New nakiri

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niklasbaastrup

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Mar 12, 2016
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Helle everyone. I'm looking for a new nakiri as a gift for myself.

LOCATION
What country are you in?
Denmark, but I’m willing to order from outside the EU.


KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in
Nakiri

Are you right or left handed?
Right

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

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
165mm (I’m open for slightly bigger)

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Around 400-450 USD (plus an extra 25% if it’s ordered from inside the EU)


KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home environment

What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for
Slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables and mincing vegetables.

What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Tojiro DP nakiri

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use?
Pinch grip

What cutting motions do you primarily use?
Chopping (mostly), push cut.

What improvements do you want from your current knife?

Better aesthetics. It is hard to describe exactly what I’m looking for here due to that I find a lot of different styles beautiful. But I’m definitely looking for something without a mass produced feel to it.

Comfort, better handle shape

Edge Retention



KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
At the moment synthetic, but that can change.

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


Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
No


SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
This will be a graduation gift to me, for finishing med. school, so I’m planning on something special that I can remember for a long time.
I have had my eyes on the following knives:
The Saji R-2 damascus 165 nakiri with either bone or ironwood handle
The Tanaka R-2 165 nakiri ironwood handle
 
What about the fujiwara white #1 nakiri? Amaizing knife that gets a razor edge and fits just about your price range?
 
Any reason the two you list are both R2? I's also be looking at the Shiro Kamo R2 or Kurosaki R2.

The Saji is topnotch performer. The Fujiwara has a killer edge but rustic look. Takeda has larger Nakiri that gets lots of love.
 
This is just one man's opinion, but western handled nakiris are LAME-O. :) I've never met one I liked in the slightest. It's one knife that for me absolutely has to have a wa handle. Plus, I don't think there are any really nice western handled nakiris out there, and especially not in carbon. But I could be wrong. So if you know what's good for you, change your mind and start looking for a wa handled one.:D
 
Sorry just noticed that you said western handle. Please ignore my suggestion above.
 
Murata comes to mind. Knifewear sells it in cad which may or may not make it an attractive proposition considering the conversion rate as of this moment.
 
Andy777 said:
This is just one man's opinion, but western handled nakiris are LAME-O. :) I've never met one I liked in the slightest. It's one knife that for me absolutely has to have a wa handle. Plus, I don't think there are any really nice western handled nakiris out there, and especially not in carbon. But I could be wrong. So if you know what's good for you, change your mind and start looking for a wa handled one.:D
Click to expand...

+1.


If your absolutely stuck on western, suggest you talk to Maxim (coincidentally also in Demark) to see what he may have or can special order. Dan makes handles for Maxim and they are as nice as any you'll find.

@Farnorth - Someday I'll own that Watanabe. His Kintaro-ame pegs my cool-meter, more so than any other Damascus pattern I've seen from a Japanese maker. For now I'm stuck with the Pro model...
 
Ohhh western handled itinomonn Nakiri might be cool to have!! I like the yo handle in their gyutos
 
In my opinion, people tend to over think nakiri. Traditionally, this was just the everyday Japanese home vegetable knife. You find will something like it common in many other Asian kitchens. There plenty of knives priced way under $400 that will get the job just fine.
 
First of all, thank for all the inputs.
Concerning the handles, i just never used a wa handle before, so i don't really know if i like it, so i could properly be persuaded :biggrin:

The watanabe sure does look nice :thumbsup:
 
Gonna toss in a curve ball but a mono steel nakiri from catchside may be doable for your budget or close to it. Has probably the best smith in the eu. He does beautiful work. I'd email him saying your situation and see if he can work something out with you. I couldn't find prices unfortunately. If not I'd email maxim from knives and stones about having a damascus nakiri made by toyama and having dan toss a handle on it asking if you can supply the wood scales. Toyama should be near identical to watanabe but it would be purchased within the eu for you saving the vat. I'd also check out some of the European vendors given your budget you should be able to get a sick nakiri. I recently bought a fujiwara w#1 nakiri with a custom adam marr handle and it's sweet, so to all you westren handle hatters, bugger off. :knife: you could also post a wtb high end nakiri post and see what pops up. BTW if you quadrupled your budget there's a beautiful Micheal Rader nakiri there now. Probably top 5 smiths in the world. Oh and welcome to the forum.
 
Andy777 said:
This is just one man's opinion, but western handled nakiris are LAME-O. :) I've never met one I liked in the slightest. It's one knife that for me absolutely has to have a wa handle. Plus, I don't think there are any really nice western handled nakiris out there, and especially not in carbon. But I could be wrong. So if you know what's good for you, change your mind and start looking for a wa handled one.:D
Click to expand...

Gotta agree with Andy on this one:).
 
I would save your money on a nakiri and buy yourself a real knife honestly.
 
Noodle Soup said:
In my opinion, people tend to over think nakiri. Traditionally, this was just the everyday Japanese home vegetable knife. You find will something like it common in many other Asian kitchens. There plenty of knives priced way under $400 that will get the job just fine.
Click to expand...

Something similar could be said for MANY of the knives discussed on these forums. Yes, you can get a nice $100 knife that will get the job done, for sure. But many of us knife knuts enjoy improved performance, aesthetics, and other characteristics, and are willing to pay it.

@ Chef, OP has a nakiri and seems to like it. He wants to upgrade--why shouldn't he? Nakiris aren't for everyone, but they are certainly "real knives."

@Niklas, you could also consider using part of your budget for a well-known performer (like Watanabe or Toyoma) and use the rest of your budget on upgrading to a hidden tang western handle. You could then have some choice in the handle wood as well, making this knife even more the special one that YOU are seeking. (And congrats on completing med school! An accomplishment well worthy of a fine knife you carefully select and get joy from using!
 
XooMG said:
Poppycock.
Click to expand...

What he said.

But to answer your question, a Nakiri is good for anything you use the flat of your Gyuto for i.e., not the tip. A 180 Nakiri will have as much or more flat area than a 240 Gyuto. Maybe you should check it out?

Oh, a Nakiri is a real knife.
 
Mute-on said:
What he said.

But to answer your question, a Nakiri is good for anything you use the flat of your Gyuto for i.e., not the tip. A 180 Nakiri will have as much or more flat area than a 240 Gyuto. Maybe you should check it out?

Oh, a Nakiri is a real knife.
Click to expand...

i just cannot use a 180mm knife, if you want to use one , more power to you. I prefer gyuto
 
Chef_ said:
I would save your money on a nakiri and buy yourself a real knife honestly.
Click to expand...

Nakiris are specialized a home user doesn't need a nakiri, if they want one that's cool but it's 100% not needed. In our pro environment a nakiri can have some serious advantages in large volume veg prep. I.E. stocks, mushrooms onions etc. I know we do French onion soup at our lounge style restaurant here at the resort, peak summer 150-200 lbs of onions. If 2 chefs of equal skill go at it one with a 270 gyuto and the other a 165 nakiri, the guy using the nakiri will finish significantly faster. Maybe 20-30%. I know a few of use have them here and lend them to whatever general cook or second cook gets stuck doing that job. That being said if you don't own a gyuto and petty you probably shouldn't be looking at nakiris it's a fun extra knife for those times you have to blast large quanities of veg prep and you want to make the job a little bit easier.
 
I'm starting to like you. Your controversial and financially conservative. Presuming your respectful I can see some interesting debates happening.
 
Chef_ said:
What can you really use a nakiri for besides cutting herbs and small vegetables.
Click to expand...

Did you read the first post? That's what he wants it for.

Chef_ said:
i just cannot use a 180mm knife, if you want to use one , more power to you. I prefer gyuto
Click to expand...

Who cares? This thread isn't supposed to be about you. The OP is asking for nakiri recommendations. How do you know he doesn't own a gyuto? If you want to debate whether a nakiri is a "real knife," start your own thread.

Congrats to the OP on finishing graduate school! Have fun choosing your new knife.
 
My guess is 99% of Americans don’t own a “real” knife based on the definition of Chef.

Is a nakiri a real knife? The thought never occurred to me. I own and use one regularly. And it works. That’s good enough for me.

I can’t say it happened logically. I stir fry a lot and I would always see nakiris or usabas in ads on sites that specialized in Asian-related cuisine. One day about 10 or 12 years ago, I saw a Mac nakiri on sale. Looked cool, price was right, I bought it.

My use of a nakiri fits a stereotype, I admit. I mostly use it when I prep veggies and meats for stir fries, usually twice a week. My stir fries are vegetable dominated. I have used it for so long in that manner that it feels weird not to use a nakiri when I prep for stir fries. Rarely do I use a nakiri for Western cuisines, however.

What do I like about it?

Great for scooping for those who like to do that (I do). The flat spot on my current nakiri is also more true and longer than pretty much any gyuto I own. Great at fast chopping veggies. Light enough in hand, and thin at the edge, for blowing through onions, too. I can cut proteins just as well and just as fast with my nakiri as I can my 210 or 240 gyutos. And the compact shape in some ways I find more nimble on the board.

Granted, I prefer a gyuto for most board work most of the time. I would not recommend a nakiri as a person's first or primary knife, either. But I am glad I have one.
 
daveb said:
But that was not the question.

Rookies would do well to ask questions, rather than answer them.

Can you spell prep?
Click to expand...

maybe if i use my small rookie brain hard enough
 
Wow, Nakiri's generate a lot of debate. If I could only have one knife it would be a 225 or 240 gyuto. If I could only have two knives the next would be a 180 nikiri. When Mike Costa of Zaytinya showed me his everyday knife kit and in it was a Carter nikiri n I told him I was surprised and he said it was one of his most used knives. Which I think just shows that everyone has different favorites. To me nikiri's don't get enough respect on KKF.
 
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