Like most people I do not pay much attention to the knives I use in the kitchen, I have had some decent ones but nothing special, until lately. I picked up an Italian kitchen knife a couple years ago for my wife as she wanted one with scallops in the blade, saw something on television about how effective the scallops worked. It worked ok though I was not particularly a fan. The wood handle broke and my wife wanted it fixed as it had been a gift from me. I told her it wasn't worth the cost/effort. As usual, my wife prevailed. I sent the knife, along with a beautiful piece of Ironwood, to my friend and knife maker extraordinaire Ken Steigerwalt. Ken re-handleed the knife reshaping the handle contour in the process and sharpened the blade. The knife now cuts like nobodies business. It is now the best knife in the kitchen.
I was at the Knifemakers Guild Show in Louisville this past September and saw a knifemaker with some pretty cool kitchen knives on his table. I took a friend over to his table to show him my find. He bought the knife I liked the best! You snooze and you lose as they say. I went back on the hunt. Wesley Hibben, one of Gil Hibben's sons was displaying at the show. Along with the many other types of knives on his table was a kitchen knife which is now mine.
Definitely more fun to cook with cool knives!
I was at the Knifemakers Guild Show in Louisville this past September and saw a knifemaker with some pretty cool kitchen knives on his table. I took a friend over to his table to show him my find. He bought the knife I liked the best! You snooze and you lose as they say. I went back on the hunt. Wesley Hibben, one of Gil Hibben's sons was displaying at the show. Along with the many other types of knives on his table was a kitchen knife which is now mine.
It is a very good knife and we use it in the kitchen on a regular basis. Considering my love of knives I don't know why I haven't focused more on the ones I use on a regular basis in the kitchen. The next knife show I went to was the Plaza Show in California. Guess what, I found some more cool kitchen knives.
Don Andrade was a knife maker with whom I was not familiar. Don makes some really cool knives. Tai Goo is a mentor and it shows in his style. I purchased an Integral Utility and a Camp Cleaver from Don. The Integral Utility features exhibition grade African Ebony and a Lemon Wood inlay. The Cleaver features African Blackwood, Lemon wood inlay and resin impregnated cotton woven wrap. these are two beautiful and functional knives.
