Knife for Silverskin

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mikeltee
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by mikeltee »

Mowgface wrote: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:41 pm
mikeltee wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 6:29 pm My filet knife is around 7". I went with the Kohetsu HAP40 150mm petty for the 50/50 grind and excellent blade retention. I also got a 210mm Konosuke SKD Tsuchime Gyuto. The tip on it will satisfy any length shortcomings that the petty may fall short on. Next up is a 240mm slicer. I'm gonna need a couple weeks to recover from this splurge though. Thanks for your thoughts guys. I really wanted that Torijo 3 piece set but in the end I know I wouldn't be satisfied with it. I'm more of a buy once cry once kinda guy.
Let us know when you realize that you should have gone longer (i.e. 240 Gyuto, 270 Suji) :)
Those knives are on the list too with a suji coming next and I have a 210mm on the way with a tiny tip which would be perfect. Id love to see someone trimming a filet with a 270mm suji. I hope they have a first aid kit next to them. 6" is the smallest knife in my kit that I have ever used and I use it quite often. The 150mm will not be a waste even if it doesn't work out for silver skin. I don't take 3" of silver skin off at a time. That is too wasteful. Maybe an inch at the most. I've trimmed thousands of filets over my career. My technique is solid and if you have me a butter knife and a piece of sandpaper I'd give you a perfectly trimmed filet.
salemj
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by salemj »

I am just seeing this thread now. I think you made excellent choices. My only recommendation would have been to consider a western handled knife for the meat duty just for ease of grip and cleanup, but you are obviously fine with what you chose (I actually tend to use a 130mm petty for this and have no issues).

The Konosuke is a terrific blade. The petty is going to do exactly what you need it to. And while you can go bigger than 240 for a slicer, I have to admit that, at home, it isn't all that often that one needs longer, and if space is sometimes cramped, 240 can be way better than 270 or longer (I know from experience). I will say that, having owned a slicer, I find that my larger gyutos slice just as well for home portions...plus they are gyutos. :) This is where a "KS" style blade (a Masamoto KS, or a KS clone like the Konosuke Togatta, the Ikeda KS, the Morikata KS, and other similar blades) can be an excellent, slightly longer slicers but also be beasts when it comes to gyuto prep work. You might check some of those out, or the similarly oversized but not too tall at the heel knives, such as the Western Konosuke HDs which are somehow still on closeout on the site at $250. I have an Ikeda KS (which is no longer sold, I don't think) and a Masamoto KS stainless for such duties, and love them for it. The key here is that they are no too tall at the heel for the length, which really does make them flow nicely through product as slicers but still work perfectly as large-batch gyutos in a home environment.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
mikeltee
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by mikeltee »

salemj wrote: Wed Mar 10, 2021 8:56 pm I am just seeing this thread now. I think you made excellent choices. My only recommendation would have been to consider a western handled knife for the meat duty just for ease of grip and cleanup, but you are obviously fine with what you chose (I actually tend to use a 130mm petty for this and have no issues).

The Konosuke is a terrific blade. The petty is going to do exactly what you need it to. And while you can go bigger than 240 for a slicer, I have to admit that, at home, it isn't all that often that one needs longer, and if space is sometimes cramped, 240 can be way better than 270 or longer (I know from experience). I will say that, having owned a slicer, I find that my larger gyutos slice just as well for home portions...plus they are gyutos. :) This is where a "KS" style blade (a Masamoto KS, or a KS clone like the Konosuke Togatta, the Ikeda KS, the Morikata KS, and other similar blades) can be an excellent, slightly longer slicers but also be beasts when it comes to gyuto prep work. You might check some of those out, or the similarly oversized but not too tall at the heel knives, such as the Western Konosuke HDs which are somehow still on closeout on the site at $250. I have an Ikeda KS (which is no longer sold, I don't think) and a Masamoto KS stainless for such duties, and love them for it. The key here is that they are no too tall at the heel for the length, which really does make them flow nicely through product as slicers but still work perfectly as large-batch gyutos in a home environment.
I like your idea of using a Gyuto as my slicer. Rarely do I need to slice. All holidays require one but that is only a few times a year. Rarely do I buy whole Rib roasts. I am going to start a new post and get a general consensus on this. I'd rather spent $500 on a diamond Gyoto that can be used for the slicing duties than buy a 270mm Slicer and a 240mm Gyuto for $250 a pop. Thanks for this!
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Jeff B
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by Jeff B »

The biggest thing to remember is this is all personal preference. As you can see, you ask for a recommendation and you get a dozen different opinions, none of which are wrong. It's up to you to digest the different opinions and decide what will work best for you. I like your idea of a "diamond" gyuto and use it for your slicer too, because from your comments, I think that is what you will be most satisfied with. And if your preferences change in the future you can always go a different direction. I certainly don't have all the same preferences as I did when I first started buying.
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by taz575 »

I used to use a honesuki when trimming/breaking down deer and removing silver skin. I thinned one of the Artifex ones way out and went to a nearly zero edge.
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by slensgra »

My 2 cents worth: I use an old thin flexible and not too sharp Henkel utility knife. My sharp Jknives cut through the silver skin just about as easily as they cut through the meat, but the duller knife glides along under the silver skin more easily.
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by d_rap »

taz575 wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 7:44 am I used to use a honesuki when trimming/breaking down deer and removing silver skin. I thinned one of the Artifex ones way out and went to a nearly zero edge.
Bingo! x2

Think a honesuki is only for chickens, try the right one on some silver skin!
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mikeltee
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by mikeltee »

d_rap wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:12 pm
taz575 wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 7:44 am I used to use a honesuki when trimming/breaking down deer and removing silver skin. I thinned one of the Artifex ones way out and went to a nearly zero edge.
Bingo! x2

Think a honesuki is only for chickens, try the right one on some silver skin!
I did end up buying a honesuki too...
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mikeltee
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by mikeltee »

Update on this. I recently did a Brisket and the petty worked the best however I am still not satisfied. 130-150mm laser would be best! My Petty and Honesuki are too thick. I reached for my ol reliable filet knife but it was too dull and I even bough a boning knife and it was junk. I hit the filet knife with leather and it's too far gone. It will be interesting to learn to properly sharpen it on stones as its way too flimsy for my Wicked Edge.
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Re: Knife for Silverskin

Post by taz575 »

Maybe have the Kohetsu petty thinned/reground? That would make it thinner and give it a little more flex?

A Honesuki will be much stiffer than a petty; I used mine on venison a lot to trim the fat and silver skin off and it was a different feel for it versus a more flexible fillet/boning knife. Did you try using the honesuki both ways (flatter part of the blade against the silver skin versus bevel side against the silverskin? You may find one way works better than the other?
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