Budget Iron-Clad Shirogami (Bunka or small gyuto)

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TItle should have read Shirogami or Aogami.

Hi,

Confession: I was drawn to this board for the sharpening/waterstone knowledge here. I'm not much of a cook. But after lurking here a while I want to test the waters of the Japanese kitchen knife, with the idea of seeing how sharp and slicey I can get it.

Therefore, I'm looking at Shirogami or Aogami steels (perhaps Shirogami can get a touch sharper, but I don't know if my skills will be able to bring it out.) I do like the rustic koruchi look. I've handled a 240mm gyuto and I found it huge. Hence I'd prefer something much smaller.

My first thought was Tojiro's Shirogami line, but reviews are not as positive as the DP in VG-10. What would be the next step up?




LOCATION
What country are you in?

US


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)?

Chef's knife or slicer

Are you right or left handed? Right

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

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)? 180mm

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

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? $150 for the right knife that is a screaming deal. But honestly I prefer to keep it under a $100. Did I mention I don't even cook much?



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? slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats

What knife, if any, are you replacing? Henkels knife set

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.) Would like to move to 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.) Push pull



Better aesthetics. I prefer Iron clad carbon

Comfort? I don't find large chef knives comfortable or easy to use, so would like to keep the length around 170mm to 180mm.

Ease of Use: I want a thin (laserish) knife to see how sharp and slicey I can make it. I reckon budget/entry-level knives aren't usually lasers, so I'm fine with eventually attempting to thin a knife (another reason I want to keep the initial cost low - in case I screw it up)

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)? Not so relevant. I realize carbon steel is not the best for edge retention.



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

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) Yes. I have a small collection of waterstones and strops.
no.)



SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
 
Tojiro is a fine budget knife and I really don't understand the hate that they garner from a select few. A 180mm gyuto is not going to be as easy to locate, though. Metal master has them in that brand but they are out of stock.

If you move up to a Tanaka KU you are getting a better knife in most ways for a few dollars more. Metal master also carries a 180mm gyuto but again is out of stock.

I can't really think of a lot of budget iron clad 180mm gyutos. There are more santokus and funayukis out there than gyutos in the smaller sizes. I would say a Zakuri would be a good way to go but I've not seen one in stock for over a year...
 
Thanks for the reply. I'd be willing to go up to 210mm or consider the other blade shapes.
 
I would highly recommend checking out the Munetoshi 165mm petty on Japanese Natural Stones.

It's a really, really nice knife for the price point - tall enough to get knuckle clearance, thin behind the edge to cut really well yet still enough meat on the knife to not feel flexible and whimpy. Fit and Finish is described as rustic but I have no complaints with the petty I received.

The website is being strange and coming up for me blank at the moment - but here's the link: http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/munetoshi-kurouchi-petty-165mm/

Should be roughly around $80
 
I just got the Eden Kanso Aogami knives from Knives and Tools. Very good price for the knives you're provided.
They sell a 180mm Santoku which fulfills your requirements.
They're beautiful, light, thin and can get super sharp. If treated well they should last a VERY long time.

Downsides up till now are:
Factory edge is REALLY fragile. Chipped the tip of my Gyuto on the second day, when it got caught in cutting board and twisted.
Iron cladding will make some friction with your fingers on your left hand if you cut enough.
They rust if you look at them the wrong way and they're hard to get bone dry before storing.

If you re-sharpen the edge, it should be more stable and sharper too.
The iron cladding is just something that you'll have to deal with. I haven't read about anyone feeling this, but after chopping 2kg onions straight it left a friction mark on my middle finger. You can always remove it with enough elbow grease, if it comes to that.
Dry them VERY well. Always keep a damp and a dry towel when you're working, quickly wiping the knife every time you set it down, or in between cuts will make sure it stays clean, dry and make you a more organized cook overall. The rust won't be a problem if you keep them dry and properly stored, and if it does show up, remove it by lightly scrubbing with baking soda.

Hope you find the right knife for you!
 
I would highly recommend checking out the Munetoshi 165mm petty on Japanese Natural Stones.

It's a really, really nice knife for the price point - tall enough to get knuckle clearance, thin behind the edge to cut really well yet still enough meat on the knife to not feel flexible and whimpy. Fit and Finish is described as rustic but I have no complaints with the petty I received.

The website is being strange and coming up for me blank at the moment - but here's the link: http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/munetoshi-kurouchi-petty-165mm/

Should be roughly around $80

+1

Just as a caveat, consistency is not one of the maker's strong points. I bought two; one of them was a bit thick behind the edge and the other one was very thick, so you might get lucky or you might have to thin a bit ootb. Or you could ask Maksim to pick a thinner one for you. On the plus side, they are super easy to thin and sharpen. They were my first thinning jobs and I'm quite pleased with the results. With that in mind, you still get a very good knife for not a lot of money.
 
Any carbon will be more fun to sharpen than VG10 as you'll get more response through it on the stones
 
You may manage to find a Zakuri bunka (though probably 165) around your price point.
 
T
hanks for all the suggestion everyone. I haven't made a purchase yet.
 
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