Jovidah
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Hello,
Just thought I'd throw this out here. I'm just a simple home user (but cooking afficionado) who wants to buy at least a half-decent honesuki. As I always buy my chicken whole (I never buy parts) I do a lot more deconstruction of chicken than most households so I figured I 'deserve' the little upgrade. I've beenusing a cheapo Victorinox boner for the last few years and while that works I hate how it always seems to get dull the second I pick it up - and I don't like steeling it continuously.
To replace it I'm basically looking for a simple, affordable, tough / chip-resistant, easy to sharpen honesuki that does have some decent edge retention. Also, I really prefer it NOT to have a rounded spine; I always use the back of the blade to scrape meat from bones and as long as they back still has nice square sharp edges this works really well.
I've already eliminated the Tojiro DP (don't like sharpening VG-10) and Fujiwara (seems a bit soft).
Right now I'm considering:
-Carbonext ($104): I love my carbonext gyuto and especially how easy it sharpens. Considering this is a blade that might occasionally see some abuse speaks highly for it. Also I think the semi-stainless seems a nice compromise that seems to fit the bill for my situation where it only sees occasional use (I tend to debone a few chicken every couple of weeks and then freeze the parts)
-Misono carbon ($111): Of course it's easy to sharpen, but I have no idea how it matches up to the Carbonext. It's in the same price range, but a lot heavier. Since I have no experience with honesukis I have no idea whether this is a good or a bad thing. Also, I'm a bit worried that I might have rust / maintenance issues when I occasionally don't use / oil / maintain it for a few weeks at a time. Is this fear justified?
-Hiromoto SLD ($70 - 77 with shipping): It's a lot cheaper than the carbonext. I guess what's putting me off is 2 things: I don't know whether the steel would be better or worse (especially in ease of sharpening department) and more importantly, the handle. It looks like an actual wood handle - and a flimsy one at that. Considering I'm using it for nothing but chicken I'd rather prefer the stabilized pakka wood on the Carbonext because it seems more hygenious (and can take a thorough cleaning). Seems to have less blade height as well, so it seems to give less longevity in the long run.
Anyone have experience with one (or several) of these blades? Any others I should be considering?
For sake of completeness the questionaire:
LOCATION
What country are you in?
Netherlands - EU
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Honesuki
Are you right or left handed?
Right
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Western - because of the hygiene issue and ease of maintenance. Preferably pakka-wood or something that can survive the occasional dip in a soapy water bath
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
standard; 145-150
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No, but it will occasionally see a few weeks of 'downtime' so I'm not sure whether a full carbon is a good idea.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Preferably around a 100-120 dollars maximum. I'd like to spend as little as possible but considering I do want this to be the one (and only) honesuki I buy in my life I don't want to make this the main deciding factor. If need be I'd rather put the purchase off for a little longer to get something that fits the intended purpose better
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.)
Taking apart chicken into seperate parts and deboning thighs, sometimes legs. Anything else (like trimming meat) only comes secondary as I plan to get a proper petty for that at some point anyway. Also, I do have a meat cleaver so I do not intend to crush bones with it.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Cheapo Victorinox
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.)
Less relevant; but I do tend to go 'softly', cutting through the joints, using my fingers a lot (instead of riding/cutting along bones) and scraping with the back of the blade
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.)
Edge retention, ease of sharpening (hate sharpening that curvy point), different blade style.
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, don't care. Only hygiene comes in as a factor here
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
As I said I haven't had a honesuki here so I'm relying on you guys to explain me what's better
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 can do my own thining if it's necessary; as it is I expect all knives I currently selected to need it.
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
At least more than the 2 chickens my victorinox does...
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
I have seperate plastic boards for chicken / meat work, but the blade doesn't touch the board much anyway
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
Considering purchasing a 3000 intermediate. Otherwise it'll get finished on either a 1000 or 5000-6000.
Just thought I'd throw this out here. I'm just a simple home user (but cooking afficionado) who wants to buy at least a half-decent honesuki. As I always buy my chicken whole (I never buy parts) I do a lot more deconstruction of chicken than most households so I figured I 'deserve' the little upgrade. I've beenusing a cheapo Victorinox boner for the last few years and while that works I hate how it always seems to get dull the second I pick it up - and I don't like steeling it continuously.
To replace it I'm basically looking for a simple, affordable, tough / chip-resistant, easy to sharpen honesuki that does have some decent edge retention. Also, I really prefer it NOT to have a rounded spine; I always use the back of the blade to scrape meat from bones and as long as they back still has nice square sharp edges this works really well.
I've already eliminated the Tojiro DP (don't like sharpening VG-10) and Fujiwara (seems a bit soft).
Right now I'm considering:
-Carbonext ($104): I love my carbonext gyuto and especially how easy it sharpens. Considering this is a blade that might occasionally see some abuse speaks highly for it. Also I think the semi-stainless seems a nice compromise that seems to fit the bill for my situation where it only sees occasional use (I tend to debone a few chicken every couple of weeks and then freeze the parts)
-Misono carbon ($111): Of course it's easy to sharpen, but I have no idea how it matches up to the Carbonext. It's in the same price range, but a lot heavier. Since I have no experience with honesukis I have no idea whether this is a good or a bad thing. Also, I'm a bit worried that I might have rust / maintenance issues when I occasionally don't use / oil / maintain it for a few weeks at a time. Is this fear justified?
-Hiromoto SLD ($70 - 77 with shipping): It's a lot cheaper than the carbonext. I guess what's putting me off is 2 things: I don't know whether the steel would be better or worse (especially in ease of sharpening department) and more importantly, the handle. It looks like an actual wood handle - and a flimsy one at that. Considering I'm using it for nothing but chicken I'd rather prefer the stabilized pakka wood on the Carbonext because it seems more hygenious (and can take a thorough cleaning). Seems to have less blade height as well, so it seems to give less longevity in the long run.
Anyone have experience with one (or several) of these blades? Any others I should be considering?
For sake of completeness the questionaire:
LOCATION
What country are you in?
Netherlands - EU
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Honesuki
Are you right or left handed?
Right
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Western - because of the hygiene issue and ease of maintenance. Preferably pakka-wood or something that can survive the occasional dip in a soapy water bath
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
standard; 145-150
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No, but it will occasionally see a few weeks of 'downtime' so I'm not sure whether a full carbon is a good idea.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Preferably around a 100-120 dollars maximum. I'd like to spend as little as possible but considering I do want this to be the one (and only) honesuki I buy in my life I don't want to make this the main deciding factor. If need be I'd rather put the purchase off for a little longer to get something that fits the intended purpose better
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.)
Taking apart chicken into seperate parts and deboning thighs, sometimes legs. Anything else (like trimming meat) only comes secondary as I plan to get a proper petty for that at some point anyway. Also, I do have a meat cleaver so I do not intend to crush bones with it.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Cheapo Victorinox
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.)
Less relevant; but I do tend to go 'softly', cutting through the joints, using my fingers a lot (instead of riding/cutting along bones) and scraping with the back of the blade
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.)
Edge retention, ease of sharpening (hate sharpening that curvy point), different blade style.
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, don't care. Only hygiene comes in as a factor here
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
As I said I haven't had a honesuki here so I'm relying on you guys to explain me what's better
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 can do my own thining if it's necessary; as it is I expect all knives I currently selected to need it.
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
At least more than the 2 chickens my victorinox does...
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
I have seperate plastic boards for chicken / meat work, but the blade doesn't touch the board much anyway
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
Considering purchasing a 3000 intermediate. Otherwise it'll get finished on either a 1000 or 5000-6000.
