Anyone use takobiki day to day?

I've read a post from Jon at JKI explaining the origin of takobiki vs yanagi use (for sashimi), however I'm curious if anyone here actually uses takobiki instead of yanagi. in Tokyo last week I saw many chefs using takobiki.

Not yet. But I have just got Suisin shironiko 300mm one myself. Probably will start using it after new year.

slowtyper said:

I've read a post from Jon at JKI explaining the origin of takobiki vs yanagi use (for sashimi), however I'm curious if anyone here actually uses takobiki instead of yanagi. in Tokyo last week I saw many chefs using takobiki.

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My mum in law uses a takobiki at home, but a yanagi at work. She's not a 'professional', although her job is slicing and dicing so what I mean is she's not trained, but she does use knifes every day.

I think for her the takobiki at work is just a little too fragile, whereas at home, she can take her time (and octopus can be painful stuff to cut at times!) and make sure she's not going to give the knife a hard time. At work, go, go, go! So something with a bit more heft and durability suits her better.

FWIW, I think her takobiki is about 240/270mm, yanagi is a shorty. Not even a proper yanagi IIRC, but it's the same shape, profile and everything like that. Only used on fish that's not going to hurt it. For everything else, she's got a santoku I was given that she borrowed/stole off me.

I can understand folks who are cutting a lot going for a takobiki, since they can get away with something so lightweight without hurting it. No way in heck I'd use one on a regular basis though.

Stu.

(Not a knife guy!)

Schtoo said:

I can understand folks who are cutting a lot going for a takobiki, since they can get away with something so lightweight without hurting it. No way in heck I'd use one on a regular basis though.

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I am not quite able to follow this logic or I'm not understanding properly. I am talking about using a takobiki instead of a yanagi (for slicing fish only)

slowtyper said:

I am not quite able to follow this logic or I'm not understanding properly. I am talking about using a takobiki instead of a yanagi (for slicing fish only)

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I know that, and what my concern would be is that the takobiki (at least the one my mum in law has) is so thin and delicate, I'd be terrified of hurting it by accident. It would be very easy to do I think. The yanagi I have and got for her are far more robust in all areas and while they're not 'tough' at all, they put up with a certain amount of mishandling without protest.

I don't cut much fish, and don't use thinner knives often enough to be anything like proficient at all. The folks in Tokyo are slicing day in, day out and aren't making mistakes so they could probably use a piece of sharpened sheet metal and it would be fine. I'd turn it into a pretzel within seconds.


Just my thoughts, take them as you wish or discard them if need be.

Stu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txuMyRXpUM8&feature=g-vrec&context=G2bccf53RVAAAAAAAAAg

found this video thought someone might be interested in seeing the takobiki in action. As well as a gyuto.