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oeysteinlo

oeysteinlo

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This is a copy of a post i made on knifeforums.com but as i havent gotten a response there and just now found you fine bunch of people, i thought i could post it here as well :)

What are you looking for in your new knife?
Good edge retention
relatively easy to sharpen (ok if it takes some time)
good for both slicing and chopping (slicing is more important than chopping)

I am not sure about what length i want. But probably between 15-21cm.

What knife are you currently using that looking to replace or partner with?
Hayashi Hocho Santoku (http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/pro...onid=31E840E3D4C8F76BFE86BDFC050BBFFD?lang=en)

I like this knife a lot, but i feel like the edge retention is not good enough. I sharpened a global knife for a friend, and it got amazingly sharp and it seemed to keep the edge well. That is when i found out i want a new knife :)

What other knives do you own/use for tasks that you're looking to use the new knife for?

I got some Scanpan Classic knives as a gift some years ago:
One full size chef knife (20 cm) (same as this, but i think its an older model http://www.scanpan.com.au/products/view/477/cooks-knife-8 )
I feel that this one is too big and heavy for most uses.

One thin, long carving knife ( http://www.scanpan.com.au/products/view/478/carving-knife-8 )
This is better than the large chef knife because its thin and easy to slice with. But the blade is too low.

One small paring knife (I really like this one) ( http://www.scanpan.com.au/products/view/469/paring-knife-3.5 )

How do you grip the knife?
The proper chef way :p
Index finger and thumb on either side of the blade and three fingers wrapping the handle.

Do like a tall or short blade?
I like a tall blade (if a tall blade is where the blade looks like this at the handle:

Code: 
==================0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
====Handle========00000 B 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
==================00000 L 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
               ▲  00000 A 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
               |  00000 D 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
        tall = |  00000 E 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
               ▼  0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Nice illustration, huh? :D

Do want it thin-thin, heavier build, or a some description of something in between?
I like a thin and light blade as i feel it makes slicing and chopping easier. As long as the knife doesnt feel flimsy.

Do you prefer a flatter edge or more curvy?
Slight curve. Like a santoku.

What handle shape would you like?
Not very important, but it has to be comfortable to hold with the aforementioned grip.

What handle materials are you looking for?
Preferably some sort of wood, because i like the look. But its not important.

What budget constraints do you have?
Around 200 USD

What sharpening equipment do you have?
King combination stone 1000/6000 grit (whetstone)

What other special features/accessories would you like?
Id like a built-in stove.

Also. Here is some info i added after getting inspired by the questionnaire on this forum:

Are you right or left handed?
Right handed

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No, but it is very preferable.

Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Yes. Mostly wood or plastic.
 
Welcome to KKF!

Let me ask you where you are located, geographically. It will have a bearing on which knives are recommended, in that shipping from many US sources is prohibitive.

Rick
 
oeysteinlo said:
Oh, right. Forgot to add that!
I live in Norway
Click to expand...

Based on that information, as well as the answers you gave in your original post, I'd suggest a Kagayaki CarboNext, either the 180 mm santoku (a shape you are familiar with) or the 210 mm gyuto. The steel in these knives is a semi-stainless that takes and holds a very good edge, even better than the Global you liked, at least in my experience. If you send an email to Koki Iwahara (the owner), before you order, you can get a saya cover for it. The reason I recommend Japanese Chefs Knife is their shipping charges, a flat $7 USD.

http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/KAGAYAKICarboNextSeries.html

Rick
 
You can't go wrong with many of the JCK brands; Hattori, Masamoto, Blazen, Hiromoto, Fujiwara, Kagayaki all fall within your budget, pretty much...
 
I like both the look and the price!
As i said earlier i am not really certain about what length i want. I worry that a longer blade will be unwieldy, but that may just come from the Scanpan chef knife i have which is really heavy (the knife has a fairly thick blade and the handle is solid steel).

As for a cover, do you have any idea how much that would add to the price? If its a lot i can make my own sheath from leather.

Iv'e read good things about MAC knives, do you have any experience with them?
 
oeysteinlo said:
I like both the look and the price!
As i said earlier i am not really certain about what length i want. I worry that a longer blade will be unwieldy, but that may just come from the Scanpan chef knife i have which is really heavy (the knife has a fairly thick blade and the handle is solid steel).

As for a cover, do you have any idea how much that would add to the price? If its a lot i can make my own sheath from leather.

Iv'e read good things about MAC knives, do you have any experience with them?
Click to expand...

You'll find that Japanese knives are much lighter than their European counterparts. The comparison often made is driving a sports car versus a truck. The limiting factor is board space. If your workspace is really small, you may want to stay with a knife under 180 mm. There are some 180 mm gyutos in the brands NO Chop! recommended.

The last time I bought a knife and saya from JCK the saya was an additional $20 USD, but Koki will give you the exact price when you email him. You have to email him about it, because there is no provision to order one on the website.

Sorry, but I've no experience with MAC knives.

Rick
 
NO ChoP! said:
You can't go wrong with many of the JCK brands; Hattori, Masamoto, Blazen, Hiromoto, Fujiwara, Kagayaki all fall within your budget, pretty much...
Click to expand...

And they are all good?

Do any of you know anything about Kagayaki's VG-10 series? I have a fallkniven S1, and i have to say i like the steel a lot.
 
On second thought, the VG-10 steel may be a little brittle for a kitchen knife with such a thin edge.
 
oeysteinlo said:
On second thought, the VG-10 steel may be a little brittle for a kitchen knife with such a thin edge.
Click to expand...

I bought a Kagayaki VG10 when they were introduced a few years ago. No, the steel is not "brittle", and it was a very serviceable knife, but there are better values in your price range. My main issue with it was that the grind wasn't thin enough behind the edge for the best performance.
 
Good to see you making suggestions, Rick! You always make good ones. :D
 
It was quite a while ago, but all in all, it was a pretty impressive knife. I remember the performance being better than many knives out there, and it took a beautiful edge. I was always slightly nervous it had been over-hardened, but I think that could have just been the feeling you get with a hard VG10. I don't recall any chipping, or big gaps in handle construction, etc, but I do remember there being a tiny bit of movement/expansion in the scales (we're talking less than a half mm over the bolster). Deep down, I want to try the vg1 line, and heck...maybe I will. :D
 
Actually, I don't want to derail the thread, but I'm looking for a Mac, and a Cut Brooklyn.....
 
I dont think i'll go for the VG-10 line. They are pretty expensive, and i think i would always be slightly afraid of chipping it.

Some guy on another forum said that the Fujiwara FKM line is pretty excellent, and better value than the CarboNext knives. I think he based that on the fact that the CarboNext often seem to need some work before being good knives (thats what he said at least). Do you guys have any opinions on that?

My cutting board is 40x60cm, so that's probably large enough for longer knives (20+cm)?
 
oeysteinlo said:
I dont think i'll go for the VG-10 line. They are pretty expensive, and i think i would always be slightly afraid of chipping it.

Some guy on another forum said that the Fujiwara FKM line is pretty excellent, and better value than the CarboNext knives. I think he based that on the fact that the CarboNext often seem to need some work before being good knives (thats what he said at least). Do you guys have any opinions on that?

My cutting board is 40x60cm, so that's probably large enough for longer knives (20+cm)?
Click to expand...

The Fujiwara FKM is a good knife, but the edge retention of the CarboNext is slightly better.

Your board is a good size for a 240, if you should want to go that long. You should have no trouble at all with a 210.
 
I'm lazy or else I'd read back in the post. This is for home use? A 210 should be all you'll need. With that being said, if you get a 210, you'll inevitably get a 240 and a suji, and down the road go out and get a 180.

Fujiwaras are great and I love the value, but I can't compare them to a Carbonext, believe it or not. I say go against the grain and get a Pro-M. (I just want one, that's why).
 
Anyone try the Kagayaki Aogami Super? That Pro M looks interesting too.
 
Pensacola Tiger said:
The Fujiwara FKM is a good knife, but the edge retention of the CarboNext is slightly better.
Click to expand...

Then out of the two, i think the Carbonext is the one for me as i don't mind having to work a bit with it.

Lefty said:
I'm lazy or else I'd read back in the post. This is for home use? A 210 should be all you'll need. With that being said, if you get a 210, you'll inevitably get a 240 and a suji, and down the road go out and get a 180.

Fujiwaras are great and I love the value, but I can't compare them to a Carbonext, believe it or not. I say go against the grain and get a Pro-M. (I just want one, that's why).
Click to expand...

Yes, this is for home use. I look forward to all the knives i will be tempted to buy in the furture :)

That Pro-M does look interesting, but does anyone have any experience with them?

People should feel free to suggest other knives as well. It is going to take some time for me to decide what i want, as I am not in dire need of a new knife. I just have that sensation that tells me i need a new knife soon (i haven't bought a new one in over a year!) so I just want some good input :)
 
Yeah, the pro-m is just a fun choice for me. I say go wit a Gesshin something an keep it "local". Jon is a cool guy who has great stuff.
 
Oh, you're not ready for this cheese....
 
The Misono Dragon is a beautiful beast....
 
I believe the OP said tall: the CarboNext, Pro-M and Misono Dragon are not tall gyutos; in fact, I believe they are definitely on the narrow side.

My tips:
(1) Fujiwara-Kanefusa FKM (not tall but extremely good value, easy to sharpen and performance-wise punches way above its weight;
(2) Masamoto HC: both definitely on the tall side for Western carbon gyutos (I have an HC and it measures 52mm at the heel); not that thin or light but exceptionally well-balanced and has a beautiful grind: a good workhorse.
(3) Sakai Yusuke western handle (Yo) gyuto: not too thin but very sleek and versatile, well-balanced, exceptional fit-and-finish, one of the best convex grinds; the most comfortable western handle knife in my opinion. Definitely has a 'curve' as the OP has requested. Can order from Bluewayjapan for standard Sweden stainless (58HRC) or custom extra-hardness (60-61HRC).
 
When i said i wanted a tall knife, i only meant one that has room for my fingers under the handle when the shoulder of the knife is at board level.

I will look into the knives you have suggested later today.
 
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