Recommendation knife for wife

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some strange reason the ladies really like the santoku knives
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probably afraid of the pointy end. feels threatening. at least that's how some ladies i've talked to about them feel.
 
franzb69 said:
probably afraid of the pointy end. feels threatening. at least that's how some ladies i've talked to about them feel.
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Ummmm...not necessarily. Having the extra height along the length of the knife is very handy for transferring food from point A to point B. And the rounded nose is a nice place to rest your hand if you want to rock chop--which some santokus do just fine. The length and balance feel very nice on mine--some of the big gyutos make me feel like a freaking fiddler crab. Is a santoku the end-all, be-all knife for every situation in the ultimate scheme of things? Well, no. But neither is the gyuto. Like any other knife, it depends on what's comfortable and what's important to you as the person using it. I have both gyutos and santokus and like them both. Luckily I don't have to settle for a just one kind of knife.

ar11, if you live anywhere near a knife store, I'd advise going there with your wife and handling some things and see what she likes and is comfortable with. What you like, are comfortable with, and is something you can maintain in a manner that keeps you happy is what's important. And if you decide later you want something different, sell the one you don't like and get another.

Here's a comparison of some tips. At least one of them is a santoku. At least one is a gyuto.

Tips.jpg
 
well you're the exception to the ones i've talked to about the topic. =D
 
Another great post Lucretia, well said and good advice. That picture is awesome and really illustrates the point(s).
 
Lucretia said:
Ummmm...not necessarily. Having the extra height along the length of the knife is very handy for transferring food from point A to point B. And the rounded nose is a nice place to rest your hand if you want to rock chop--which some santokus do just fine. The length and balance feel very nice on mine--some of the big gyutos make me feel like a freaking fiddler crab. Is a santoku the end-all, be-all knife for every situation in the ultimate scheme of things? Well, no. But neither is the gyuto. Like any other knife, it depends on what's comfortable and what's important to you as the person using it. I have both gyutos and santokus and like them both. Luckily I don't have to settle for a just one kind of knife.

ar11, if you live anywhere near a knife store, I'd advise going there with your wife and handling some things and see what she likes and is comfortable with. What you like, are comfortable with, and is something you can maintain in a manner that keeps you happy is what's important. And if you decide later you want something different, sell the one you don't like and get another.

Here's a comparison of some tips. At least one of them is a santoku. At least one is a gyuto.

View attachment 15961
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Perfect post. Enough said.
 
Have a look here.

http://www.misono-hamono.com/SWEDEN/santoku.html

With a santoku, a relatively larger part of the edge is being used with slicing. With a gyuto, a larger part of the edge is lost in the curve towards the higher tip.
In my humble home kitchen, a 190mm santoku feels all right, a 210mm gyuto a little too short. For tip work or where a narrow section is needed, I have other knives. Of course, if I want 'all in one', I take a 240mm gyuto. But a not too small santoku and a petty make a great combination.
 
I'm really liking my 240mm white #2 wa-gyuto and 150mm stainless wa-petty :) 240mm is manageable and i think leaning how to work with this knife made cooking more efficient. I found that thin and light japanese knives feel great, and not as intimidating.... :) ! If it is a thicker and heavier 240mm chef knife, I might not even lift it up.
 
Thanks for again for all the recommendations. I really wanted this knife to be a surprise for my wife, but based on feedback might be good for her to go hands on if we have time. JKI is about an hour away if we can manage the drive thru LA traffic
 
That seems a great idea, sure Jon will guide you both thru the process. Some guidance is useful as the very first impression with a new knife is often a very wrong one, just a comparison with what we are used to. I happened to dislike a new knife because its balance point was moved some 1/2" to what I was used to. After two days of short use I had adapted my grip, and since it has become a favourite.
 
ar11 said:
Thanks for again for all the recommendations. I really wanted this knife to be a surprise for my wife, but based on feedback might be good for her to go hands on if we have time. JKI is about an hour away if we can manage the drive thru LA traffic
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weekends are better traffic-wise ;)
 
mhlee said:
How many people who are recommending santokus, have actually used them (besides the members who clearly wrote that they or their wife/partner have used them)? I'm curious because I've used a few and don't think there's any advantage to getting a santoku over a gyuto. Personally, I think the worst design characteristic of the santoku is the tip; you can't see it very well.
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My thoughts exactly. I actually spent a year or two with an inexpensive santoku. The profile wasn't for me and I would never purchase one again. I don't know why they are popular in Japan or what highly budgeted marketing was involved but the reason why they became popular in the U.S.A is because Rachael Ray started heavily promoting them. I think Martha Stewart did for a while also.

Somewhere along the line the Julia Child wannabes became the Rachel Ray wannabes.
 
My wife is a huge fan of Kyocera ceramics. They just seem less intimidating to her. They have blunt tips, and are extremely light and nimble. They are quite sharp, and if you purchase a sharpener are easy to keep that way.

Their $25 peeler is hard to match; very comfortable and great profile, too. We have three; plus a chef, santoku, nakiri, serrated slicer and sashimi slicer.

Also, she doesn't get lectured for leaving them wet in the sink.
 
Before my time, men weren't even allowed in the kitchen except to get a beer, and when the wife took solo missions to visit sick relatives or newly born nieces and nephews. Now we hear "less intimidating" and similar crap when it comes to santokus and other knives. Women need to go back to having a old hickory in the drawer that has gained years of patina.
 
ar11 said:
http://www.kitchen-knife.jp/pro/gyuto.htm

Found this Watanabe 180mm Gyuto - any good? comes out to around $220 shipped to US. Seems to fit the profile of what I'm looking for and what people are recommending.
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I like it...gets wicked sharp; isn't overly reactive, and is nicely thin behind the edge. It's actually a little santoku'esque....

394610_10200352488911490_822512357_n.jpg

Here it is minus the kurouchi, and with some Mike Henry shoes....
 
Oh, boo hoo hoo, I'm a woman with a couple santokus I like, so I must be intimidated by knives. :sad0:


Intimidate.jpg
 
Those santokus are obviously pale from a lack of light exposure. The real question is....how long did they get used before they were forever put away in the drawer??? :D
 
The santokus actually get used on a regular basis. Hubby in particular uses the Ryusen. It's a nice, versatile knife, good for small things and sometimes the stainless (sg2) is a plus.
 
I kept a Shun santoku for my wife to use. She's happy ergo my knives are happy.
 
The funny thing is, Lucretia has some of the nicest knives of the whole group. I don't have anything that touches the Rader, or Burke.
 
Thanks, Lefty! I do like my purty knives!

How comfortable a knife feels in your hand is such a personal thing, and one of the most important things, IMO. Trying it in person is the best way to find out what's most comfortable to you (or your spouse). I've looked at knives that were wonderful on paper, then when I picked them up it was Eeeeuuuuwww! They may have been fantastic knives for someone, but not for me. And knives that might be fun for a home cook chopping up an onion and a potato or 2 might not work for a professional.

When I'm trying to decide which knife to use for a particular meal, I make a decision based on which one will do the best job and be the most comfortable for the required prep--and it varies considerably, even between gyutos of the same length. And then make a final decision based on my mood. Little black dress and pearls, the Shige. Brass bra and winged helmet, it's gotta be the Rader.

:viking:
 
Your knives are pretty nice actually.

Minus the santokus.

I just....I just can't admit defeat. EVER! :spin chair:
 
No one has ever cooked a meal for me in a winged helmet, let alone a brass bra. I still take out a very sharp Santoku just because I'm in the mood. Let your wife pick her own knife after you narrow down some choices.
 
For someone her size, I would go with a 180mm gyuto. There are plenty of options that are aesthetically pleasing, enough so that it will be seen as a sincere gift.
 
The way I did it made the most sense to me. I introduced my wife to many different styles, very casually. I'd go, "oh, check out this new knife Murray just sent me". She'd go, "meh", or "ooh, pretty!". I'd take note. Then, I'd watch to see what she'd grab when making a snack, or dinner. I'd make a mental note. After about two years of trying to figure out what was best for her, Pierre sent over a carbon damascus parer that she loved. However, the carbon blade was a deal breaker. So, I hit Pierre up and ordered one of the tougher stainless "damascus" blades he had laying around, and we ordered some pink scales (when I fell head over heels for her, she was wearing hot pink pants and rainbow toe socks, to give you an idea of what she's like). I then said, "Pierre wants to make you a knife." Do you like this handle or this handle better? She chose and agreed that it was fun picking out the materials. When all was said and done, she got her first custom knife, from a good friend, and it really is perfect for her. Every time she goes, "Tom, when was the last time you sharpened my knife?", I get a little tingle of joy.

Long story short, get her in on the decision, make it fun, and if she's not into it, she's not into it. Don't force it. Believe it or not, they really are just knives....
 
I see a santoku essentially as a cut-down (or sawed-off) 240mm gyuto - just the front end and the hind end, with the middle bit missing, matched with the handle from a 210mm-sized gyuto. Works for me when I feel like using a short knife with a wide blade/clearance. There are times though when I want to do tip work and that's when I reach for a 210mm suji or gyuto.
 
Wondering what the end result was for the OP. Looking to get my mom a new knife. As she gets older I'm think a smaller, nimbler knife may be preferable to something too big like a 240 gyuto.
 
My mom just got the Kramer zwilling 8" carbon chefs knife. She loves the thing. She's never had a carbon knife before so that's a new one for her. Now I just have to get her some stones and maybe I can get her addicted too!

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She even forced the patina! I found this smoking deal for this knife at 160 brand new on the bay.
 
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