MOAB KNIVES CUSTOM 12 INCH CHEF’S KNIFE

You know I love my knives. A good sharp knife is essential for all preparation duties in the kitchen. As some of you know I have an extensive collection of custom and high quality knifes at my disposal. When you collect, one can never have enough of a good thing. (Despite Ms. Goofy’s objections) Today I would like to share my latest acquisition of a twelve inch Chef’s knife made by Moab Knives.

 Moab Knives is a one person operation created and run by David Collett. David Collet is an ironworker by day and Bladesmith by night. David hand drew the knife design, cuts, grinds heat treats, and hand finishes every blade. I asked him to create a 12 inch blade designed in a traditional Western Chef’s knife style. I also picked my handle material. Three months later, here is the finished product.

The blade is made of 1095 high carbon steel known for its edge retention and sharpenabliiy.  The handles are made of Amboyna Burl wood. I asked David to make the handle on the large side to fit my hand. The blade is 12 inches long and is sharpened to a convex edge to 20 degrees. Did I mention it is beautiful? Let’s go to the kitchen and cut up a couple of things.

My first impression is; WOW!!!!! This knife is sharp. An onion was no match for this power house of a tool. The weight and heft really makes a difference.  The handle is large and fits my hand perfectly. What I noticed was how smoothly this tool cuts and glides through its desired object. What I really enjoyed is how balanced this large knife is.  I tried my hand cutting a tomato and with surgical precision it was dispatched. I want to go around cutting up things but need to do some shopping.
I just wanted to share my beautiful new knife. This will get plenty of use. It is not only functional but beautiful to look at. The size, weight and balance are perfect for this Mad Meat Genius.

Video by Moab Knives

BUND

One can never have too many knives or barbeques is what I always say. Ms. Goofy may disagree. This latest acquisition is a "German Army Bordmesser Rigg Knife". It has a beautiful 'Marlinspike'. It also comes with a razor sharp blade made of  "AISI 420 stainless steel". This is a quality old stock/new German Navy knife. The gold lettering etched on the handle; 'BUND' translates to army. What is a Marlinspike you might ask?. It is used in marine ropework to assist in tying and untying of knotts. I think it will do well at our next crab feed. Stay sharp my friends.

BLADE MAGAZINE

Blade magazine is devoted to the knife enthusiast. They publish an issue monthly but seem to be three months a head of schedule. In December I received the March 2017 issue. This particular month features a very special knife enthusiast. Yes, yours truly is featured in the "The Knife I Carry" section of the magazine. I submitted an image and text to be entered in a contest to win a knife. Maybe it was shameless promotion or possibly the need for another knife. (Never ask Ms. Goofy if I need a new knife or bbq.) Needless to say I am tickled pink to be included in Blade magazine.

BOB KRAMER "PICNIC KNIFE"

Bob Kramer is a 'Master Bladesmith'. He is the who's who in the knife making world. The blade material, design and craftsmanship make these knives extraordinaire. His knives are sought after by top notch, high end and celebrity chefs. At one time he would sell you his custom hand made knives, but to purchase you had to be put on a waiting list. I was on this waiting list and purchased a complete set over a ten year period. He then partnered with the famous J. A. Henckel Company out of Germany to mas produce his line of knives. You can go to a department store and buy this set for around 2500 dollars.To actually purchase a Bob Kramer handmade knife these days is almost impossible unless you have a very large bank account. He occasionally sells his handmade knifes on e-bay which sells in the thousands for a single knife. I had the opportunity to purchase a handmade custom Bob Kramer "Picnic Knife". I did not hesitate for this acquisition.

This knife is considered a 'Friction Folder' knife. A friction folder is a folding knife that doesn't use a lock or springs. It uses the handle's friction against the tang to stay open. The blade is made of 'AEB-L Straight Stainless Steel' which is the material razor blades are made of. The handle is made of carbon fiber. When the blade is open the edge of the blade tang doubles as a bottle opener. This knife feels very good in the hand. A friend asked me if I was actually going to use this knife or mount it for display. It is a beauty and a fair question. I plan to use it on special occasions.

This is one fine knife. I feel privileged and a little bit lucky to own one. These knives sold out immediately. Ms. Goofy and I met Bob Kramer when his shop was in Seattle. He gave us a tour of his knife shop. After meeting Bob and seeing the process you will understand why his knives are so sought after. I think we will go on a picnic.

FARMERS MARKET KNIFE

Two Fridays a month I manage the Richmond’s Certified Farmers Market. One of the perks of working at this market is I get to eat some of the freshest fruit and vegetables available. I needed a specialized knife to cut and sample the produce. My buddy Rex Foreman from ‘The Shaver & Cutlery Shop" located in Oakland showed me the “Farmers Market Knife”. It actually is called a fruit knife but whatever its title is, I am hooked.

This stainless steel serrated edge blade knife has a special addition of a fork. Its open length is approx.  10 ¼ inches and folds down to a tidy 4 ¾ inches for easy pocket storage. The stainless steel will make for easy cleanup when covered with sticky vine ripe peach juice. The razor sharp blade makes quick work of any slicing duties. The fork is a very handy accessory to have when sampling. This knife is very inexpensive and can be found by contacting Rex at The Shaver & Cutlery Shop. Thanks Rex.

The Shaver & Cutlery Shop

2874 Telegraph Ave.

Oakland, CA 94609
510-655-8742

ELECTRIC KNIFE

We all eat with our eyes. As a 'Master BBQ Judge' that first impression is all important. Sharp, precise, straight cuts of meat are neat and pleasing to the eyes. If we see jagged or torn cuts of meat it raises the question; does this cook care enough to be the best. As a judge it is our job to judge only the meat. The way it is cut does not effect the taste. We do judge for appearance and subconsciously uneven, jagged cuts could sway our taste score.. As a cook it is fairly easy to make that perfect cut. The most important tool is to have a very sharp knife. In competition, a lot of competitors use an electric knife. Ms. Goofy has been scoring my meat entries at the dinner table a little low in appearance. It was time to step up my game and acquire an electric knife.

We have access to some of the best barbeque knowledge in the nation. We asked several competitors what knife was best for that perfect cut. We chose the 'Berkley Turbo Glide Filet Knife'. This is cordless, rechargeable, and has an ergonomic grip. The dual blade is 7 1/2 inches long with a razor sharp serrated blades. It comes in a very nice case for transportation. You may ask why a filet blade and not a slicing blade. We are going on our competitor friends recommendation. He says with a slight slicing motion the cuts will be 'Grand Champion' perfect. It is time to cook.

We cooked a beer can chicken on the Weber. It was very tender. Our new knife worked like a charm. I sliced through and carved this bird with ease. I had to learn to let the knife do the work. It was an easy learning curve. We needed to put this blade through a competition meat to really test its mettle. A brisket was smoked for eight hours. It smelled and looked delicious. We separated the point from the flat. The point was sliced into cubes for burnt ends. The knife made this task a breeze. It was actually kind of fun using power tools to carve. The next task was to slice the flat. Once again we got that perfect cut from our new tool. I do need to work on slicing even pieces but the knife did its job. The verdict is power tools rule and my dinner appearance scores will rise.

CHRISTMAS LIST

This would make a wonderful Christmas present for the Mad Meat Genius in your life.

Kramer Knife

KRAMER KNIVES ON THE NEWS

In case you missed the Morning News today, a segment about Bob Kramer and his knives was aired. Below you can watch and learn about this 'Master Bladesmith'. Ms. Goofy and I met Bob and toured his facility. We proudly own a set of his originals. It has taken awhile to collect them, but it is worth it. You can view a couple of the knives here. Be sure to sharpen your knives and get ready for Turkey Day.

KRAMER KNIVES

It feels like Christmas morning. The anticipation of opening the presents and finally getting to play with that new toy. There is a temptation to inform the Salt Mine bosses that Chilebrown will not be at work today because He has to cook a roast and try out his new Kramer 10 inch slicer. The Christmas Eve suspense lasted for 5 years. That is when this knife was ordered. It was worth the wait.

Bob Kramer makes a unique and high quality knife. They are sought out by professional chefs, collectors and home chefs. He is famous in the knife making world. Bob holds a title of "Master Knife Maker" which only 67 are recognized in the United States. There have been numerous magazine articles about Kramer Knives. He was even featured on TV with my friend Joey Altman's 'Bay Cafe'. Ms. Goofy and I visited Bob and his shop when he used to be located in Seattle Washington. He is a very personable Bladesmith. Bob walked us through the knife making process and answered My long list of questions. After the tour, I offered to purchase one of his knifes. Bob informed me that I would have to be put in to the 'rotation'. That first knife took about 6 months to rotate my way. This took place around 1997 and now 12 years and half a dozen knifes later the rotation is about 5 years.

This knife is a 10 inch slicer. It is used for carving roasts and large cuts of meat. It is made from a tool steel called '52100'. The steel goes through a seven step heat process which takes 6 hours. It then is given an edge, sharpened and honed. The handle is Cocobolo a rosewood harvested from the equatorial zone. This knife is a thing of beauty. I think I am going to cry.

FORGED CUTLERY

Michael Hemmer is an artist that lives in the Coastal Mountains of Oregon. In his own words, He lives an Alternative life style. He also creates hand forged knives. These knives are made from recycled high carbon Swedish saw steel. This steel is heated in a coal-fired forge. They are then beaten and compacted by a hammer. This process causes a higher carbon concentration to be forced to the cutting edge. "The actual crystalyn structure is tightened and more perfectly aligned resulting in a more durable, longer lasting finer keener edge". Yes, these knives do have a keen edge. You can sharpen and hone these beauties to a razor sharp finish. They do need to be washed and dried after every use because they will rust.

We found these knives in a gift shop in Oregon. The cleaver was my first purchase. It was a gateway knife. I had to have more. The rest of these knives were obtained directly from Michael Hemmer. They were purchased over 10 years ago. I am not sure if he sells them directly anymore. You can pick them up at the Blacksmith Shop in Ferndale California. When you use one of these knives you can feel the pride and craftsmanship throughout. These knives are functional pieces of Art.

KITCHEN KNIVES

I just got a call from Bob Kramer from 'Kramer Knives'. My knife is ready, the knife I ordered 5 years ago. We will talk about that later this week when I receive this "Blade of Glory"

Kitchen knives are the backbone of any decent cook. We all have our favorite blades. What works for one person might not work for another. There are a few of us that even collect and cherish knives. (Myself, Meathenge). The Mad Meat Genius kitchen comes from an older school of thought. Carbon Steel is my choice of cutlery. It does take a little extra care. I find them a little easier to sharpen. After you use one of these utensils you need to wash and dry them immediately. They will rust and pit if you do not take care of them. If you take care of them, they will last forever, not like my 401K.

Today we will glimpse at Gustav Emil. This is a company from Germany. They have been around for a long time. They made a quality knife and have big name recognition. I am not sure who owns them today. The blades I own have been made before 1960. They are made from virgin steel versus recycled steel. The steel is harder and lasts longer. You can pick these blades up on E-Bay. They are still cheaper than buying a brand new set of German blade. They will not look as pretty as stainless steel, but they are performers. Take pride in your cooking and your Utensils. These knives take extra care but they are worth it.

SHARP KNIVES

Do you feel comfortable with your knife? Does it have that edge that will slice through a tomato without ripping it apart? Have you ever tried to sharpen a knife yourself and it came out duller than before. I have. I have always admired those people that would take a knife and run it across a stone to a razor finish. I have tried and tried. I have had people show me again and again. Well I had resigned to having my knives sharpened professionally. One day I read about the ‘Edge Pro’.
http://www.edgeproinc.com/
It sounded like something I could manage.
Edge Pro is located in Mt. Hood, Oregon. Ms. Goofy and I were on the ‘Ultimate Meat Adventure’ and we would be in that area. I made an appointment to meet the Owner and Inventor Ben Dale. Ben gave us a demonstration and had me try it out on a knife that I had brought along. It took a little practice but Ben was very patient. Ben started to demonstrate a couple of advanced techniques of actually putting a polish on an edge. You could see the passion in his demonstration. I was sold right there.
I have my Edge Pro now. My knives are sharp. Boy are they sharp. It takes a little practice, but is something that is not difficult. You select the angle for your knife. You select the stone. You start out with a rougher stone and work to a smoother stone. Your knife lies on a table and the stone is set at the perfect angle. You draw the stone over your blade. You finish the process with a ceramic steel.
I am not going to recommend this to everyone. I think most people can get by using a Steel and having there knives sharpened professionally. If you are a Freak like Me, then you will have to get an Edge Pro. My knives are an important part of my cooking. Being sharp is a necessity. This is a great tool.
Edge Pro
P.O. Box 95 HR, OR 97031
541-387-2222
www.edgeproinc.com