A review from Matt
About a year ago I made a custom gyuto for Matt. He recently commissioned a custom chefs knife in CPM-154 steel. Its en-route to him now and I look forward to hearing his thoughts on one year of improvements!
Jesse,
I wanted to send you my feed back after a year of usage with my knife.
I wasn’t necessarily in the market for a knife like this but when I stumbled across these on Instagram, I knew I had to have one. These knives are striking and different from everything else out there, from the deep hollow to the insert in the handle they are a true stand out.
I had a great experience deciding on all aspects of my knife with you including having my logo engraved on the side. It showed up exactly as I had ordered in a fantastic Redwing leather case and as a bonus, my second favourite tool, my left-handed fish turner.
Trust me when I tell you that when people want to look at my knives this is the first one, they want to see, just stunning.The tall height of the heal can throw you for a moment but once you get used to it, shorter knives feel strange, and you want to grab this one again.
My knife does have some wedging in large carrots or hard product like sweet potato but that can be overcome by using the front third of the knife where it is extremely thin.
From what I have seen from you on newer knives I think you have gone thinner and remedied this. When using on soft product like potatoes, cucumber and onion, this knife really stands out. The produce either stays in place on the board or falls right off the knife.
What really sets your S-grind apart for me though is how thin the tip is. It disappears to nothing, and this is my favourite knife for garlic and shallots. I have owned other S-grinds, but none were a true daily use knife like this one because they were too thick. The heat treat is great, I wasn’t sure about 1084 but it takes a fantastic edge on my Shapton 2k.
I love the forced patina you put on it and I did a second did in instant coffee to really make it stand out. Ultimately the reason I choose to buy a custom knife is the relationship with the maker and joy of using the knife to prep food for my family. When I prep something and share on Instagram, it is amazing to see you give me a like and many times comment.
This knife has quickly become my favourite to use and one that I will pass down to one of my kids. I have owned, sold, and traded probably a dozen knives in the past year, this knife is truly a standout that will not leave my house. It honestly brings me joy every time I use it, I can’t wait for my next one.
Matt Jacobs