My “one knife” recommendation

Prefer not to

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That’s OK. I’m especially interested in the systems of knives one develops and how they are used together.

Mine grew from a foundation of an American butcher knife and a Kai Seki Magoroku nakiri I was given when I was in Japan about 30 years ago.

That foundation has grown in very interesting ways since–as I’ve collaborated with a Japanese friend trying to adapt to the USA here in SOCAL.

I will piggy back in this.

At this moment, my one knife recommendation for others is a Glestain. While Glestain steel hardness is 58-59 HRC (a little softer than many Japanese made kitchen knives), a Glestain beautiful overall blade grind and the unique hollow grind gives users a wonderful experience. Foods are not readily stick to the blade and often just fall off. This makes the overall food preparation a smoother and comfortable experience. Here is a nice demonstration video from knifemerchant.

Many places sell Glestain, but if you are in NYC, then I recommend to stop by Korin.

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Check out this thread where I shared some general thoughts about kitchen knives in a home kitchen

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Hi Sgee,

Looks very interesting.

Hi Sgee,

This Hungry Onion thread I started might help you to compare with the one you posted:

I’ve been at this for about seven years, and you have already gone in a very different direction from me–but so has everyone else! This thread captures some of our diversity.

Where I haven’t gone (where others have at Hungry Onion) is in the direction of enthusiast and artisan knives–the type sold by korin.

It doesn’t fit with the American tradition of my upbringing–or the Japanese tradition I saw practiced in the Japanese home when I was in Japan.

I see the knives as a strong throwback to an exaggeration of an older Japanese culture that never existed in favor of an artisan tradition of near handmade knives that are more intended to be collected than used day to day in the home kitchen.

Meanwhile, the technology of knife manufacture has been moving forward to produce more cost effective products using new approaches–trying to capture a world market.

It’s led me to consider dual core technology–and Chinese knives that are beginning to compete at levels they have never reached before.

I have a Glestain gyuto and love it.

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Yeah, I was surprised how much it works too (compared to most knife). Thanks for sharing your experience.

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Fine specimens, there. I stick with the Kiwi 21 as my baby. Also have the 22, among a few others.

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I think I have the 21. I will need to double check if that is the one I have.

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Question for the Glestain owners, I’ve always been intrigued with the Granton edge design. However never pulled the trigger due to a longevity concern. What happens when you sharpen the knife over many years and begin to dip into the dimples? Is the knife still usable at that point?

I have a granton slicer I love for carving turkey. But I doubt it will ever been sharpened sufficiently in my lifetime to reach the dimples.

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I read once that on a true granton edge knife, the dimples extend down into the edge. I bought a Granton slicer; it is true.

Granton Knife Company

I think I got it from the Knife Merchant.

So I think the answer to your question is yes; that’s how it was originally designed.The Knife Merchant - Granton Knives

The slicer I have is similar to this victorinox. Notice the dimples don’t go all the way to the edge, granted its a mere few milimetres.

I suppose it’s not an issue as there will still be contact with the blade, perhaps just not a perfect straight narrow line when the dimples are eventually sharpened to the edge?

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I think the copy on the Knife Merchant’s product page for Granton — I just edited my post to include a link - explains it better than I have - and it has pictures.

Interesting. Yeah, the photo of that Granton knife does extend all the way to the edge. The Glestain knife I have does not go to the edge. I can take a photo when I get home.

Ultimately, a Granton knife can become useless (less useful) depending the depth of the depth of the dimples.

Granton patented their design. The dimples on every other dimpled knife I’ve ever seen don’t go to the edge, but they call them “grantons”. I don’t know how long a patent lasts in the UK; Granton says theirs dates from 1928. That’s a rabbit hole I’m not going down😂

Got it. Thanks.

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Hi Sgee,

You might find this interesting:

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Thanks Ray for the link, looks like the dimples may eventually become an issue to maintain a proper edge. Probably not an issue regular home users will encounter from normal use, more likely in a intense commercial kitchen. At least based on what I gathered from the post.

Excerpt of the post from the reddit link.

"I found an old and abused one in a storage locker at work. It had been sharpened on a crappy handheld sharpener and honed on a diamond steel for a looooong time. There was a huge arch in the middle of the blade and it was worn down a good bit onto the scallops.

I decided to take it home and try to fix it up. After grinding it down it looked more like a sujihiki than a gyuto. I also had to thin it considerably. After all that work I put an edge back on it and it’s pretty useless. Due to the scallops being so large and taking up a good portion of the blade it’s almost impossible to get a decent edge on it.

Now I have never used a glestain in good condition, but with my experience I’d be very hesitant to spend money on one. Especially if you’ll be using it frequently and sharpen often. Once you get to the dimples you pretty much have to throw it away."


Hi, any patent dating from the 1920s is expired. At this point it’s a feather-in-hat type of thing, not anything legally enforceable.

UK and most other countries joined the patent cooperation treaty between the early and late 1980s. Thereafter, everyone agreed that patent life would be based on 20 years from the original filing date. The US has a couple of caveats on this, but still 20 years from filing date is the norm.

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