# I need a BEAST!



## drpartagas (Nov 12, 2015)

Looking for a beast of a knife to cut lobster shell and other nasty things.

I'm thinking about a Tojiro DP Western Deba at 240mm.

I need a few good ideas.

I am open to all quality knife-makers.

Please throw me a bone. Thanks...


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

I have this thing- a very thick meat cleaver. I split a lobster with it this week no problem.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THAI-KITCHE...397707?hash=item1e9cd7a78b:g:~QwAAOSw7aBVESuZ


----------



## drpartagas (Nov 12, 2015)

Wow.

You are saving me money with this idea.


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Mostly it is my bone chopping beater knife.  It hasn't chipped so far, but if it does, it's carbon steel, so sharpening it isn't so hard (whereas sharpening VG10 on tojiro is more work).  Choppers like this you want to sharpen at a nice fat angle like 30 degrees per side


----------



## drpartagas (Nov 12, 2015)

I just bought one.

Not bad for 35.00

Great for the tool box....


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

this is what i chopped the lobster for http://thewoksoflife.com/2014/12/ginger-scallion-lobster-cantonese/

all about wok cooking this month


----------



## drpartagas (Nov 12, 2015)

I want to eat at your house. I'll even bring the lobsters.....


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

We have lobsters up here for $5.99/lb  right now


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

30deg/side is not only nearly indestructible, but keep the tip out of the heavy chopping and you'll still be able to slice chicken skin clean with it.  Of course you can also sharpen the tip area a little steeper too.

Rick


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Gee I missed all the lobster talk, but yeh, lobster up here except the short in-season is a deal easily comparable to beef in Argentina.

Rick


----------



## galley swiller (May 29, 2013)

My (already purchased) intended Lobster Splitter is a 275 mm Hiromoto SK4 steel western deba. It's still sitting unused in the knife box, and I need to get around to passivating the SK4 (carbon steel - no stainless here!) with an appropriate Fe[sub]3[/sub]O[sub]4[/sub] patina. Weighs 480 grams, spine just forward of the bolster is 3.5 to 4 mm thick and my main problem so far has been convincing the family banker to allow me to spend the $127 (including shipping) to buy it. Good thing I did get it - it was offered by JCK for only about 3 to 4 days before being sold out as part of the ongoing retirement of the Hiromoto artisan.

To DrPartagas - If this is to be for the actual cutting of a lobster, then choosing the length of the blade should be dependent on how big a lobster you think you will ever get. Splitting the lobster in a single cleave was the goal. Most likely, the size of lobsters in the past probably was much larger than what is now or will in the future be available. However, my choice of length (275 mm) of the Hiromoto was based as much upon fantasy as anything else. I wanted the biggest, baddest hunk of thick knife I could get, if only for my ego - something that could handle maybe any lobster I might ever come across. To each their own.

Galley Swiller


----------



## drpartagas (Nov 12, 2015)

I like big and bad hunks of steel too.....

In your world, do you initially split your lobster tail by cutting the hardened shell or do you turn it over and cut the soft belly underneath and then complete the split into 2 parts?


----------



## drpartagas (Nov 12, 2015)

I was initially thinking about a knife like you use but then MillionKnives had a cool spare part, $35.00, cleaver idea to be sent from Thailand.

Everyone need spare parts in the toolbox, right?


----------



## drpartagas (Nov 12, 2015)

That Hiromoto SK4  is impossible to find.

Any idea which alternate knife-makers make a similar Western Deba 275mm jackhammer for lobster demolition work?

Where to find them?

I'm conducting research.

I have the cleavers covered.


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

I stab through the neck, then split the head. Then either cut it up completely or just boil it whole. The only time I do the half lobster is for grilling





  








11378424_1605629453048051_1988944426_n.jpg




__
millionsknives


__
Nov 19, 2015


----------



## ordo (Mar 19, 2009)

Check this. I have the 240 mm. version, a beast:
[h3]*E-20 HONSHO-KANEMASA E-SERIES YO-DEBA 270MM*[/h3]

Model#E-20NameHonsho-Kanemasa E-series Yo-Deba 270mmBlade SteelSK-4, High carbon steel (HRC : 60-62)Handle MaterialLaminated woodBlade TypeYo-DebaBlade Length(mm)270mm(10.63 inch)Blade Thickness4mmWeight400gOur Price(US$)149.00-














  








e-20.jpg




__
ordo


__
Nov 19, 2015








http://japan-blades.com/chef-knives/376.html


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

For those REALLY tough tasks, here is a carbon steel hatchet I picked up from JNS as a filler item. Mostly it splits wood for my BBQ fire. But I wouldn't be against taking it to a lobster or bones.





  








11062420_10102068357965869_5597740521766036247_n.j




__
millionsknives


__
Nov 19, 2015












  








19589_10102068357856089_7440768402361545161_n.jpg?




__
millionsknives


__
Nov 19, 2015


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

This is the garnish I made for that lobster dish. It's a crab hehehe





  








12274701_10156297270190271_3316073076291530808_n.j




__
millionsknives


__
Nov 25, 2015


----------



## freddy12712 (Jun 1, 2015)

i thought it was like a gecko at first


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

@MillionsKnives - what's that knife under the hatchet? Looks like a good boning blade.





  








19589_10102068357856089_7440768402361545161_n.jpg?




__
mike9


__
Dec 11, 2015


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

@Mike9 Itinomonn wa butcher. Let's just say it is essential enough that I bought a backup on sale for $80 while I'm selling off redundant chefs knives left and right

http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/itinomonn-kurouchi-170mm-wa-butcher/

This one is coming with me to Memphis in May!


----------

