Show us your new knife!

[billk1002]

Matsubara G3 Nashiji Bunka 180mm

Now that is a knife that I could use everyday to prep with.
All SS, nashiji finish for good looks and food release, and I really like the extra height to keep my fingers safe.
Well done Mrs. Claus...

[Bob Z]

Got this one for Xmas from the classifieds with an endorsement from Ronnie. This is a laser in sg2 with a colorful handle I'm enjoying alot!
Myojin Riki Seisakusho 180mm Gyuto

[Kekoa]

I found this oddity at an antique store yesterday. I have no idea how old it is, but I imagine not super old based on the stamped labelling on the side, and the mere fact that it is stainless, I figure, means it would definitely not be any older than 1960s. I think it is newer than that though. The stamping says NS Scepter. It looked kind of interesting and it was the only knife I had encountered in this particular store that wasn't just total junk. The final thing that got me to buy it was that it was a Japanese made blade.

I think it was probably supposed to be a fancy looking meat carving knife. It has scratches all along the edge that look like they were made by a poor quality butcher steel. I tried to sharpen it but could only really get the last third of the blade sharpened because of the re-curve. Based on the feel of the steel on a stone and the scratch pattern that it left, I can tell it is very soft, probably comparable to your typical $10 knife from Walmart.

My dad called it a fancy butter knife, ha ha, maybe! Because of it's odd shape I can't seem to find anything that it is actually practical for cutting, but it is interesting looking if nothing else. Haven't measured it, but it is a roughly 6.5 in. blade.

[roaduck]

Because it`s Sunday I`m doing a big Aberdeen Angus beef roast in Bordeaux wine, shallots and carrots with roasted spuds, Yorkshire pudding and sprouts.

So...I`ll need something to carve the beef this afternoon after resting it.

I think I have just the ticket !

I got an unusual knife for Christmas.It is an English Granton of Sheffield extra broad 12" bladed carver in a decent commercial quality stainless ( don`t know the exact steel type ) but it is a professional food service knife designed to be used all day - every day.

It has grantons ( dimples ) right to the edge because Granton Ragg registered the design and copyrighted it in the late 1920`s - No other maker has them or can copy them - they are for the best food release.

It is a whopper - 450 mm or 18 inches long and about 40 mm or 1.75 inches wide - it just about fits on my big bread board.It weighs about 202 g or 7.12 oz

is medium weight and the hardness feels about high fifties - HRC - 57-58 to me and it cuts lamb or salmon like butter - totally effortless.

Granton have been making hand made knives in Sheffield - Yorkshire - England for well over 400 years - they were established in 1601 so they should know what they are doing by now - in theory haha! and of course all stainless steels were invented in Sheffield.

[Kekoa]

Neat! Now I want to look into the brand. I am curious though, I have seen a lot of knives from many makers with very similar looking dimples, which has me wondering if Granton still has a patent, if other companies pay royalties, which I would doubt on a $10 knife, or if many just use the design without permission?

[ronnie_suburban]

Neat! Now I want to look into the brand. I am curious though, I have seen a lot of knives from many makers with very similar looking dimples, which has me wondering if Granton still has a patent, if other companies pay royalties, which I would doubt on a $10 knife, or if many just use the design without permission?

Was wondering the same thing because I regularly see similar knives and many of them are referred to by their makers as having "Granton" edges or blades.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Perhaps the patent is still valid in the UK, but it would seem not so in Germany and US at least. Very interesting to know the origin of the term, though. Thanks for that, roaduck!

[roaduck]

Granton have the patent and other brands can put grantons on the blade - but not to the edge of the blade - that makes all the difference.It`s not a $10 knife believe me - it`s hand-made in Sheffield - England.The plastic-handled one is nearly $50 without shipping and the rosewood one is over $60.Other manufacturers put dimples in the middle of the blade which is useless because it just causes suction.

Obviously the older forged Grantons were better - i`m looking for a decent vintage or new old stock one now.The above knife was a Christmas present - I didn`t buy it.

Granton professional knives last for decades - used 24/7.

[XexoX]

All this is for the US, I have no clue how to search for trademarks and patents anywhere else in the world.

There was a Trademark for the word "Granton" used in

(CANCELLED) IC 008. US 023. G & S: CUTLERY - NAMELY, TABLE KNIVES; FORKS AND SPOONS; CARVING KNIVES, KITCHEN KNIVES; BUTCHER KNIVES; PARING KNIVES; AND SLICING KNIVES. FIRST USE: 19310611. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19780000

but as you can see, it was cancelled January 15, 2016.

The only current, in use trademark for "Granton" in the US is for

IC 014. US 002 027 028 050. G & S: Jewelry, namely, watches, diamond watches. FIRST USE: 20160621. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20161221

that I can find in the US trademark database.

I'm not skilled enough to search the Patent database without a patent number, but a patent is only good for 20 years from the date of issuance I believe, so if this Granton grooves on knives was patented decades ago, it has most likely expired.

I see Colonel J. Lloyd beat me to the punch, as it were.

[Kekoa]

Granton have the patent and other brands can put grantons on the blade - but not to the edge of the blade - that makes all the difference.It`s not a $10 knife believe me - it`s hand-made in Sheffield - England.The plastic-handled one is nearly $50 without shipping and the rosewood one is over $60.Other manufacturers put dimples in the middle of the blade which is useless because it just causes suction.

Obviously the older forged Grantons were better - i`m looking for a decent vintage or new old stock one now.The above knife was a Christmas present - I didn`t buy it.

Granton professional knives last for decades - used 24/7.

Ah, so that is the difference, that they go to the edge. I wouldn't have guessed that the positioning would result in totally opposite outcomes, more stick instead of less. I had heard from somebody that those dimples result in more friction, but I didn't have enough experience to form an opinion. This makes sense of the confusion of whether or not dimples actually do reduce stick.

[roaduck]

All this is for the US, I have no clue how to search for trademarks and patents anywhere else in the world.

There was a Trademark for the word "Granton" used in

(CANCELLED) IC 008. US 023. G & S: CUTLERY - NAMELY, TABLE KNIVES; FORKS AND SPOONS; CARVING KNIVES, KITCHEN KNIVES; BUTCHER KNIVES; PARING KNIVES; AND SLICING KNIVES. FIRST USE: 19310611. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19780000

but as you can see, it was cancelled January 15, 2016.

The only current, in use trademark for "Granton" in the US is for

IC 014. US 002 027 028 050. G & S: Jewelry, namely, watches, diamond watches. FIRST USE: 20160621. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20161221

that I can find in the US trademark database.

I'm not skilled enough to search the Patent database without a patent number, but a patent is only good for 20 years from the date of issuance I believe, so if this Granton grooves on knives was patented decades ago, it has most likely expired.

I see Colonel J. Lloyd beat me to the punch, as it were.

I have not seen any other knife manufacturer ( Apart from Granton - Sheffield ) use grantons - dimples right to the edge of the blade - that is the crucial difference.

The reason why Grant and Sons and Granton Ragg invented and patented the design in 1928 was specifically for professional use.Each scallop is perfectly spaced and alternates with the one on the other side of the blade. What truly sets a real Granton edge apart is the way each scallop is cut deeply and evenly all the way to the knifes edge. They are not serrated or jagged, and wont tear the product you're cutting, instead creating air cushions which make fast, smooth cuts.

[roaduck]

I got a "meaty" chopper for Christmas from Anita, the friendly Dragon because I like big rectangular Asian knives.

It is a Chinese Chun branded gudao ( Chinese bone chopper ) it is cheap ( less than $25 ) not spectacularly finished but it comes shaving sharp out of the box.

A bone chopper has to be tough with invariably more obtuse-angled blades ( 40-50 degrees total ) and the steels are softer like axes and hatchets - usually about HRC 55-58.

My new one is a bit of a beast.In my tests it ate a Dalstrong obliterator for breakfast.
My friend, Will has the top of the range Dalstrong and he wanted to swap it ( at 5 x the price ) for my big lad - I said No Thanks.I tried the obliterator and it wouldn`t go through fresh 2 inch beef bones cleanly; only partly way through.The Dalstrong was useless to me.With the advert I thought it would be the bees knees.

It obviously has a full tang with 3 brass rivets - the whole spine is 6 mm or nearly a quarter of an inch thick.Oh I didn`t mention that it weighs 1048 grams or more than two and a third pounds.It also has a blacksmith`s black kurouchi finish which I love.

For a lot of food you just need to rest the knife on something and it will go right through it.

You need a stout butchers block / a thick slice of a tree trunk or 2-3 inch thick big chopping board with this mother.

With one big whack it would kill a plastic cutting mat or most medium thick boards.

Personally I love it in the kitch and it`s handy in the woods.

You can get it from here :-

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004 ... 1802pv8sM3

[Kekoa]

What a hunk! It looks like it could be handy to have while camping. OK, I probably have fairly little use for it, but you know, for some reason I kinda just want one...

[roaduck]

I know what you mean Kekoa - it`s just man`s big toy but it can cope with extreme food cutting tasks no problemo.

I cook for the homeless and the church near me gets donated meat,
fish, fruit and veg from restaurants, shops, markets, farmers, butchers, co-ops, other charities etc.

Some of charitable produce is big and hard like coconuts, sides of beef, rack of lamb, half pig or goat, pumpkins, squashes and marrows etc and it has to be processed quickly and efficiently.

To save damage and wear on my smaller, lighter knives the big Chinese Chun chopper expedites everything in it`s path in no time.

It is fun to use and can do a few delicate tasks but it is mainly used for portioning meat on the bone into the different butchery cuts etc.Sometimes I find tough things to chop to unwind and let off steam.

It`s just like a sharp wide, short-handled hatchet and didn`t cost the earth either plus it can take any abuse; domestic or pro.

Of course in the woods it becomes a short-handled machete or lightweight axe; then when it gets home it has to be a good boy.

I have another old carbon gudao that is 776 grams or 27 oz and a 20 year old Ikea heavy chopper that is over a pound and is profiled like a thick nakiri which are both terrific but I love my new Chinese toy.

[roaduck]

I use my knives long and hard and generally it`s not worth me buying a fragile primadonna Japanese artisan knife for a few good reasons :-

1/ I don`t need one cos I am used to a non-branded carbon or stainless caidao bought for a song from an Asian food market.

2/ My friendly dragon Anita, treats my thin Japanese brittle carbons as if they were heavy German stainless Wusthof workhorses haha!

3/ I`m saving up to do my house and garden up and hopefully a holiday eventually.

4/ My dear ( expensive ) knives get used inappropriately on occasion by family and friends and I have to straighten them, re-grind them, re-handle them, sand the rust off etc. haha!

5/ I cook for the homeless and my knives have a hard week just like me and they have to be tough and not need cosseting and too much honing and sharpening.

So...after much research and deliberation I wanted a few good hand-forged Japanese / Chinese carbons / stainless knives that weren`t too fancy but performed well.I believe form follows function.

I wanted santoku`s, kiritsuke`s and gyutou`s and found two good Japanese ones and two good Chinese ones that didn`t break the bank.

First one is this Japanese 7 inch carbon santoku

https://www.knivesandtools.com/en/pt/-e ... -18-cm.htm

Second one is this Japanese 8.5 inch carbon gyutou

https://chefknivesjapan.com/products/mo ... 6941116494

Third one is a Chinese 8 inch stainless damascus kiritsuke

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002 ... 1802k9rQ6j

Fourth one is a Chinese 7.5 inch stainless damascus santoku

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... 1802k9rQ6j

IMHO the above four purchases are good value, well-built not bad looking knives.They are all sharp and can retain an edge, can be sharpened easily and are tough.

[Kekoa]

Nice. Also that cutting board catches my eye. What brand and wood is it?

[billk1002]

Nice. Also that cutting board catches my eye. What brand and wood is it?

Yea, that board is the bomb, can you post a link to it?

[roaduck]

Nice. Also that cutting board catches my eye. What brand and wood is it?

Sure it`s a bespoke Rhino woodworks - endgrain American Walnut - size - 18" x 13" x 2" weight - 15 lbs.I got the dark walnut so it doesn`t show stains and didn`t get beech, acacia, bamboo or teak or oak because those woods are too hard, too light coloured, are too absorbant, have large grain structure, have too much silica in them etc.

They`re near me in Bury Northern England and IMHO they are as good as Boos Boards in the U.S.I paid about $85 which was a bargain and I think they ship Stateside too.

Get in contact with James to ask about shipping to America if you`re interested lads.Even with say $30 - $50 shipping the boards are still incredible value for the craftsmanship on offer.

They also do Klarna so you can pay by installments interest free or low rate interest over a few months.

https://rhinowoodworks.com/

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Rhinowoodw ... ile_header

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/7971695 ... ca=1&sts=1

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/8191089 ... rt=1&sts=1

[billk1002]

That’s got Father’s Day written all over it.

[roaduck]

That’s got Father’s Day written all over it.

Yep Bill It`s a nice piece of wood.Apparently John Boos quality control is not there anymore and people are returning $300 - $600 cutting boards with splits, gaps and warps.Obviously not selected properly kiln dried - probably uneven moisture content etc.

I bought Ukranian Venev diamond plates because the quality of American-made DMT and Eze-Lap is shite I couldn`t even return them or sell them.Total over-priced over-hyped garbage.They were not flat and they shed.