Geo wrote:Wow, what a great site! Tnx Ronnie! ....but I can see it's going to be a time-spending black hole for me. Ouf. Just what I needed. Still and all, tnx Ronnie!
Geo
Xexo wrote:I'm not a professional chef, cook, whatever the PC term is, I cook for me and occasionally for friends/neighbours. I'd like to improve my knife skills, but the classes I've seen around here, in Portland Oregon mostly, seem to be taught by a clerk at the kitchen store. Maybe they know their stuff, but I have no way to judge.
So, does anyone here know of classes around here that I can trust, or Youtube videos that are trustworthy?
Thanks for any guidance you can provide.
eating while walking wrote:Been jonesing for an old school carbon steel wood handled knife for a while, and I recently found some at an unlikely source: Townsends reenactment company out of Indiana sells a really nice set of hand forged carbon steel kitchen knives for reasonable prices:
In a previous life I was pretty heavily involved in the reenactment scene, and I know from experience that a lot of the stuff sold in that scene is costume quality only or just plain crap. But these knives are the real deal. The edges are sharp out of the box, the handles are solid (and beautiful with the tiger stripe wood), and the blades taper up to a pretty stout spine that makes them ideal for kitchen butchery tasks like taking apart a chicken.
The edges are fine enough for delicate cutting too. Scallions fell apart cleanly with with a rock chop, with no ragged edges or pieces sticking together:
I'm very happy with these Townsends knives, which upon further digging I find out are made by an Indiana guy named Jeff White. The only caveats are that the blades must be hand dried like any carbon steel blade, and that the handles seem to be untreated wood and should probably be sealed so they don't soak up too much moisture. I strongly recommend these to anyone looking for a highly functional but old fashioned kitchen knife.
ronnie_suburban wrote:Very cool. Do you know what kind of steel they're made from?
I would suggest Tru-Oil for those handles. Its main use is gun stocks but it does a great job on unfinished knife handles, too, and it won't alter their color very much at all.
=R=
eating while walking wrote:Been jonesing for an old school carbon steel wood handled knife for a while, and I recently found some at an unlikely source: Townsends reenactment company out of Indiana sells a really nice set of hand forged carbon steel kitchen knives for reasonable prices (https://www.townsends.us/products/cooks ... 173-p-1325):
In a previous life I was pretty heavily involved in the reenactment scene, and I know from experience that a lot of the stuff sold in that scene is costume quality only or just plain crap. But these knives are the real deal. The edges are sharp out of the box, the handles are solid (and beautiful with the tiger stripe wood), and the blades taper up to a pretty stout spine that makes them ideal for kitchen butchery tasks like taking apart a chicken.
Despite the robust blades, the edges are more than fine enough for delicate cutting too. Scallions fell apart cleanly with with a rock chop, with no ragged edges or pieces sticking together:
I'm very happy with these Townsends knives, which upon further digging I find out are made by an Indiana guy named Jeff White. The only caveats are that the blades must be hand dried like any carbon steel blade, and that the handles seem to be untreated wood and should probably be sealed so they don't soak up too much moisture. I strongly recommend these to anyone looking for a highly functional but old fashioned kitchen knife.
G Wiv wrote: . . . A custom set from Middleton I bought a few years ago, right about the time he got initial profile in Garden and Gun . . .
ronnie_suburban wrote: I never figured you as a Safe Queen guy
Xexo wrote:My Xmas Presents from me 2019
Thanks, I'll do that. Just did this today (Sunday the 26th), and they do look nice. Although I think one handle needs some steel wool taken to it. Not very smooth.G Wiv wrote:Xexo wrote:My Xmas Presents from me 2019
Very very nice! I just spent a few minutes checking out your post, looked when you posted but did not really peruse. Once again, nice!
Pro tip:
Mineral oil on the wood handles of the two cool older carbon steel knives, and knife handles in general, will perk them up a bit.
Xexo wrote:Your Middleton knives look great. Based on what they are charging now, you must have paid a mint for those knives.
G Wiv wrote:Xexo wrote:Your Middleton knives look great. Based on what they are charging now, you must have paid a mint for those knives.
I got in ahead of the curve. Quintin Middleton still talked to customers on the phone, would do custom sizes and cost for quality was off the charts.
Middleton knives are still wonderful, though I have not seen his "budget" Echo line in person, but are now higher dollar.
Xexo wrote:G Wiv wrote:Xexo wrote:Are your Middleton knives carbon steel? The Echo all seem to be stainless steel and are the only ones not sold out on his site. His web site does say if you need something customized to call, also there is a gallery of knives and if you see something there you like, to call. Of course, maybe the work is done by one of his apprentices and not him, which may not mean a thing.
I assume you mean Head Butcher/Chef de Cuisine Rob Levitt at Publican Quality Meats?G Wiv wrote:Xexo wrote:G Wiv wrote:Xexo wrote:Are your Middleton knives carbon steel? The Echo all seem to be stainless steel and are the only ones not sold out on his site. His web site does say if you need something customized to call, also there is a gallery of knives and if you see something there you like, to call. Of course, maybe the work is done by one of his apprentices and not him, which may not mean a thing.
Mine are “high carbon steel “Admittedly a bit vague. Not sure what the Echo line is. Though I think if one noodles around enough, his site or random articles, you can find out. He might have a hand in the Echo but it mainly apprentices or employees making them. At least as I understand.
My Middleton are balanced, beautiful and, accounts from those that actually use them, like Rob Levitt, slicey as sh*t. In fact Rob gently took me to task for not using mine.
Xexo wrote:I assume you mean Head Butcher/Chef de Cuisine Rob Levitt at Publican Quality Meats?