Which 210 mm gyuto is best choice???

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Ceruleanveritas

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Hi, how's everybody doing?

Well, after much reading, I think I have finally narrowed down my search for a good kitchen knife.

I have decided on a 210 mm gyuto from one of the following makers/companies:

Richmond Artiflex, Fujiwara, JCK(if that's the company), Hiromoto and Masamoto.

-Richmond Artifex -- $75
Pros: Price, AEB-L stainless, which may be a superior steel practically as hard and sharp as carbon, but having the good characteristics of stainless
Cons: Finish, looks/aesthetics, it's just too utilitarian.

-Fujiwara FKM -- $75
Pros: Price, looks, I really like the bit of red on the blade
Cons: nothing really, I just wonder if the more expensive knives are worth the extra expense, particularly the Masamoto which I believe has a similar blade composition with added Mo, Va.

-JCK Kagayaki CarboNext -- $105($115 sharpened)
Pros: I don't know if it's called semi stainless or what, but I think it is Carbon steel that's supposed to have some of the characteristics of stainless, ie. rust resistance.

To be completely honest, as much as I wish it wasn't the case, this is a big issue for me as I've left knives sitting in the sink for MONTHS on end, and when I finally got to them they were rusted out and I had to toss them. In fact when I go into a store to buy a good knife(which I haven't done yet), the first thing that I think, worry about is, will it rust.

Now these were cheap knives and I didn't buy them, the ones that I tossed, but still, I know I need to take better care of my things.

Cons: It just looks a little plain to me, and sharpness OOTB, why should I have to sharpen it if it's brand new, or pay an extra $10 to have it sharpened?

-Hiromoto Gingami no. 3 series -- $124
Pros: I think I like the steel
Cons: To be honest, FWIW, I just haven't heard/seen it talked about or recommended that much on forums.

Masamoto VG series -- $160
Pros: I think I like the Duracon black resin handle best, FWIW brand recognition/reputation.
Cons: relatively high price, maybe a relatively thin blade 2 mm vs. 2.2 mm on the Fuji and JCK.

One last thing on the blades, frankly they all say they have good edge retention and are also easy to sharpen, but which would be the best and easiest?

Well, I just wondered what you guys would think before I make my purchase.

What would be the best value of the lot?

Is there anything else you would recommend in this price range?

This is intended to be a general all purpose knife used primarily to cut veggies and meat.

I have limited knife skills and don't really chop my food(maybe because I have poor, dull knives) and use more of a push cutting and rocking techniques.

Also, while I know these are all beginner, starter knives for Japanese cutlery, I don't want to have to buy another knife and upgrade anytime soon, well at least not until I can find a lot more money.

I just feel that I don't need a whole set of knives, or even a handful, but just one quality knife that does a good job. At this point my pocket book doesn't allow me to be an enthusiast or collector, but just a practical
user.

Lastly, while I do have some preferences and ideas about what I want, I do not want to bias anyone's views, so please let me know what you think.

I'll say it before anyone else does, I'm cheap, I know, but I don't have a job.

That's not an invitation to bash me, thanks.

Well, hopefully you guys can help me decide because I haven't been this crazy obsessed with something, unable to sleep, think or eat, in some time now, not since I was deciding what audiophile speakers to get a few years back, or what car care products to buy a few months ago, haha.


Anyway, I'd appreciate your help. Thanks.



Aloha,

Lee C.
 
Greetings! My only real advice is to not pay attention to the type of steel. The same steel made by different makers is a completely different thing. I would choose between the Fujiwara and maybe a Suisin like this one. I would lean toward the Suisin personally.

Cheers!
 
i dont think you need anything above a fujiwara fkm and a cheap combostone.
 
Even "stainless" knives will rust if left in a sink. Carbonext is semi-stainless and will require more care than the others listed. It's arguably the value leader. For stainless the Hiromoto and FKM are solid choices, consider the Suisin Inox and Gesshin Stainless at JKI and the Misono molybdenum as well.

Ignore steel type hype - and ignore the Artifex, it's geometry/grind, which is the biggest contributor to cutting performance, is terrible.
 
fibrox, a roll sharp, and a king 1000 would be my suggestion
 
Lee I would go with the Fujiwara little bit more $ than a Forschner rosewood handle,but much better knife geometry that Japan Gyuto are known for.That and look up knife care,THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR KNIFE ABUSE :)Get a combo stone then you can lose sleep at nite figuring how to sharpen it.

Get a Job,Hombre's need a paycheck & social interaction,can't just smoke weed & listen to tunes:hula:
 
Some times it is interesting to revisit the original post.
 
The original suggestion could be valid as disposable. Considering how much we normally pay for knives on this site, $30 every few months seems like an alternative.
 
Hmmm, given all of that, I'd buy a fujiwara and look after it.

You can pick up a plastic sheath for it very cheaply, it will protect the edge for you. Get into the habit of re-sheathing the knife immediately after every use (you wouldn't put it into a sheath dirty) and it will reward you with many years of happy cutting.

Sometimes web forums can be abrasive, sorry if you've had a bad experience here.

When you buy your knife, let us know what you got and your thoughts about it. ;)
 
BTW, I think I like the Fujiwara FKM, really did from the beginning, not just because it's the cheapest, but because it seems to be a pretty good knife(to my basic understanding), especially for the price. I plan to order it next week along with a set of sharpening stones on Amazon. 2pcs Japanese Masahiro Blade Sharpen Whetstones, 400, 1000 and 3000, a nice set in cedar boxes for just under $40. What do you guys think? the reviews were mostly very good.

Also, I'll let you know that I have spent hours watching youtube videos on how to use sharpening stones. And as I've said, I have actually sharpened my knives on a cheap combo stone that I do have and am willing to invest as much time practicing as necessary, so please do not call me lazy, nor do I get drunk or stoned, or listen to metal music all day long either. I was actually a classical pianist at one time, played Grieg's piano concerto in concert. I also wanted to be a composer, studied music theory in college. But my interest in music has waned.

Now I am studying to be on Jeopardy some day as I have recently taken the online test and am awaiting the call that I've passed and need to go to audition. I am pretty sure I got an adequate score, less than 15 wrong. I feel confident but still nervous, I suppose that's my personality, confident on the inside, not always shown outwardly.

Finally, I am willing and able to care for my things, and I certainly intend to do so with my investment.


Cheers,
 
Ummm..... I see that my post was deleted, and to be honest, even though I spent much time and thought writing it out, I am somewhat relieved. So I thank the moderator or supervisor.

I would ask if you could actually delete my above post as well. Or could I, as the author, edit and ultimately delete my post manually myself?

I guess I was somewhat defensive in my response and now regret what I had said and given that you have deleted much of the offensive material, my post in reply is not entirely pertinent or appropriate for this thread at this point.

I believe I have got the answer to my original post question about which gyuto knife to buy and am fairly sure of my decision.

I have also learned what I can and cannot say here.

So again in the interest of sensitivity and privacy, I would ask if you will delete my post above, not the original.

I also implore you to delete this post as well as it is intended solely for the site moderator, but this is the only way I know to inform that person.

Thank you
 
I'd get a Carbonext. It's semi-stainless so you'll have to look after it a little but not too much and it has pretty good edge retention and takes a nice edge. It's fantastic value too, so that's what I'd go for. The OOTB edge isn't great though so that might be a slight issue
 
Lee, the Fujiwara FKM seems to be a very solid choice to start out.

More importantly, it's good to see that you are committed to taking care of your new knife. Even if your living situation (I saw your earlier post before it was deleted) may not be the best for taking care of things, I'm sure that if you want to take care of your new knife, it will be a great way for you to move in a positive direction.

That stone set looks decent. Another standard recommendation is a King 1000/6000 combo stone, for about the same price. I'm not sure how much/often you would need the 400, but it might be useful at times.

Good luck.
 
If the fujiwara is something that calls to you, from my experience I tend to take care of things better when I truly appreciate them, so go for it. My guess is it won't live in the sink as much as other knives have in the past. I'd recommend getting the king 1k based on the experience I've had using my mom's king (good mud, forgiving, fun to learn on) or the naniwa 1k based on reviews and my experience with the big red brick (harder, faster, crisper edge than the king for me). I'd suggest you try to get a good working edge from a 1k you won't outgrow for a while and some newspaper for stropping. I've had perfectly acceptable edges off the 1k for both home and pro use and I think it helps to learn by simplifying things. That way, you can also invest a bit of money in an inexpensive diamond plate to flatten your stone so you can keep getting good results as well as do any major repairs/bevel setting on your other knives at home. Good luck!
 
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