Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

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salemj
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by salemj »

Gregory27 wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:40 pm I picked up an old Sabatier that I cleaned up solely for this purpose. I call it my squash knife. It's also carbon, so it falls into the "nobody can use this but me" category. Damn... I guess my wife can't cook squash this year.
Can she just use a steak knife (like most people)? Haha.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Kit Craft »

Gregory27 wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:40 pm I picked up an old Sabatier that I cleaned up solely for this purpose. I call it my squash knife. It's also carbon, so it falls into the "nobody can use this but me" category. Damn... I guess my wife can't cook squash this year.
I picked up a couple of NOS K-sabs and I really like them. Not just for what they are, as people say, but I genuinely like them. I let my wife use most of my knives, though. She won't use them though. :lol: She has her own J-knives. A PS60, a Suisin Inox Western and a Kono SS laser that she stole from me. We don't eat squash very often, though.
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by ken123 »

Here's a CCK of mine I refer to as a pig sticker (it is used for slaughtering pigs) taking on a Kabocha squash that was slow cooked in a Tagine (ceramic, not unglazed clay). Additions included preserved lemons, harissa sauce, artichoke hearts and vegetable stock.
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Altadan »

This looks amazing! Reminds me of home - only back home squash is simply not as common as around the U.S
Your harissa is really making me crave some princess of the nile fish in tomato, brandy, parsley and garlic... mmm... momma
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by ceast »

I can't find the butternut one I did, but here's a quick acorn squash vid I put up last year. It's not perfect, but may help someone on here.

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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by RonAZ »

My first good Japanese knife was a Kamo R2 Gyuto that I used on a butternut. Carelessly hit the stem and put a very large chip (nothing micro about it) in the blade. That was when I realized Japanese knives were different. After I repaired the edge I started paying much more attention to my technique than I used to with German knives. No problems any more even when using lasers.
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by ChefKnivesToGo »

Got another one today...
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Kit Craft »

ChefKnivesToGo wrote: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:15 am Got another one today...
Another squash, what dish is it going into? :lol:

Sorry, I had to.
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BioDiver
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by BioDiver »

I've got the perfect butternut chopping tool:

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Only half joking here....
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Cutuu »

I just used my stainless cck cleaver and it went through acorn squash wonderfully.
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Ourorboros »

ChefKnivesToGo wrote: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:15 am Got another one today...
I'd be curious to see a thread of the damaged blades you receive, along with the circumstances if you have them. I suppose some owners would object if it is too detailed.
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Chefcallari »

So yea....

Made butternut squash bisque for the restaurant(real original i know) and after reading this thread tried an experiment.
Cut half with my Kohetsu HAP40 and half with my Suisin high carbon yo deba
And it was easier with the Kohetsu lol
Smoother, less wedging.
I've been cooking professionally for a minute now and it still blows my mind how guys treat there knives.
I do not baby my knives by any stretch of the imagination.... I buy them for a purpose and use them for such.
But there is still some thought that goes into what the task is!
What would you think if you watched a carpenter use a $350 mikita impact drill to drill holes through concrete walls???
It might work... But eventually its gonna burn that fucker out! Even if its a $350 drill! They make $300 mikita hammer drills for that job!
Right tool and right technique for the job.
If he uses that impact drill for what its intended to do... He'll be frame 1,000 houses before it dies. Keep drilling holes in concrete... No bueno amigo
CaptainRon23
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by CaptainRon23 »

I was a little embarrassed to post this but, I'll swallow my pride for advice. I knew not to use it on harder stuff like bones but, never thought about squash. I usually take pride it how good I take care of something (I'm still using a Samsung S4 from 2013). It's my first Japanese knife and had it less than 2 weeks. I'm hoping that's when most mistakes occur. When you're getting used to something.

So I bent my blade slightly on an acorn squash. It's near the handle so it hasn't affected what I want to use it for....yet. I'm wondering if I can bend it back somehow or do I treat this like a chipped blade. I don't want to damage it more trying to over correct it since it's more than functional. I'm assuming when I sharpen it that little bent part will scratch up the stone more than it should. Any advice will be helpful.

[url]]

Don't know how to post an image here without using imgur.

Bent blade

Image

Image
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Cutuu »

CaptainRon23 wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2017 7:46 am I was a little embarrassed to post this but, I'll swallow my pride for advice. I knew not to use it on harder stuff like bones but, never thought about squash. I usually take pride it how good I take care of something (I'm still using a Samsung S4 from 2013). It's my first Japanese knife and had it less than 2 weeks. I'm hoping that's when most mistakes occur. When you're getting used to something.

So I bent my blade slightly on an acorn squash. It's near the handle so it hasn't affected what I want to use it for....yet. I'm wondering if I can bend it back somehow or do I treat this like a chipped blade. I don't want to damage it more trying to over correct it since it's more than functional. I'm assuming when I sharpen it that little bent part will scratch up the stone more than it should. Any advice will be helpful.

[url]]

Don't know how to post an image here without using imgur.

Bent blade

Image

Image
Welcome to jknives Captain. Dont be embarrassed it has happened to many. Its learning the hard way unfortunately but learning none the less. Check out marks video in the resources on cktg site (i think). Its a great instructional. I've used it before :roll:
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by ChefKnivesToGo »

If you're patient the best way to deal with it is to ignore the chip and sharpen it frequently. Slowly the chip will be ground away and you'll have the benefit of using all that steel that you would normally remove on the edge to grind it out.

Just don't over grind the specific area where your problem is located because if you do this you'll over grind that area. Sharpen the knife like it's not there.
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by Cutuu »

Oops my bad. I should of looked at the pics.
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by MisoSatisfried »

ChefKnivesToGo wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2017 9:53 am If you're patient the best way to deal with it is to ignore the chip and sharpen it frequently. Slowly the chip will be ground away and you'll have the benefit of using all that steel that you would normally remove on the edge to grind it out.

Just don't over grind the specific area where your problem is located because if you do this you'll over grind that area. Sharpen the knife like it's not there.
Don't stress at all man, better to ask then make two mistakes! Mark's method would be mine as well. As long as it isn't noticeable while in use, just carry on as normal and maybe sharpen it more often than one typically would. It will sort itself out with time then.

If it is noticeable or causing issues, then we can help you figure out how to repair it if needed.
I'm Dave. I don't take myself too seriously and you probably shouldn't either.
CaptainRon23
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by CaptainRon23 »

Thank you for the advice. Made me feel better that I'm not the first to do this and probably won't be the last. When I use it I can't even tell its there, it doesn't effect the performance at all. So I'll just sharpen like it not there (Thanks Mark).
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by jesszuki »

Besides using a heavy german style knife, a thin flexible blade seems to work as well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAGrPiPshH0

Or a wooden wedge and hammer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNiSNkfYh_A

And three more ways:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NGNXkfQWGI&t=9s

And if it has bent a knife just throw it on the ground in frustration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5IGrVZMkRM
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Re: Squash: The not so silent killer of knives

Post by ChefKnivesToGo »

Lemongrass vs Ogata

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