Kitchen knives...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Some of the old hickory ones I find at yard sales get reworked into hunting and camping knives.
Me too!
Actually a ton of people do.
The ontario rat 5 and rat 7 are basically reworked butcher knives.
Seems the old hickory people saw online what we are doing and decided to cash in.
 
Tons of folks rework old kickory knives into what they want. Just finished a Kephart tonite. Need to cut some wood handles,and thinking of soaking it in apple cider vinegar to give it a black patina.
They're good 1095 steel and cheaper than buying knife stock
 
I don't like rust. I lived in Florida where everything rusted, it was just a matter of degree, and still today, I have conniption fits when a blade rusts. I am pretty good about wiping my blades after use, but just one little drop of water, and it stays, and I get a rust spot! HORRORS! :eek:

This Cold Steel took an excellent edge, but it rusts

AvbHWCE.jpg

I have no loyalty to anything but edge holding ability and rust resistance. I know it is stupid, these Kinmen knives are made from high carbon steels, but since they are made from ChiCom artillery shells, I had to get a couple:

Maestro Wu Artillery Shell Knives

http://www.maestrowu.de/start/

http://sp-store.com/kinmens/store09.html

65a5NdH.jpg

HDzx066.jpg

If you don't have a Chinese cleaver, I will recommend one for the kitchen. The Kinmen Chinese cleaver and the Nakari are both quite thin, I am not showing the back side, but they are slightly thinner than a standard Chef's knife. The Chinese had fine cuisine when my European ancestors were still carrying wooden clubs and running around in animal skins. They know something about knives, don't be ethnocentric on this topic. The Chinese cleaver is a great kitchen knife, this is an inexpensive Japanese version, it is thicker.

XC4J2cH.jpg

I paid $10.00 delivered, beat that! Same vendor is selling a Taiwainese version for $19.00, delivered.

s-l1600.jpg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LW-Stainle...ne-NEW-6711-/352287733781?hash=item5205fc3815 The dimensions are similar to my Japanese knife. I don't read Chinese or Japanese and I would be curious to know what the words are on my cleaver. Might be Chinese after all.

I use mine all the time in slicing vegetables and meats. I create a pile and scoop the pile with the wide blade. I have a 1980's Gerber cleaver, paid out the ying yang for it, and it is pretty useless. The thing is too heavy, the edge is too flat and too wide for much of anything but cutting through bone. These Oriental cleavers, just the ticket. You won't find them at yard sales.
 
Last edited:
Was among a couple other kitchen knives that were in need of attention and given to me. I'd estimate this as being a circa 70's made knife.

I'd like to get the old Chicago Cutlery kitchen knives...those have/had a great reputation.
The steel these days is the same. The modern handles are a lot better.
 
Tell us about the different grinds along the edges.

The edge grind thins the blade more than the upper grind. Sort of a stepped grind. I think they did it to keep the weight up in the blade. Based on the unevenness of the grinds, someone did that by hand. Some poor bugger held that blade in his hands and ran the sides over a belt grinder, or a bench grinder. If you notice, my "Japanese" cleaver and the Taiwanese cleaver have a ring and serrations on the back. The seller claimed you could tenderize meat with the back of the cleaver. I have never done this, I bash frozen vegetable packages and smash ice bags with the back of the cleaver to break up the ice. I would not do that with the Maestro Wu blades. Might bend them. Also, the front half of the edge is thinner than the back. Supposedly, you cut bones with the back edge section. I just thinned that out. I have a massive cleaver I could use for bone chopping, if I wanted bone shards in my food. I don't want bone shards and I don't know why anyone would.
 
I don't poo poo chinese knives anymore without looking them over.
Those $3.97 ozark trail folders at walmart are really well built and have good steel.
And the mossy oak tanto and skinner set...the steel is sv2 or s2v or here u day it.
Its dang good steel.
I always look at kitchen knives at sales and thrift stores. U can get some really good old stuff for under a buck.
 
I use mine all the time in slicing vegetables and meats. I create a pile and scoop the pile with the wide blade. I have a 1980's Gerber cleaver, paid out the ying yang for it, and it is pretty useless. The thing is too heavy, the edge is too flat and too wide for much of anything but cutting through bone. These Oriental cleavers, just the ticket. You won't find them at yard sales.
Yeah, that's just what European cleavers are designed for, breaking down animal carcasses and chopping bone. They were never intended for the sort of fine cutting that a Chinese cleaver is. Really, "cleaver" is a misnomer for the Chinese tool as they are not designed for "cleaving" and many people call them Chinese knives instead.
 
Yeah, that's just what European cleavers are designed for, breaking down animal carcasses and chopping bone. They were never intended for the sort of fine cutting that a Chinese cleaver is. Really, "cleaver" is a misnomer for the Chinese tool as they are not designed for "cleaving" and many people call them Chinese knives instead.

Can anyone read the script on my "Chinese Cleaver"? It probably has the correct Chinese terminology.
 
Six Old Hickory knives and a cleaver make up my butcher set. They stay tucked away until needed.
All of my favorite kitchen knives stay out of harms way. The women throw them in the sink and dishwasher so they are banished from using them.
They have no idea the effort it takes to restore a edge on a blade.
 
Last edited:
I have a wustoff chefs knife I got years ago for a song because the ebayer was a terrible photographer and no one else bid.

I keep it real sharp and it sees a lot of use.
 
These full tang Cutco knives are great. Durable material and very comfortable/ergonomic handles.


20181208_175727.jpg
 
Last edited:
Mostly old Cattaraugus kitchen knives. I also have a few Olde Hickory knives, one looks like the 3rd one down from the top in the previous posters image.
Cattaraugus kitchen knives are extremely thin.
 
If you don't have a Chinese cleaver, I will recommend one for the kitchen. The Kinmen Chinese cleaver and the Nakari are both quite thin, I am not showing the back side, but they are slightly thinner than a standard Chef's knife. The Chinese had fine cuisine when my European ancestors were still carrying wooden clubs and running around in animal skins. They know something about knives, don't be ethnocentric on this topic. The Chinese cleaver is a great kitchen knife, this is an inexpensive Japanese version, it is thicker..
I agree on the Chinese style cleaver, they are very practical and oftentimes low-cost kitchen knives. If any THR members are ever in a city with a Chinatown, I encourage a trip to the local kitchen supply shop. Even low-end Chinese cleavers are built for heavy use and they will stand up to years of slicing. The wide blade functions as a convenient scoop for getting stuff off the cutting board and into the pan. I’ve had mine for almost ten years, it’s a very simple Shi Ba Zi brand cleaver that I bought for I think $15, it looks like this one:

I-ZUO-New-7-inch-Kitchen-Knife-Wooden-Handle-Strong-Sharp-Blade-Chinese-Professional.jpg_640x640.jpg

I will say that the steel is not as hard as in European or Japanese blades, but the thin cross section makes them very easy to sharpen. I cook quite a lot and I give mine a few passes on the stone about 2x per month.
 
I will say that the steel is not as hard as in European or Japanese blades, but the thin cross section makes them very easy to sharpen. I cook quite a lot and I give mine a few passes on the stone about 2x per month.

Great cleaver! I believe the hardness of the edge is not diamond hard, for the very real reason, is that everything dulls. Commercial outfits, and from what I have read, commercial kitchens, need to get a knife back up and operational now. Preferably with a quick edge touch up with a ceramic stick, and back in the game. The time between sharpening is not as important as the ease and quickness of sharpening.
 
7C1F0B9D-CBC0-43E2-901F-7B74CC5E8803.jpeg 781FFADB-5551-4582-85DA-CB91AFA4FDA5.jpeg A1E9C867-C4B4-43ED-8E26-A52DABD3F109.jpeg 1E458BF5-A6C9-4B9E-BB08-63FC6130A3F6.jpeg

Mixed...the wife had Chicago Cutlery when we got married. Added Wustoff...ventured into some of the Chinese and Japanese patterns...some Cutco...if you look closely, you will see the rear of a Kabar rope knife in the right hand block...

The bag is a mix bag of Wustoff, Chicago Cutlery, and Chinese...I carry for the male bonding weekend, as the knives at the guest house are terrible...

The ones on the counter are waiting to be cleaned....

The drawer is a stack of other knives....

Like stated above....go to the pro’s for sharpening...a dull knife is dangerous...

Yes, I am spoiled.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top