Chris is worth talking to

Chris Meikrantz (cjmeik) lives in Augusta, GA and does Knife Improvements - Specializing in kitchen cutlery, using traditional techniques. Makeitsharper@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/makeitsharper/

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lsboogy
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Chris is worth talking to

Post by lsboogy »

I sent him a knife to thin knowing little about thinning. Thought I would give him a shot after hearing a couple other of you chef guys with real skills praise his work. I sent my Richmond Ultimatum AEBL to him - nice knife profile, holds a decent edge - always though there was something about the knife I liked a lot more than I gave it credit for. It had turned into a camping knife - good knife that I was willing to take on the road - at home I have so many that seemed to work better for me that I kind of let the knife sit and only use it a couple of weeks a year.

Anyway, Chris thinned the thing for me. Knife is now a beast - cuts proteins and hard veg like I think a knife should - I've been using it almost every day (I cook dinner for 2 most days, do lunch for 15-30 every other week at work, and a couple times a month do meals for more than that - just a good home schooled cook with reasonable knife skills) and the difference is night and day. Thing absolutely shreds carrots and celery (almost as good as a super thin kikuichi) and does proteins almost as well as a Kohetsu AS. What Chris did is simply jaw dropping - a knife I would take with because it was stainless and had a beautiful profile has become a daily driver. Worth every penny for both the knife and the thinning. So impressed he has another knife already and will have another right after that.

Thanks Chris -
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by gladius »

Chris who?
Bensbites
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by Bensbites »

gladius wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 11:05 pmChris who?
Cjmeik on here, @makeitsharper on instagram.

I completely agree with the OP. Chris has tuned up three of my knives. Wow. I can gush, rave, and go on and on. It is also worth noting that Chris is one of the makers that I partner with, more on that with time...
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by Jeff B »

gladius wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 11:05 pmChris who?
I took this as sarcasm... :D
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
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Jeff B wrote: Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:13 am
gladius wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 11:05 pmChris who?
I took this as sarcasm... :D
Forgive me. It was late.
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by cjmeik »

Wow, thanks, Andrew! I really appreciate the feedback and kind words. I'm really glad you're enjoying the knife!
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

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Did lunch with the thing today at work - flank steak, mushrooms, and a cuke/onion/tomato salad with yogurt dressing - simple food but great to eat. Served 18, did two Costco boxes of mushrooms with the thing (about 2lb) - it flew through the stuff. Cukes, onion, bunch of heirloom tomatoes (very ripe) and then sliced the steak - releases food well (all kinds) and is just a bloody joy to use. I finally joined the Konosuke HD2 crowd, but I'm having so much fun with this knife I have only played with the Kono a couple of times.
Mark - make another batch of ultimatums - the profile is a better reflection of a 50's Sabatier 10" chef knife than anything else I have, and let Chris thin them. This is just a great knife - and AEBL is a fine steel (have only had it on the strop a couple times in three weeks) - if things keep going this way, I may have found my favorite knife - the balance, steel, grind, and profile are darn near perfect for me now - doing lunch for about 40 tomorrow at work (floor people - we take care of our folk) - lamb chops, salmon, veg and bread are on the menu - only bringing one knife. Thanks Chris - I'll send you the next knife before I get the last one back. The performance of a thinned knife is something the masses should get to try
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by cjmeik »

Here is a before and after choil shot for those interested. As you can tell from the choil shot, it wouldn't have taken much to turn this axe into a better cutter. Andrew requested a conservative approach at first so I basically just thinned from about mid-blade down to the edge and left a little meat on the bones. This created some nice convexing to what started out as a nearly flat ground blade.

Scroll through for a shot of the post-grinding blade finish. Pretty good looking knife, I'd say!



Thanks again, Andrew! Just wait until you see the nakiri we have in the works!
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lsboogy
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

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All I can say is that my ultimatum is one of the absolute best cutters I have ever held. Grind, steel, profile all play their part - this knife has the best entry into both hard and soft veg of any knife in my collection - I think it's better behind the edge than my Kikuichi stuff. More I use it the more I find you do magic to things Chris - in your stead. If I ever get a chance to run a homeless kitchen (retirement is less than 10 years away and that's part of my retirement plan) I will have a good number of knives ground by you for daily pleasure - the difference is night and day.
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lsboogy wrote: Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:11 pm If I ever get a chance to run a homeless kitchen (retirement is less than 10 years away and that's part of my retirement plan) I will have a good number of knives ground by you for daily pleasure - the difference is night and day.
I am waiting on my 4th and 5th knives back from chris, night and day sums it up.
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Post by timos »

awesome job on the choil shot!
Tim Johnson
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

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timos wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:16 am awesome job on the choil shot!
Thanks, Tim! I appreciate that a lot coming from you!
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by cjmeik »

Bensbites wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 2:00 am I am waiting on my 4th and 5th knives back from chris, night and day sums it up.
Thanks, Ben! Numbers 4, 5, and 6 are headed your way. Can't wait to hear how you like the regrind and wa conversion of the artifex.
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

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cjmeik wrote: Fri Aug 31, 2018 8:43 am
Bensbites wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 2:00 am I am waiting on my 4th and 5th knives back from chris, night and day sums it up.
Thanks, Ben! Numbers 4, 5, and 6 are headed your way. Can't wait to hear how you like the regrind and wa conversion of the artifex.
You should post a photo here.
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My nakiri is soooooooo sweet now. Chris ground the pi** out of the thing. Used it for dinner tonight - thinning is killer way to get knives to perform. My Camaro is now a Ferarri
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by Cutuu »

lsboogy wrote: Thu Dec 20, 2018 10:31 pm My nakiri is soooooooo sweet now. Chris ground the pi** out of the thing. Used it for dinner tonight - thinning is killer way to get knives to perform. My Camaro is now a Ferarri
Pics plz, give us the money shot. ;)
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I'll take some pics and send them to Ben - I can't use shared photo site due to what I do for a living.
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Post by keithmarder »

I just sent Chris three knives. I can't wait until they get back here so I can slice and dice.
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Re: Chris is worth talking to

Post by lsboogy »

I just got my Kohetsu 210 B2 back, thinned and rehandled - I think I will need to put most of my knives through Chris. Ran it against a stock Kohetsu 210 AS knife doing prep for dinner - the thinned one is by far the champ on mushrooms, some peppers, zucchini, shallots, garlic and some nice cod. I wish I had known about thinning 20 years ago.
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