Help me to identify this!

[thonarkan]

http://blog.sholaolunloyo.com/.a/6a00d8352c8dc269e20148c84f4169970c-pi

What is the name of this piece of equipment. It is not a regular griddle as it has a pool of water that has a constant flow and produces steam under the griddle to provide even cookery, or so I am assuming. Just curious, saw one at Martin Berasategui during a recent stage.

Thanks.

[JBailey]

Could this be a steam griddle?

[thonarkan]

Thank you for replying, but I do not believe it is. It doesn't show in the picture, but when it is on the pool of water is actually visible. It is very convenient, because if you have to clean the griddle all you have to do is use your spat to put some water on the griddle and it deglazes. Pretty neat piece of equipment.

[JBailey]

Also, from time to time I have seen stoves where beneath the gas burners is water (and if I recall it was flowing into a overflow pipe) instead of just the underpan. I think the theory was that drippings and overboils would land in the water making clean up a bit easier since the food would not stick. Maybe that is what you remember as part of the flattop. It was a high end manufacturer who had it on their kitchen suite.

Edited February 14, 2011 by JBailey (log)

[Fat Guy]

What is this thing for?

[natasha1270]

grapefruit knife

[annabelle]

It's a knife for cutting up citrus fruits.

[Kerry Beal]

Yup - grapefruit knife!

[Richard Kilgore]

A specialty knife for tongue of barracuda.

[djyee100]

It's a grapefruit knife. However, it's also handy for coring a cabbage if you're making stuffed cabbage. Run the knife around the core, then blanch the cabbage until the leaves are tender. The leaves should loosen up and fall off easily for stuffing.

[andiesenji]

I have one that I bent a bit more (very carefully) and which I use to remove the choke from raw artichokes. (I use a spoon for the cooked ones.)

[Fat Guy]

I wonder how it got here.

In a million years I wouldn't have guessed its purpose.

[dcarch]

I have one. For me, it is a useless tool. I don't get the serrated edge on both edges.

Does anyone cut counterclockwise?

dcarch

[baroness]

Does anyone cut counterclockwise?

dcarch

Sure - many lefties and those of us who are ambidextrous!

[Blether]

And the knife has to penetrate somehow...

[Fat Guy]

So is the idea that you use it to cut segments out of a half a grapefruit?

[natasha1270]

I think it is more for separating the fruit from the peel.

[lstrelau]

Cut grapefruit in half (perpendicular to stem axis. Use 'swordfish' knife to loosen each segment but leave them in the 'shell'. Then eat with narrow spoon. Some people sprinkle a bit of sugar or maple syrup on top and broil for a few minutes to glaxe. Only thing missing from this knife is that the one I have has a rounded and serrated tip as well as both sides. My Dad would have this for breakfast often as a 'starter'.

With the curved/angled blade I also use mine to make 'boats' out of an 1/8th or 1/6th wedge of pineapple (leaving that segment's leaves attached for aesthetics). The shape makes it easy to saw parallel to the skin to release the flesh, then cut vertically to make bite size pieces.

[janeer]

I wonder how it got here.

In a million years I wouldn't have guessed its purpose.

You obviously did not grow up in the 50s or 60s.

[mgaretz]

I bought an inexpensive Nakiri at Hida Tool in Berkeley a few weeks ago. I relied on the salesperson to tell me what brand and steel since the box and writing on the knife are all in Japanese except "DP Stainless" (no brochure/instructions with the knife). I really like it, especially because it was only $40 out the door, but I'd still like to know what it is!

The salesperson said it was made by Takamura - who makes the Blazen line - but I can't find any Takamura knives anywhere close to this price point or that match visually. He also said it had a stainless outer layer with a carbon steel (non-stainless) core.

Searching the web for a visual match, I thought it might be a Tojiro "A-300" series, but Tojiro looked at the pictures and says it's not theirs. There are some Kanetsune knives on eBay that are a close visual match, but I can't find them anywhere else but eBay and they aren't on the Kanetsune site.

So here are the pictures. I'm hoping someone can identify them and tell me what the Japanese says. Thanks!

Here's the whole knife. It is only a partial tang, just beyond the second rivet. The handle feels like resin-impregnated wood.

Here's what it says on one side of the blade:

Here's the other side's writing:

Here's a shot of the box top:

And finally a shot of the label on the side of the box:

[Hassouni]

My Japanese sucks, but that last pic, the first part says something like "Kromax" or a variation on that spelling, if that means anything to anyone

[torso]

I don't recognize the knife, nor am I very proficient in Japanese. I can lend some help looking up the characters though.

Here's what it says on one side of the blade:

特級

special grade

Here's the other side's writing:

特殊鋼割込

exceptionally special steel high proportion

Or put together your own favourite translation here: http://tangorin.com/kanji/特殊鋼割込

And finally a shot of the label on the side of the box:

クロマックス割込

The last two characters are the same as above ("high proportion"). Googling for the katakana, I see random occurences of "chromax".

[_john]

your knife can be found on this page. it is part of the Blazen "kuromax" series. 175mm "Special" folded steel. Other than what was translated above it says "forged cooking knife" it is made by the Echizen Knife Company. Translate this page for more info on the blazen series. FYI 4515 Japanese yen = $58 MSRP

[mgaretz]

Thanks John. Does indeed look like it's made by Ryusen. I just wish the website had more specs besides 175mm blade length.

[Paul Bacino]

Those who subscribe to " Lucky Peach "..

Can someone help me..with Identifying the 4 knifes far left ( back side / pages away from you ).. most interested in #3.

If you can Identify more go for it?

Thanks Paully