Knife for the wife

LOCATION
What country are you in?
Netherlands


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)?
Small chefs/large utility with ample knuckle clearance

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)?
140-180

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

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
80 euro


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.)
Chopping and slicing vegs for the most part. Trimming bit of poultry fat occasionally


What knife, if any, are you replacing?
$4 20" chefs i bought when i first started living on my own. 1.25mm spine and .6mm behind the edge. I want it out of my house.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Not sure. Not 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.)
Not sure

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.)
Not very heavy. 125g or so. Slightly forward balance. Slender handle. Metal bolster.

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)?

Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?

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)?

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
Not that important u know how to use a stone.


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

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?
No

I'd see if there's a 180 tojiro DP gyuto. I brought a few of these (210 gyuto, 150 petty, Parer, bread) just to have a few knives around the house I don't need to worry about unlike my nicer carbons. Has a western handle with metal bolster and the price is right. Sometimes the F&F can vary but mine aren't terrible

If you're really restricted to 125 g, that's really to limit things.

Misono MV 140 mm is the best I can come up with.

http://www.hocho-knife.com/misono-mv-stainless-steel-santoku-knife-140mm/

And yes there is a Tojiro DP 180mm, but it's closer to 180 g and the handle I find kind of clunky. The Tojiro Pro DP 180 has a slimmer more comfy handle and is lighter, around 150 g.

http://www.knivesandtools.de/de/pt/-robert-herder-196062565-santoku.htm#tabbutton1

Robert Herder stainless santoku

Thanks for the tips!

Thanks for the tips!

Forgot to mention: santoku's are off the table too. Doesnt like the look. But i think i know enough for the moment. Very good options though. Hadnt really given the possibility of ordering a softer steel knife straight from Japan much thought but it makes quite some sense.

The western handle metal bolster construction is responsible for a good portion of the mass if you're strictly limited to 125g. A Kanestsugu Pro M 180mm probably weighs as much as one of my 240mm wa-handled gyuto...

Your requirements are somewhat conflicting. For a western handle and weight <125g (and no santokus), you will be limited to large petty knives. Knuckle clearance would be the issue with pettys. Consider the Tojiro DP 150mm petty for about 40-45 euro or a Takamura R2 150mm petty for around 100 euro (converting from USD prices).

Also note that a western handle with bolster will move the cg aft, so the knife may not have the desired forward balance.

laxdad said:

Your requirements are somewhat conflicting. For a western handle and weight <125g (and no santokus), you will be limited to large petty knives. Knuckle clearance would be the issue with pettys. Consider the Tojiro DP 150mm petty for about 40-45 euro or a Takamura R2 150mm petty for around 100 euro (converting from USD prices).

Also note that a western handle with bolster will move the cg aft, so the knife may not have the desired forward balance.

Click to expand...

Sharp!

Fujiwara FKM 150mm Gyuto is 98 grams. It comes in at $65 and will give you about 8mm more knuckle clearance than a petty.

Good find

Unfortunately it's currently out of stock and exceeds the budget by a bit, but the Hattori HD 150 mm gyuto is very nice and fits the bill at 109 g.

http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/HDSeries.html

It's probably not going to restock

Have a look at the Eden classic knives.
Bought some for friends and family over the past years and the are pretty chuffed with them.

+ 1 on Tojiro DP as well
Handle is not as comfy as the previous one, but the blade is a notch better.

Guys thanks, im sending th wustie back tomorrow, and i got several fix her up project knives coming in next weekend. As for the wife buy i'm postponing that a bit. Gives me the chance to let her try some of the fixers and see what shape fits her best. Thanks again for all the great advice. As always on ths forum i learned a lot. Im going to stop monitoring these threads on a daily basis now.