Photos Granton - Sheffield commercial knives

[roaduck]

I have an admiration and respect for Granton knives which have been made continuously in Sheffield, North West England since 1601.
The indentations upto the very edge of the blade are copyrighted and stop a lot of foods sticking to the blade especially whilst slicing.
These two look cheap but they are not and can survive abuse in a commercial kitchen or butchers day in / day out for years plus the heat of an industrial dishwasher or knife steriliser.
I would say the steel is as good as my Dick knives or my friend`s Victorinox models and the edge retention is better than average.
I know this because I have half a dozen big Granton slicers of the same age and they require less edge maintenance than my other commercial knives.
The steel is unspecified but feels and sounds like a mid fifties HRC stainless formulation on my diamond plates.
I also love the fact that they can be left dirty with food or wet for days without any discolouration whatsoever.
I particularly like green knives and santoku`s and I like the unusual profile of the bottom 6 inch veggie knife; the top one is 6.5 inches.
My new knife block is full already !
For scale the big green one on the top left of the bottom picture is a 14 inch blade commercial butchers knife.

 

[Dr. Rayeye]

The version I use is the Shun Kaji Hallow Ground Santoku:

Shun Kaji Hollow-Ground Santoku Knife

This santoku is handcrafted in Japan and blends new technology with centuries-old traditions of handcraftsmanship. A versatile knife for chopping and slicing, the santoku combines the benefits of a cleaver and a chef's knife. FREE SHIPPING!

www.williams-sonoma.com

 

[roaduck]

I have quite a few santoku knives Dr.Rayeye - I love the general profile and versatility ; I have used Shun`s but don`t own one; they are undoubtedly excellent knives.

 

[Dr. Rayeye]

The reason I posted this, is to show how the Japanese reworked the concept, producing a "hollow ground" knife instead of your trusty granton. In terms of food release, your granton is undoubtedly better and more practical with the profiles you've posted. The Shun hollow ground works best with the santoku, and is very pleasing to the eye. The only way I was able to afford mine was to win one in an auction on EBAY. I can't imagine it in a high production prep deployment, but in my home kitchen it has been a workhorse I depend upon and enjoy.

 

[roaduck]

Yep got ya Dr.Rayeye - $300 new or less discounted on one knife is a big outlay but well worth it as you say.
I`ve built a whole kitchen for that helping a poor friend in the eighties haha !
I have about half a dozen decent knives out of...no idea...lots !
I am used to cooking for hundreds of people using a $10 carbon caidao so I feel self indulgent using bespoke or artisan implements.
I`ve been cooking since the early seventies so I just got used to rustling something up out of whatever was available at the time.

 

[Dr. Rayeye]

I was able to get the Kaji Santoku for $135, which was an explosion in costs for me. My Sir Lawrence butcher knife cost about $20, and my Kai Seki Magoroku nakiki was a gift. Those were/are my founding core--and I still use them both after more than 30 years. I've gone high rent to do some comparisons and evaluations.

 

[roaduck]

I was able to get the Kaji Santoku for $135, which was an explosion in costs for me. My Sir Lawrence butcher knife cost about $20, and my Kai Seki Magoroku nakiki was a gift. Those were/are my founding core--and I still use them both after more than 30 years. I've gone high rent to do some comparisons and evaluations.

Haha that`s lovely Dr. Rayeye - I`m a sort of witch doctor too - medical herbalist with a degree in org chem `84 Exeter.
My gf loves Japanese and Asian knives ( but they have to be stainless and 50/50 bezels haha )
Me - I am not fussy I`ve catered for a big wedding reception using just a bendy 5" Tramontona and veg peeler !
Most of my cheffie mates use cheap plastic-handled catering knives and they sharpen them on the bottom of a plate or mug ; most of them can`t sharpen things at all.
I`ve tried to teach them how to use a steel properly , a whetstone / oilstone / diamond plate but most don`t have the patience or inclination.
So they give me bags of knackered knives a week to straighten, re-tip or re-grind half inch chips out of them - I get free dinners for my efforts !
A lot of them don`t take quality knives to work because they get borrowed and ruined or pinched.
They love using my knives in my kitchen because they always have a decent working edge on them and are much less effort.
About five years ago a homeless trained chef came to live with me and when he came home from work at the Italian restaurant he was too exhausted to cook so I rustled something up for 10pm.
He could not believe the variety of my creations and he lived and worked in the Middle East and Europe for 25 years.
I never have the same thing twice - never - too limiting and boring.
Scott the pro chef said I was a natural but really I had no choice - I was chucked in the deep end doing family meals as a kid.
I keep my knives sharp enough to catch on my fingernails - being arm-shaving sharp all the time is too time-consuming and impractical in a commercial kitchen.
I am not a trained chef but I`ve done fusion cooking / bulk cooking / field catering in over 60 Countries - I don`t do recipes, or weigh / measure or time things - I`ve not needed to since I was a teenager in the late seventies.
I`ve not worn a watch since I was ten - I was taught well.