MAC Knives

[justplainbill]

My wife can dull knives faster than I can sharpen them. One of her favorite knives is a 4.25" Kamagata style ATS-34 steel lockback folder from AG Russell. She likes it because the blade is fairly thin but pretty stiff. To me the handle is somewhat uncomfortable because it is metal. In a quest to find a reasonably priced fixed blade alternative, I purchased a MAC, Superior line, 4" Santoku paring knife. It arrived yesterday evening so I cannot yet speak to it's edge retention abilities. However out of the box I can say-

It has a polished laminated wood handle and is single bevel 15 degree right hand sharpened on a semi-thin blade. Came nicely packaged in a cardboard sheath inside a nice box. Took about a dozen strokes on an ultra fine ceramic stone to polish edge to semi razor sharpness. Due to wideness of blade, storage in a poly knife-safe case, requires a 4-6" size case/sheath. Handle offset could be a tad more to provide better knuckle clearance when blade edge is held flat to cutting surface..

 

[CharlieD]

Some time ago in our local news paper there was an article about top chefs here in TwinCities. One of the questions asked was what type of knives they used. Almost all of them said that they use and prefer MAC knives. I hope they are right for your sake and I hope you enjoy it.

 

[justplainbill]

Thanks CD. You're certainly consistent with your reportage in that you mentioned the same info back in 2007. If you get a chance, say hello to Garrison Keillor for me.

 

[CharlieD]

Really, my gosh, has it really been 3 years already. My oh, my. I am really loosing my marbles here.

As far as that, grrr, person goes, I cannot stand him. i used to work in the theatre where he is broadcasting his program from. he never said a word to us (the pee ons) not even as much as node of the head when we would say hello to him. We were nothing to him. All his big liberal ideas are as fake as hi is himself.

 

[justplainbill]

Good to know about the grr person, Charlie. Also nice to hear some Ruskies are not fans of all big lib ideas.

 

[justplainbill]

Edge retention

After dicing about ¾ lb of cooked corned beef , sectioning 1 lb of peeled raw potatoes, and slicing one medium onion on a poly cutting board and then dicing the cooked potatoes; the MAC Superior 4” santoku style parer’s razor-like sharpness was no longer razor-like. It’s edge retention appears inferior to the ATS34 blade mentioned in my OP and to that of our Shun Elite 6” utility knife and no better than our Shun Classic 5 ½” santoku.

 

[CharlieD]

It's not good.