Hi all, my name is Barak, I'm new here.
I'm looking for my next (or first) real J Knife, I've going through google quite a bit lately and I found this place as the most professorial to ask my questions.
I'll start with answers to the questions you asked -
LOCATION
Israel.
KNIFE TYPE
Gyuto.
Are you right or left handed?
Right.
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
I never tried a Japanese handle and sadly we don't have a place we can try them around here so maybe stick with Western Handle?
My type of grip is mainly pinch if that helps cutting down the options (to 1, haha).
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
I'm used to 8" knifes but I'd like to learn a bit more on how does the length effects and maybe try 10".
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Is it good for something else beside dishwasher? if not then no, I wash my knifes by hand.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$170 (if there's some money left I'll get a sharpener with it, if not I'll send it to sharpening and get one along the way).
KNIFE USE
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.)
Slicing, Mincing, chopping vegetables and a bit of meat cutting.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Don't laugh but - 8" Zwilling chef knife and a 7" Arcos santoku (not even from the high-end).
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
No.
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.)
Mainly Push and chop. A bit of rocking and slicing.
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.)
Longer edge retention, I'd prefer Damascus steel because of it's look but I want to understand how would it effect the knife first (from what I read it doesn't do anything except making the knife more expensive).
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Bamboo.
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
No.
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes.
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes.
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I'm a home chef, I love cooking but I don't do it as a profession.
I'd like to buy a knife that will hold for more then 5 years.
I will have to order my knife from eBay without trying it first.
Before starting to get really into it I wanted a Shun or Global knife but from what I read they aren't as close to more then a few companies that sell their knife for half the price and double the quality.
I'm looking for my next (or first) real J Knife, I've going through google quite a bit lately and I found this place as the most professorial to ask my questions.
I'll start with answers to the questions you asked -
LOCATION
Israel.
KNIFE TYPE
Gyuto.
Are you right or left handed?
Right.
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
I never tried a Japanese handle and sadly we don't have a place we can try them around here so maybe stick with Western Handle?
My type of grip is mainly pinch if that helps cutting down the options (to 1, haha).
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
I'm used to 8" knifes but I'd like to learn a bit more on how does the length effects and maybe try 10".
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Is it good for something else beside dishwasher? if not then no, I wash my knifes by hand.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$170 (if there's some money left I'll get a sharpener with it, if not I'll send it to sharpening and get one along the way).
KNIFE USE
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.)
Slicing, Mincing, chopping vegetables and a bit of meat cutting.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Don't laugh but - 8" Zwilling chef knife and a 7" Arcos santoku (not even from the high-end).
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
No.
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.)
Mainly Push and chop. A bit of rocking and slicing.
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.)
Longer edge retention, I'd prefer Damascus steel because of it's look but I want to understand how would it effect the knife first (from what I read it doesn't do anything except making the knife more expensive).
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Bamboo.
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
No.
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes.
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes.
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I'm a home chef, I love cooking but I don't do it as a profession.
I'd like to buy a knife that will hold for more then 5 years.
I will have to order my knife from eBay without trying it first.
Before starting to get really into it I wanted a Shun or Global knife but from what I read they aren't as close to more then a few companies that sell their knife for half the price and double the quality.