Interesting pictures of a Korean kitchen knife being forged

I don't see any official web page, but I did find another page with a bit more info:

http://22kitchen.com/shop/goods/goods_view.php?goodsno=157&category=

The pictures show the pommel being used to smash garlic. I ran it through google translate and it seems to refer to these knives as "namwon revival" knives. It also talks about how "rail iron" knives are better than stainless steel or "cast iron" knives. Maybe cast iron means carbon steel?
 
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Hmm, I was looking for videos of Korean knives being forged when I came across this. It looks a bit like a khukri! Closer to a Thai e-nep I guess.
[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kF6EwctovDk[/video]
 
So this Korean knife became the be-all-end-all knife of my kitchen. We used it for everything. Well, almost everything. I always have big ol blocks of frozen bbq'd pork shoulder in my freezer and I've always used my HI Seax to whack off a piece to cook up rather than defrosting the whole lump.

Well one day I as feeling froggy and I tried to use my Korean knife to chop off a chunk of frozen pork. The edge shattered like a piece of glass! So that Korean knife went to the garbage.

I'm going to buy another one because it was a great knife but I'll leave the heavy duty chopping to my HIs.
 
Good to know Blue, I can see why that blade would be more for slicing dicing and that sort of work. Interesting it shattered you say? Did it shatter like metal that had been hardened too much for the task you tried or more like it was too weak a steel for the task? If you understand what I am trying to say?
 
That ought to get the job done lickety split. Thing is bad, bad, bad!
 
That is a thing of beauty Philllll. If my friend who was a Chef at a Chinese restaurant were still alive, that would have been a PERFECT gift for him. Well, except that old no sharp objects as gifts thing, wouldn't have wanted him to think I didn't want his friendship anymore.
 
Shavru said:
Good to know Blue, I can see why that blade would be more for slicing dicing and that sort of work. Interesting it shattered you say? Did it shatter like metal that had been hardened too much for the task you tried or more like it was too weak a steel for the task? If you understand what I am trying to say?
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The edge broke into about 5 or 6 flakes of steel along about a half an inch of the blade. However, the break stopped cleanly at the hamon line where the softer steel started. So I'd say the edge was just too hard for the abuse I stupidly put it through. It was interesting to see that the steel's hardness really does change at the quench line.
 
Good info blue. I ordered 2 in different sizes a couple weeks ago. They should be getting in in the next few weeks. I'll be sure to keep the Kumar Kardas in the kitchen for the frozen stuff :)

Edit: they musta heard me talking; the knives got here today!
 
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Yep, that definitely sounds like hardened too brittle to handle the abuse. That is pretty interesting about it stopping right at the hamon. very interesting stuff we learn here :D
 
I've been getting meat at the local Ranch 99 store recently. The guy behind the meat counter uses a lightweight Chinese cleaver to deftly cut up the hanging slabs of cooked pork and the duck. A quick snick between the rib bones and a big slab of pork comes off. A couple of more flicks and it is the right size for the containers that are given to the customers. No worry about the bones in the ducks. Just whap whap whap right through them all.
 
Perhaps technique over tool? Just asking. A bit can be said about that. I've witnessed SA trackers cape hides of huge animals, taxidermist ready, with $5.00US knives sharpened with rocks, not sharpening stones.
 
Bigbore, working in Alaska I witnessed guides doing the same work on Grizzlies and large Elk, the choice of rock makes all the difference ;)

But yes, knowing what you are doing with the knife DOES make a world of difference, still most of the guides I know these days use Havalon Pirantas or Baracutas. They just swap out the blade when one gets dull, it is actually faster than keeping a good blade sharp and they have replacement blades in all sorts of shapes depending on your anticipated tasks.
 
I just bought a new set of namwon Korean knives to replace my shattered one by demand of my wife since she really loved that thing. It really didn't have great edge retentive but you could swipe the edge on the bottom of a ceramic cup once or twice and it'd be scalpel sharp again. You just had to do it every other time you used it.
 
Had a couple knives like that in the past, the edge of a truck window works to swipe them on too ;) Depending on the price it might even make sense to just get a few to keep in the closet for later. But now you know what NOT to use them on, probably won't be an issue anymore :D
 
J
Shavru said:
Bigbore, working in Alaska I witnessed guides doing the same work on Grizzlies and large Elk, the choice of rock makes all the difference ;)

But yes, knowing what you are doing with the knife DOES make a world of difference, still most of the guides I know these days use Havalon Pirantas or Baracutas. They just swap out the blade when one gets dull, it is actually faster than keeping a good blade sharp and they have replacement blades in all sorts of shapes depending on your anticipated tasks.
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After much thought back and forth, I'm considering the Hydra, sort of the best of both worlds in the same package. Yes, I realize the trade offs for consolidating two into one. For what I do this may still be the best option at least for the first. I don't like it has no belt sheath. However, it's something I can work around. Let's face it, it won't be the only set I have on me!
 
That Havalon Hydra is actually a well balances knife for the fact that it has two ends. As I said, being able to swap blade profiles for the task is pretty awesome. Adding the ability to use any of the Piranta OR Baracuta blade faces means you have a whole lot of function to choose from. Pretty much my hunting set plus 6 or 7 other options in 1 knife. One thing I will say before you decide. It means changing HOW you skin. No hard twisting chopping. You have to slit smoothly through everything. Otherwise you will break the blade. And even though they are pretty cheap you don't want to throw them away without getting your moneys worth out of them. So if you are a patient person who can keep the job steady and smooth I think you will love the Havalon blades. If you tend to chop through joints ect and don't want to change your style then maybe Havalon isn't the right knife for you.
 
U
Shavru said:
That Havalon Hydra is actually a well balances knife for the fact that it has two ends. As I said, being able to swap blade profiles for the task is pretty awesome. Adding the ability to use any of the Piranta OR Baracuta blade faces means you have a whole lot of function to choose from. Pretty much my hunting set plus 6 or 7 other options in 1 knife. One thing I will say before you decide. It means changing HOW you skin. No hard twisting chopping. You have to slit smoothly through everything. Otherwise you will break the blade. And even though they are pretty cheap you don't want to throw them away without getting your moneys worth out of them. So if you are a patient person who can keep the job steady and smooth I think you will love the Havalon blades. If you tend to chop through joints ect and don't want to change your style then maybe Havalon isn't the right knife for you.
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Your advice is truly noted and appreciated. I have a light hand with skinning from years of caping and fleshing trophies, mostly my own. I was never one to let the natives or outfitters do that work for me. I gained more respect unintentionally, by doing so, than making one shot kills. In SA I was nicknamed the Blockman as I loved working with the natives/trackers in the skinning sheds working/salting hides until the wee hours of the morning. In the territories I managed to do the same working bear and moose with the Denai. I was taught that way many years ago and still follow that path. Just like you shouldn't harvest an animal unless you intend to use it. While some game animals don't make the best table fare, they sure do make the best jerky known to mankind, probably due to a biltong recipe learned in SA.
BTW, I managed a Baracuta Z and a Stag with a near lifetime supply of 31 various blades for near the price of the most highly discounted Hydra. A deal I couldn't refuse and now, belt carry is no longer an issue.
 
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