Thought I’d write a quick post for Ron. He’s getting back to The Sharpening Blog very soon. Like, well, very soon! In the meantime Ron’s packing the box to ship to Woodworking in America and helping our new shipping department whiz kid Mark Taylor package up the newest product from Hock Tools.
Did I say, “a new product from Hock Tools”? Yes, indeed! As a matter of fact while writing about the two new kitchen knife kits for the newsletter as I listened to Ron pack and weigh the booth for WIA gave me the idea to pinch-hit for his blog.
I’m particularly proud of Ron with these two kits—one a proper and practical paring knife, the other a consummate, all-purpose chef’s knife. Both are sweethearts and both will provide you your own kitchen masterpiece!
As a person who loves – I mean LOVES – to cook, I’m already thrilled and can’t wait to use the completed kits. We have a lot of knives in our kitchen — as you may imagine. Most of them are prototypes from Ron’s knife making years on the American Craft Council circuit. I have a few rather fine seconds, too. When people come to cook with me they are always a bit envious and ask to chop, dice, and slice. I don’t have to ask for help!
The conversation turns to what makes the perfect handle for that particular kitchen helper. Then we talk about how best to keep knives sharp and why 01 tool steel is perfect for knives. Stainless is always shiny but sadly for poor stainless it does not get as sharp or hold an edge as well as good ol’ 01.
I do try to remind my friends that I never, and I mean never, put my Hock knives in the dishwasher! That’s a cardinal rule about carbon steel kitchen knives. As a matter of fact I wash and dry my knives right away — Ron doesn’t always; please don’t ask — and enjoy my chef’s patina on the blades; the sure and steady tale of my loving work.
I hope you are as excited as I am about the two new kitchen knives. They’ll be available for the first time at WIA! Through the website (and your favorite retailer) thereafter.
Hope to see you at Woodworking in America!
— Linda at Hock Tools
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