Posted By:
Johann Altenburg11 people found this review helpful
I bought this knife 2 years ago and I don't think there's any comparable ratio of price to work hours you can get out of a knife except for maybe the $30 Victorinox workhorses. I still carry my whole kit but somehow can't put this one down for long. With a proper grip and some practice, it feels like an extension of the wrist and makes cutting almost effortless. The fit & finish definitely not fancy. Even using the word "finish" feels absurd, but it has no loose handle or blade warping over time. Out of the box, I've heard it's not that sharp. I wouldn't know because I bought it with the sharpening service on a whim and it was worth it if you don't have stones. I sharpen this knife every 3-6 months.
Do not buy this knife if you don't want to take care of it; buy the stainless version and just sharpen it twice as much. Wipe it between uses every time or it will sustain damage, for real: This knife has the most reactive surface I've worked with and it will rust quickly if left wet. When you open it, use mineral oil on the handle. Hone it with a ceramic rod, keep it dry, and practice your pinch grip. You can remove the lacquer with nail polish remover or simply sharpen it and let it slowly wear off over time. If you abuse the knife by washing it in the dishwasher, cutting frozen foods, or using undue force, it will chip.
I did and do not baby this knife at work because it's a utilitarian masterpiece. I used it for 40-70 hours per week for over a year. I've used it to break down chickens, trim & portion tenderloins, slice hard sourdough, split a rutabaga the size of a melon, and cut large blocks of hard cheese. It's chopped maybe 50 50lb bags of onions. I've used it as a bench scraper, jar opener, box cutter, flathead screwdriver, even a spatula once or twice in a pinch (please do not do this) and it can still mince herbs without bruising them. It might not look fancy, which I can definitely agree with, but you could probably throw this knife clean through the wall and still mince a shallot. The only way this knife could be more utilitarian is if you could use it to core tomatoes. Was this rating helpful to you?
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