Mater Kitchen Knife - Passaround !!!

Alright, I've had the Maters for a couple days, and finally came into the time to try them out making dinner tonight:

MASON016.jpg


Just kidding!!

I am not a chef by any means, but just an average user...someone who cooks whenever I can. I must admit I do enjoy it, and I particularly like getting knife time. My first impression of the Maters was good, and I especially like the handles for a kitchen knife. They have a natural feel to them and enough thickness/width to be more comfortable than the average kitchen knife. I also didn't realize based on previous pictures that the edge has a nice subtle curve to it, I honestly thought it was straight. That is a big plus for me...

MASON021.jpg


I took that shot along side my santoku for size reference. It is my go to knife for just about everything right now, and my wife will grab it first for just about everything as well.

I started off with simple chopping, giving a red onion, a habanero and some celery a simple work over for a tuna salad. Then I gave them to the wife to prep some chicken cutlets for a crusted chicken we were making for dinner. The thickness of the blade didn't make fine work favorable for us over the santoku. I could also feel the roughness of the grind while slicing. Here is a picture of some celery that stuck to the blade after cutting one stalk. I cut the entire stalk then put the knife down, so what you see is exactly how it worked out:

MASON022.jpg


The vast majority of the celery stuck to the blade. That is not a problem for me, and is quite common among most knives I use, but I noticed another reviewer mentioned the same issue. Dan, is it possible that polishing the blade would prevent that issue to some degree? I also cut some fresh basil with it and the knife was barely able to slice through a roll of the leaves. I am sure the edge has been considerably dulled by the previous usage it has seen, but I was unable to touch it up enough to be effective against the fresh basil. I am not going to attempt anything more than a light touch up with this one because it is not mine, however the next people in line might try to sharpen it if they are skilled at it.

The bottom line for me (us) was that we will stick with what we already have. The Mater has a place in the kitchen for sure...I think of it as a cross between a veggie cleaver and a santoku. But we prefer the santoku when all was said and done. Maybe I will have to try a Koster Santoku (I've wanted one for a couple years now) and make for a more apples to apples comparison. If I could get a cross between the blade of our santoku and Dan's comfortable handle, I think I would never put it down...

Family shot for fun:

MASON029.jpg


Thanks to Dan and the forum for giving me this opportunity to try out the Mater. It is a well conceived knife that should get consideration to be in your kitchen block.

I'll try to get them on the way to the next in line tomorrow, but am at the mercy of a 3 month old right now. I'll confirm that they are on the way when they are shipped.

THANKS....
 
Last edited:
Peri, A higher polish on the blade would probably make the food sticking issue worse. The problem is the slight stickiness of the celery juice combined with sort of a suction cup effect with two flat surfaces stuck together by wetness. This gets worse with a smoother knife finish and a thinner blade. The santoku that you picture has depressions (cullens) in the side to let air in under the cut food for easier release. These necessitate this santoku blade being made thicker near the edge and being ground to a less acute bevel than on the Mater. What that means is that stiff veggies will be put under slight compression as the cullened blade is forced through them. This means that your cutting pressure will be a bit higher with the santoku, but your celery will have a slight tendency to sort of spring off the blade at the end of the cut.

I don't like the extra edge thickness of knives with cullens. I thought that I might try an alternate approach to avoiding food clinging to the blade. I tried a perforated blade. I was disappointed in that the material still clung on. I found that a knife with a narrower blade and a certain etching on the side of the edge area works to some degree. This turned out to be a Wüsthof 4800 Cheese Knife: http://www.wusthof.com/EN/database3.asp?id=35:

\
 
Well, it was worth asking the question, I guess. I'm not sure I follow your statement completely. My santoku has a very acute grind, which actually starts at about the top of the scallops. It actually looks to me more like a long convex type grind than a flat grind. What difference does having forged steel make in cutting ability/sticking?
 
I assume that if you measure the thickness of your santoku blade in the area around 1/8-inch back from the edge (with a micrometer or calipers) it will be thicker than the Mater blade in the equivalent location. Generally they have to make blades with cullens thicker in the area of the cullens--otherwise the blades would have holes or weak spots under the cullins. If the blade is thicker in that area the blade is effectively a steeper wedge than the Mater blade. A thicker blade will act like a thin splitting wedge when it is forced through stiff material (like celery). As it wedges its way through the celery the celery is getting slightly compressed against the side of the blade. When the final celery fibers are cut the compressed celery can push itself free (sort of try and jump off the sides of the blade).

My reasoning for the difference between the Mater and the santoku is just my experience that when they make blades with cullens they make them thicker in the region around the cullens. That is why I avoid blades with cullens.
 
Hey Timeless design, they are on the way. Got them out today via USPS priority...should be there Thursday.

Thanks again for including me in the pass around, it was a great experience.

Bill
 
Jeff Clark said:
I found that a knife with a narrower blade and a certain etching on the side of the edge area works to some degree. This turned out to be a Wüsthof 4800 Cheese Knife: http://www.wusthof.com/EN/database3.asp?id=35:

\
Click to expand...

Very interesting idea....

That is something I could definitely try. I could etch (or beadblast) a pattern onto the hollow-ground side.

Maybe timeless design could send me one to etch while he's testing the other...

Whatcha think?

Dan
 
Bill - thanks for your review - it was great!

Great pics too.


:thumbup:
 
Hi Daniel. If you try the texturing on the side of the blade be sure to take a close look at the particular cheese knife I am talking about (it is part of their Gourmet Series). It is a funny combination of texture and diamonds/squares. It reminds me of paving bricks.

154328e.jpg
 
yes - I assume it probably feels a little like the spots you can put down in your tub? Only partly abrasive.
 
Dan,

Just got the knives. I'll send you the lefty.

hillst1 is next up. OK hillst1? Are you a righty?

My review will be up in a day or so. I'll be prepping ingredients for my wife's famous gazpacho tomorrow night (sans food processor this time around!).




Daniel Koster said:
Very interesting idea....

That is something I could definitely try. I could etch (or beadblast) a pattern onto the hollow-ground side.

Maybe timeless design could send me one to etch while he's testing the other...

Whatcha think?

Dan
Click to expand...
 
I'll turn it around quick as I can.


Dan
 
I'm supposed to be after hillst1. The bummer is I'm out if town on business. :(

So put me at the end of the list. That way I'll be home when the knives get there.
 
Ok....here's what I've got so far...took 2 etchings...:foot:....not sure what I'd charge for this...but let's see if it works first.


I put 3 "etched bars" across the flat of the blade on the hollow-ground side.

This one pictured below is the left-handed version.

I'm going to take it home tonight and see if it helps out at all...will report back tomorrow.

Pic:

MaterEtch0731-01.jpg
 
if this doesn't work...I may try sandblasting the strips next....


Dan
 
On the knives that I have used the etch is on the bevel of the blade, not on the flat. The knives are ground very high.
 
Daniel Koster said:
I'll turn it around quick as I can.


Dan
Click to expand...

Dan, I'm unclear now what to do with the other (right handed) Mater. I've been ready to send on. Should I wait for the etched one? Send this one to you? Or pass it on to hillst1?

I'm OK either way. My review and pics to come.
 
Go ahead and pass it on to hillst1. I'll send this one direct to him.


The strips didn't really help. I think I'd have to go alot deeper to make it work good.

I'll sandblast and try it over the weekend.



I think the problem is the water in the vegetables....fills in the gaps/uneven surfaces.


I don't think it would make a difference if I etched on the bevel. I can try it I guess....


Dan
 
hillst1, I need your address. Please PM or email me. I guess your info is not in your profile because your not a bf gold member? Never knew that.
 
Timeless,

I sent my contact info to you. I think Dan has my address for the lefty.

Thanks,
Steve
 
hillst1 - I don't keep addresses....well...actually I do try to...but I usually misplace or lose them (which is why I have the Order Tracker - all in one place).

Can you send me your info again?



I ended up sand-blasting the lefty to try it out. I think that it's the nature of all knives that have flat surfaces to have stuff stick to it. It's not a big deal to me....but I figured it was worth a try.

Thanks!

Dan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top