Spyderco is like a horrible disease

[steelcity16]

If you guys think Spyderco pocket knives are a disease, then you should not get into high end Japanese kitchen knives. Just sayin ...

Recommendations for a good gateway drug into the Japanese Kitchen Knives?

Had a set of Shun Classic 15 years ago but got rid of them because my wife and MIL kept chipping them and breaking the tips off! Figured I needed something a little more robust and dishwasher safe.

I'd like to get back into it with a good chef's knife (i'll be making sure no one else uses it!)..

[ImHereForTheMilitary2]

If you guys think Spyderco pocket knives are a disease, then you should not get into high end Japanese kitchen knives. Just sayin ...

Recommendations for a good gateway drug into the Japanese Kitchen Knives?

Had a set of Shun Classic 15 years ago but got rid of them because my wife and MIL kept chipping them and breaking the tips off! Figured I needed something a little more robust and dishwasher safe.

I'd like to get back into it with a good chef's knife (i'll be making sure no one else uses it!)..

Doesnt spyderco make chefs knives?

[Matus]

Recommendations for a good gateway drug into the Japanese Kitchen Knives?

Had a set of Shun Classic 15 years ago but got rid of them because my wife and MIL kept chipping them and breaking the tips off! Figured I needed something a little more robust and dishwasher safe.

I'd like to get back into it with a good chef's knife (i'll be making sure no one else uses it!)..

If you want to get the feel of it without spending too much, then Have a look at Munetoshi from JapaneseNaturalStones, or Kochi from JapaneseKnifeImports. If you want to experience a really well made convex grind then Toyama from JapaneseNaturalStones or, of course - the creme de la creme - Shigefusa. But the last one would cost you well north of $1000.

If you would like to get a little more detailed info, then just shoot me a PM so that I do not spam this thread (it really would be heavily off-topic too for this forum).

I have not yet used Spyderco kitchen knives yet, but since these have a full flat grind and a distal taper only dictated by the blade height I don't really see them entering the discussion for me personally. though I see their point and appreciate Spyderco introducing them.

[James Y]

Kinda like this?

You could imagine replacing the flip phones with people pulling out, opening and using Spyderco folding clip knives, and the catchphrase becomes:

"JOIN THE CLIP SIDE."

https://youtu.be/4P65EJKIUwM

Jim

THAT is utterly hilarious and we should ABSOLUTELY make a spyderco version of that video. Whos down? I do video editing so if someone films it I will cut it

In the Spyderco version, when they try to escape falling under the spell, they start noticing round holes in everything (Swiss cheese, bowling balls, gopher holes in the lawn, craters on the moon, etc.).



Jim

[shunsui]

Yeah, you're like: "I'm fine." Then fifteen years later you realize you're stage 4.

[David R]

Recommendations for a good gateway drug into the Japanese Kitchen Knives?

Had a set of Shun Classic 15 years ago but got rid of them because my wife and MIL kept chipping them and breaking the tips off! Figured I needed something a little more robust and dishwasher safe.

I'd like to get back into it with a good chef's knife (i'll be making sure no one else uses it!)..

If you want to get the feel of it without spending too much, then Have a look at Munetoshi from JapaneseNaturalStones, or Kochi from JapaneseKnifeImports. If you want to experience a really well made convex grind then Toyama from JapaneseNaturalStones or, of course - the creme de la creme - Shigefusa. But the last one would cost you well north of $1000.

If you would like to get a little more detailed info, then just shoot me a PM so that I do not spam this thread (it really would be heavily off-topic too for this forum).

I have not yet used Spyderco kitchen knives yet, but since these have a full flat grind and a distal taper only dictated by the blade height I don't really see them entering the discussion for me personally. though I see their point and appreciate Spyderco introducing them.

Good description of the Spyderco Carter knives. Being manufactured they are not going be like the higher end hand made knives. They are dramatically better than the knives most people have in their kitchens. I would recommend trying the funayuki, bunka, or nakiri. Nakiris can be surprising to people who haven't used them before and and make veggie prep much nicer. The funayuki (really a petty, imo) also gets a lot of use in my kitchen.

[BIGSTRETCH]

Hah, folding knives have to be part of the zeitgeist. Just look at what prices have done in the last 10 years. Everything can't be blamed on Covid, they seemed to outpace inflation before that too.

[Megatron9000]

Well, still resisting the Spyderco virus (pricetag keeps me away from unthinkable). BUT suffered a lighter version, which is called Byrd )))
Seriously, considering what to buy as a first Spydie (though sth between Centofante and Salt I).

[HolySteel]

If you guys think Spyderco pocket knives are a disease, then you should not get into high end Japanese kitchen knives. Just sayin ...

This statement has made me spend 5 seconds analyzing my knife-buying habits
I say that because I only recently upgraded my kitchen knives (including 5 Spydercos) - sure, I look at them, study them, test them, sharpen them ... but then I put them on the wall strip and take them down only to cut things. I have what I need - GREAT - then stopped even looking at that point. I now have the ability to cut a vegetable or piece of meat about as well as is possible, so what's the point?

But folding Spydercos? I must keep buying them because of an infection from the disease mentioned by the OP. Mules I cannot explain

[salimoneus]

Not a disease, it's called lack of self-control.

[ladybug93]

Not a disease, it's called lack of self-control.

it's a brave new world. we don't have to take responsibility for any choices anymore.


seriously though, i find myself going through the spyderco site and wanting so many knives i don't need. i don't buy them uncontrollably, but i'll probably end up with all of them eventually. too many great designs and steels to try.

[standy99]

It’s even funnier when you see someone you nudged into Spyderco has the bug twice as bad as you with now 3 times the knives you have.

One fella at work is this.

Still remember I took a GB1 and a PM2 into work for two guys to look at. One bought a PM2 that day and another bought a GB2, Delica pakkawood, and a Para3 within a week… The second has a new knife every time I see him.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

I aspire to be like Mike, RevMike

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Recommendations for a good gateway drug into the Japanese Kitchen Knives?

Had a set of Shun Classic 15 years ago but got rid of them because my wife and MIL kept chipping them and breaking the tips off! Figured I needed something a little more robust and dishwasher safe.

I'd like to get back into it with a good chef's knife (i'll be making sure no one else uses it!)..

If you want to get the feel of it without spending too much, then Have a look at Munetoshi from JapaneseNaturalStones, or Kochi from JapaneseKnifeImports. If you want to experience a really well made convex grind then Toyama from JapaneseNaturalStones or, of course - the creme de la creme - Shigefusa. But the last one would cost you well north of $1000.

If you would like to get a little more detailed info, then just shoot me a PM so that I do not spam this thread (it really would be heavily off-topic too for this forum).

I have not yet used Spyderco kitchen knives yet, but since these have a full flat grind and a distal taper only dictated by the blade height I don't really see them entering the discussion for me personally. though I see their point and appreciate Spyderco introducing them.

I have the Minarai Nakiri from Carter/Spyderco and would agree that the grind on it is not something that I found impressive. The full flat (likely more like slight hollow from how it appears) sticks badly in food and really increases the force required in cutting beyond what I feel it should be for cutting vegetables on a slice. Compared to something like a Fujiwara nakiri which I also use (they are inexpensive in the White steel, relative to performance) it's just a completely different animal.

One thing you could do which I have not done yet, as I am considering just selling the knife, would be to change the geometry a bit and give it a full zero grind with some degree of convex. This would be difficult though because of how thin the knife is to begin with so I've been hesitant to try it just to see what I could improve. I reprofiled the edge to 10 DPS, my Fujiwara is more like 6 DPS zero grind now where primary goes straight to apex w/ micro bevel slightly higher.

I guess that's not entirely fair comparison being the edge angles are significantly different, which will also increase required force on the Minarai. Not apples to apples but I should start with the edge angle being the same I reckon before I feel confident about my thoughts here.

[kobold]

In my case the cure for the knife disease was even more knives. Once I covered all my use cases, needs and wants i slowed down and abstained from buying any knife for almost two years now. Instead, i customized what I had. Today I have a Barkie Kephart on preorder and that's it. I am still waiting for a magnacut model that makes sense to me. Or for a new batch of Nirvanas, Slysz bowies, Sage 2s.

[HolySteel]

In my case the cure for the knife disease was even more knives. Once I covered all my use cases, needs and wants i slowed down and abstained from buying any knife for almost two years now. Instead, i customized what I had. Today I have a Barkie Kephart on preorder and that's it. I am still waiting for a magnacut model that makes sense to me. Or for a new batch of Nirvanas, Slysz bowies, Sage 2s.

What, someone who is logical?!?!

...90% of the time I'm carrying my Franken-Native 5 Magnacut. I see no downsides so far to that steel.

[JD Spydo]

Interesting thread topic for sure!! And I can completely identify with all being said. My obsession ( addiction) started in the Spring of 1995 when I purchased my very first Spyderco knife which was a GIN-1, Full SE, Stainless MARINER model. It wasn't long after that I went on to buy a JD Smith, RENEGADE, and about 4 more from that era. And that era of 1998 to 2004 is still what I consider to be "The Golden Era of Spyderco Classics". Of which the C-60 Ayoob and TEMPERANCE 1 are both from that time slot.

I've gotten many NonKNIFE people very interested mostly Spyderco's great kitchen/culinary blades. I get nothing but compliments when I gift several people a Spyderco kitchen blade. And I gifted several of the K-04 & K-05 models to many people over the years>> and they all loved them.

Also when I've gone hunting and fishing and take my arsenal of Spyderco blades with me I've had several hunting a fishing buddies want the ones I have until I tell them the prices. I do find that many Spyderco models are Attention Getters>> and mainly to most ordinary folks.

[ImHereForTheMilitary2]

I just gifted a shaman to a friend and now he's got her bug too

[Blaine in the Rock]

I've got it, too, and it seems to be getting worse. I have a Dfly Salt SE coming today, an Enuff Salt on order, and now because of the discontinue sale I have a Rockjumper SE is my cart. And a Native 5 Salt SE that's not even on sale! HELP!

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Anybody know of a 12-step program for this? I just bought one shy of a half dozen Waterway's today to clear out all the stock on the factory store. I got a good deal on them but ****, I just wanted one lol. Talk about hooked.... I keep telling myself there's a perfectly logical explanation for this move and I'm going to feel great about my choice when I can't find any new ones in the future for sale and I'll be glad when I need a 2nd, 3rd, etc. because I've lost or misplaced or dropped it in the lake while EDC'ing. The fact that I have a few Siren's in LC200N only reinforces my sanity, right? Because the same thing could happen to any of those!