Ah! – yes, there’s definitely wedging (cracking before completion) with thicker / harder product, especially squash.
Concern on price is a matter of getting something worth the cash; don’t want to spend and then find out i should have bit the bullet and dropped an extra $20 for the upgrade. Also want to avoid spending more than the tool is worth, compared to its peers.
Watching videos of late that concentrate on PROPER cutting techniques. Been trying them out and i like the results – even with “Wally.” Happy to leave rocking to cradles and the padded cell in the psych ward.
Think i’m trending to carbon (no fear on reactivity), but could be due to my bias on stainless from my experience with “Wally.” (It really fights taking an edge.)
Also think stiction is a bigger concern (for me) than wedging. Right now, stiction is a “24-7” problem during prep. Wedging? I’d be real reluctant to put a delicate & expensive instrument through the heart of a hard-shelled anything. Would not be using it for squash, bone-work, or etc. which is only 10% of my daily hands-on, if that. Wally can keep those jobs.
Handle – leaning towards wa, less for weight than how it fits in more ‘conventional / professional’ cutting techniques. Western seems to favor a “brute force” approach in firming to the grip and providing leverage. Wa seems to disfavor ‘death-gripping’ for finesse; a light approach that emphasizes utilizing the blade more than the hand.
just my impression.