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Sharp practice By Ronit Vered Tags: Israel News, chef "The chef's knife becomes an extension of the hand, a natural continuation of the body." This is how a chef I know attempts to explain the shared passion of all who find themselves part of the kitchen brigade. Another waxes poetic about "the marvelous sensation of the steel as it smoothly slices through any raw ingredient," and the way tomatoes or cuts of meat submit utterly to the polished metal. Like Samson's long locks or a Samurai?s sword, a chef's knife is the source of his strength and pride. The chef's skilled choreography-firm, taut bearing, fluid wrist movements and rapid motions of the knife, executed without looking-is not only mesmerizing to watch, it also harks back to complex ancient roots. For thousands of years, swords and knives have been male adornments, and in medieval times, members of the cooks guild were among the few permitted to continue to use this obviously phallic symbol to strut their stuff. Knives made of stone or sharp clamshells were the first implements produced by man. But men continued carrying knives thousands of years after they no longer needed them for hunting. Knives were used for fighting and self-defense as well as for preparing food and consuming it. Advertisement In the absence of forks, the knife was the main eating utensil. In the Middle Ages, for instance, cutlery was not part of the protocol for setting a table. When you came to dine at the host's table, you would bring your weapon, and the bigger and more magnificent your sword, the better spot it earned you in the seating arrangement. In a sign of courtly love, knights and maidens shared common bowls of food, and a man would cut up the food for his beloved. Most festive meals began with an impressive ceremony in which whole animals or enormous cuts of beef were carved up. Carving the meat while it lay on the table was considered beneath the dignity of the professional meat carvers, an esteemed profession that required much skill and knowledge. So the meat was pierced with a knife and hoisted aloft while a carver used a second knife to cut slices of wild boar or peacock directly onto the diners? plates. This combination of male testosterone, a multitude of weapons and countless pitchers of alcohol frequently turned banquets into bloodbaths. Preventing violence during mealtime was one of the main reasons behind the advent of table manners. Hundreds of years of social conditioning, combined with the efficient invention of firearms, have left the knife with a shady, suspect image. The knife became the preference of hoodlums, a dark and sinister weapon that can be easily hidden and used to attack from behind, contrary to every moral code. It also had messy results-geysers of blood and slithery entrails. Only in China, Japan and the Philippines did the knife retain its place of honor in combat into the 20th century. Guy Rafaeli, 43, and Yuval Nehamkin, 39, directors of the Israel branch of CSSD/SC (Common Sense Self-Defense/Street Combat), are knife men. Rafaeli got his first knife, a Swiss army knife, at age 13. Today it is kept with his collection of hundreds of rare items that includes ancient Japanese swords and other handmade weapons. Nostalgia for the dark romance of the past, worship of the aesthetics of artworks refined by generations of master craftsmen, proof of masculinity-who can see into the hearts of the collectors who belong to the Society of Ethnographic and Historical Edged Weapons Collectors in Israel. Besides collecting, Rafaeli has a business that imports army knives, and is also a devotee of martial arts like karate and jujitsu. In the 1990s, after he met Nehamkin and was introduced to Filipino combat arts, he was able to combine all of his passions together. Today, at the school they founded, the two masters lead a small army of students dedicated to this ancient art of war, which teaches barehanded combat along with combat with knives and swords. The two sparring fighters are referred to as "feeder" and "fed," and these terms are not the only ones in the classroom jargon that are drawn from the world of food. It's a remarkable sight-lethal fighters moving with the swiftness and agility of predatory mongooses, modest beer bellies notwithstanding. The hard core of fighters is made up of guys who are hearty eaters and drinkers, and practices often end with a round of drinks or jolly feasts. Thus, it was only natural for Nehamkin and Rafaeli to get into the business of importing chef's knives. In Israel, most people are familiar with knives from Germany and Japan, the latter having made the art of blacksmithing a way of life. Nehamkin and Rafaeli import Sabatier knives, a venerable French label founded by a family that has been in the blacksmithing trade for six generations. All of the company's knives are hand-forged. The prettiest of the knives are the vintage ones-a huge series of knives that were warehoused in Canada during World War II and later forgotten, then returned to the French plant for refurbishing and polishing and now sell for high prices, starting at NIS 1,000. Modern chef's knives are made from advanced stainless steel alloys, while the blade of the vintage knives are made from chrome-rich steel, so they require much upkeep to prevent rust. Still, they can't be beat in terms of beauty, light weight, ease of grip and balance. In addition to knives and sauces, Nehamkin and Rafaeli's food imports company, Connoisseur, sells incredibly effective Chef's Choice diamond-disc knife sharpeners. In the long-term cost-benefit analysis, a machine like this is a good investment for restaurants and related businesses. A good chef's knife that is suitable for almost any purpose, though, is something that will forever change the life of the serious home cook. It's important to get a feel for the knife in your hand before purchasing. There are expensive knives made from advanced alloys, whose handle just won't sit right in the hands of some people, and it's a shame to invest hundreds of shekels in a knife only to find that it's not comfortable to work with. Size doesn?t always matter, either. Despite the macho tendency to go for the big knives, if you?re not in the habit of carving up a whole side of beef at home, you probably don't need a mighty 12-inch knife for everyday use. Another important consideration is the relative benefits of stamped blades versus forged blades. The blades of forged knives are generally of higher quality, but stamped knives are significantly cheaper and also more flexible and less likely to break. A professional sushi knife made of extra hard steel is likely to break if it falls to the floor. A stamped knife made of soft steel will never break if it falls from such a height, but it will lose its sharpness much quicker. Thus, the unattainable ideal is a diamond-hard knife that requires very little sharpening yet is as flexible and unbreakable as plastic. There are some advanced alloys today that combine hardness with a certain flexibility, and they are quite expensive. If the knife is destined for heavy usage, it's best to choose a hard (and more expensive) blade, and to guard against falls. If the knife is meant for more occasional use, a good option is a less expensive knife that has greater odds of survival (and requires frequent sharpenings). Connoisseur, importers of professional kitchen products, 050-654-1719, www.connoisseur.co.il (in Hebrew). Bookmark to del.icio.us   Who's missing? Haredi parties absent from Jerusalem coalition for first time in decades. 'Kavosh 2' Amid nuclear tensions, Iran says it successfully launched rocket.

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