Looking to buy a good Gyuto up to $300

LOCATION
What country are you in? Israel

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?
Right
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Prefer Japanese
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
240mm
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$300


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.)
Cutting Vegetables
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Suisin High Carbon Steel Gyutou 240mm
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 cutting, rock slicing
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 and edge retention mostly
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)?
No
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
Rather light, good balance, excellent for cutting all sorts of vegetables
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)?
I don't care about OOB edge or reactivity. Less wedging and better food release are always welcome.
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
A few meals prep. I would definitely like the edge retention to last much longer than my current knife's.


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

SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
My current knife, the Suisin High Carbon gyuto, is a good knife. The only problem is the HK steel with 58HRC:
I can get it to be razor sharp, but it really won't last. After one meal prep the knife will dull a bit.
I have to strop it quite often.
I'm looking for a knife that can take a very sharp edge, and maintain that sharpness for longer.
With my current knife, I dare not chop, as I know it would dull the knife very fast.

I believe that either a Watanabe or possibly a Toyoma from Maxim may fit the bill (my understanding is that Shinichi trained under Toyoma but could be the other way around) Blue steel that has been well heart treated. Won't get any stiction. Price should be close though the weight may not be right for you?

Do you microbevel your current knife?

I see that your main purpose is to cut vegetables - I would be looking for a thin knife for that (think carrots, squash). For great edge retention super blue steel or something like SKD, SLD, R2 (powder steel). With that in mind I would have a look at Ikazuchi from JKI - it is stainless clad super blue in a very thin and lightweight knife. The StainLess Itinomonn from JNS could also fit the bill (I expect the semi-stainless core to hold edge very well, but I do not have experience with that steel). Both knives are well within your budget.

EDIT: It is just an accident that the knives I mention are stainless clad.

EDIT 2: Do not expect any particularly great food release on very thin knives - there is just very little of convex left on the blade to help you there.

EDIT 3: One more candidate could be Takeda (carbon clad ones will be probably thinner that stainless clad ones) - those also have super blue edge and are very thin. There are more knives that would have excellent edge holding that come to my mind like Masakage Koishi or Yoshikane SKD, but those are not particularly thin so they would not be my first choice.

And microbevel is nearly always a good idea. I use an asymmetrical one (see youtube videos from Jon @ JKI) on nearly all of my kitchen knives.

I don't microbevel my knives. I guess I should. (How do yo strop an edge with a microbevel, BTW? Guess it's a question for a new thread...)
Anyways, I was thinking that indeed AS steel is the way to go - should have very good edge retention and easy to sharpen.
Does anyone have experience with the Ikazuchi?
Any other recommendations?

I have 0 experience the knife i am about to suggest but if its thin and home use. James at knives and stones sells a sukenari zdp hairline 240 in the realm or 300. Nice ebony and silver handle and if you mention kkf he tosses in a free saya. Edge retention should be forever in a home kitchen. Youd still have the suisin around as a beater as well so you wouldnt be using zdp for high risk moves.

chinacats said:

I believe that either a Watanabe or possibly a Toyoma from Maxim may fit the bill (my understanding is that Shinichi trained under Toyoma but could be the other way around) Blue steel that has been well heart treated. Won't get any stiction. Price should be close though the weight may not be right for you?

Click to expand...

Found out Shin Watanabe is about the same age as me, born early 70s-ish. Toyama's way older, 70s or 80s, and so I'm sure the relationship would work down to Watanabe, although he had a different mentor actually.

At any rate, Watanabe would be on the heavy side. A Toyama really feels light without being too light and flimsy, and fits what you wrote. Really great knives, and beyond these - higher prices, more embellishments - it's a lot of unneeded indulgence. Your $300 limit is wise.

Godslayer said:

I have 0 experience the knife i am about to suggest but if its thin and home use. James at knives and stones sells a sukenari zdp hairline 240 in the realm or 300. Nice ebony and silver handle and if you mention kkf he tosses in a free saya. Edge retention should be forever in a home kitchen. Youd still have the suisin around as a beater as well so you wouldnt be using zdp for high risk moves.

Click to expand...

Godslayer, indeed this knife looks fearsome, however it's way over my budget limit ($399 at CKTG, $454 at Knives and Stones).

Picking a new knife when I have very little experience with Japanese knives, is tough.
Some of the brands suggested here could be great, but how do I know?
Could you be more specific? As in to suggest a specific knife, not just the maker?
And where could I find reviews of these knives?
I realize some people here have a collection of knives. That's truly awesome, but I can't afford it. If I buy a ~$300 knife - it's meant to be my go-to knife for the foreseeable future .
So I guess the best way to approach this is to read reviews of specific knives. See what other knife experts say about them. And the try to decide.

In your position I would really give a call (or drop an email) to someone like Jon from http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com (or some of the other vendors here - you are located in Israel, so you will be most probably importing the knife anyhow) and have a little chat. You will be surprised how much help such a short chat can yield. And Jon (and surely others too) is a really great guy to talk to. Also do not hesitate to contact Maxim if the Toyama or Itinomonn should be something you would like.

Let me only add - I do not know whether you will be paying import duties, but if yes, you should calculate them into the total price. Here in EU it is usually between 20% to 28% on top of the total price.

The knives mentioned above are all sold, well made and hand made knives - as long as the design/profile/geometry will fit you, you will not have a reason to 'upgrade' later on. The Toyama and Watanabe will be on the heavier side (not necessarily a negative, more matter of taste), but those are two great knives. Lok at the photos - the question is - do you prefer more flat or more curved cutting edge?

Also the Yoshikane SKD hammered knives are not the thinnest behind the edge (these are basically wide bevel knives with the bevels nearly flat).

If you would not be too hanged on the edge retention, than also something like Kochi from JKI would be a great choice. Stronger spine, but incredibly thin behind the edge (I have received a 180mm santoku few days ago, so I speak first hand )

Last but not least - do not discard the option to buy a 'used' knife off the BST section here - many of the knives being sold have been barely used (the seller wanted something else or has some custom knife coming in and needs to free some cash). That could save you some $.

Thanks, Matus. Contacting Jon is a good idea.
I'm looking for a knife that will not be on the heavier or thicker side. The blade geometry I'm used to is the same as my current knife (which is quite similar to a K. Sabatier profile, really) - good for rocking, and has enough of a flat area for push cutting or chopping.