well except maybe the custom delay, was outstanding. Matt was great and along the way we engaged in some general personal chit-chattery and he's just a good dude.
I'm proud to say I own his first honesuki and I look forward to our next endeavor.
That's how I titled my PM to Matt (@MSicardCutlery) back at the end of May. I'd dabbled with the idea of another custom gyuto and even asked you folks for some thoughts but ultimately decided that I needed to keep exploring the knives I currently have and really refining my desires before making that leap. But, as I've expressed here before, I have a soft spot for honesuki. Yes, I do break down whole chickens but more than that, I just think they're cool and unique and like their deba cousins, scream "Japanese niche knife"!
And so I was curious if Matt had ever made one before and fired off my inquiry. I wasn't ready to go yet and was just swirling my toe in the pond over a cold beverage. Matt promptly responded that he had not yet made one but had pondered it previously and was sure he could. I told him I wouldn't hold him to a price as there were so many variables but asked him to ballpark and his response surely accelerated my timeframe!
So after a couple more weeks, I was ready and Matt and I began what became a fun, active, back and forth dialogue as we sorta designed, or at least discussed, every facet of the knife. I gave some rough estimates of what I was thinking, "165mm-ish. 35-40mm-ish. Right hand bias. Bone-scraping spine."
We settled on stock-removal 52100. I'd suggested the steel as I like carbon and don't have any knives in that flavor. Matt and I discussed the finish grit of both the blade face and the spine, the handle material that would hold up well to this work and the best ways to seal it to keep out slime and water. All of it, and it was a ton of fun! Matt was awesome about giving me updates in words and pictures.
After partying with the Customs folks for two weeks, my new knife finally arrived today.
Quote from Matt:
Alrighty...I finally got the blade done. It measures 168mmx41mm. It tapers from 2.7mm at the neck 2.2mm@halfway 1.92@ the start of the tip, and 1.25mm@1cm. Heavy RH bias, only a little convexity on the LH face, well radiused choil finished to 600 grit, 120grit belt finished spine, 320 grit finish on the faces and the tip. It's about .2-.25mm at the edge, so .008"-.010", and should be 63hrc.
It's fantastic! The length will give me a little more versatility but should still be plenty manageable. It feels great and I can't wait to put it to work.
Shown here with my Masakane:
The entire experience, well except maybe the custom delay, was outstanding. Matt was great and along the way we engaged in some general personal chit-chattery and he's just a good dude.
I'm proud to say I own his first honesuki and I look forward to our next endeavor.
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