- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 600
Here's a brief review of my latest acquisition.
10" Chef/Gyuto by ABS JS, David Lisch. The knife started with a stencil of the exact profile I wanted, which I sent to Mr. Lisch. We talked briefly about the grind, and what seems to work best for kitchen knives. Mr. Lisch is relatively new to the world of kitchen knives but as expected, he is an extremely quick learner. The knife I commissioned not only looks extremely beautiful with stunning fit and finish but also perfects extremely well. I am no stranger to high performing kitchen knives as my cutlery collection is comprised of 90% kitchen knives.
Ergonomics: The handle is reminiscent of a classic "bowie" design with a wonderful swell in the middle that fills the palm. What makes this knife really comfortable is the larger than normal integral bolster that gently tapers towards the blade. I use a pinch grip exclusively when using a chef's knife and this has one of the most comfortable handles for a pinch grip. Thanks for paying special attention to the handle Mr. Lisch! I requested koa and a stainless steel domed pin and I feel the look screams class.
The profile is what I consider to be the perfect profile for an all around chef/gyuto. The design is modeled after the gyuto made by who I consider to be one of the premier Japanese bladesmiths, Mr. Tokifusa Iizuka of Shigefusa. The profile is tall, which provides plenty of knuckle clearance and has a nice large flat spot and a gentle sweep towards the tip. The overall design of the cutting edge creates a chopping/push/pull cut motion that is seamless. Long story short, it makes for an absolute joy to use.
Cutting: There really isn't much to say, she just works! Seriously though, one thing that many American knife makers who jump into kitchen knives struggle with is the grind. Kitchen knives are far more complex than our traditional hunting/bowie/fighting knives. First and foremost, the knives get used on all different types of products with different properties. A good kitchen knife should be able to handle everything well except for the most specialized tasks (breaking down primal cuts, filleting fish, etc.). Stiction tends to be a problem with many poorly designed kitchen knives along with wedging. Both issues result from flat grinds and thick edges. Mr. Lisch paid special attention to the grind of this knife and used a compound grind (flat/convex) in order to reduce stiction to an almost non-issue completely.
For example, cutting raw potatoes tends to be a quick giveaway towards the quality of a knife's grind. A poorly designed grind will have each potato slice sticking to the face of the blade. This gyuto falls through potatoes and had no slices (no matter the thickness/thinness) sticking to the face of the blade. When dicing onions, the blade seamlessly and effortlessly made the horizontal slices and just as well made the vertical slices. Carrots offered no wedging no matter the size.
Fit and Finish: What would you expect from an ABS, JS who is considered to be a master of damascus? Damn near perfection and that is what Mr. Lisch delivered. The choil and spine are very nicely rounded, which creates no hot spots. The damascus is out of this world in terms of the pattern and frankly I would consider an example of modern art. It seems to follow a pattern but then turns into chaos half way through. My only gripe with the knife's fit and finish is the final polish on the handle. Michael Rader’s handles and the high gloss finish he creates have spoiled me. Really though, that is simply a design preference of one blade smith to another and I certainly will not fault Mr. Lisch.
Sharpening: I have only had the knife now for a week and have had no need to take it to my stones so I cannot comment on edge retention or ease of sharpening.
Specifications:
Cutting Length: Just a hair over 250mm
Damascus: Mix of 1080, 1075 and 15n20
Handle: Koa with a stainless steel domed pin
Thanks for looking.
10" Chef/Gyuto by ABS JS, David Lisch. The knife started with a stencil of the exact profile I wanted, which I sent to Mr. Lisch. We talked briefly about the grind, and what seems to work best for kitchen knives. Mr. Lisch is relatively new to the world of kitchen knives but as expected, he is an extremely quick learner. The knife I commissioned not only looks extremely beautiful with stunning fit and finish but also perfects extremely well. I am no stranger to high performing kitchen knives as my cutlery collection is comprised of 90% kitchen knives.
Ergonomics: The handle is reminiscent of a classic "bowie" design with a wonderful swell in the middle that fills the palm. What makes this knife really comfortable is the larger than normal integral bolster that gently tapers towards the blade. I use a pinch grip exclusively when using a chef's knife and this has one of the most comfortable handles for a pinch grip. Thanks for paying special attention to the handle Mr. Lisch! I requested koa and a stainless steel domed pin and I feel the look screams class.
The profile is what I consider to be the perfect profile for an all around chef/gyuto. The design is modeled after the gyuto made by who I consider to be one of the premier Japanese bladesmiths, Mr. Tokifusa Iizuka of Shigefusa. The profile is tall, which provides plenty of knuckle clearance and has a nice large flat spot and a gentle sweep towards the tip. The overall design of the cutting edge creates a chopping/push/pull cut motion that is seamless. Long story short, it makes for an absolute joy to use.
Cutting: There really isn't much to say, she just works! Seriously though, one thing that many American knife makers who jump into kitchen knives struggle with is the grind. Kitchen knives are far more complex than our traditional hunting/bowie/fighting knives. First and foremost, the knives get used on all different types of products with different properties. A good kitchen knife should be able to handle everything well except for the most specialized tasks (breaking down primal cuts, filleting fish, etc.). Stiction tends to be a problem with many poorly designed kitchen knives along with wedging. Both issues result from flat grinds and thick edges. Mr. Lisch paid special attention to the grind of this knife and used a compound grind (flat/convex) in order to reduce stiction to an almost non-issue completely.
For example, cutting raw potatoes tends to be a quick giveaway towards the quality of a knife's grind. A poorly designed grind will have each potato slice sticking to the face of the blade. This gyuto falls through potatoes and had no slices (no matter the thickness/thinness) sticking to the face of the blade. When dicing onions, the blade seamlessly and effortlessly made the horizontal slices and just as well made the vertical slices. Carrots offered no wedging no matter the size.
Fit and Finish: What would you expect from an ABS, JS who is considered to be a master of damascus? Damn near perfection and that is what Mr. Lisch delivered. The choil and spine are very nicely rounded, which creates no hot spots. The damascus is out of this world in terms of the pattern and frankly I would consider an example of modern art. It seems to follow a pattern but then turns into chaos half way through. My only gripe with the knife's fit and finish is the final polish on the handle. Michael Rader’s handles and the high gloss finish he creates have spoiled me. Really though, that is simply a design preference of one blade smith to another and I certainly will not fault Mr. Lisch.
Sharpening: I have only had the knife now for a week and have had no need to take it to my stones so I cannot comment on edge retention or ease of sharpening.
Specifications:
Cutting Length: Just a hair over 250mm
Damascus: Mix of 1080, 1075 and 15n20
Handle: Koa with a stainless steel domed pin
Thanks for looking.
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