I have both and I can't say which I like better, they are both cool knives. Unless you are a serious purist you can rock on low stuff, like mincing herbs, with the other one without worrying about the tip. You would not want to do this with a kamagata. I don't see a difference when doing horizontal cuts on shallots. I think it is probably more important to get one that has the correct grind and geometry and is thin with a good distal taper, and you may have to spend some money to get this. BTW, the edge of a usuba is not flat and shouldn't be. The ones I have are flat along the proximal section of the edge - about half way, then has a gentle up sweep on the distal half. You would not want a totally flat edge. With the flat portion on the board, the tip is - I'm estimating - maybe 3-4 mm off the board.