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good jovi posted:You cut around, thwack the knife into the pit, twist to remove, and pinch the pit into the trash. Unless your knives are so sharp that you accidentally slice through the pit after breaking its skin. 
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Jul 22, 2014 01:59
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No Wave posted:Got it, makes sense now. I always get my fingers dirty scraping all the green out of the skins so I've just been using my fingats but that sounds cool. Have you heard the gospel of our Lord and Savior spoon?
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Jul 22, 2014 07:36
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Chef De Cuisinart posted:You can just whack your knife against a trash can or some kind of plastic/rubber thing to pop them off. You'd get laughed at pinching pits in our kitchen, we go through 2-3 cases of avocado a day. this. I just drag my knife along the edge of my trashcan. which sounds gross, but usually the knife doesn't even make contact with the edge of the can, just the avacado pit.
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Jul 22, 2014 15:11
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If I have a stubborn avocado pit I sometimes just grab my towel to protect my pulling hand from the blade. I know the OP's suggestion for a mid-tier chef's knife is a Tojiro gyuto, but what are people's thoughts on MAC knives? The restaurant kitchen I'm working in now is much more cramped than my previous job's, so I'd like to pick up a smaller, mid-price knife for service.
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Jul 22, 2014 19:41
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FishBowlRobot posted:If I have a stubborn avocado pit I sometimes just grab my towel to protect my pulling hand from the blade. MACs are nice. They have a weird bevel though which can make sharpening kind of a PITA, also I hear the steel is very hard to work with when sharpening, a bad combo. That said, they hold an edge really well, and a lot of people like them. They also make Tojiro DPs down to 180 mm which is quite short if that's all you're after. Personally I wouldnt go any shorter than 210mm for a chef's knife. GrAviTy84 fucked around with this message at 20:05 on Jul 22, 2014 |
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Jul 22, 2014 20:02
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I was going to pull the trigger on a CKTG CCK but that thing is $60 now. Is this thing on Amazon that looks like it the same thing? http://www.amazon.com/Wok-Shop-Vegetable-Cleaver/dp/B00018U1J6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406246367&sr=8-3&keywords=cck+cleaver
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Jul 25, 2014 01:06
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That's not a CCK. Get a real CCK if you want one. Mine came razor sharp, properly thinned, etc. If you buy some $9 knife, I doubt it's decent steel, and the finish on the blade will be crap. Also, get the large slicer, it is the best combo chef's knife/bench knife/spatula in existence. Chef De Cuisinart fucked around with this message at 01:28 on Jul 25, 2014 |
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Jul 25, 2014 01:17
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Thanks. The low price scared me too--people like SubG have said you can get them for cheap at some stores so I thought maybe this might be it. If I saw a knockoff at a Chinese market I wouldn't really know how to tell I'm afraid. I'll probably just buy from CKTG because  edit: and because I'm going to get the large slicer and try them both out! Hed fucked around with this message at 02:18 on Jul 25, 2014 |
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Jul 25, 2014 02:15
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geetee posted:Whacking my knife against the trash can doesn't seem very sanitary I'm not 100% sure what motion people are even describing, here. For the whack to launch the pit off the knife and into the trash, wouldn't you have to basically overhand slash at the near rim of the trash can, and have the knife be suddenly stopped by an impact on its cutting edge, closer to the heel than where the pit is lodged? It sounds like a great way to end up with a raggedy liner that will rip when you take the trash out, not to mention dangerous to the blade for thinner knives.
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Jul 25, 2014 11:05
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You just tap the side of your knife against the trash can rim and the pit will pop right off.
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Jul 25, 2014 11:27
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Hed posted:I was going to pull the trigger on a CKTG CCK but that thing is $60 now. Is this thing on Amazon that looks like it the same thing? http://www.amazon.com/Wok-Shop-Vegetable-Cleaver/dp/B00018U1J6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406246367&sr=8-3&keywords=cck+cleaver
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Jul 25, 2014 11:32
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Decided to get a hankotsu for breaking down/trimming beef at work. Fit and finish are nothing to write home about, though the handle's wood is heavier/nicer than the pictures make it look and maintained a really secure grip when wet when I played around with it earlier. Will report back once I've had a chance to put it through its paces.
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Jul 25, 2014 18:35
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Thoht posted:Decided to get a hankotsu for breaking down/trimming beef at work. Fit and finish are nothing to write home about, though the handle's wood is heavier/nicer than the pictures make it look and maintained a really secure grip when wet when I played around with it earlier. Will report back once I've had a chance to put it through its paces. I have these old Weber steak knives that are almost that same shape and size, and I really enjoy using them for breaking down meat.
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Jul 25, 2014 22:40
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ejstheman posted:I'm not 100% sure what motion people are even describing, here. For the whack to launch the pit off the knife and into the trash, wouldn't you have to basically overhand slash at the near rim of the trash can, and have the knife be suddenly stopped by an impact on its cutting edge, closer to the heel than where the pit is lodged? It sounds like a great way to end up with a raggedy liner that will rip when you take the trash out, not to mention dangerous to the blade for thinner knives. Turn your knife upside down and hit the pit, not the knife. Pops right off.
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Jul 26, 2014 03:52
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martinlutherbling posted:Can anyone recommend some decent knife skills videos on youtube? Most of the ones I've found are intended for total beginners (not that I'm an expert, but I don't need to be told not to hold my fingers under the blade), and generally focus on rock chopping with Western style blades. I replied earlier, but I ran across these the other day. Might be helpful - http://stellaculinary.com/knife-skill-video-techniques-hd . If you want some comedy relief knife skill videos ExpertVillage has this series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL653A5E7B994225FD
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Jul 31, 2014 07:03
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Scott808 posted:I replied earlier, but I ran across these the other day. Might be helpful - http://stellaculinary.com/knife-skill-video-techniques-hd . aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa this is hurting my head so hard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMbFGJnaVOw do never do this; any of this. mindphlux fucked around with this message at 09:53 on Jul 31, 2014 |
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Jul 31, 2014 09:46
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Knife technique porn? I like itasan https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj_bzwy94nk9ZJwGruMz4Zg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGeCNeVQ-CM
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Jul 31, 2014 17:48
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Man, the spine on his deba is so beefy. E: And Jesus Christ is that expertvillage painful to watch. "Now even a really sharp chef's knife is not going to do as beautiful a job as this santoku knife is doing." *shudder* Thoht fucked around with this message at 19:13 on Jul 31, 2014 |
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Jul 31, 2014 19:11
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Speaking of Debas and technique videos, I am not 100% this is perfect technique but I love this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cmMvH-auWs
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Jul 31, 2014 19:54
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Armchair Calvinist posted:What are my options for a "buy it for life and be happy with it" general chef's knife for my kitchen? I only eat at home and make every meal from scratch so this will be a much appreciated workhorse knife. I currently own a Miyabi Fusion 600D and J.A. Henckels "International" line knife that I found in my drawer a while back. They seem okay but my birthday is coming up and I want something that is great for all sorts of types of cutting and cooking. I have that knife. It pretty much fulfills all your requirements as far as workhorse knife goes. Not super heavy, grip is good (although that varies by personal preference of course). Thin blade. It's whatever but it gets the job done. I use it as my secondary chef knife at work (for when I don't want to use my Japanese one). Although if you've got the Miyabi I don't really see why you'd need the Mercer tbh, the only reason I don't use my Japanese one all the time is because I don't feel like losing the edge breaking down a bunch of herbs. Avocado chat: I just pinch the thing off with my fingertips (palm of my hand on the spine of the knife like someone already said). Alternatively (depending on what knife I've got in my hand I don't want to jam the edge into an avocado pit) I just use a spoon and pop it out. Most of the time I'm cutting avocados open it's for guac so then I just use the spoon as I'm spooning out the green stuff anyway. also hi Sean rj54x posted:I recently got a stainless Shun chef's knife (made from VG10) as a gift. Up until now, I've done most of my work with Henckels, which require fairly frequent honing / sharpening, being soft German steel. Am I correct in that I should be honing much less often with the Shun, and if so, how often? The Henckels usually get a couple passes before every use, should I be looking at once a week instead? The Midniter posted:Hone before every use. It's not going to take any metal off like sharpening, it's just aligning the cutting edge. But don't use a grooved honing rod because it is really easy to chip a Shun like that. Use a strop or smooth honing rod to realign the edge instead imo. For what it's worth if you put very little pressure on the knife as you cut (and you really shouldn't need a lot of pressure if it is properly sharp) it'll keep the edge decently enough that you won't need to hone it *every time* but it is up to you of course. Just judging from my own Shun. Moridin920 fucked around with this message at 07:23 on Aug 2, 2014 |
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Aug 2, 2014 07:02
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Just wanted to say I got the large and small cleaver from CCK and boy are they a lot of fun! Thanks for the recos, thread! 
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Aug 5, 2014 03:20
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I have a rough honing rod, but after re-reading the OP I want to get a smooth one. Whats a good one from amazon I could pick up, I have like $25, though the less I spend the better - but I don't want something that will mess up my knives.
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Aug 5, 2014 04:02
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Massasoit posted:I have a rough honing rod, but after re-reading the OP I want to get a smooth one. Whats a good one from amazon I could pick up, I have like $25, though the less I spend the better - but I don't want something that will mess up my knives. I have used both metal and ceramic steels for many years - I think I've finally decided I sort of like ceramic better. you can feel the friction a little more, and it feels more like you're honing an edge. plus the grit is finer or whatever. I'd recommend a MAC or Wusthof one, I have 'em both, they're both fine. both around 25.
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Aug 5, 2014 09:33
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Massasoit posted:I have a rough honing rod, but after re-reading the OP I want to get a smooth one. Whats a good one from amazon I could pick up, I have like $25, though the less I spend the better - but I don't want something that will mess up my knives. I bought this last year and it's served me just fine. Cheap, too.
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Aug 5, 2014 15:11
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The Midniter posted:I bought this last year and it's served me just fine. Cheap, too. This is exactly the one that I have and it works really well. Just don't drop it. Question: I'd like to get a slicing knife specifically for slicing grilled/roasted meat very thin (1/4 - 1/8"). I have a Shun chef's knife that will get the job done but I have gotten to the point where I realize I am slicing so much stuff I really need a knife specific to the job. I don't know anything about the nuances of slicing knives- anyone have any recommendations? Max budget of $100 or so but I'd spend more if I was getting something amazing.
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Aug 5, 2014 15:32
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martinlutherbling posted:Can anyone recommend some decent knife skills videos on youtube? Most of the ones I've found are intended for total beginners (not that I'm an expert, but I don't need to be told not to hold my fingers under the blade), and generally focus on rock chopping with Western style blades. Said a million times before but hey: The celebrity chef era means one good way is to find some cook you're inspired by and look them up. Most of them have learned to speak to the total beginner just to include everyone ($$$), but the skills are there for your enjoyment. Jacques Pepin, for the French Chef's Knife, and all-around nice guy to know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y5h1pDHhzs (how to not suck at garlic) -The KQED series Essential Pepin is gently caress beginners, good place to see impossible old recipes and odd techniques -Thomas Keller also has stuff online, and I learned proper onion dicing from Gordon Ramsay Martin Yan, for the Chinese Cleaver (he loves to ham it up, it's okay to skip forward): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__79jxIZaj4 (butchering a chicken in <20 seconds) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-UUWWig-pU (vegetable art) -Martin was in a variety of public broadcast shows including "Yan Can Cook", you can find tons of clips all over Masaharu Morimoto, for a variety of custom-forged samurai wonders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLJ71ML0Ryc (how fish) -There's an odd lack of video clips online, although he's in lots of shows, and has some cool books -It's also easy to look up sushi videos, and that's where the bulk of the Japanese knife skill videos are Sure there's a million random people on YouTube who can show you insane skills, but as people have noted it's hard to know whether you can trust them, and they're not as entertaining as my man Pepin.
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Aug 5, 2014 15:52
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Ordered the Lansky ceramic rod. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Aug 6, 2014 00:12
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I've only skimmed a few pages of this thread, but can I get a summary of the Global hate? I got a Global 7" Chef's knife as a gift a couple years back and I really like it, it seems sharp as hell and I'm a big fan of the single-piece-of-metal look and the feel of the handle. But I am a baker/dessert chef so I don't have much cause to use it, and before that my knife experience is using my head chef's [obscure Japanese knife maker idk] which had a round bamboo (I think) handle and I hated it. Really what I'm asking is for a list of all the reasons I should be ashamed to love my Global, signed a guy who basically only cuts fruit.
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Aug 6, 2014 14:47
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black.lion posted:I've only skimmed a few pages of this thread, but can I get a summary of the Global hate? I got a Global 7" Chef's knife as a gift a couple years back and I really like it, it seems sharp as hell and I'm a big fan of the single-piece-of-metal look and the feel of the handle. But I am a baker/dessert chef so I don't have much cause to use it, and before that my knife experience is using my head chef's [obscure Japanese knife maker idk] which had a round bamboo (I think) handle and I hated it. Answers to this sort of question have been given by more knowledgeable people than myself, but really the short answer is that if you like the knife there's no reason to go and try to find flaws in it because some internet people say so. Generally speaking, how well your knife works is going to be much more dependent on how well you sharpen it and care for it, and by how comfortable you are personally with handling the knife. Worry about those things first, and then if you find the knife isn't performing how you'd like then it might be time to start considering some different knives/brands/steels etc. Edit: It also occurred to me that one of the main gripes people have with globals here is that they're overpriced compared to some other knives that are just as good as far as materials, manufacturing etc. but someone correct me if I'm wrong. electricmonk500 fucked around with this message at 15:19 on Aug 6, 2014 |
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Aug 6, 2014 15:11
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Ah, so overpriced is the main reasoning? My knife was a gift so I honestly have no idea how much it cost. I ask mostly because a (new-to-the-professional-kitchen) friend borrowed my Global for a shift and now is determined to buy one exactly like it and a paring knife and prob four others he doesn't need at this point. I don't feel qualified to tell him "Yes go for it!" or "No buy this instead!" - I am totally qualified to tell him "You have no reason to have expensive knives on cold-side! I don't even have a reason to have this knife, I just do!" but that is falling on deaf ears, so
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Aug 6, 2014 17:18
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electricmonk500 posted:Edit: It also occurred to me that one of the main gripes people have with globals here is that they're overpriced compared to some other knives that are just as good as far as materials, manufacturing etc. but someone correct me if I'm wrong. Yeah, that's the main beef. Global's knives are not bad per-se, their geometry and ergonomics are not for everyone, their materials are pretty good, but they are way overpriced. black.lion, try asking your friend why he wants globals, if it's because of the sharpness then there are alternatives, if it's because of the grip/ergonomics/weight/geometry then there may or may not be alternatives we can recommend, if he says it's a perfect combination of grip/ergo/weight/geo/sharpness then there's nothing you will do to change his mind.
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Aug 6, 2014 17:29
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black.lion posted:I've only skimmed a few pages of this thread, but can I get a summary of the Global hate? I got a Global 7" Chef's knife as a gift a couple years back and I really like it, it seems sharp as hell and I'm a big fan of the single-piece-of-metal look and the feel of the handle. But I am a baker/dessert chef so I don't have much cause to use it, and before that my knife experience is using my head chef's [obscure Japanese knife maker idk] which had a round bamboo (I think) handle and I hated it. There's a few factors. One, yes they can be pricey, but it was worse when they just came on the scene and had to be smuggled across the sea, it's not as bad now. This expansion put global in that odd pro-Japanese but catering to Westerners column, which some people don't like on principle alone. On reliability. When Global first came on the scene nobody knew how to handle Japanese knives. They were so thin and brittle that people were snapping their super-expensive knives, and global had to start Westernizing their knives for this reason. In some circles people don't know about the second half, so they still think they're overpriced junk. That's intertwined with the celebrity/weeaboo factor. When America's celebrity chefs were experiencing a revival of Asian cuisine a while back (see: Iron Chef, Morimoto) they wanted these crazy super-sharp knives the Asian sushi chefs were so fond of. Global became a big name in the hands of Anthony Bourdain and etc. So a lot of people just got the knives to follow the people on TV, and when they did the knives often shattered from misuse. As of right now, if high-end Wusthof is Mercedes and patternend Shun is Lexus, then Global is a Rolls. Or something. The usual arguments apply- it's too expensive, ergonomics are not for everyone, etc.
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Aug 6, 2014 17:38
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I'm not sure he knows why he wants it beyond that he enjoyed using mine. I've handled five or six "Forged with lightning in the clear waters of a spring on Mt. Fuji" type of knives and I still prefer my Global, but he doesn't have anything to compare it to. What's a cheaper brand that is comparable in quality? I'll probably couch it as "My Global is ALRIGHT but if you want a REAL NINJA CHEF'S KNIFE you should check out [more reasonably priced brand] 'cause that's what real sushi chefs in Japan use" or some other such nonsense. I just don't want him to throw a lot of unnecessary money at a thing he doesn't need. Also I really don't want him to have the exact same knife as me because reasons involving vanity. e: Car analogy rules. e2: So for my own edification, Globals are a bit thicker/sturdier than other Japanese supersharp knives, I assume the tradeoff being they don't hold as nice an edge for as long? This is the "Westernizing" you speak of? I want to know so if my head chef and I ever get into a knife fight I'll know that I can break his knife in twain with mine based on pure American brute force. black.lion fucked around with this message at 17:42 on Aug 6, 2014 |
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Aug 6, 2014 17:39
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black.lion posted:e2: So for my own edification, Globals are a bit thicker/sturdier than other Japanese supersharp knives, I assume the tradeoff being they don't hold as nice an edge for as long? This is the "Westernizing" you speak of? I want to know so if my head chef and I ever get into a knife fight I'll know that I can break his knife in twain with mine based on pure American brute force. Depends on the knife, you have to check that specific model. Generally, some models were made a bit thicker/differently to handle chopping instead of push-cuts, and there was an increase in double-bevel or western-style edges. This isn't true across the board, but the general idea is that any given global now has some thought put into how a gai-jin is going to wave it around their giant kitchen with their fat arms. Trying to hack through bone with your santoku is still a terrible idea, and Japanese knives still tend to be more delicate than their Western counterparts. I'd say Shun and TojiroDP are your go-to recommendations for "not-global".
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Aug 6, 2014 18:11
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I don't like globals because I think they look lovely, and I hate the one piece construction. and they're overpriced. and their owners tend not to actually keep them sharp. I've used a few, and I'm sure they are OK knives - but they're really particular - whereas I feel like the wüsthofs, MACs, shuns of the world all feel and function pretty similarly, and you can switch between them without being like 'woah this is different'. loving bullshit gimmicky ergonomics, I think. note, I also strongly dislike apple computers/equipment, for roughly all the above exact same reasons.
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Aug 7, 2014 07:52
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I don't really like the way Globals look nor how they feel in my hand.
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Aug 7, 2014 08:02
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The reason Globals suck is that they're only HRC 55-56, not to mention the high chromium blend they use will turn some fruits purple.
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Aug 7, 2014 12:29
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So basically y'all don't like how they look or feel. I get that, I like the way mine looks and feels so that's good with me. I also hate Apple electronics for the same reason, but if I got a Mac laptop for free I'd prob use it, so yeah. But: Chef De Cuisinart posted:The reason Globals suck is that they're only HRC 55-56, not to mention the high chromium blend they use will turn some fruits purple. What fruits does it turn purple? 90% of what my Global has cut for the past two years has been fruit, and I've never noticed any color change. e: Also I assumed this would be in the OP but it's not - what is HRC and why does it matter?
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Aug 7, 2014 18:40
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black.lion posted:
Rockwell hardness. It's one metric of how aggressive of an edge a knife can take and how long it will keep it.
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Aug 7, 2014 18:51
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So a lower HRC is just straight up a sign of lower quality? Like, there's no reason someone would have a preference for lower HRC knives over higher HRC?
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Aug 7, 2014 19:00
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