Knife Porn

I guess it's the guy gadget/tool thing that makes me like the blender, pots, pans, equipment and knives.

But here are a few fery sharp custom Japanes Chef's knives. They are made from Aogami Supersteel.

Some of the steel is know as white steel and others blue steel.

Not really the color of the metal, but the wrapper it comes in.

These are laminate steels. Very had inner core and softer outer core. They rust and need upkeep. In other words, they are alive and need care.

Excuse the side photos of the cats and swords and my custom folders.

http://erdept.smugmug.com/gallery/7098991_fWKCS#455088712_r3N2y

 

Pretty badass. Does every meal come with a free tetanus shot?

 

Ehhh...IDK if a knife that needs maintenance is really so worth it. I'd have to use (a rust free) one to see how amazing they are.
They look pretty nifty tho...all the designs and what not.

 

I have a couple cast iron frying pans for camping, they're thick and super heavy. Best things I've ever cooked in, but if you don't coat them in cooking oil and season them once in a while they'll rust. Sometimes the maintenance is worth the trouble.

And they kinda make me feel like I'm roughing it like the old west pioneers did.

 

Just a few passes on the rough strop gets rid of the surface rust.

Once used, they have to be cleaned then a light coat of Choji oil is put on everything. Choji oil is really mineral oil with a hint of clove oil as fragrance.

This is what had been used on Samurai swords for years.

The edges are like razors. Anything it touches, it grabs, fingernails, skin, finger, food, truly scary blades.

 

Chohi oil, I'd never heard of it but looks like it would be better for keeping things clean and rust free than the veggie oil I've been using. Thank for the tip!

http://www.swordforum.com/sfu/primer/oiling.html

 

I will agree with that- but I can see the benefit for using cast iron dutch oven and fry pans...They stand up to camp use far better then conventional cookware and don't need the same level of care. If you use conventional cookware and try to keep it anywhere near original clean it requires more work than oiling/seasoning cast iron....so there is a benefit. Plus camp cookware gets used every so often- instead of daily.

The knives I have at the house cut thru everything I've needed to cut thru- while they aren't like razors- they prolly won't do instant damge to a finger or whatever.

I guess I'm just trying to say I see the benefits from cast iron needing attention but not so much for the knives. (Not trying to bash or threadjack either....)

 

To each their own. I like very traditional things, like all copper cookware(Mauvel), but it needs to be polished, but is the best conductor on the plant.

I like cast iron for blackening and putting a sear on stuff, but it needs to be seasoned.

Some Stainless with copper core pots (Viking Professional line)

I like extremely sharp knives, but that sharpness only comes with metals that rust and need to be maintained. As the Japanese are mettalurgist and knife fanatics extrodinaire, I prefer their knives in the highest carbon content available. A mere push cut instead of a slice brings great satisfaction.

Other knives are sharp, but dont' stay that way for long. These knives stay sharp the longest I have ever seen and dont' even need a steel to maintain.

They do with just a strop. Then an occassinional stoning infrequently. But the price you pay is that they need maintenance from rust. Light mineral oil works, is traditional and edible in small quantities, w/o making you have the runs. So, you use them normally, then when done just coat with mineral oil. Sure a light coat may form, but as part of chef's duties to your guests, you take it off. No one wants to eat rust right? Just like the other duties a good host performs silently and discreetely for their guest.

Here is the hardness and composition of the steel. It's made by Hitachi Metals Corp. of Japan........

http://www.paragoncode.com/temp/YSS_HCC_spec.pdf

I've had most of the knives re-handled in various exotic woods.

 

Big fan of Cast Iron. Right here. Screw camping. I try to use it as often as possible. BTW, don't use vegetable oil for seasoning it. I used olive oil and it went all tar like. I found Bacon fat is the best. Some people say you get a taste with using it, but I haven't noticed anything with the steaks I cook on there.

 

Here's one of the best stainless production knives that I have as well.

It's a J.A. Henckles. Most of the standard line is just like the million of other knives out there. But they wanted something very sharp and that cut very well.

So, they had this knife made in Japan. Very telling. It's the Cermax. Highly stainless on the bilateral outside laminate face and high carbon middle core.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/henckels-twin-cermax-chef-knife.html

 

Bacon grease...another excellent idea. I'll not pour it onto the ground next time, put it in some kind of container and us it for that. Thanks!

 

I love bacon grease. Wish they made that into a drink.

 

I actually just cook back on my cast iron griddle. Partially seasons the grill, and the bacon doesn't get all curly and unevenly cooked. That and it gets nice grill lines on it!

One time, I grilled some bacon to put in a fry pan with broad beans, garlic and tomatos, and with the bacon grease still in there, I threw in the two porkchops I was doing up.

Mmmm. Mm. Deep frying pork chops in bacon grease. Probably took a year off my life, but best damn chop I ever had!

 

Part of the joy is in the care of them. Just like caring for anything you like in your life, trucks, guns, etc.


Hey, were you ever held on a 5150 (3 day hold). Better than a 5250 I'm sure (14 day hold).