New gyoto, new to *** knives!

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AlexG

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Hi everyone,

Home chef with little cooking experience in a line restaurant ( was prep and line cook at the keg for a whole summer). And now just cook at home for family and friends. I really like it and want to develop my skills and sharpening skills. So i definitely want something to grow with.

I originalli started checking knives as a Sanelli block was on sale, then a friend of mine has a set of Global which infell in love with. Did a bit of research and here is my tastes and approx budget for now.

By reading, everyone seems ro recommend good chef knife , utility knife and bread knife. I have an ok bread knife and dońt really eat bread all that much anyway. Got a wok for christmas and i really love vegetables and meat and that's what I'll be cooking most with the occasionnal fish.

I want something to do everyday jobs cutting/chopping and something to cut through whole chickens and portion a big piece of meat ( like the big pieces they sell at Costco for example)

My budget is +\- 200 $ for knives only. I really seem to like the laser type knives although the cheapest I saw is the Richmond at 215$. Which would mean no utility ( petty is the same right?)

What would you recommend ? 240 gyoto or Santoku? And what about utility knives? I don't mind a knife I need to sharpen bur I think I would mind a knife I have to sharpen everyday.

Thanks for your help!


Recap:

- Approx 150-200$ or less
- I will learn to sharpen, never did before
- Left-handed
- 240 Gyuto
- Open-minded!
- Would prefer a chef and a utility knife, but only 1 good chef knife can do!
-would like to use traditional *** handles
- i dont care the extra maintenance of Carbon, I am very lost in the different steels!

P.s I posted on another forum but this one seems more open to the WHOLW world of knives and not just a small niche. And glad to join you guys here!

Alex
 
Welcome to KKF.

Gesshin Uraku stainless wa-gyuto 240mm. Since you mentioned the need to portion big cuts, you want the length of a gyuto vs a santoku. The Uraku is SS as you noted you didn't care for the maintenance requirement of carbons. And lastly, it's a wa handle. If you can spend more, then a Sakai Yusuke or Gesshin Ginga will be lasers.

Utility is a petty. I'd go with a parer instead of a utility. And you keep you under budget, a victorinox paring knife is my recommendation.
 
Thank you very much!

What I meant is I don't care taking care of my knife! It is gonna be my only gyoto in a while and I am going to treat it like my new baby regardless of the kind of steel! Checking the mentioned knives, it is so hard to make a choice!

Lasers look really nice cutting experience and fun to handle but don't really wanna go over 200$... For now!

Thanks again really appreciate your selection.

Alex
 
+1 on the victorinox. If you only have $200 to spend get a nice gyuto and a cheap parer.
Here are some suggestions.
http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/kitchen-knives/suien/suien-vc-240mm-gyuto-86.html, http://japanesechefsknife.com/TenmiJyurakuSeries.html#AogamiSuper, http://korin.com/Misono-Swedish-Carbon-Steel-Gyutou?sc=27&category=280077, http://epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=86644, http://japanesechefsknife.com/KAGAYAKICarboNextSeries.html#CarboNextSeries.
That last one is a little over. Just a heads up if you increase your budget by $50 for a gyuto your option will go way up. A lot of quality chefs knives are between $200-$250. I personally would go with the Hiromoto AS or the carbonext if that was my budget. The carbonext are on sale right now and the 240 is only $128. In fact you could get the 240 gyuto and a 150 petty for $198.
 
Thank you!

Unfortunately all of these are the western handles and I really like an Japanese handle, oval has been the most confortable I've tried (just holded some in a local shop here)

The Gesshin Uraku looks nice either carbon or SS http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...in-uraku-240mm-white-2-kurouchi-wa-gyuto.html

http://www.**************.com/tagigy24.html I have been suggested this knife too.

This Tojiro looks pretty nice too: http://www.**************.com/toitkshwa21s.html

A nice Kurouchi white #2 knife : http://www.**************.com/ithagy240.html

Jon from JKI also refered to this knife.
http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/gonbei-240mm-hammered-damascus-wa-gyuto.html


Again, SS or carbon I don't mind. Left-Handed so need a nice grind. Prefer thin and or light-medium weight.

It is not only reserved to these choices, just some knives I've found searching around!

Hppy new year and thanks for the help!
 
This site is not allowed here? What is happening! hahaha
 
Thank you Dave! If there is a thread on this I will try to find it. If it is to support hand-made knife makers and smaller size retailers, I'm all up for it too!
 
I like the tanaka for the price and JKI doesn't really sell any bad knives as far as I've seen. Jon is very careful about what he allows in his store. Sorry didn't notice the wa handle preference. It is nice to see someone new to j-knives wanting japanese style handles.

If it was me I would go for the gesshin uraku white 2.
 
Our polite term around here for Japanese Knives, is J-Knives:D

Edit:Chuck beat me to it, and in a much more graceful and informative manner.
 
Thanks for the knoledge and thanks for the suggestion. If I had to choose between white 1-2. Blue 1-2 or SS. What would one choose? White 2 gets sharper than blue but less edge retention?
 
I was under the impression that the differences in sharpness between white and blue is almost indistinguishable, except by very proficient sharpeners.
 
I was under the impression that the differences in sharpness between white and blue is almost indistinguishable, except by very proficient sharpeners.

This. Also, the skill of the smith is more important than the steel type.

Still, your sharpening skill will be the limiting factor, regardless.
 
Thanks for the knoledge and thanks for the suggestion. If I had to choose between white 1-2. Blue 1-2 or SS. What would one choose? White 2 gets sharper than blue but less edge retention?

for somebody new to Japanese knives, any hypothetical difference would be nil.
 
i think even poorly made inexpensive knives with hitachi steels are generally really easy to sharpen though. in that respect theyre probably good entry level knives.
 
If you're new to good knives going for white steel might not be a bad idea, they're generally pretty cheap, easy to sharpen and should perform much better than anything you're used to
 
If you're new to good knives going for white steel might not be a bad idea, they're generally pretty cheap, easy to sharpen and should perform much better than anything you're used to

Thanks. Hesitating on three of the JKI listed.

240 mm Uraku SS

240 mm white #2

240 mm Gonbei damascus SS

Or even Zakuri blue #1
 
Thanks. Hesitating on three of the JKI listed.

I don't think you can go wrong with anything from but JKI, but I would call Jon (the owner) and let him guide you. Jon will not sell you anymore knife than you need, and will know more about the pros/cons of each than anyone. Very easy person to talk to.
 
I'm in Canada so it might cost a arm and a leg to get the call. Also, contacted him about his knives and he's really busy with the holidays so I didn't want to slam him with emails and questions.

I'm just not sold on carbon over SS. It changes so much from maker to grind to heat treatment... I am really lost and can wait for Jon to clarifybthe difference between the different blades. I am really thrilled about all this!
 
Pm me when you are through your e-mails and We can maybe fix a skype appointment call?

Thanks so much.
 
After some questions and arrangements, decided to pull the trigger on a 240 Gesshin Uraku in Stainless Steel! Thanks for all of your input, just waiting for Jon's crazy schedule to calm down a little :D

I am REALLY thrilled. Getting a King's 1000/6000 whetstone to learn the basics too! Will practice on my and family's Faberware blocks! haha

Go J-Knives! tHANKS KKF!
 
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