Most Essential Knives In Your Knife Roll

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Marko Tsourkan

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I know this will vary from one user to another, but there got to be some overlap.

If I were a chef (big were!), I'd think these would be knives I would consider most essential. I am not, however, so what do you pro guys think of this list? What can be added or removed? Lets assume that each knife is made to fulfill its function well, and no duplicates of same type and length are needed.

135-180mm honesuki
150mm petty
225mm heavy gyuto
225mm gyuto
255mm gyuto
240mm suji
320mm bread
270mm yanagi
240mm Miroshi deba

There is a reason I am starting this thread (to be revealed later).

M

PS: Measurements are on the cutting edge.
 
150mm Marko proto honesuki
150mm boning/filet knife
300mm yanagi
210mm kama usuba
270/280 gyuto
240mm heavy gyuto
150mm petty
270mm bread
210mm deba

however, there are a lot of items in my kit that aren't knives that are just as important(yeah I just said it)
 
Cool, thanks guys -

All right, I will spill the beans. While looking for information about a knife roll, I kept thinking that the height of a typical roll and a distance between knife pockets might be an issue, as I would store my knives in sayas. 300mm+ knives in sayas will require 330-340mm of needed clearance and a typical knife in saya will add approximately 15mm or so in width, depending on the type.

Going custom route is expensive, and since most rolls typically don't involve stitching, just riveting (so a lot of measuring and calculating for rivet holes), so I got an idea to make myself a roll. It will probably have 10 slots for knives in sayas, a slot for DMT plate with a felt strop, a slot for DMT ceramic rod and few other accessories. Will also think of additional support to keep items in place. Depending on the outcome, this might become a product down the road tailored to the products I am offering.

Necessity is the mother of ideas. :D

This thread was to get an idea for a typical roll dimensions and a number and types of slots.

M
 
this is the kit i take to work:

90 paring
150 sabaki bocho (to be replaced by a marko honesuki)
210 petty/line knife
270 gyuto
300 suji
210 western deba (basher)
270 bread
270 yanagi
180 deba

there's overlap for me in a 330 yanagi, a 210 deba, and a 210 single bevel knife that's super fun to use when butchering.

I would probably do a minimalist kit of:

135-150 honesuki
210 line
210 deba or 240 mioroshi
270 workhorse gyuto
300 suji
300 yanagi

house bread/paring
 
I was actually thinking about this this morning. Right now, because of the way I've purchased things over the years I carry too many knives. I realized I could cut it down to:
210 Suji
240 heavier gyuto
270 Lasery gyuto
300 Suji
210 deba

And never want anything else.

But I carry a lot of spoons and other misc crap with me too
 
5 in boning knife
300 suji
240 gyuto
270 gyuto heavier
8 in breaking knife
6 in boning knife flexible
12 in scimitar
 
So far, all knives listed would fit comfortably in the imagined roll, keep them inputs coming. :D
I am going to ask a question regarding a heavy chef's size in the Heavy Chef's Knife thread here

Thanks,

M
 
225 slicing cleaver
240 suji
150 honesuki
240 western deba
260 bread
 
I am going to spice this topic a bit and ask what else would you consider to be essential in your roll - spoons, peelers, spatulas, etc. Preferably one of the type and size.

Most custom leather knife rolls seems to have slots for knives only. It would make sense to make a section for accessories.

M
 
i'm a minimalist, in the most extreme sense.
240 wa gyuto, that's it.
but, i should mention i am doing no meat fabrication currently. occasionally fish for which i use my 180 deba.
i used to rock a 150 wa petty but i honestly only really liked it for meat fabrication.
 
sorry i didn't really read through this thread before posting.
i do keep other things in my roll, a small moleskine notebook, a sharpie, chopsticks (hell no to tweezers), a peeler, microplane, an offset spatula (small), toothbrush (fish), and joyce chen scissors.
 
I'm running a minimalist kit (for me) at work at the moment.

150 honesuki
210 petty
240 yo-gyuto
270 laser gyuto
270 suji
195 deba
300 yanagi
 
I'm running a minimalist kit (for me) at work at the moment.

150 honesuki
210 petty
240 yo-gyuto
270 laser gyuto
270 suji
195 deba
300 yanagi

How about accessories? What's in your roll?
 
I carry a small benriner(Japanese mandolin), couple of kunz spoons, fish spatula, thermapen, moribashi, wooden spoon, rosle tongs, kikon peelers, measuring spoons, bench knife, ph reader, micro plane, and prosciutto 'knife' just cause its cool and rare.
 
How about accessories? What's in your roll?

A carving fork that I use for plating and turning, a large pair of tweezers, a small crank handled palette knife, peeler, silky shears, an oyster knife, small ceramic hone, sharpie, highlighter, a couple of bandaids and a strip of painkillers.

That is literally everything, I'll have a stone or two stashed somewhere in the kitchen, but not in my roll or on my station.
 
Usually have four kunz spoons, two shovel tip spoons, two smaller spoons, a couple of small notebooks, a fish scaler, zester, wine key, fish shears, cake testers, and crappy plastic peelers. In the past I've carried different stuff for different jobs but this does me these days
 
115 parer
150 petty
240 beater gyuto
270 workhorse
there are obviously other knives in the kit but i rarely ever use anything else.

true minimalist, two small knives, two big knives

accessories:
tongs
fish spatula
swivel peeler
 
150mm Marko proto honesuki
150mm boning/filet knife
300mm yanagi
210mm kama usuba
270/280 gyuto
240mm heavy gyuto
150mm petty
270mm bread
210mm deba

however, there are a lot of items in my kit that aren't knives that are just as important(yeah I just said it)
Accessories:
Fish spat
small whisk
heat-proof spat
oyster knife
2 Kunz spoons
fish tweezers
melon baller
zester
microplane
honing rod
y peeler
mini tongs
chop stix
band aids
electric tape
shears
wine tool
 
I use two bags. One Ultimate Edge for my knives and one small duffle/linesman type bag for accessories. I carry a lot of knives and with spoons and stuff my Ultimate Edge was too heavy and cumbersome. It was also annoying to pack and unpack. So I added a second bag and it has been awesome. Plus I don't keep anything that expensive in it (and I work with great people that I trust) so I usually leave it at work and just take it home for my days off. It has lightened up my knife bag and made setup/breakdown much better. Here is the lineup:

Ultimate Edge:
2x 245mm gyuto (heavy)
240mm gyuto
270mm gyuto
270mm suji
150mm petty
210mm petty
150mm cleaver (heavy)
90mm paring
270mm bread

I also carry some doubles based on what is new or strikes my fancy at the time. Right now I have two 210mm pettys, 2 270mm sujis, and 2 parings. Since I have an accessory bag the third page of my UE bag has pens, sharpies, notebook, bandaids, ibuprofen, oyster knife, moribashi, measuring spoons, fish spat and some other miscellaneous stuff. Most stuff in here other than the pens & sharpies doesn't get used that much.

Accessory Bag:
5 Kunz Spoons
4 Other large Spoons
3 Tasting Spoons
Thermapen
DMT 8k Diamond Plate
Citrus Reamer
Peelers
Rosle Tongs
Mac Rod
Microplane
More pens & sharpies
Mini spats
Corkscrew
Shears
Superbag
And probably some stuff that escapes me at the moment.

I have a yanagi, deba and usuba that I use on occasion. When I bring those to work, I usually throw them in this bag as they have nice secure sayas.

Things I would add to a lineup would be a honesuki/hankotsu, slicing cleaver, 300mm suji or scimitar. I have most of these but they haven't made it in the rotation as of late, mostly to due to my daily needs, not because of the quality (or lack thereof) of these knives.
 
Let's see, I posted my emptied out bag in my gallery, it's got a ton of unecessary stuff in it, so let's see.

150 Hankotsu (Chicken/pork/sometimes beef)
210 petty (most beef, line slicer)
paring knife (in hand vegetables)
240 gyuto (fine detail and all around)
270 gyuto (lots or rough veg prep)
240 mioroshi (lots and lots of salmon)
220 filet (flatfish/belly bones)
bread knife
I am portioning fish with my mioroshi at the moment, my 270 suji is at home, and I am portioning meat with the 210 suji or 270 gyuto.
As for accessories, let's see off my head.

Y peeler, 2 types for root veg and carrots, thinner blade for asparagus and baby carrots
Del kunz damascus spoon, and too many other serving spoons
Nogent Fish Spatula
Fish pinbone tweezers
Meat fork
fish tester
thermapen
sharpie
can opener
parisiennes
oyster shucker
pasta wheelcutter/gnocchi paddle
ceramic rod
chopsticks
nailbrush
hmmm I'm sure I will think of more.
 
ohya, JohnnyChance's list refreshed my memory
Microplane
Small offset palette knives
measuring spoons
scissors
 
I primarily make sushi and would love a bag/roll which could fit a 300+mm yanagi with a saya. I have to carry two cases currently. One roll and a knife box case for the long ones. I try to fit
325 yanagi
315 fuguhiki
270 yanagi or suji
195 deba
240 mioroshi
210/240 gyuto
210 usuba
180 usuba
180 petty yanagi
120/150 ajikiri
also
plating spoons x2
165 moribashi
sharpie
a smallish notebook
zester/microplane
measuring spoons
tape
tweerzers
scaler
I hope this project works out well for you!
 
Johnny, you have a 150mm heavy cleaver? what does that look like?
 
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