[SET Man]

Hey!

   Yesterday I spent a few hours at the show here in NYC at the Javits Center. I was there on the first day of the show on Sunday. I've know about this show for about 3 years now but never have a chance to go since I ended up working on those days the show were on.

   Well, this year as my luck will have it I had Sunday off so I decided to go and see.


International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr

   Well, I took some snapshots from the show...

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr


International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr


International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr


International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr


International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr


International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr

   The show is geared more to toward people in food industry than general public. With lots of equipment companies, food purveyors and etc. Still there were some smaller food companies and demos there also. And oh! Yes, free samples!!! I was overdosing on ice cream, sake, sausages, espressos and etc. 

    And I have to refrain myself from buying a nice Japanese knife I was checking out. 

   Anyway, there are a few more here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8309248@N06/sets/72157641781339134/

Take care,
Buddy

[Bemopti123]

Food envy dude

Paul

[Rob Babcock]

Nice!  I wonder what the stones were the Japanese guy was using?  Hard to tell from the pic but maybe the first one is a Sigma Power?  That second one looks like a natural but pretty hard to tell from just those two pics.  Sounds like a very cool show.

[SET Man]

Food envy dude

Paul

Hey!

    Man! Not a big show but it was nice, and even nicer for me is that a friend of my hooked me up with a ticket.  I missed all the demo on Sunday when I got there. Too bad I had only Sunday to see the show, today is the last day and I got stuck at work. Today would have been the best day to go since it is the last day, my friend told me that there are lots of discount on the last day 

Nice!  I wonder what the stones were the Japanese guy was using?  Hard to tell from the pic but maybe the first one is a Sigma Power?  That second one looks like a natural but pretty hard to tell from just those two pics.  Sounds like a very cool show.

    I don't know, I didn't ask him. He doesn't speak English. But while I was there he was sharpen a knife for someone there at the show. But yes, the stone you see in the picture with him testing the sharpness with this hair is a natural stone. I asked the Japanese guy that was with him and he translated to me that the natural stone there is about 3000 grit and cost ¥200,000, so that is about $2000USD I think I've heard it right  But I have to say the stone feel very nice.

    After he finished with that knife I asked the owner of that knife if I can feel the edge and yes it was very sharp.


International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York 2014 by setpower1, on Flickr

   Oh! One funny thing is that I tend to loose the pin of my knife saya so I use binder clip, so it was good to see there are others doing the same thing! 

   I need to go down to Korin in downtown Manhattan to get a new pin.

Take care,
Buddy

[Rob Babcock]

J-nats get expensive, especially the larger ones like that.  Many/most of the best ones come from extinct mines; since the same mines have been worked continuously for a thousand years most of them are played out.  Since all the stones were mined a hundred years ago you have a situation akin to vacuum tubes- the NOS ones keep trading and getting rarer as time goes on.  I have a very small stone (about 2" x 3" x .5") called a Hideryami Renge Suita.  It's a Tanaka, and despite the very small size it was about $200!  If you could find that same stone in a full size it would cost about as much as a compact car.  Most of my J-nats are more common ones that are still being mined but I have a few very special ones that are hard to get.  Lucky for me a good buddy of mine is a dealer and gets 'em in straight from Japan.  That pinkish/lavender-ish one is almost certainly a synthetic but the finisher looks like a natural.  Heck, even some of the synthetics are pretty expensive.  I consider the Naniwa Chocera stones to be about the "best" synthetics available for knife sharpening, and a 10,000 grit one is around $250. 

I've got about 60 synthetics (full lines of Shapton Pro, Naniwa Chocera and most of the Shapton GlassStones, plus a few Bestons, Sigma Power, etc etc) and 13 Japanese naturals.  Sharpening is a hobby of mine (occupation hazard since I'm a chef).  I've also got a few grinders including a Kalamazoo 1"x40".  The grinder is awesome for repairs but I don't usually do Japanese knives that way.

Sorry to get OT, just kind of geek out when I see Japanese knives and stones.   I've got about $2500 worth of Japanese knives and more in stones.

[Rob Babcock]

   Oh! One funny thing is that I tend to loose the pin of my knife saya so I use binder clip, so it was good to see there are others doing the same thing! 

   I need to go down to Korin in downtown Manhattan to get a new pin.

I do envy you the ability to schlep on down to Korin!  I have to buy everything online since there's basically zero Japanese stuff in Sioux Falls.  What do you run for knives?  Mine are a mixture of Nubatama, Moritaka, Tanaka, Konosuke, Kagayaki and a few Tojiros thrown in for good measure.  Plus one Akifusa (my favorite non-Wa knive).

[SET Man]

...

Sorry to get OT, just kind of geek out when I see Japanese knives and stones.   I've got about $2500 worth of Japanese knives and more in stones.

I do envy you the ability to schlep on down to Korin!  I have to buy everything online since there's basically zero Japanese stuff in Sioux Falls.  What do you run for knives?  Mine are a mixture of Nubatama, Moritaka, Tanaka, Konosuke, Kagayaki and a few Tojiros thrown in for good measure.  Plus one Akifusa (my favorite non-Wa knive).

Hey!

   
    It is OK to geek out man! I was giggling inside while I was at the show looking at those knives myself. 

    Man! I wish I have that many knives like you. Believe me I always have to pull myself out of buying more knives. And that's why I don't go to Korin often even when I'm in the area.

    As for myself, I don't have lots of knives. Not counting cheap old stuffs in the drawers in home kitchen. I have 3 that I use at work. My go-to knife is Misono 240mm Carbon.

   Actually, because of this I did a little up date and a follow up on the Japanese knives thread....

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=50423.msg1311001#new

    BTW... my friend went to the show on the last day and he told me there they gave away lots of stuff and slashed down the price so they don't have to haul those stuff back. Sadly I couldn't make it on the last day 

Take care,
Buddy