The sink bridge to end all sink bridges

Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Michi

I dislike attempts to rewrite history
Joined
Jan 13, 2019
Messages
6,467
Reaction score
16,397
Location
Brisbane, Australia
My latest acquisition:
IMG_2538.JPG

IMG_2537.JPG

Total overkill, of course, but it's fun to use and very well made. Grey anodised aluminium blocks, stainless steel rails and screws. (The screw for the centre support for the stone is made out of brass.) Weight is 3 kg.

My great great grandchildren will still be able to use this…
 
Completely agree. Their built like a tank with the precision of a Rolex. Wildboar has one that he brakes out at the ECG to sharpen on. I wish I has use for one but I don’t sharpen at the sink. O do have the czar sandpaper holder and it da bomb too
 
Wow, that is a nice sink bridge. And I thought my stone holder was cool because it came with a plastic plate to catch water underneath. But this is a whole new level. Nice.
 
Wow, that is one fat beefy juicy stone you got there. What kind is it?
 
Wow, that is one fat beefy juicy stone you got there. What kind is it?
That's a Suehiro Cerax 1000. It's the 2020 model, which is double the normal thickness. There is also a 3030 model, which is 10 mm thicker than the 2020 and also has a larger (225 x 90) surface:

https://www.suehiro-toishi.com/en/ceraxseries/cerax/3030-re/

I bought the 2020 because it was only a few dollars more than the normal 1010 model. Twice the stone for much less than twice the price…
 
It's definitely nice but for $165, you can have it. I have a homemade bridge that i'm sure does the same job that cost me $5 and 30 minutes work.
 
It's definitely nice but for $165, you can have it. I have a homemade bridge that i'm sure does the same job that cost me $5 and 30 minutes work.
Yep. If it holds a stone firmly over a sink, it's a sink bridge that works, pretty much by definition.

Part of it for me is that I like tools that are well made. They are things of beauty.

Can I cook an excellent meal with a $20 Wiltshire Staysharp? Absolutely. Will the same meal prepared with a hand-crafted gyuto for $500 taste any better? Probably not. Will I have had a lot more fun preparing the meal with the gyuto? Absolutely! :)
 
Yep. If it holds a stone firmly over a sink, it's a sink bridge that works, pretty much by definition.

Part of it for me is that I like tools that are well made. They are things of beauty.

Can I cook an excellent meal with a $20 Wiltshire Staysharp? Absolutely. Will the same meal prepared with a hand-crafted gyuto for $500 taste any better? Probably not. Will I have had a lot more fun preparing the meal with the gyuto? Absolutely! :)
I’m with you Michi. It’s more than a simple question of utility. A well engineered and manufactured tool is a pleasure to own and use.
 
I'm (sort of) with root. Like to surround myself with stuff I made myself wherever practical. Not just because it is cheaper (it isn't always), more like personalisation or escaping the man or self reliance or something. Don't really know.
 
I can see both sides here. The Czar/Kasfly is beautifully engineered and works really well. With patience, some scrap timber, a couple of bolts and probably a little more skill than I possess, I'm sure I could rig something up to do the job for well under $10. Would it be as beautiful? No way. I love using my Czar/Kasfly - it's flexible, sturdy and gives me a great working height - and it's a lovely piece of kit. If I'm not at home, a cutting board or brick with some non-slip matting and I'm right to go.

this is not really half as nice, but i thought i might put this out there, if peoples are new to this style of bridge
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Kit...lgo_pvid=95aab756-ace4-4065-9cfe-ecc26e2cfd6b
That bridge seems to be a viable cheaper option. If any one here has used one, please tell us your impressions.

Can I cook an excellent meal with a $20 Wiltshire Staysharp? Absolutely. Will the same meal prepared with a hand-crafted gyuto for $500 taste any better? Probably not. Will I have had a lot more fun preparing the meal with the gyuto? Absolutely! :)
Actually... If harder fruit or vegetables are cut with a good, sharp knife and eaten raw or lightly cooked, they not only taste better but have a smoother texture IMO. However, my wife thinks I'm imagining it. :rolleyes:
 
However, my wife thinks I'm imagining it. :rolleyes:

Your wife is probably wrong :D

I do acknowledge your point, though. For things such as sashimi and other raw ingredients, the super-clean cuts make a difference. But I don't think it makes any difference for 99%+ of the food I eat on a daily basis. To me, first and foremost, using a super-sharp knife is just plain fun. Just like driving a really good and fast car is fun. I enjoy using good and functional tools, period.

And, seriously, I have never, ever come across a gourmet who ate the food and then exclaimed "I can just taste the Masamoto KS in that mushroom stew—simply superb!"
 
I'm with you , Michi - there is something about a well-thought-out and carefully-made tool that adds to the pleasure of my hobbies, be it J-knives, photography, whatever. I admire fine craftsmanship and mechanical excellence wherever I find it, despite my own inability to achieve the same with my cooking, photos, etc.! [Although I must admit, I don't see many of my friends or family members refusing to eat anything I cook, so I guess I'm a little better than passable as a chef!]
 
Although I must admit, I don't see many of my friends or family members refusing to eat anything I cook, so I guess I'm a little better than passable as a chef!
It sounds like none of your friends or family members have died yet, so you must be doing something wrong. Let us know once you've made some progress, please! ;)

To be honest, quite a few people who come to my house and see my knife block say "wow, you have a lot of knives!" I then pull out one or two I like and explain how much better they work than what most people have ever come across. I might pull out a third one, just to illustrate that using the right knife for the right job can really make short work of something that, otherwise, would be really tedious.

By that point, most people back off half a step or so and give me a blank stare. It's the kind of stare that has slightly widened eyes and quietly says "I think I had better get out of here right now. That guy is holding a knife!"

Sadly, most people don't get it, and won't ever get it.
 
Last edited:
And, seriously, I have never, ever come across a gourmet who ate the food and then exclaimed "I can just taste the Masamoto KS in that mushroom stew—simply superb!"
sometimes I wonder to myself, damn that salad was delicious because of the TF I used or the steak was so juicy because I sliced it with the Ginga :eek:
 
I have that exact sinkbridge and I really believe it is the sinkbridge to end all bridges.

It is pretty damn heavy though, but it works well with my sink set-up.
 
Yeah, one can make a sink bridge for $10. That's great, assuming your leisure time has zero value. Like everyone else on this forum, I pick my battles. I am currently trying to troubleshoot and fix a non-functional home heating system; I'll be into it for $250 in new diagnostic tools, and ~8 hours of my leisure time labor. An HVAC company is going to throw a new motherboard or fan motor at it, either of which will >$1,000. I hope to get it working for 25% of that, plus have tools and knowledge to help me going forward. Did the same thing with two different outside compressors over the last 2 years. Car repairs as well -- I am happy to spend money on tools and parts, and leisure time learning and developing a skill set.

For me personally though, I will not learn much making a sink bridge, and for the time it would take buying the Czar was a no-brainer. And $165 (or whatever I paid 4-5 years ago for it) is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of my knives, sharpening stones, cutting boards, pots/ pans, and the addition that houses most of my kitchen :D And in the end, no way would I be able to build a bridge that was anything but some wood scraps screws, bolted and/ or glued together -- the Czar fits all three sinks, and they vary a lot in size.
 
this is not really half as nice, but i thought i might put this out there, if peoples are new to this style of bridge
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Kit...lgo_pvid=95aab756-ace4-4065-9cfe-ecc26e2cfd6b
Definitely worth a gamble for $35. I was toying with making one like Michi posted, but I’d just as soon start with the Chinese one. That way after another $75 and 40 hours I can be happy I saved so much money and have something almost as good as the original!:rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Yeah, one can make a sink bridge for $10. That's great, assuming your leisure time has zero value. Like everyone else on this forum, I pick my battles. I am currently trying to troubleshoot and fix a non-functional home heating system; I'll be into it for $250 in new diagnostic tools, and ~8 hours of my leisure time labor. An HVAC company is going to throw a new motherboard or fan motor at it, either of which will >$1,000. I hope to get it working for 25% of that, plus have tools and knowledge to help me going forward. Did the same thing with two different outside compressors over the last 2 years. Car repairs as well -- I am happy to spend money on tools and parts, and leisure time learning and developing a skill set.

For me personally though, I will not learn much making a sink bridge, and for the time it would take buying the Czar was a no-brainer. And $165 (or whatever I paid 4-5 years ago for it) is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of my knives, sharpening stones, cutting boards, pots/ pans, and the addition that houses most of my kitchen :D And in the end, no way would I be able to build a bridge that was anything but some wood scraps screws, bolted and/ or glued together -- the Czar fits all three sinks, and they vary a lot in size.
Fixed my HVAC by buying a functioning used motherboard off Ebay. Took 20 mins to replace and saved over $800. Capacitor replacement on outside compressor unit is another easy money saver. Just take precautions and discharge.
 
Definitely worth a gamble for $35. I was toying with making one like Michi posted, but I’d just as soon start with the Chinese one. That way after another $75 and 40 hours I can be happy I saved so much money and have something almost as good as the original!:rolleyes:
Please let us know how it pans out. I think the nylon version looks good. The only concern might be how the threads for the wing screws are embedded into the nylon blocks. Over-tightening the wing screws might pull out the threads, so I'd be careful there.
 
Definitely worth a gamble for $35. I was toying with making one like Michi posted, but I’d just as soon start with the Chinese one. That way after another $75 and 40 hours I can be happy I saved so much money and have something almost as good as the original!:rolleyes:

7cm wide.. abt just wide enough for a regular stone

i did use a similar sinkbridge over a long commercial sink ( long) .. ONly problem i had was that it can topple over either to the left or right if you do not spread pressure across the whole width of stone..

A switch over to a 10cm wide plank and very stable
The steel rods may rust..
 
I want to order that $35 sink bridge, but that website makes me nervous....
 
Back
Top