Anyone an expert in kitchen knives

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Posted by Ian Parkin on 03/07/2022 14:04:56:

V8 eng

your knife has that funny puddle type of area near the tang area

any idea what it is?

I tend to go with the weld idea as the marks sort of form a semi circle onto the blade section but oddly the other side of that blade is fairly smooth at the same point.

the handle is held on by a brass pin through it.

My wife has owned the knife for about 50 years (it was old then) and was  from the local deal in anything type guy.

 

P.S. the wife says her granny always sharpened knives in the back step.

Edited By V8Eng on 04/07/2022 00:01:59

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Dave Halford on 03/07/2022 15:09:59:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 02/07/2022 22:35:31:

I believe, with a blade so thin, it would be called a ‘Ham Knife’

MichaelG.

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**LINK**

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/07/2022 22:40:41

Doesn't a ham knife have the dimples along the blade ??

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Some do, some don’t

MichaelG.

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Edit: __ Quoting verbatim from the page that I linked:

”The best ham knife is the one that effortlessly cuts through the ham without any meat sticking onto the blade. It can be quite frustrating to have to keep peeling off slices of ham from the knife every time you cut through the meat. One way to avoid this is to use a knife with a pitted blade. 

Traditionally, ham knives had smooth blades, but now you have the option of smooth or pitted blades.“

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 04/07/2022 06:14:06

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by Frances IoM on 02/07/2022 18:41:37:
The best (+ sharpest) tools were composite with I think the high carbon inner sandwiched between two lower carbon strengthening layers – weren't Japanese woodworking tools built this way as well as their famous Samurai swords

Samurai swords were a bit more complicated than that. The better ones had different materials for the blade, the core, the back, and the skin. The fineness of the grain of the material depends on the both the number of times it was stretched and folded (normally between six and fifteen times) and on whether it was folded lengthwise, widthwise, or alternated. On a skillfully polished blade the grain makes beautiful patters on the blade.

Russell

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by Russell Eberhardt on 04/07/2022 10:40:07:

Posted by Frances IoM on 02/07/2022 18:41:37:
The best (+ sharpest) tools were composite with I think the high carbon inner sandwiched between two lower carbon strengthening layers – weren't Japanese woodworking tools built this way as well as their famous Samurai swords

Samurai swords were a bit more complicated than that. The better ones had different materials for the blade, the core, the back, and the skin. The fineness of the grain of the material depends on the both the number of times it was stretched and folded (normally between six and fifteen times) and on whether it was folded lengthwise, widthwise, or alternated. On a skillfully polished blade the grain makes beautiful patters on the blade.

Russell

This rather good video shows the processes very well; it's 45 minutes long but for anyone with more than a passing interest, is well worth the time.
Unfortunately, it looks like it's only available for viewing until 17th July 2022 from this source.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/4003161/?

Bill

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

To improve edge holding, steels may include alloys to promote hard carbides. Micro-hardness vs macro hardness. At an extreme, think of plasticine rolled in shattered glass. Also an opportunity for more pedantry. These carbides tend to make it harder to get a fine edge.

Modern japanese tools tend to be a thin piece of hard steel welded to a fat soft metal like wrought iron. The thin hard steel can still be bent so you can true up a plane blade edge by tapping it with a hammer – the hard steel bends and is held bent by the soft iron.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by peak4 on 04/07/2022 11:51:52:This rather good video shows the processes very well; it's 45 minutes long but for anyone with more than a passing interest, is well worth the time.

Unfortunately, it looks like it's only available for viewing until 17th July 2022 from this source.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/4003161/?

Bill

Thanks Bill, Very interesting video. The hard work the apprentices had to put in reminds me of what I went through in my martial arts training under top Japanese masters!

Russell

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

My sharpest knife is a folded blade from Japan. I have the water stones and a leather strop for sharpening or for touching up the edge. A light hone on the polish stone and strop will keep it sharp. So I went through my knives last night. My second sharpest knife is stainless blade from France. Then there is a huge number of knives that will not hold a very sharp edge at all. In saying that, the dullest will still shave hair, but they won't cut a tomato sideways without holding it down. The Japanese knife will, and so will the French steel knife. all others won't. The other test is the sharpest knife will cut a loose tissue, all others won't.

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember25081]

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