How many of you use custom made knives? I use 2 rolls one is semi production knives that others in my kitchen can use and my other roll is all handmade knives made for me. How many of you use or have custom knives? If you do who do you use and what do you like about them?
Im not sure where I would even get custom made knives. I doubt if I would make the kind of investment they would require. That being said, I have never be too attached to knives, as long as it's sharp I can make it do what I want.
Quite a few of my knives are made by a small, family owned company in Chicago by the name of Maestranzi. They operate out of a non-descript building and while not fully custom in the strictest sense (i.e. they don't measure your hand when you place an order), they will build to order anything that you want, from a large cleaver to a paring knife. They are an Italian family who has been in the trade for about 90 years. Their name is well known in Chicago culinary circles and they have quietly amassed a client list that reads like a who's-who of the finest restauranteurs in Chicago down to the corner butcher shop. I prefer "old school" wood handled knives and all the different knives they have done for me are just wonderful to work with. Each has a nice, substantial handle and virtually perfect balance. All knives are carefully hand sharpened which results in a 'holy mother of god' sharp edge. When I need service, they take the knives back, carefully re-sharpen them by hand and re-oil the handles, again, all by hand. I've worked with some very expensive knives, and I have yet to find anything that I prefer more than my old school Maestranzi's.
Those are nice but still pretty normal I love guys Like Haslinger or Serenity you know real works of art and top performance. but they are nice line knives.
My American set consists of knives by Murray Carter, Del Ealy, Stephen Fowler, Randy Hass @ HHH, Michael Rader and Devin Thomas.
My Japanese set consists of knives by Takagi, Hiromoto, Tadatsune, several unknown makers (excellent knives really), Yoshihiro and Tojiro . Some of the unknown blades are vintage and were refurbed by me.
Plus I have a slew of vintage USA "old dirty carbon" to bring back to life and a few Sabs to rehab.
I also have some blanks made by Alabama Damascus I need to build up into working field knives.
about the wood handle issue.
Yes, stabilized woods are impregnated and not porus, but I think that chefedb is talking about real wood handles. It depends. Most kitchens use NSF certified knives as house knives, but allow chefs to bring in their real knives. I know that wood handled knives are used everyday in many kitchens. Many Chinese knives use walnut or rosewood handles. Even see a Sushi chef that didn't use a blade with a wooden handle? Japanese knives often use balsam, ebony, magnolia, etc. And they are not varnished or stabilized.
Back to the original post. I ouldnt say my knives are "custom made" because I don't have any where I know for sure that one artist/craftsman made to my specs. But I do own many knives that are not mass production type knives. I have a New West CPM chefs knife (stabilized wood handle). I've got s Masahiro Suisin. Yoshihiro. Tons of tojiro DPs (these I would call mass market) a few tojiro flash's.
So I do own "non-mass market" blades in addition to my mass market blades, but no "custom" blades.
I'm not aware of any prohibition, per se, against porous materials in a kitchen. In a past life, we've owned a couple of restaurants and I've had the opportunity to work with a lot of different health inspectors. I've never met one who had an issue with wood handled knives. Most higher end steakhouses have wood handled knives present. If porousity was that big of a deal, kitchen staff would have to work in the nude since all clothes are, to an extent, porous and can easily come in contact with food.
LOL Good point @ Mocoondo But it does change state to state. I my self have not had a problem either in California or Vancouver Canada but again each place even city to city can have it's own rules. I Love my wood handles on my knives.
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