# My Sweet First Knives :)



## [email protected] (Jul 14, 2012)

I wrote the same content on my blog, but I thought it might be easier for some people to read it here... so here's the content of my new blog entry...

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I own a kitchen knife store with Jonathan. And there's a funny irony in it. 

I have never purchased a kitchen knife in my life, not even once, not even a single knife. I always used my Mom's at home, and when I had my own place, she gave some of hers or I borrowed my friends'. For some reasons, "buying my own knives" never occurred to me. 

Now we own JKI, we sometimes receive great knives as gifts (*note* often with just MY name engraved, not Jon's), and Jonathan is constantly "testing" new ones - this even put me farther from buying my own.

Day before yesterday, I suddenly decided - "it's time for a change! I"m buying one (or two)!" 






Jon has a nerdy (or call it "professional") point of view to knives, and I have very normal person's. I think choosing "right" knives for myself will give me a more round view into our friends'/customers' thoughts when they are picking their knives. 

So... here's what I have been doing, and I thought you might enjoy being a part of my knife shopping.

Just like a regular walk-in customer, I formally enter JKI.

Sara "Hi... do you have knives?"





http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3974/img9883et.jpg

Jonathan _tries _to take an active part in my process of choosing a knife, but I'm a big girl and already know what I'm supposed to do when it comes to picking up right knives for someone (this time, for myself).

(FYI: AS A JOKE) The first thing I look is, of course, the prize of the store.... the most expensive knife in a shop. Yes, that would be Hinoura-san's 300mm beautiful yanagiba.

Sara: "May I please take a look at this knife" (it wasn't really a question because this store is also mine)










Before Jonathan has to say anything, I already knew it. This "it" is a concept that I'm so familiar and still bitter to swallow when it comes to me taking a lesson - the great knives come with great responsibility.... I have to pick skill-set appropriate knives. I can't choose something so beyond my knife and sharpening skills because I won't able to get the most out of those knives, and in fact, I will miss use them (besides that's just dishonorable to knives and craftsmen who I love so much). 

See the bitterness in my face:





Giving up on this prized knife was sad, but I quickly resumed the pursuit of my own knives.

The first step- this time serious one - is to ask myself a simple questions:
"What types of knives do I want?" I want 240mm wa-gyuto and 150mm wa-petty. Thanks to being at JKI all day long, this question is really easy for me. As first knives, I need something simple and multitasking.
"What types of steels?" I want carbon for my wa-gyuto, and stainless and wa-petty... I grow up with carbon knives because my Mom had them. I know how to work clean in kitchen, and have a good sense which food are acidic. Carbon knives will be easier to sharpen (of course it also depends on which carbon knives I will end up having, but in general I feel comfortable saying that), and since I will be also sharpening my own knives, this is a good plus. I want stainless for wa-petty because I cut a lot of fruit and a lot of acidic food like lemons with my wa-petty. 

I know some Chinese cleaver loyalists out there are kind of angry with me for not picking this one:











Chinese cleavers are little too heavy for me, so sorry for the Chinese cleaver supporters, but I picked wa-gyuto and wa-petty.

Next questions is "which ones from JKI?" I know I want carbon steel for my wa-gyuto, and ideally I want White #2 steel. It might not have the best edge retention, but I'm a home coo, and my priority is an ease of sharpening over crazy edge retention (I will let you know if I apprentice to a sushi chef, then my choice of steel will be different). 

Immediately I associate my self with our customers on little details.... 

Sara: "I want a colored buffalo horn! This one is pretty!"





"Yakiguri handles are awesome."





"Yes, I know... the looks is not what I'm supposed to be focusing on" 





.... okay, you knives are giving me difficult time. I'm going to move over to the petty section.





"You know what. You guys are ALL cute and small."





PS. I "forgot" to ask myself what my budget was for knives. My bad!


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## [email protected] (Jul 14, 2012)

.... I made Jonathan edit my blog.... so if you go to my blog from the link here, you won't be terribly sorry for my grammer  ! 
http://ameblo.jp/beverlyhills2010/entry-11302843027.html


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## schanop (Jul 14, 2012)

That's so cool, Sara.


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## Crothcipt (Jul 14, 2012)

Sara, you had me at Sara "Hi... do you have knives?"

Great write up, and I didn't mind any mistakes. It showed that you are trying to be a real customer instead of never going through the process. Now try it from a Walmart or Target, and see how that goes. Just a suggestion.


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## markenki (Jul 14, 2012)

Nice! Looking forward to the conclusion.


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## ajhuff (Jul 14, 2012)

What's wrong buying based on looks?  I start with that and then winnow out the ones I don't like. 

-AJ


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## [email protected] (Jul 15, 2012)

Thanks! I'm really excited about this process too  ! I did finally chose two knives, and I'm intended to try them out tomorrow irate1:

Tomorrow will be my first day to use the new knives, and I plan to sharpen them day after tomorrow... Kind of nervous about the sharpening part since I've tried knife sharpening only twice (perhaps 30 minutes total). 

I will keep you guys updated on this :doublethumbsup:


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## macmiddlebrooks (Jul 15, 2012)

Cutest post ever!
I'm not seeing that cleaver on your site, where is it?


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## Andrew H (Jul 15, 2012)

So what knives did you end up getting?


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## [email protected] (Jul 15, 2012)

macmiddlebrooks said:


> Cutest post ever!
> I'm not seeing that cleaver on your site, where is it?



:O thank you :O ! 

It's Gesshin Hide White #2 Chinese cleaver with momiji (Japanese maple) pattern... the details of momiji(s) are hand engraved, and they are really pretty. Unfortunately I already have carpal tunnel on my wrists, and I have never used Chinese cleaver in my life, so that didn't seem like a good fit for me.... one day it will be mine!


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## JBroida (Jul 15, 2012)

macmiddlebrooks said:


> Cutest post ever!
> I'm not seeing that cleaver on your site, where is it?



been meaning to put it up, but havent had a chance yet


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## [email protected] (Jul 15, 2012)

Andrew H said:


> So what knives did you end up getting?



I will reveal my knives tomorrow  They are nicely wrapped and waiting me in the kitchen. Very exited to use them... I will be cooking some Japanese dishes for dinner with _my _knives!


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## ThEoRy (Jul 15, 2012)

I think I saw that one in person at the food show maybe.


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## JBroida (Jul 15, 2012)

ThEoRy said:


> I think I saw that one in person at the food show maybe.



i had a few with different designs back then... some have sold since then


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## ThEoRy (Jul 15, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> They are nicely wrapped.



So you gift wrapped your own knives I see..


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## JBroida (Jul 15, 2012)

she wrapped one and i the other (just to see where my wrapping level was at)... she's strict


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## wenus2 (Jul 15, 2012)

ThEoRy said:


> So you gift wrapped your own knives I see..



I should hope so, opening them is half the fun!

Great post.


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## schanop (Jul 15, 2012)

JBroida said:


> i had a few with different designs back then... some have sold since then



Is it possible to get a design with a rat tail tang?


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## JBroida (Jul 15, 2012)

its something we're working on


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## DwarvenChef (Jul 15, 2012)

Looks like Sara is going the right direction  Welcome to the darkside  and burnt chestnut handles is just icing on the cake


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## schanop (Jul 15, 2012)

Yippeeee ... quite like my sugimoto handle shape and look.


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## [email protected] (Jul 15, 2012)

I'm getting to ready to cook for dinner.... I will take a lot of photos  !


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## [email protected] (Jul 15, 2012)

I will update how the cooking went with the two new knives, but here are photos of dishes I prepared... Please keep in your mind that I'm a home cook, and I'm much less than average when it comes to cooking  So don't judge.

Daigakuimo (Sweet potatoes cooked with honey, shoyu etc)





Mabo nasu (egg plants cooked with tobanjyan, negi etc)





Chin jao rosu (Piman, pork, takenoko)





Spicy sweet renkon (Rotus root)


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## markenki (Jul 15, 2012)

Sounds good, but I can't see the photos.


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## [email protected] (Jul 16, 2012)

markenki said:


> Sounds good, but I can't see the photos.



strange.... but not to worry! I took photos with my cameras too, so they will come again with my blog tomorrow


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## wenus2 (Jul 17, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> renkon (Rotus root)


<3


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## [email protected] (Jul 18, 2012)

<3 renkon more!


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## Eamon Burke (Jul 18, 2012)

WHERE ARE THE PICS??

I'm going crazy over here!

What did you get?


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## [email protected] (Jul 18, 2012)

BurkeCutlery said:


> WHERE ARE THE PICS??
> 
> I'm going crazy over here!
> 
> What did you get?



I wrote a new blog about it  ! You can read it here. Or you can also find it in our new thread, "cooking with my new knives" under JKI :doublethumbsup:


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## JBroida (Jul 18, 2012)

For those who just want to see the pictures...


[email protected] said:


> I will update how the cooking went with the two new knives, but here are photos of dishes I prepared... Please keep in your mind that I'm a home cook, and I'm much less than average when it comes to cooking  So don't judge.
> 
> Daigakuimo (Sweet potatoes cooked with honey, shoyu etc)
> 
> ...


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## JBroida (Jul 18, 2012)




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## wino (Aug 10, 2012)

Sara

I just wanted to thank you for deciding against the Hide cleaver. I bought it and am very pleased so far. Good luck with your choices.

Wino


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## [email protected] (Aug 10, 2012)

wino said:


> Sara
> 
> I just wanted to thank you for deciding against the Hide cleaver. I bought it and am very pleased so far. Good luck with your choices.
> 
> Wino





I'm glad that Gesshin Hide Chinese cleaver landed in a right place... please make sure you take a good care of it and use it a lot  ! 


.... nonetheless I'm kind of jealous with you! Your cleaver was soooo beautiful and so well-made. When I develop awesome knife skills, I will have to have Gesshin Hide cleaver too..


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