Howdy do from NE

Pretty serious home cook with zero pro experience here. My family and I love to eat well, preferably locally raised and home made. The term makes me wince but I guess we're foodies. Food preparation and dining is the center of our home so we spend quite a lot of time with knives. (Anywhere other than here that could sound super weird.) When I met my wife she had a Global, which I had never heard of. I'd always used cheap knives sharpened with a bench grinder ala. a chisel. Once my eyes were opened I slowly built up a very basic assortment of Victorinox knives with a Miyabi chef's knife as the main tool. We used to live near Perfect Edge in San Mateo, CA and they really helped me keep our knives healthy in spite of my gross failures in spatchcocking and otherwise. That poor Miyabi has gotten corrected far too many times. The Global has fared better but that one's hers.

Now I'm realizing the Miyabi isn't quite long enough and doesn't have enough belly. The weight is fine but it seems like an unnecessary compromise. I like the Wusthoff Ikon and Messermeister feel but I'm not looking for an expensive broadsword just yet. I'm ready to send brutal work to a slightly less expensive German blade and move up to a larger, lighter, and sharper knife than the Miyabi. Probably some sort of SS Gyuto 270mm I think.

Before I get that far I think I need to correct my home sharpening situation. We relocated to Nebraska so the reliance on Perfect Edge isn't nearly as cool. I went from a rotary grinder to the Chefs Choice 120 but I'm not prepared to run the Miyabi or the Global through it. I think my next step will be a Lanski or similar until I finally try wet stones.

Our cutting boards are one big end grain and a pile of poly. Nothing too special to report there.

Anyhoo, I'm happy to have found this community and look forward to learning more on this journey.

Big love,

nball

Welcome.

If you fill out the questionnaire at the link below you will get some tailored advice based on your responses.

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...hich-Knife-Should-I-Buy-quot-Questionnaire-v2

From what you posted this might be a good fit. http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...u/gesshin-uraku-270mm-stainless-wa-gyuto.html And you could have it by the 4th. If you like Western handles the Suisin Inox from Japanese Knife Imports or Korin would be a very good value.

The retail vendors that sponser this site would all be good starting places. Japanese Knife Imports, Korin, Epicurean Edge, are all in the states and provide great service.

And suggest you skip the Lanski, save $200, and go directly to stones. The vendors above can help you with that as well.

Thanks daveb! I need to try some wa knives to sort out whether that handle is an option.


LOCATION
What country are you in?
—> USA

KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chef’s knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
—> chef’s knife, utility knife

Are you right or left handed?
—> right

Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
—> Western handle

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
—> 10-12"

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
—> Yes

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
—> $350

KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
—> At home

What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)? (Please identify as many tasks as you would like.)

—> slicing vegetables and fruit, chopping vegetables and nuts, mincing vegetables and herbs, slicing meats, trimming meats

What knife, if any, are you replacing?
—> 9.5” Miyabi 600S

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
—> Hammer grip but increasingly more pinch

What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)
—> Push cut and draw

What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)
—> Longer blade, deeper belly, better edge retention, handle is a tad short on the Miyabi, rounded spine/choil a plus

KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
—> Use wood and synthetic now but may go to strictly wood

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
—> Yes

If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
—> Yes, learning now

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
—> Yes, only have sharpening machine now

I figured the smart guys here would have been along by now.

Below are three links to western gyutos (chef knife) that I like to recommend, esp for stainless.

The Gesshin Ginga was my first Japanese knife (though I had the Wa handle). Recommendations from here pointed me in this direction. Liked it a lot.

What town are you from? I'm from Nebraska.

Welcome!

I'm in Lincoln now. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. Those Gesshin knives do look like good options. I'll report back when I get better at sharpening...

Reviving thread! I will use the Morimoto, Global, and Victorionx's (Victornionii?) as practice subjects with a Shapton Pro 3pc Set 1K, 5K, 8K from CKTG.