Curious to see folks' recommendations for a knife meeting the following criteria . . .
LOCATION
What country are you in?
USA
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Gyuto
Are you right or left handed?
Right handed
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Wa handle octagon (not D)
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
240 mm
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Carbon with stainless cladding.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$350 ish
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home cook
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/dicing/chopping veggies (including root veggies)
- mincing or chopping garlic, ginger, chilies
- mincing or chopping herbs
- citrus (lime mostly)
- tomatoes
- some slicing of proteins, but not breaking anything down -- more like portioning, or for example slicing protein for a stir fry or fajitas. I have a tojiro DP honesuki for breaking down chicken so would not use the gyuto for that.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Not replacing -- adding. Currently using mainly a gesshin ginga gyuto 240 w#2. I'll break out my mac pro if the dish involves a lot of acidic ingredients or if i'll be mincing garlic or something on a poly board at someone else's house.
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch grip
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 mostly. Will two hand rock if mincing garlic or herbs but that's about it for that motion.
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.)
Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
Not looking for something "better," just looking to add another experience. Something that I can use with more acidic dishes with less concern -- hence the stainless cladding. Would be interested in trying something with more convexity, so probably a little thicker at the spine to accommodate. Want it to be really thin behind the edge though, of course
I am not too worried about edge retention because I use it at home and not for 8 hour prep sessions and because I enjoy sharpening. I am perfectly happy with the edge retention of my W#2 ginga, but I am certainly not opposed to trying something in aogami.
Mainly I'm looking for something that's going to be a joy to use, as is the ginga, but in a different way.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Yes - end grain walnut
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes on waterstones
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
N/A
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
N/A
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
Flatter profile = better.
Also this is going to be the main limiting factor it seems but I do NOT want something with a kurouchi finish. Don't want hammered or nashiji either.
So far I'm looking at the Gesshin Gengetsu which seems to meet all the above criteria. I've also found some knives that meet some or most of them, like the itinomonn "Stain-less" kasumi . . . but I am not crazy about the D handle and was really looking for carbon rather than semi-stainless.
What else is out there? Thanks gurus!
LOCATION
What country are you in?
USA
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Gyuto
Are you right or left handed?
Right handed
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Wa handle octagon (not D)
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
240 mm
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Carbon with stainless cladding.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$350 ish
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home cook
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/dicing/chopping veggies (including root veggies)
- mincing or chopping garlic, ginger, chilies
- mincing or chopping herbs
- citrus (lime mostly)
- tomatoes
- some slicing of proteins, but not breaking anything down -- more like portioning, or for example slicing protein for a stir fry or fajitas. I have a tojiro DP honesuki for breaking down chicken so would not use the gyuto for that.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Not replacing -- adding. Currently using mainly a gesshin ginga gyuto 240 w#2. I'll break out my mac pro if the dish involves a lot of acidic ingredients or if i'll be mincing garlic or something on a poly board at someone else's house.
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch grip
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 mostly. Will two hand rock if mincing garlic or herbs but that's about it for that motion.
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.)
Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
Not looking for something "better," just looking to add another experience. Something that I can use with more acidic dishes with less concern -- hence the stainless cladding. Would be interested in trying something with more convexity, so probably a little thicker at the spine to accommodate. Want it to be really thin behind the edge though, of course
I am not too worried about edge retention because I use it at home and not for 8 hour prep sessions and because I enjoy sharpening. I am perfectly happy with the edge retention of my W#2 ginga, but I am certainly not opposed to trying something in aogami. Mainly I'm looking for something that's going to be a joy to use, as is the ginga, but in a different way.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Yes - end grain walnut
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes on waterstones
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
N/A
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
N/A
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
Flatter profile = better.
Also this is going to be the main limiting factor it seems but I do NOT want something with a kurouchi finish. Don't want hammered or nashiji either.
So far I'm looking at the Gesshin Gengetsu which seems to meet all the above criteria. I've also found some knives that meet some or most of them, like the itinomonn "Stain-less" kasumi . . . but I am not crazy about the D handle and was really looking for carbon rather than semi-stainless.
What else is out there? Thanks gurus!
