- Joined
- Dec 9, 2005
- Messages
- 2,405
First, a little bit about me. I am a professional chef, trained at the French Culinary Institute in 1987
Now I own an artisan bread bakery, and do most of my gourmet cooking in my home kitchen. I'm a sharp-edge geek. Always have been Love Busse Combat group, and rarely post outside of that forum. I'm pretty much a knife snob. Always used German steel, except for my Chinese cleaver. Haven't used much in the way of Japanese style blades, but I appreciate them. I just already had all my gear before they were popular here.
I was shopping in the local (Walmart owned) Sam's club for some bakery supplies. Normally, I would never consider shopping for knives in such a pedestrian place, but a collection caught my eye. Damascus. What, is that real? I looked closer, and it was a set of VG10 core knives, with damascus overlay, and wood laminate handles. $99.00. Must be something wrong with them! Tramontina brand?
I looked more closely. Japanese style handles, thin, Japanese style blades. Bolstered handles. Chef's knife (8"), Santuko type, utility knife (one of by favorites, esp. for shallots, garlic and mushrooms, and sadly missing from many "sets" of knives) and a nice size (not too small) paring knife. I looked even more closely. Is that a convex edge? On a box set of kitchen knives? Bonus! I won't have to re-do an obtuse edge to get something sharp!
Now, I looked over the box, "made in China." Not really confidence-inspiring, but hey, VG10 heat-treat protocols are simple and well-published. Should be a no-brainer even for the Chinese manufacturers.
I checked Amazon for prices. NO Tramontina Damascus. I Googled Tramontina Damascus. Nothing. Sam's club exclusive? must be new, because Google didn't even pick it up on the Sam's Club website.
After I brought them home last week, I have been using them exclusively at home. Excellent edge retention, for stainless. Lots of cutting meat and chopping vegetables, and I haven't needed to strop them at all. The only downside I can see, is that if you are used to using a steel to bring the edge back on your kitchen knives, you will be much better off transitioning to a strop for these convex edge blades. The thinner Jap. style blades are a no-go for chicken bones or frozen foods, but I have a cleaver for such work.
I paid around 150 or more each for some similar Japanese damascus-over-VG10 knives as gifts for my bakery manager in the last 3 years, and they are now selling at over 200 each. Value. Quality. Style. I am really impressed with these.
Crappy phone pics (yeah!)
in the included drawer block:
On an appropriately dirty cutting block:
Now I own an artisan bread bakery, and do most of my gourmet cooking in my home kitchen. I'm a sharp-edge geek. Always have been Love Busse Combat group, and rarely post outside of that forum. I'm pretty much a knife snob. Always used German steel, except for my Chinese cleaver. Haven't used much in the way of Japanese style blades, but I appreciate them. I just already had all my gear before they were popular here.I was shopping in the local (Walmart owned) Sam's club for some bakery supplies. Normally, I would never consider shopping for knives in such a pedestrian place, but a collection caught my eye. Damascus. What, is that real? I looked closer, and it was a set of VG10 core knives, with damascus overlay, and wood laminate handles. $99.00. Must be something wrong with them! Tramontina brand?
I looked more closely. Japanese style handles, thin, Japanese style blades. Bolstered handles. Chef's knife (8"), Santuko type, utility knife (one of by favorites, esp. for shallots, garlic and mushrooms, and sadly missing from many "sets" of knives) and a nice size (not too small) paring knife. I looked even more closely. Is that a convex edge? On a box set of kitchen knives? Bonus! I won't have to re-do an obtuse edge to get something sharp!
Now, I looked over the box, "made in China." Not really confidence-inspiring, but hey, VG10 heat-treat protocols are simple and well-published. Should be a no-brainer even for the Chinese manufacturers.
I checked Amazon for prices. NO Tramontina Damascus. I Googled Tramontina Damascus. Nothing. Sam's club exclusive? must be new, because Google didn't even pick it up on the Sam's Club website.
After I brought them home last week, I have been using them exclusively at home. Excellent edge retention, for stainless. Lots of cutting meat and chopping vegetables, and I haven't needed to strop them at all. The only downside I can see, is that if you are used to using a steel to bring the edge back on your kitchen knives, you will be much better off transitioning to a strop for these convex edge blades. The thinner Jap. style blades are a no-go for chicken bones or frozen foods, but I have a cleaver for such work.
I paid around 150 or more each for some similar Japanese damascus-over-VG10 knives as gifts for my bakery manager in the last 3 years, and they are now selling at over 200 each. Value. Quality. Style. I am really impressed with these.
Crappy phone pics (yeah!)
in the included drawer block:
On an appropriately dirty cutting block:
