Most used knife in the home kitchen

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Keith Neal

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I need a new knife. I have not bought one in several weeks, and have the itch.

What is the single most used/useful knife in your home kitchen?

If you were to replace it, what commercially available knife would you choose. Please be specific as to make, model, options, etc.


For background:

What type of knife(s) do you think you want? Undecided.

Why is it being purchased? What, if anything, are you replacing?
Just because.

What do you like and dislike about these qualities of your knives already?
Aesthetics- less important than function
Edge Quality/Retention- important, but I will maintain it
Ease of Use- yes
Comfort- yes

What grip do you use? I don't know.

What kind of cutting motion do you use? different ones for different foods. Probably slicing most often.

Where do you store them? original boxes.

Have you ever oiled a handle? no, but I always oil blades on carbon steel after use.

What kind of cutting board(s) do you use? Boardsmith walnut.

For edge maintenance, do you use a strop, honing rod, pull through/other, or nothing? various waterstones and leather strop.

Have they ever been sharpened? often. I like sharpening.

What is your budget? flexible

What do you cook and how often? wide variety of foods daily.

Special requests(Country of origin/type of wood/etc)? no

Thanks!

Keith
 
I vote for a petty as well, but I say 175-180mm.
I'd take a good hard look at a 6sun Carter funayuki, if I were you.
 
I vote for a petty as well, but I say 175-180mm.
I'd take a good hard look at a 6sun Carter funayuki, if I were you.

lefty will you post a link to the funayuki. I'm at work and can't load it. but would like to remember about it when I'm home!
 
Carter funayuki would be great for prepping simple fair. I might need one soon.
 
My most used knife is a 240-260 mm gyuto (or funayuki) and I rotate through several. They are Heiji 240 semistainless, 270 DTITK in AEB-L, 270 KonHD, 240 Carter in white #1, 240 mm Aritsugu A-Type. I have a bunch of western-handled ones too but these are the ones I tend to prefer.

My second most used knife is a "Rottman" 210 suji in Niolox. (It's not commercial but I think it's readily available, lol.)

The third would be a 150 mm petty. My favorite is probable a Masahiro MVH specifically from Knife Merchant. It's not the thinnest, coolest-looking knife or made from the most amazing steel but somehow I keep going to it over other, more expensive options.
 
+ 1 on Carter

But I would like to say that I have a piece in the making that is ready in 3 weeks. It will make a huge impact in my kitchen :)
 
This is the time for you to buy something wierd. Like a Kiritsuke.
 
My most used knife was also my least expensive; in fact I bought it 3rd hand for $30 incl paypal and shipping. It's a Tojiro shirogami nakiri. I have a few more expensive knives, gyutos, pettys, etc, but as many fresh vegetables as we eat here at home, the nakiri is my knife of choice. My CCK slicer comes in 2nd.
 
My most recent was a Semi HD Konosuke? Do you have one of those? maybe put a cool handle on it?
How about a cleaver? how are you stocked on cleavers? maybe a CCK? something nimble you can use?

Good luck!
 
240 mm ichimonji tkc gyuto followed by a 240 hiro g3 suji; they're great knives and I don't need to wipe them down too often
 
I think tgraypots is on to something. A nice fun nakiri would be a great addition. I love using mine, when I get the itch.
 
This is my fav home kitchen knife, about 200mm.

PICT0458a.jpg
 
Thanks to all for the ideas. It is interesting that most of you thought a smaller knife was called for. I was inclined that way, since I have a Masamoto yanagi for sashimi and the Ichimonji kiritsuki which I like as a general purpose "chef knife". The funayuki and the nikiri are interesting in addition to the petty. Much to ponder. I'll let y'all know what I do.

Thanks.

Keith
 
My favorites are Korin Togiharu G-1 (aka Masamoto VG-10) Guyto 21cm, Kagayaki VG-10 24cm gyuto and Global G-2 20cm gyuto. Plus the Yoshihiro Kasumi 18cm shirogami deba for fish.
 
I'd take a good hard look at a 6sun Carter funayuki, if I were you.

Can you describe for me what a funayuki is? I've seen them on Carter's site (and nowhere else) and read about them here a lot (and occasionally on FF), but I've never seen/used one in person. To me they have the profile of a gyuto, but beyond that I don't get them? Cheers! mpp
 
In Carter's case, it really is a small gyuto. The size he makes his funayukis in makes them more of a petty than a gyuto, yet they do have the height you would normally see in a gyuto (according to length). You'll notice the tip portion stays taller than many gyutos, in part because they are shorter bladed knives, and also in part because of Murray's spine to tip drop.
It seems that any "gyuto" or "funayuki" above 240mm is a gyuto to Murray, and anything shorter is a funayuki.
If you're curious about single beveled funayukis, well, they are a whole different beast, and one I have stayed away from. I get the feeling that they are really dated, and unnecessary with the knives and conditions we have today. I'm pretty sure Suisin has them available, likely on Korin, if you're curious to check one out.
 
I would say its what a petty is to a suji, in the terms of a gyuto. Usually they are known for a fantastic grind.... I saw at JKI a 180mm Zakuri for about $150 in Blue #1, with an octagon handle (A similar Carter would run at least 2 bills).... wondering if anyone has experience with Zakuri?
 
In case anyone cares, the SFGZ Carters I've tried all outperform the HG with ebony handle I have plus, I think the two custom handled 240 SFGZ sitting in front of me look a lot better, too. I'm sure they also outperform the CKTG special edition knives.
 
I'm not surprised. With a good handle, the SFGZ is as good as it gets. Period!
 
wondering if anyone has experience with Zakuri?

Well I've got two now and love both. The Gyuto is fairly beefy but with good geometry making it a great cutter. The other is a Tosagata which I also really like. I got it for a colleague who ended up freaking out about the handle and carbon so gave it back. I am SUPER glad he did. I took this guy on a vacation to France to stay with friends and used it for everything (including a chicken ballotine) for the next 10 days. It even stood up to my MIL's abuse! It's just a nice versatile knife and a heck of a lot of fun. For sub $100 I think it's a steal.
 
my Shigefusa 240mm gyuto is by far my most used. the other knives i use reasonably often are my 270mm Mizuno gyuto and my 240mm Hattori FH gyuto. the only small knife i use is a cute little 4 inch Thomas Herder Windmill sheepsfoot parer in carbon. i've pared way down over the last couple months, so i don't rotate nearly as much as i used to do. my usuba and yanagi don't get used much unless i'm doing specific food prep. my ajikiri and western Deba get used only for certain tasks. i'd say the Shigefusa 240 gets used more than all the other knives put together. i can do pretty much anything i need to do in my kitchen with it.
 
I can't tell from the photos and can't find a description -- are the Carter funayukis single bevel?
 
In case anyone cares, the SFGZ Carters I've tried all outperform the HG with ebony handle I have plus, I think the two custom handled 240 SFGZ sitting in front of me look a lot better, too. I'm sure they also outperform the CKTG special edition knives.

There is no metallurgical difference between Murray Carter's Stainless Fukugozai series and the High Grade series. It's only the level of finish and handle materials that are different. The special edition Chef Knives To Go gyutos included. I think of the Stainless Fukugozai line as a high-performing blade with a free handle.

Tinh, did you ever have that handle taken off your 270mm, by the way? If you did, was it as much of a pain as I imagined it would be since it was epoxied?
 
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