What knife should I buy?

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Exii

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Messages
11
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0
LOCATION
UK

KNIFE TYPE

Chef/Santoku

Are you right or left handed?
Right

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

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
Nothing too unwieldy - probably 9” max.

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Not sure, whatever is typical!

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$150 / £100


KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
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 veg / root veg / slicing meat– I typically don’t buy meat on the bone.

What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Replacing a very old Sabatier.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use?
Bit of a mix between pinch & hammer

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.)
Typically use the slice as the majority of the time I use a serrated knife for veg (hence the need for a new knife!) but want to learn the rocking 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.)
Something that can cut meat and veg with ease and looks good when using it!

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)?
I don’t have any particular preference but I do love the Damascus look. Wooden handle preferred to metal / plastic.

Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
Nothing out of the ordinary

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)?
Ability to use out of the box. I am totally new to honing / sharpening.

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
Preferably a while.


KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Wood – I can change if required.

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

If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Maybe, depends on time investment

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
See above
 
How keen are you on getting a Japanese-style handle? What do you think of these? https://cuttingedgeknives.co.uk/brands/sakai-takayuki/damascus-series/gyuto-8-210mm

Woops! I made a mistake, I much prefer Western handles so the 2nd one you linked looks nice, exactly what I had in mind! Unfortunately it won't let me edit original post to change this :(

Now that opens me up to more Western handles are there any others that come to mind?

Also - any idea how often I'd to have maintain the blade if I am using it every day?

Cheers perneto.
 
I actually really like the Sakai Takayuki, can't seem to decide between the Santoku or Gyuto :s
 
I actually really like the Sakai Takayuki, can't seem to decide between the Santoku or Gyuto :s

Unless i was vegan id never take a santoku over a gyuto. Even than id flip a coin. A chefs knife is simply more versitile and sexier and bigger and badder.
 
Unless i was vegan id never take a santoku over a gyuto. Even than id flip a coin. A chefs knife is simply more versitile and sexier and bigger and badder.

Haha alright I'm leaning towards the chefs =]
 
hi there!

so your from europe and have only a small budget.. there are not so many good webshops to choose from

check out http://www.cleancut.se/filter/kockknivar
the shirou Kamo Danaskus, or Wakui, or some other Stuff they have is affordable for your budget and no taxes.. just count in 20 euro for shipping and you will still get some great knifes!
i got me an awesome Hinoura Aogami super knife from them and a friend 3 Kamo knifes wich are all great!

Most good knifes from cuttingedge are out of your budget (got me some Kotetsus from this shop, also nice guys!)

Best Regards Daniel
 
Thank you Daniel, I will take a look at the knives you mentioned :)
 
i was also very happy to stumble upon that site.. there are really only a few good knife sellers in europe.. in germany are japanmesser-shop.de (mr Horie is a real master of Japanese Natural stones) or Messerkontor.eu for the awesome juergen Schanz knifes (one of the best german blacksmith and a grinding god).. then we have japansemesser.nl , cuttingedge in england and JNS from maxim .. especially JNS is awesome for their synthetic stones.. i got myself the brand new JNS 1000 and the JNS 6000 and Red Aoto and those sotnes are super awesome!!!

oh yeah the new JNS 1000 is really super splash and go and i like it!! cuts like my Shapton Glasstones but awesome feedback..

ok ehmm back to the knifes ;)) .. well theese are most of the shops i know that are taxfree for me as a german, but usually i order from Ashi Hamono directly in Japan but the evil Yen Rates are really no fun for Eurodudes ;)

best regards Daniel!
 
If I had $150 to spend on a Gyuto, I'd get a Tojiro DP 240mm. I wouldn't even look at anything else under $200. This is a knife that would last most serious cooks the rest of their lives, assuming they sharpen it (or get it sharpened) well, when needed.
 
If I had $150 to spend on a Gyuto, I'd get a Tojiro DP 240mm. I wouldn't even look at anything else under $200. This is a knife that would last most serious cooks the rest of their lives, assuming they sharpen it (or get it sharpened) well, when needed.

If they can go up to $200 though you can get an SRS15 PM gyuto in 210mm . . . Those are great knives! Retail for as low as $199.
 
If they can go up to $200 though you can get an SRS15 PM gyuto in 210mm . . . Those are great knives!

$200 is outside the range. Outside of the range, I'd rather have a good, thin, carbon 240mm knife than an SRS-15 210.
 
Yusuke or ginga white 2?

I've never owned a Yusuke, but I currently own a Ginga. The Ginga is great. I have no reason to believe the Yusuke isn't also great. Regardless, well outside of the asked for range.
 
I've never owned a Yusuke, but I currently own a Ginga. The Ginga is great. I have no reason to believe the Yusuke isn't also great. Regardless, well outside of the asked for range.

Hmm well depending on cost of shipping to UK or any applicable import duties (not sure how it works over there), OP might want to look into ordering a ginga w2 240 direct from Ashi. Costs about $146 USD right now base price.

This is my feeble attempt at making up for the thread jack :madebooboo:
 
Woops! I made a mistake, I much prefer Western handles so the 2nd one you linked looks nice, exactly what I had in mind! Unfortunately it won't let me edit original post to change this :(

Now that opens me up to more Western handles are there any others that come to mind?

Also - any idea how often I'd to have maintain the blade if I am using it every day?

Cheers perneto.

Using it every day at home, you should be good for a couple months without sharpening. Then it depends on your standards of sharpness :)
 
Thanks for the advice all, contrary to some of your advice I went ahead and bought the Sakai Gyoto as it just looks gorgeous. Unfortunately I got an email this morning said they were out of stock so I'll have to wait a month to re-order it! :(
 
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