My [semi] LEFT-HANDED Knife Kit

[daveb]

I like looking at your Gengetsu - almost as much as looking at mine. Smiley.

 

[DitmasPork]

I like looking at your Gengetsu - almost as much as looking at mine. Smiley.

Yes, wonderful knife—happy I bought it a few years ago when in stock!

 

[DitmasPork]

My very first J-knife, think I purchased it back in 2011—a left-handed, 240 Misono UX10 (red on edge is a reflection). Perhaps not the most fashionable gyuto on KKF these days, but still a wonderful, beautifully designed knife—it infected me with the knife buying sickness. My wife cringes when I mention needing (wanting) another knife!

 

[StonedEdge]

Left-handed Misono Swedish Carbon Honesuki. My very fist honesuki, for a birthday present to myself, loving it!

I have the same one (but right-handed) and it was also a b-day present to myself, it's an absolutely stellar chicken processing machine! Goes through an entire flock of birds and keeps begging for more! Edge retention is awesome not to mention the patina it develops from cutting chicken in really nice.

 

[StonedEdge]

I'm not even a southpaw and this thing has me drooling, just beautiful!

 

[DitmasPork]

I have the same one (but right-handed) and it was also a b-day present to myself, it's an absolutely stellar chicken processing machine! Goes through an entire flock of birds and keeps begging for more! Edge retention is awesome not to mention the patina it develops from cutting chicken in really nice.

The weight and feel of the Misono honesuki is spot on for me personally—it's making me eat more chicken. I've used it for fish occasionally, though I'm not as skilled as this dude in the video!
[video=youtube;23FDM37LZO8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23FDM37LZO8[/video]

 

[StonedEdge]

I know exactly what you mean.

 

[DitmasPork]

My new petty, just unwrapped! A birthday present to myself, it's a 150mm carbon Uraku kurouchi.

I had started a thread a few days ago seeking thoughts on my shortlist of sub-$150 kurouchi pettys. I ended up going for the Uraku—reasonably priced, in stock, like the short sleek profile.

Looking forward to putting this to use—f&f looks good!

 

[DitmasPork]

Kato Workhorse, 240mm gyuto
Masahiro, 150mm, lefty carbon petty

 

[DitmasPork]

Masamoto KS, 240mm gyuto
Homemade pork neck meat char siu

 

[DitmasPork]

Thought I'd repost my collection, since my Photobucket account expired, and deleted original image.

RIGHT ROW, TOP TO BOTTOM:
240mm Masamoto HC Gyuto
240mm Gesshin Kagero Gyuto
240mm Left handed Misono UX10 Gyuto
270mm Left handed Carbon Masahiro Sujihiki
270mm Moly Kikuichi Sujihiki
270mm Left handed Shigefusa Yanigiba
150mm Left handed Carbon Masahiro Honkotsu
6 inch Victorinox Semi Stiff boning knife
Vintage Wustof Carbon cleaver [from mom]
CCK Cleaver

MAIN ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT:
10 inch Wustof SS Chef Knife
270mm Mac Bread Knife
4 inch Sabatier Carbon Paring
8 inch Sabatier Carbon Chef
10 inch Sabatier Carbon Chef
270mm Watanebe Gyuto
240mm Watanebe Gyuto
240mm Kato Workhorse Gyuto
240mm Gengetsu Semi Stainless Gyuto
240mm Kochi Gyuto
240mm Left handed Masamoto KS
240mm Konosuke Fujiyama white #2 Gyuto

BOTTOM, LEFT OF CLEAVERS:
150mm Left handed Carbon Masahiro Petty
150mm Mac Petty
180 mm Left handed Uraku Deba
R Murphy New Haven SS Oyster Knife wood handle
R Murphy New Haven SS Oyster Knife green handle
Japanese SS Oyster Knife wood handle

 

[DitmasPork]

Watanabe 270. Heavy prep machine.

 

[panda]

how do you like the r murphy oyster knife? ive been meaning to pick one of those up.

 

[DitmasPork]

how do you like the r murphy oyster knife? ive been meaning to pick one of those up.

Fine, if you're into the New Haven curved tip blade—happy with mine. I like the plastic handled one more, slightly thicker blade. I find the rounded handles a little difficult to grip. Works for small to medium sized oysters. For larger oysters I use the Japanese oyster knife on the right.

 

[DitmasPork]

Family photo of my current left-handed knives—missing from photo is a 225 left-handed Kippington work pony.

 

[panda]

ditmas, you gotta try mizuno's KS. i traded my beloved mario for one! that's saying something. he ended up buying my marko honyaki too (from my buddy who i sold it to), hehe dude has good taste.

 

[DitmasPork]

ditmas, you gotta try mizuno's KS. i traded my beloved mario for one! that's saying something. he ended up buying my marko honyaki too (from my buddy who i sold it to), hehe dude has good taste.

Aren’t Mizuno not very lefty friendly?

 

[DitmasPork]

Fab Five. My current 240 lineup: KS, Kato WH, Denka, Watanabe, Jiro.

 

[DitmasPork]

French knives. Bottom pic are my 3 Sabs, nearly 30 years old, kept me happy until discovering J-knives.

 

[Chips]

I absolutely adore your photography!

 

[stevenStefano]

How do you like the 270 Watanabe? I'm guessing it's pretty weighty

 

[DitmasPork]

How do you like the 270 Watanabe? I'm guessing it's pretty weighty

Really good knife, one of the heavier knives I have, don't have a scale.

 

[adam92]

Wow, lefty shigefusa

 

[DitmasPork]

Wow, lefty shigefusa

Bought before crazy Shig prices were the norm.

 

[adam92]

Bought before crazy Shig prices were the norm.

Many people said now shigefusa is overpriced, for kasumi shigefusa can get honyaki knife

 

[DitmasPork]

Many people said now shigefusa is overpriced, for kasumi shigefusa can get honyaki knife

Personally, I don't use the term 'overpriced,' knives just cost what they cost—'overpriced' is subjective. My 270 lefty Shig yanagi and 240 Kato workhorse cost $600 and $550 brand new when I got them. Thought they were pricey back then, current prices are way beyond my financial reach now. Some view TF denka as 'overpriced,' I feel they're worth every penny.

Value is such a funny thing. I've paid over-the-odds for something I really wanted, and passed up really great deals on perfectly fine knives that didn't interest me.

 

[DitmasPork]

My humble suji collection—it's a start. 270 Mazaki, 270 Y. Tanaka, 240 Heiji, 230 Yanick.

 

[adam92]

My humble suji collection—it's a start. 270 Mazaki, 270 Y. Tanaka, 240 Heiji, 230 Yanick.

View attachment 110158

OMG, your knife & photo skill is tempting me.

 

[DitmasPork]

OMG, your knife & photo skill is tempting me.

Cheers. I've considered putting a stop to buying knives. Haven't cooked a supper party in about a year, cooking for two surely can't justify incoming knives. However, knife buys have kept me sane, offering a bit of happiness in these dark times.

 

[DitmasPork]

225s. Marko, Bryan, Takada, Heiji, Kippington.