I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but I've been waiting to get some decent scans. Well, I could wait forever because I don't think my scanning skills are improving any. In fact, I tend towards being very "un-Mattis-like". So we'll just have to make do. I got these knives from Chuck Hallberg as a Christmas present for my wife. The larger is a 11.75" OAL chopper, 6.5" 440C flat ground blade with a mirror polish (not detectable on the scan). Handles are desert ironwood with mosaic pins. The paring knife is the same configuration with a 4" blade, 8.25" OAL.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=193228&a=1416871&p=15765458&Sequence=2
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=193228&a=1416988&p=14931214&Sequence=0
These are both very nicely crafted. The scans don't show the beauty of the wood or the quality of the mirror finish. The blades of both are thin, sharp and a pleasure to use. But, I don't use them much so I thought I would turn this review over to my lovely wife, Oh honey....
Yes, I've been meaning to send Chuck an email to let him know how much I appreciate the craft he put into these knives. I also appreciate that I did not detect any of the many emails it must have taken to get these done - knowing my husband's specifications and ideas. They were truly a wonderful surprise on Christmas morning.
Indeed, my knives from Chuck are sharp and thin and beautiful. I have a nice Japanese kitchen knife my father gave me years ago that I always thought was excellent, but it pales in comparison as far as function and beauty. Both knives are almost an exact fit for my hand which I find incredible considering the lack of physical contact in their design. I have limited my use of the knives to vegetables as I try to keep a fairly vegetarian kitchen, but cutting anything, from butternut squash to tomatoes has been about as difficult as the proverbial hot knife through butter. However, I have managed to slice my hands/fingers about a half dozen times, although the cuts have healed quickly due to the clean cut lines! (I am trying to reinstitute my girl scout training of cutting away from the body.)
My Hallberg knives are kept in a separate place apart from the rest of my kitchen utensils. I expect them to last my lifetime and I also expect that one (or two) of our five kids have already laid claim to these knives when we move on to the next realm, but they may have to pry them out of my hand!
Thanks for thinking of me in the kitchen, Jack, and thank you Chuck, for putting his thoughts into form.
...So there you have it. As they say, "a thing of beauty is a joy forever". It was great working with Chuck on these and I think he reached my goal of creating a pair of knives that my wife and I can enjoy using in the kitchen for the rest of our lives.
Jack
[This message has been edited by donovan (edited 02-13-2000).]
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=193228&a=1416871&p=15765458&Sequence=2
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=193228&a=1416988&p=14931214&Sequence=0
These are both very nicely crafted. The scans don't show the beauty of the wood or the quality of the mirror finish. The blades of both are thin, sharp and a pleasure to use. But, I don't use them much so I thought I would turn this review over to my lovely wife, Oh honey....
Yes, I've been meaning to send Chuck an email to let him know how much I appreciate the craft he put into these knives. I also appreciate that I did not detect any of the many emails it must have taken to get these done - knowing my husband's specifications and ideas. They were truly a wonderful surprise on Christmas morning.
Indeed, my knives from Chuck are sharp and thin and beautiful. I have a nice Japanese kitchen knife my father gave me years ago that I always thought was excellent, but it pales in comparison as far as function and beauty. Both knives are almost an exact fit for my hand which I find incredible considering the lack of physical contact in their design. I have limited my use of the knives to vegetables as I try to keep a fairly vegetarian kitchen, but cutting anything, from butternut squash to tomatoes has been about as difficult as the proverbial hot knife through butter. However, I have managed to slice my hands/fingers about a half dozen times, although the cuts have healed quickly due to the clean cut lines! (I am trying to reinstitute my girl scout training of cutting away from the body.)
My Hallberg knives are kept in a separate place apart from the rest of my kitchen utensils. I expect them to last my lifetime and I also expect that one (or two) of our five kids have already laid claim to these knives when we move on to the next realm, but they may have to pry them out of my hand!
Thanks for thinking of me in the kitchen, Jack, and thank you Chuck, for putting his thoughts into form.
...So there you have it. As they say, "a thing of beauty is a joy forever". It was great working with Chuck on these and I think he reached my goal of creating a pair of knives that my wife and I can enjoy using in the kitchen for the rest of our lives.
Jack
[This message has been edited by donovan (edited 02-13-2000).]