You've got to pick a new paring or two....

[playford]

Hello.

My old carter paring went walkies so in the market for something new.

I'd like stainless or stainless clad. Western most likely. I use a paring mostly as a peeler granny style for garlic, onions etc. I've found some of the Japanese to ones a bit small in the hand, so considering just a wusthof sheepsfoot? Any ideas? I'm guessing things have moved on besides misono/mac or harner being the only choices. Hattori Fh is nice but 180 dollars plus vat is crazy money! I'd love an old carter paring but I have some and no chance!

Ideas folks?

 

[Cliff]

I still like a Mac Pro for that.

 

[playford]

I still like a Mac Pro for that.

How do you find the handle? I find a lot of Japanese paring knives a bit small to use birds beak/granny kinda style.

 

[Cliff]

It's not the greatest handle, but it works for me. I vastly prefer it to things like Victorionox with the cheap, fibrox. It has a more solid feel, and I like the steel better than Wusthof. Haven't tried Misono. I find myself choking up on it to use it birds beak style, in hand.

 

[playford]

I looked at something like this, But I'd guess the steel being a bit soft/thick isn't idea.

 

[TB_London]

Have you got a pic of the Carter?
Parers do seem hard to get right

 

[Heckel7302]

I love my Butch Harner paring. Stainless XHP tool steel 63hrc.

His standard paring has a larger handle. This is custom with the paring blade and the “scalpel” handle.

 

[M1k3]

Shun Classic or Messermeister San Moritz?

 

[playford]

Have you got a pic of the Carter?
Parers do seem hard to get right

The one I like is the original muteki one from a million years ago. Can't find a pic.

The one I had that was perfect was the carter petty you ground down for me into a sheepsfoot, it went walkies if you remember.

 

[ModRQC]

Well I had to buy one for a lady friend recently. Despite myself, and since I/she didn't want to pay a hefty price, I finally ordered a cheap Sakai Kikumori Western SG2 120mm. Perhaps a bit thick and totally useless edge out of the box, but gets a nicer one easily, and the handle is just nicely chunky in hand to use beak/granny style which is exactly what she does with it. I put a relief bevel to it to alleviate thickness BTE.

Possibly 120mm some guys will find a bit short for that use, possibly not. Thought it fitted very well myself although I seldom use a knife that way.

 

[playford]

Well I had to buy one for a lady friend recently. Despite myself, and since I/she didn't want to pay a hefty price, I finally ordered a cheap Sakai Kikumori Western SG2 120mm. Perhaps a bit thick and totally useless edge out of the box, but gets a nicer one easily, and the handle is just nicely chunky in hand to use beak/granny style which is exactly what she does with it. I put a relief bevel to it to alleviate thickness BTE.

Possibly 120mm some guys will find a bit short for that use, possibly not. Thought it fitted very well myself although I seldom use a knife that way.

I have a 150mm Hattori, this is for peeling small jobs that a petty is too big for

 

[daveb]

Off the shelf, the Shun Classic 3.5" doesn't suck. MAC Pro is prob good.

To replace the Carter, I would go with a Harner - there's a reason it's so well liked. (I've two and a "scapel".) If you can find one, the Ealy is very robust and a joy to use.

 

[ModRQC]

I have a 150mm Hattori, this is for peeling small jobs that a petty is too big for

Yeah I see what you mean especially if you have a 150mm at hand already.

The Harner really looks great.

 

[playford]

Off the shelf, the Shun Classic 3.5" doesn't suck. MAC Pro is prob good.

To replace the Carter, I would go with a Harner - there's a reason it's so well liked. (I've two and a "scapel".) If you can find one, the Ealy is very robust and a joy to use.

I dropped him a message there to see if he could do me a Japanese style sheepsfoot next time he is doing a run.

Butch is a good guy, always found him easy to deal with in the past.

 

[KnightKnightForever]

Love my little catchy Best parer I've owned

 

[McMan]

+1 for Ealy and Harner. Both have substantial handles so will be comfortable to use 'granny style'. Another parer tailor-made to granny-style cutting is the Warther, good design with a little hump on the spine to put your finger against.
https://warthercutlery.com/collections/paring-knives/products/3-paring-knife

 

[cawilson6072]

On the Harner, consider his “steak” knife. The western handle is very nice, good grind as is customary, and longer-but-not-at-all-too-long in hand parer. This is from his IG and gives a comparison of the steak and parer size. I am VERY happy with my steak knife.

 

[Jeff]

Shun Classic or Messermeister San Moritz?

Shun Classic.

I just got a Miyabi Birchwood for Christmas
( R2 31/2” )

 

[Reptyle]

Looks like Carter is putting up a batch of paring knives this Friday.

 

[playford]

Looks like Carter is putting up a batch of paring knives this Friday.

Saw that, thanks! In the meantime I ended up DMing butch to make me a parer.

 

[Bear]

You can't go wrong there

 

[SwampDonkey]

I like my Shun Premier pairing for that stuff, I find the handle very comfortable in multiple positions

 

[playford]

I like my Shun Premier pairing for that stuff, I find the handle very comfortable in multiple positions

I'm planning a mixture of sheepsfoot and wa handle, kinda similar vibe

 

[Jeff]

I'm planning a mixture of sheepsfoot and wa handle, kinda similar vibe

Years back I acquired a Shun “Alton’s angle” sheepsfoot.

I use it primarily for bar back work.

I think they are out of production - I guard it carefully!

From way back when AB had a deal w/ Shun. There was a whole line with the angled handle (20° ?) The story was he is tall and it ergonomic for him (and tall people) **

Not sure about the ergonomics, they were never comfortable for me - EXCEPT that sheepsfoot. Love the small blade (regular sheepsfoot size but with added knuckle
clearance!!!

Strictly a board-work blade.

** Definitely vintage because the logo is from back when he had hair! plus I’ve had it for about 15 yrs.

 

[Jovidah]

Personally I think sheepsfoot sucks; the tip just doesn't perform. I prefer centertip models (or more triangular French style). Similarly, while you can peel just fine with longer models, for other jobs like coring, pitting, shorter is better... so for me a good versatile paring knife should be around 9 cm max.
I feel you about the handle issue though; handle being too smal is my main gripe with most of them.
I'm partial to the Robert Herder paring knives - even the cheaper models - but they share that problem; in that sense my quest isn't over yet.

 

[playford]

Work in progress shot.

 

[playford]

Butch knocks it outta the park. Looking forward to trying this out.

 

[nijiumu]

Personally I think sheepsfoot sucks; the tip just doesn't perform. I prefer centertip models (or more triangular French style). Similarly, while you can peel just fine with longer models, for other jobs like coring, pitting, shorter is better... so for me a good versatile paring knife should be around 9 cm max.
I feel you about the handle issue though; handle being too smal is my main gripe with most of them.
I'm partial to the Robert Herder paring knives - even the cheaper models - but they share that problem; in that sense my quest isn't over yet.

Meesterslijpers has one that is centertip with a longer handle. Have you tried that one?

 

[btbyrd]

My favorite for doing in-hand stuff like peeling granny style is a Paraplui A Le'Epreuve Perfect Parer from Thérias et l'Econome. I got it from Epicurean Edge. Great classic shape, soft carbon steel that's easy to sharpen and maintain, nice pakkawood handle and great fit and finish for like $55 or something.

 

[stringer]

@HSC /// Knives has me in the queue for a petty/paring set in Zwear. I'll be sure to post when I get them.