Tempted by More Kitchen Steel That I Don’t Need
I am a knife junkie. I like the experience of cooking, and for me the best part is all the cutting! There are few pleasures quite like taking a finely-crafted knife and having your way with meat, fish, fruit and vegetables to get exactly what you want with minimal effort.
I am, by naature, prone to excess. If I like something, I tend to overindulge in it until I’m sated and, in many cases, move on to something else. I clearly have not reached my point of satisfaction when it comes to kitchen knives.
On one of the forums that I frequent, members are designing a new gyuto along with a member-vendor and member-knifemaker. It’ll be a 240mm or 270mm gyuto in AEB-L steel, with a Tadasuna profile to it. Now, I don’t own anything in AEB-L steel and do not have a Tad. That’s okay — the steel sounds fantastic and, from what I gather, Tads have excellent blade profiles. The unknown and the anticipation of getting another amazing performer in my kitchen and in my hands is part of the appeal!
Yes, the projected $300 pricetag for this one knife does not scare me. In fact, I’m at the point where that is an entirely reasonable amount to spend on a knife.
Unfortunately, even though I have this planned purchase coming up later this year when the new Forum Knife is ready, other knives still call out to me every once in a while. Just this morning, for example, two different gyutos called my name. One is the Hattori FH 240mm gyuto — the first “Forum Knife” designed in collaboration with the knife knuts at KnifeForums.com. The other is the Ichimonji TKC 240mm gyuto.
Why do these other knives still entice me?
The Hattori FH is, by all accounts, the best VG-10 knife you can get. I’ve wanted this knife since around the time I started learning about J-knives. I even have the opportunity to get this knife second-hand for “only” $200. The problem is that it’s “just” VG-10. I feel that I’m at the point where I want more performance than VG-10 stainless steel will provide.
The TKC calls out to me because it is highly-regarded for its profile and its absolute agility. It is thin — almost as thin as a Takeda, from what I’ve read — and very light, with a blade geometry that’s an absolute pleasure to use. The person who is selling his Hattori FH is doing so because he got a TKC — and a brand new TKC will only run me $200!!
Still, I have restrained myself and will refrain from purchasing either of these knives. Why?
The logical, rational reason is because I’m keeping my sights on the new Forum AEB-L gyuto. it promises to have steel in the same class as Aogami 2 or Aogami Super — which means far better than VG-10, even at its best from Hattori. It promises to have the profile of a Tadatsuna, which is at the same level as the TKC. So, with the new Forum Knife, I’ll have better steel than the Hattori FH, and a profile on-par with the TKC. So why shell out an additional $200 for another gyuto before the Forum Knife is ready?
It doesn’t make sense to do so.
However, attraction and infatuation is not a matter of logic & reason. It is an emotional thing. I’d be lying if I said that it was purely logic alone that saved me from making another purchase today.
So, ultimately, what is it that has convinced me to forego these two other gyutos and wait patiently for the Forum Knife? Writing this post. Seriously. It’s cathartic and therapeutic to just say this out loud and talk myself through it.
An addiction to high-quality kitchen knives is both a pleasure and a curse. It gives me great pleasure when preparing good food, yet it causes me to spend way too much time and mental energy thinking about my next purchase.
Perhaps you can relate — if not with cooking knives, then surely with whatever it is that you spend far too much time and money on!
Tags: knives
Goodies & Toys | Leonard Chu 2010/03/31 | 
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