Best Value Knife

I was wondering what the best value knife on the market is just from a steel perspective. I don't care if the handle/FF is below average or if I have to work on the edge a bit. I am looking a blade to grow into with some elbow-grease edge work and also worthy of handle replacement that will make it glow.

k.

If you can get it, the Miyabi Morimoto 8" or 10" gyuto from Amazon for 70-80 bucks going on right now. The 10" may be sold out though. I love the profile, and just got a 10 inch as my take along to another house knife.

Takagi makes a 200-something dollar Honyaki which is sold at japanwoodworker which is pretty rough and ready by all accounts. I like my Sugimoto 210 (195) wa gyuto which is I'd say is untouchable in the stainless laser class.

Thanks for the recs, and I forgot about those Takagi honyaki knives at JWW.

k.

chazmtb said:

If you can get it, the Miyabi Morimoto 8" or 10" gyuto from Amazon for 70-80 bucks going on right now. The 10" may be sold out though. I love the profile, and just got a 10 inch as my take along to another house knife.

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Do I recall correctly that this series is VG10?

If we're talking Miyabi, you've got to think 7000MCD line is an insane value (zdp-189, at 66HRC) and the 6000S is a very good value (German steel, to 57HRC), but not as good as the 7000D (VG10, brought to 60HRC).
to be honest, they seem to be a great buy in most of their chef knives, but not quite so much when it comes to the other styles.

The Sakai Yusuke White #2 knives are awesome value. Fit and finish is pretty much perfect and they have great geometry. They aren't really rough and ready though

So, am I understanding the the 600s, since it is German steel, is NOT VG10 If not, is "German" steel all we know about it? I'm sure the MCD line is a great knife but it appears to be three times+ the price of the 600s. Correct me it I'm wrong.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just the same old Henckels steel, but brought to a slightly harder finish. I might be wrong...
However, on cutleryandmore, the 7000MCD 8" gyuto is/was $149!

Thx Lefty. If it's the same old Henckels steel, why is it any better than a....well...Henckels. ;-)

Easy!
1) No finger guard
2) Profile
3) Morimoto personally blesses each knife with eel blood

Lefty said:

Easy!
1) No finger guard
2) Profile
3) Morimoto personally blesses each knife with eel blood

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4) Geometry

That was supposed to be 3)

Timthebeaver said:

Takagi makes a 200-something dollar Honyaki which is sold at japanwoodworker which is pretty rough and ready by all accounts. I like my Sugimoto 210 (195) wa gyuto which is I'd say is untouchable in the stainless laser class.

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beautiful knife, but it needs quite a few hours of work. Even after 10-15 hours of work, I'm still getting wedging issues with carrots. Potatoes are completely fine though

I have a couple of Tanaka aoniko damascus knives, with buffalo horn/ho wood handles, they were less than $80 a piece shipped. They just need a little work with sandpaper, and some time on the stones; they hold an edge longer than my shironiko knives, a pretty good value I think.

How are the Takagi honyaki knives, I might need to get one of the 300mm yanagiba.

Andrew H said:

4) Geometry

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Thanks, Andrew. I have half dozen Japanese knives and a couple three Western knive with no obnoxious bolster, so I sorta knew that, but the eel blood aspect really piques my interest. ;-)

bikehunter said:

Do I recall correctly that this series is VG10?

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Yes. Vg10. Profile and handle very close to the hattori fh forum knife. Damascus clad. The 5000 series is the cheap German steel.