Custom Kitchen Knives - Who and what materials

S

Sid Post

Joined
Oct 14, 1998
Messages
4,725
As I look over the personal knives in my collection and the daily users, I find a gaping hole in the kitchen. If it were not for that one glimmer of a real knife (my Rinaldi TTKK in BG-42) things would be in a truly sad state of affairs. The Henkels Chinese cleaver makes a good second place showing but, after that I am down to pocket folders and field knives.

Considering how little time I spend in the "field" and how much I spend in the kitchen, it seems like its time for a change for the better. I would like to see what input fellow forum'ites have for what makers, materials and, pieces to adquire.

For general thoughts and desires:
  • I like a full handle with a palm swell in the middle for comfort with a full profile (good ergonomics if grip/wrist are acting up from stress)
  • Thin blade profiles that are flat ground (3/32 in the Rinaldi TTKK has performed very well but, thinner 'stiff' stock is desireable)
  • Kydex to protect the blade in a drawer is desirable.
  • Bead blast Micarta for eye appeal and a good grip when wet, oily or, bloody.
  • A "tall" blade for stacking vegtables and pushing through thick meat in the larger knives.
    [/list=a]

    Specifics on knives that I have owned and used:

    Henkels Pro-S Chinese Cleaver:
    • the thin blade profile works very well for my use on hams and vegtables
    • the handle is too short, too thin and difficult to grasp after extend use or work in the kitchen (again bad wrists/grip add to the problem).
    • when wet or oily it is like holding a wet bar of soap (sort of an accident looking for a place to happen).
    • the blade is not 'tall' enough for my personal tastes. Another inch would sure be welcome for stacking onions as I slice and scooping up ham pieces for the stock pot.
    • beveled edges on the non-cutting edges are lacking. (I had a Pro-S cleaver that actually split my thumb while working on a boneless ham that went back to the store!).

    Chicago Cutlery knife block set:
    • these knives dull very quickly but are easy to sharpen.
    • these need a lot of work on the 'steel'.
    • I rarely used some of the blades (actually only when the others were dull as a shovel).
    • I have mixed feelings on the hollow ground edge. Is it needed with a premium steel?
    • they are so cheap I never really cared if they stained or the edges got trashed from bouncing around in a drawer.

    Rinaldi TTKK:
    • this knife has been a joy to use. The BG-42 stays sharp through a sack of spuds and doesn't tarnish (with minimal maintanence).
    • the pocket sheath (Kydex) works really well.
    • this knife is very pretty!
    • while I would prefer a thicker handle in a dedicated kitchen knife, the handle is tall from top to bottom and indexes into a very secure grip so, has served my tired hands well.

    To round out my kitchen with minimal purchases and maximum utility and use I am considering an "improved" Chinese Cleaver, a Large Chef's knife and, a small utility blade. For blade materials either Talonite or a CPM "super steel". Knife maker? Cost? Timeframe (6 months or so for delivery in the March '01 timeframe as a rough target)?

    What are your thoughts and suggestions?

    Stay Sharp & Thanks!
    Sid

    [This message has been edited by Sid Post (edited 09-26-2000).]
 
I have been thinking the same recently. Getting tired of using Chicago cutlery. I often wind up using one of my custom hunting knives. Don't own any dedicated custom kitchen knives yet but I'm browsing these:
Thomas Haslinger http://members.home.net/thknives/KitchenKnives.htm
George Tichbourne is another reputable maker.
(can't locate his location right now)
also Jay Maines http://www.sunrisecustomknives.com/
Probably some others thatdon't come to mind right now.
 
Sid- a while back I bought one of George's Julienne knives for doing leather work. It has also seen lots of use in the kitchen and it is great! Last week, my wife ( certified executive chef) received one of his carving sets and really loves it. Performs very well. Great fit and finish, incredible mirror polish, excellent ergonomics. George adds some nice touches- rounded spine for comfortable prolonged use, contrasting liners look fantastic, personalized etching on the blade and fork. Try one, you won't be disappointed! And, George and Carol are two fine people to deal with.
smile.gif
 
Here is a custom forged kitchen knife that Phillip and I aquired at the SouthEastern Custom Knife Show. It was made by Scott Goguen of Newport, North Carolina. It has a forged 1095 blade with copper ferule and a rosewood handle.

View


It is almost too pretty to use.

Scott Goguen
Goguen Knives
166 Goguen Road
Newport, NC 28570
GoguenKnives@aol.com

------------------
Barry
Jones Knives
"NEW Knives"
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=126319&a=5922856
"For DUTY and HUMANITY!"
Curly, Moe, & Larry

[This message has been edited by BARRY JONES (edited 09-25-2000).]
 
Thanks Richard for the recommendation. I have spent a long time working with professional cooks and chefs, at last count over 300 individuals, trying to produce a product that will be well recieved in the most demanding application I could find.
The professional kitchen will see a chef or cook spend 6 or 8 hours non stop with a knife in his or her hands and comfort is critical or fatigue will cause hand cramping so I have concentrated on the ergonomics.

The second problem was edge holding, most kitchen knives are made to be easy to sharpen but easy to sharpen also translated to frequent sharpening needed. This is not desirable in a busy kitchen so I have produced blades in the Rc 56-58 hardness range in order to reduce the sharpening frequency to once per day instead of every 5 minutes or so. In the home kitchen customers are sharpening my knives on the average of once or twice per year.

The range of models that I offer covers almost every job in the professional kitchen and as I get requests for specific models I often add them to the line.

Thank Sandy again for the compliment on my work.



------------------
george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com


 
I noticed the same huge gap in my collection a year or two ago. It's amazing that so many collectors prize knives of all kinds but the ones we use most are embarrassing.
I can vouch for george Tichbourne's kitchen knives. I have a few and they are incredible. But George doesn't need me to vouch - his reputation is very well known.
I also love my Haslingers. Very distinctive style and first rate performers.
You might also consider Hattori, and there have been reviews posted on these before so I won't go on. Carter's Japanese lines have also been reviewed very well, but those I haven't used yet.
 
First I'd like thank all that replied. Those links sure go to some might nice knives. I'm sort of leaning towards the knives at http://www.tichbourneknives.com/ at the moment.

Since I have never owned a 440C knife, I don't have a real good frame of reference. From what I've read on his website and other places it sure seems like a good choice for this application though.

The one lingering question I have though, is whether a CPM 420V/440V would work good in this application and at what cost. Also, whether a Talonite/Stellite blade would be worth the cost differential.

Stay Sharp,
Sid
 
hi if you have used ats-34 just make it a little bit better in corrostion resistance and not as good in edge holding and you have 440c. i use both, mainly ats-34. i make a culinary knife that is what you desribe in the chinese chop dept, its on the bottom of the second page on my webb site the caption reads veggie slicer, i have fondly nick' named it (the tree hugger special) in honor of all the militant anti meat people that live here, its my best seller.

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Laurence Segal www.RHINOKNIVES.com
 
I've always wondered why people will spend a buttload of money on custom collectable knives, both to use in the field and just to look at. But, these same people(and I'm just as guilty)have crappy, cheap ass factory knives in their kitchens. The kitchen knives are the ones that get used the most, so maybe I should aquire a good custom kitchen knife.

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo
 
Thanks for remembering me Dexter!

Personally, even though I have done a fair amount of 440C, I'm not a huge fan of it any more. I prefer the edge I can get in ATS 34, and I think the the stain resistance is adequate for the kitchen, just don't put it in the dishwasher. Most people in my experience don't use a steel on their kitchen knives, so going with soft steels (420J) is not necessary and is counter productive. I think a harder knife that will take a wicked edge will make the average kitchen user happier. The only problem is that if they insist on using the knife for a screwdriver or pry bar, it may be damaged. I don't think, however, that many people willing to buy a custom kitchen knife are going to abuse them.

My $.02 ($.035 Canadian)

Sorry for the late addition to the thread, I've been up to my eyeballs at my day job. Said day job seems to be in serious danger of being sold to a bunch of boneheads, so I may have more time to spend on knifemaking pretty soon
smile.gif
.

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Matt Harildstad
Knifemaker
www.planet.eon.net/~matth
matth@planet.eon.net

 
I realise that there are some excellent custom kitchen knives on the market, but long ago I settled on Wustoff Classic knives for my kitchen where I do all the cooking for the following reasons. The knives are very well made and the steel holds a good edge and can be shrapened. The forged full tang handle and bolsters make for good weight and the handles fit me very well. The selection of blades and accesories is enormous and I like to have everything match!The price point compared to custom knives is a lot less but more than say Chicago Cutlery which is junk in my mind!.
 
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