Ok, I’ll admit that at one time I shared your opening sentiments. This would have been a couple years ago, someone had mentioned Raquin knives as desirable. So I took a look at his web page and was unimpressed. KU finish, burnt oak handle, what’s to love? After a couple years into the hobby I look back and feel like such a noob.
I finally landed a Raquin gyuto. It’s performance on the board was eye opening to say the least. It just out performed most knives, including knives that cost 1k and over. My first Raquin was 225x50 kitchen tractor grind, I actually looked at the knife wondering how this mid to thick grind was ghosting ingredients as it did as I tried it out. But then...
I got a hold of a Raquin 165 Nakiri. I’m a square knife fan btw, oh man, this little Nakiri was amazing. Processing ingredients with ease and out performing, my KU Shig, my toyama. And a few others. Then I landed a 210 Nakiri and 185 Nakiri, wow! These blades literally blew the competition away. I’m not just writing BS, those Nakiris our performed every Nakiri I had tried and that’s a few.
So when I read your opening thread I chuckled, because at one time, a couple years back, I was saying the same thing. Not anymore. Bryan Raquin has it down. Your not buying an rustic burnt oak cutesy knife, your buying a blade on steroids in the performance dept. I would suggest getting your hands on one and pitting it against your favorite knife, you may walk away singing a different tune and may think a 600 dollars Raquin under valued.
One last comment. When these custom knife makers reach the point that their efforts become somewhat profitable then I say good for them. They have hours and hours invested in this and they do it because they love it, not because it’s profitable. If you broke down their time by the hour, a 600 dollar 210 Nakiri is a deal. The more we support them then the more options we will have. We are a spoiled lot, we have so many custom makers to choose from, Bryan Raquin is at the top of that heap. I’ve put his blades to the test, the man is a rock star.