What would you call the shape of this knife?

[tcamp]

The lower one, with brown wooden handle. I have had it for more than 20 years and frankly don't recall where it came from; probably a long forgotten roommate. Name on the side is CADIE. It is nothing special yet I love the shape and feel of it so I end up reaching for it 9 times out of 10. Other knife is a Henkel, my #2 knife. Anyway, after years of being sharpened and mistreated by my spouse and kids, I worry that Cadie will leave me soon so I'm on the hunt for a similar shaped knife. Can you help me identify what in the heck I have and where to look for something comparable (better)?

[SanityRemoved]

I'm going to buck the trend and say it is a cheese knife for cutting wheels of cheese.

[tcamp]

Since I don't know where it came from, it could be anything. What makes you think cheese knife? I will say I have used it like a chef's knife for many years.

[SanityRemoved]

I'm pretty sure I saw one in use on television, where they were visiting a local cheese maker, probably in Europe somewhere. The handle angle would be a benefit whether slicing downward or drawing from the center outwards on a wheel of cheese. Granted you aren't going to find it listed as a home cheese knife as it doesn't look dainty enough to sit on a small cheese board.

[tcamp]

Interesting, thanks. I guess I'll hang on to it, after treating the handle to a Tung Oil spa treatment of course.

[emu48]

The brown-handled knife, especially in terms of the angle of the grip, resembles one of the several lines of Japan-made MAC knives. Specifically, the less- expensive line. These are excellent knives of this general configuration. They come in assorted sizes. The more expensive MAC knives look more like conventional chef knives. If you own any MAC knife, it probably is the sharpest blade you have.

[tcamp]

I'm definitely going to check out MAC knives, thanks all.

[knifesavers]

BTW that doesn't look close to giving up the ghost. It may need to be thinned behind the edge but you have a lot of steel there.

I recondition lots of blades and that is not in bad shape.

Jim

[tcamp]

Thanks, that is good to know. What about the wooden handle? Is there anything I can do to preserve that a bit better besides just wash and dry?

[twyst]

" What about the wooden handle? Is there anything I can do to preserve that a bit better besides just wash and dry?"

Use a little bit of mineral oil on it

[Chemicalkinetics]

Pure tung oil if possible. I always use tung oil on my wood knife handles. I have it on my Dexter knives, my Japanese knives, my CCK knives....etc. Tung oil is a drying oil. So once you apply it a few times, it will dry and stay solid in your wood handles making them essentially water proof.

Mineral oil also works. It is cheaper and much easier to find. Mineral oil, however, is not a drying oil, so you will need to periodically apply it.

[tcamp]

I didn't know Tung oil is a drying oil. Seems almost like an oxymoron, actually. I have used mineral oil on other wooden kitchen implements but I will search out some Tung. Thanks.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Yep, it is:

"Tung oil or China wood oil is a drying oil obtained by pressing the seed from the nut of the tung tree ..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil

Most of the tung oil products on the market are not pure tung oil. I prefer pure tung oil. Just something to think about.

[knifesavers]

I scrub it clean, dry a day, mineral oil, then mineral oil/beeswax mixed to a gel.

Chem, does tung make the graining pop out?

Jim

[Chemicalkinetics]

<Chem, does tung make the graining pop out?>

Do you mean like deepen the grain and makes it look more visible? Yeah, I think it does. On the other hand, I think any oil, including mineral oil, can do this.

Here are a few photos including before and after adding tung oil and beeswax to my cutting board:

http://www.chow.com/photos/532870

[sbp]

You can't tease us like this - that cutting board is amazing. Where did you get it?

[mamachef]

That thing is STUNNING. I have never seen one like it. Please, oh please, where in the world did you find that chopping block?

[Chemicalkinetics]

You can buy a wood block like this from many Chinatowns. They are commonly used in Chinese barbecue shops and other Chinese restaurants. Mine is much smaller (14 inch in diameter I think)

http://youtu.be/TkV4Z2wnd4o?t=1m4s

http://youtu.be/uiFZ_xnqYzA?t=15s

In my case, I couldn't find one from my local Chinatown, so I had it shipped from California via the wokshop.

http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/products/cleavers/chopping-block.html

This block literally came to me as a raw wood block (photo 1), so I sanded it with a sander (photo 2) and then add tung oil and beeswax (photo 3). Photo 4 was what it looks like after one year of usage.

http://www.chow.com/photos/532856

Professional Chinese barbecue shops do not do these steps. They just go straight using them because they cut nothing but barbecue meats on these blocks. They don't have to worry about a perfectly flat surface and they don't worry about excessive water penetration.

[sbp]

Thanks. I've seen plentyof this shape in Chinatown shops in NYC and Flushing, but never with such pronounced rings. I'm sold.

[Chemicalkinetics]

sbp,

I haven't been to Flushing or Manhattan.... I really need to go up there sometime. Good luck with your future wood block.

[tcamp]

Thanks all. I am going to see if I can test some of knives mentioned to find something comparable.

[Chemicalkinetics]

I agree with the Great Eiron. The overall of the shape is closest to a santoku. The handle is strange, but the Shun Alton's verion looks the same:

http://www.amazon.com/Altons-Angles-Angled-Santoku-Knife/dp/B0009K94MG

I must also say that two of the Mac knives series have tilted handles as well:

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/mac-original

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/mac-sup...

The knife above is definitely a santoku.

[JavaBean]

+1...looks like a Mac santoku

[sueatmo]

I don't think this is a santoku. It doesn't resmembe any santoku I have ever seen. A look at some butchering knives online convinces me that was meant for cutting meat. The angle of the handle would give good leverage as the knife cut through, say ligaments and small bones. I suspect it is a specialty meat cutting knife.

By the way, there is a Jananes knife brand, Caddie. I couldn't find anything online with the name Cadie.

I think the wooden handle may indicate its age.

[tcamp]

Yes, it is at least 20 years old. Definitely Cadie. The only reference I could find online to Cadie was a manual golf cart thingie. Maybe it was a promotional knife.

[knifesavers]

The blade shape is santokuish but the large offset angle of the handle/blade is common in industrial knives used in meat processing.

http://www.dexter1818.com/Processing_...

Jim

[kaleokahu]

I would call it a Santoku/Sandwich hybrid. There is a Ginsu-equivalent of this shape that was popular about 20 years ago--it had a characteristic pierced tip. I have two at a different house--I will try to remember to get a mfgr/mod for you.

The offset and rake are convenient and ergonomic if you are tall and/or your block is low. Otherwise, not so much.

Aloha,
Kaleo

[twyst]

That is a toughie!

THe closest thing ive seen recently to that shape is the ken onion santoku knife from shun

http://www.wayfair.com/Shun-Ken-Onion...

[Eiron]

I'd call it a santoku, but others may know of a more accurate name for it. Look for Shun's older line of "Alton's Angle" knives. The handles all come off the blades at the angle of your Cadie. But be prepared for sticker-shock!
:-D

[mamachef]

It is a Santoku.