Dexter or Forschner or whoever

The Tojiro is a very good place to start both price and quality wise. If you don't want to play with other brands, these will last you a life time if treated right. I went a bit nuts to started and wanted at least one of everything out there. I've since come to my senses and have gone back to were I started with good knives that hold and edge and is easy to sharpen when the time comes. My I want attitude cost me a lot of wasted money. Simply buy when you feel the need to had a knife to fill as specific purpose and not until then. You will save a lot of money take my word for it. I do suggest you get some decent water stones and learn to sharpen within reason and again don't go nuts with that either. The funny thing is I own about 40+ knives now and use 3 Chinese cleavers and a paring knife 99% of the time.
 
Just don't mix water and oil stones. Water stones can't handle any oil even cooking oil though oil stones will work with water is used from day one. I personally use Shapton Glass Stones but have use many others through the years. Most of the water stones can handle the harder steels found in Japanese steels.
 
I wipe my knives down with alcohol before ever touching them to a water stone and I'm always sure there is no oil on the blade. I also wash all of my knives by hand and never let them sit in the sink.
 
OK, ordered. It ships from about 90 miles from here, so I should have it in a couple of days. Yahooooooooo! I also looked at some Japanese knives in the $1500-$2000 range...'nother time. Maybe.
 
The only problems others have encountered with DPs are the handles. I've seen reports of improper fit and complaints that they are too "squarish". If the handle seems a bit large some sandpaper should take care of the problem. I gave my daughter a 270 Sujihiki that had no issues whatsoever.
 
Every one of mine had good fit and finish. As for the squarish handle it does though I don't have any problem with it with any of mine. I also don't find the handles uncomfortable and I have a little larger hands than some and find they fit my hands well.
 
I thought the handle was just fine on my DP. I never noticed a thing, but then I was never really use to any one handle either.
That said, I just took possession of that Pro-M today. Now that's a nice handle....
 
chowhound said:
I thought the handle was just fine on my DP. I never noticed a thing, but then I was never really use to any one handle either.
That said, I just took possession of that Pro-M today. Now that's a nice handle....
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Aha. It arrived. Looking forward to your observations. Go cut something. :yum:
 
I also like DPs for my clients. But for a "special type" of client.

I know lots of folks who don't want to spend +1,000 bucks on a knife, but they want it to cut like one. I make them a simple deal.

I'll get a DP, and I will spend whatever time it takes to get every imperfection, every ding, every crooked grind line and evey cosmetic blemish out of the blade.

And you pay me for that up front. You pay me lots.

On the other hand, it's a one time charge. I offer "life sharp" to my clients.
 
buzzard767 said:
Sort of takes the "bargain" out of a bargain knife. :huh:
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Not really. If you think about all of the "upkeep" payments a client might do over our association, it's cheap.

I don't charge for dings either.

If a client wants to, he/she can drop the knife off every Friday night and get it back for the next week. For life.
 
Are you a dealer for a ceramic steel like Idahone to help them keep the edge going and going and going so you don't have to sharpen too often?
 
No, just a tinker.

As you know, most of the work on a knife is getting the bevel uniform, both front to back and left to right.

Many folks stop right there. They like 'toothy' edges.
 
Hey, everybody, I just got my new Tojiro DP 240mm. It's nice. I like it. I was between this and an F. Dick 9" Chef's. This is my first real Japanese knife. It is well-made, has a sweet balance, is lighter than a comparable German knife, or at least feels that way, and has nice lines. Thanks, all, for your help. Cuts good, too...
 
Japanese knives tend to be thinner than the German equivalents as well as hard steel. They can take a more acute bevel angle so they tend to cut better also. Now with that said they also tend to chip easier than the German blades which tend to roll the edges more. Steel usually with fix the roll in German blades but not so much with the Japanese blades.
 
Thanks, joec. I wasn't planning on using a steel on the DP. I have a very fine ceramic stick for dressing it, and will be ordering a combination waterstone (800/6000) as a first stone. I also have a medium ceramic stick that I use on German knives when a steel won't bring them up. I'll be keeping my 8" Henckels for prying paint cans open, and save the DP for food.
 
S.Shepherd said:
gawd I hate that word "tougher"
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I have to agree on this point. I like my kitchen knives at 62 to 64 Rc.

Now granted, a Chinese cleaver is an excellent tool for chopping, and there are many 'heel cutters' who use the rear portion of the blade. I am not referring to them. My wife uses/used a re-profiled Chicago Cutlery clone to halve her acorn squashes.

But the job of a knife is to slice. Even old Harley mechanics used to razz each other with the epithet, "Don't force it, use a bigger hammer!" If the tool isn't right, why ruin it?

For example, Hattori makes one of the finest paring knives in the world. And I'm sure there is an owner out there with smaller hands who runs his/her kitchen with just that knife.

But it's the wrong tool for +75% of kitchen uses. If you're banging and chipping and abusing a tool to an early dull condition, reach into the knife block.

A better tool is in there.
 
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