Kono w/b/hd vs kato vs shig for a left handed line cook

hey guys just looking for some advice. Im looking to upgrade from my miyabi sg2 to something a little on the higher end. I'm left handed and i know that all three knives have a 50/50 bevel but some seem to favor right handed users. From all the shopping around ive done ive decided i want to go with one of the three,(Whenever i can find one) i just need a little bit of help deciding which would be the best fit for me. If any of you guys have any input it would be greatly appreciated! :biggrin: -Joe

Lefty here also.
5 very different knives, all great choices. If I was working a busy hot line in a western kitchen I'd simply go stainless, though I have all carbon at home. Some bozo will trash your shig or Kato not worth the stress IMO.
Best of luck!

Fill this out to help folks narrow things down:

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


All the knives you mentioned are very different so it would be helpful to have more info about your preferences.

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)?
gyuto
Are you right or left handed?
left
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
japanese
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
210-240
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
no
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?

400 usd

KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
professional
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.)
all purpose knife
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
miyabi sg2 and some wusthofs/henckels
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
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/draw cuts
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.)
sharpness, edge retention



KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.) synthetic

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.)

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) at some point, i have a 1000/6000 combo stone i learned on. probably need to upgrade at some point

My vote of course would be the Shig but it's got a D-handle that is biased toward right handers. I'll grab one of mine after work and see if it's awkward in the left hand.

the shig you're speaking of is the shigehiro kasumi right? i thought they came with an octagonal handle?

joelytle said:

the shig you're speaking of is the shigehiro kasumi right? i thought they came with an octagonal handle?

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Sorry, I was referring to Shigefusa. I like the kitaeji's but the kasumi's have the same handles (as do the korouchi's). They cut like a dream. If you are adverse to a patina the korouchi's are really nice....I've given a couple to my daughter and other friends and they hold up well and aren't as reactive as the kitaeji's and kasumi's...blade road will get some patina but not the entire blade.

TheDispossessed said:

If I was working a busy hot line in a western kitchen I'd simply go stainless, though I have all carbon at home. Some bozo will trash your shig or Kato not worth the stress IMO.
Best of luck!

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Big +1

If you don't have a lot of experience working with carbon knives, you would be jumping in the deep end with these three (Kono Fuji, Kato, Shig). They're also not just a little bit higher end than your Miyabi - they're some of the most coveted (and $$$) knives available.

Lots of options at your price point. Kono HD are great knives that will put in a lot of work. I really like the Ginga stainless and White #2 in professional kitchens too. The JKI Ikazuchi is a newer option that is very thin and stainless clad, plus comes with a saya $200 under your budget. It looks like they only have the 210mm available now though.

For around that budget you could also get knives from custom makers in 52100, A2, AEB-L, CPM etc. I've only used Marko's 52100 but I really like it for work because it's not that reactive and holds a great edge.

TheDispossessed said:

Some bozo will trash your shig......
Best of luck!

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Human blood would probably make for an interesting patina on the trashed shig.....