Advise on this list of knives, and where to buy? Hattori HD, Tojiro ITK, Fujiwara FKM, WickedEdge

[Zaknif]

Hello!
I'm not a chef (or a good home cook), but I'm looking for a good knife for myself, as I have become hooked on having a good sharp knife, after I got a Spyderco sharpmaker (w/ diamond & ultrafine rods as well).
Just do small easy tasks in the kitchen - primarly cutting meat and vegetables.

I have just been using a western style 8in chef's knife (semi-cheap? gift - Sarek Duka X50CrMoV15), and a cheap 7in santoku.
I like both these knifes, the Chef's knife because it's longer and feels sturdier (heavier), and the santoku because it is light and for some reason it takes on a sharper edge (both done with the sharpmaker).

I would like to buy myself a nice high quality gyuto 240mm knife for christmas.

Also, I have some friends and parents who might get some knives as presents as well - probably a basic set with Chef's knife and a bread knife, and perhaps a smaller petty.

Thinking of both something in the lower price range (all victornox), and something a little bit more expencive to get a really good chefs knife.
But I do not expect my friends & family to take good care of them, I will probably just be picking them up once a year for sharpening..

I have been reading alot on knives the last week, trying to find some good knives that are great + good value, and feel that I have narrowed all the choices to this shopping list (but not shure about how many or expencive gifts I'll buy):

This now seems the most likely shoppinglist (still not shure about the gifts though):


Hattori FH 240mm
Fujiwara FKM Petty 150mm
Fujiwara FKM 210mm (gift)
Idahone 12" (perhaps 2x for gift?)
Tojiro bread knife (for myself + gift?)
Wicked edge pro set (perhaps later)
? 2 nice stones to start with or instead of wicked edge + Leather strop of some kind.. (which ones? buy where?)
? Victorinox bread knife (gift? with a FKM)
? Victorinox 4-pc (gift?)
? Tojiro DP 2-pc start knife set, 100usd, including 3.5-inch Paring & 8.25-inch Chef's Knife (together withe Tojiro bread knife would be a good uniform looking set).



Are the Tojiro DP's not recommended? 2-piece kit for 99 usd seems like a very good deal, but I've read something about the blade shape that's not that good (and it seems the small one is not curved, which I guess I would like for a small/petty knife).

As for stones (or EP), I would'nt mind learning (I love spending time sharpening to get amazing results), but at the same time, would I risk doing a bad job on my new gyuoto? (of course I could practise on some old knives, but still..). But which stone(s) whould you recommend, that can be bought at the same shop as some of the knives (see below)?


Any comments or advise, or other suggestions?

Where to order?

I would like to order from not too many stores, due to extra shipping costs (and the time to place the extra orders).

Starting at ck tg as they have some of the knives, and the idahone (which I can't find for example at Cutleryandmore), but the problem is they won't ship Tojiro outside US, don't have the FKM 210 (gift) in stock, don't have the wicked edge pro 1 in the selection (well it is also out of stock from wickededge directly),

Cutleryandmore have Tojiro and Victorinox (not decided for gifts yet) at good prices. No Idahone, but they have the Black MAC which is a bit more expencive.

JapaneseChefKnives have the Hattori FH (does anyone else?) and Fujiwara FKMs.

[chinacats]

Greetings! I think you would be best to stick with Japanese Chef's Knives to get the best deal with shipping, and they have most of what you want I believe. My experience with Tojiro (only the itk series) and ckto go has been horrendous, your mileage may vary.

[Lefty]

I was too lazy to read the post, but get the Fujiwara. Based on your first sentence, this is more than what you'll ever need and this includes when you get hooked using a wonderful knife in the kitchen and making great food. To put it "bluntly", they are the best bang for the buck I've ever seen.

[James]

Tojiro bread knife is cheapest from Cutleryandmore. Like Chinacats said, stick with JCK for the rest.

[Zaknif]

Tojiro bread knife is cheapest from Cutleryandmore. Like Chinacats said, stick with JCK for the rest.

Updated list:


Hattori FH 240mm
Fujiwara FKM Petty 150mm
Fujiwara FKM 210mm 2x
Idahone 12" 3x
Tojiro bread knife
Wicked edge pro set (perhaps later)


For the gifs, thinking about two sets, both with the FKM 210 and Idahone. For a female friend and my mom. :)
(Not too pricy, and really the most important knife - and a good one. For bread or small knives, they can use the knives they have).
Perhaps one gift will be the 4pc Victorniox instead as I expect the knives are not taken good care of, and she needs a chef, a smaller one and a bread knife.

Ahrg, this is difficult.
Cutlery and more charge 60usd in shipping, and I was only going to order the tojiro bread knife from them.
ck to go does not send the Tojiro's outside US (and don't have the FKM 210mm).

Anyone else selling Idahone?
Anyone else selling Tojiro?

[eaglerock]

You can find the Tojiro from bluewayjapan (http://stores.ebay.com/BluewayJapan)in ebay.

If you can't find it in the list, just send him a message.

[chinacats]

You can find the Tojiro from bluewayjapan (http://stores.ebay.com/BluewayJapan)in ebay.

If you can't find it in the list, just send him a message.

Just be sure to specify which Tojiro bread knife as I believe they make a few.

[Zaknif]

I have received the knives now. :)

But the Hattori is not as sharp as I might had expected (haven't tested the Fkm's yet). It will not slice a soft (some days old) skinned cherry tomato, like mye cheap santoku which I have sharpened with the sharpmaker. I think I will be ordering the wicked edge sometime in the future, but until then, I'm considoring using to use the sharpmaker to either touch up or reprofile the knives. This brings me to my question:

What edge angles do the Hattori FH and the Fujiwara FKM knives come with? (15+15=30, or 16+16, or something else?) Will the sharpmakers 30 degrees work good?

[EdipisReks]

the Hattori FHs come with a bevel, but not much of an edge. just put a microbevel on it and use it for a while. 30* total is fine for a micro bevel, until you get a handle on the knife (and hopefully learn to freehand sharpen).

[Zaknif]

Haven't got freehand sharpening stones. I believe a good device like WE will do better for me (I might be wrong though, and should perhaps have gotten some stones).

Anyway, I was under the impression that microbevels are out (especially on theese japanese knives).

Still wondering about the angles on these knives.
If 30 degrees is normal, I actually believe the sharpmaker will do a proper job..