It would be fun to hear what are peoples goto stainless/semistainless knife? Just one. Why have you chose it, what are the qualities that makes it work for you? Or havent you got one yet but have one in particular in mind to have? Interested in hearing both pros and homecooks opinions.
Your go-to stainless knife
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Jason183
Senior Member
My current go-to stainless/semi stainless is the 260mm Konosuke HD2 Ho wood handle. I choose it because it is the only stainless/semi stainless knife I have for now
, I’m very interested to try the Gesshin Ginga stainless in the near future, expect them to be very similar.
, I’m very interested to try the Gesshin Ginga stainless in the near future, expect them to be very similar.
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The only stainless ones I kept and still use are a Misono 440 180mm petty (they call it a slicer) and K-Sabatier 200 250mm chef's made of 14C28N — AEB-L on steroids.
In general, I'm hardly interested in stainless any longer, as I'm likely to miss the direct feeling I get with carbons, and the fun when sharpening.
In general, I'm hardly interested in stainless any longer, as I'm likely to miss the direct feeling I get with carbons, and the fun when sharpening.
DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
Are people excluded if their favourite/primary knife is already stainless?
I'm a crappy home cook, who just got a nice carbon steel knife, and I keep the very basic stainless 6" utility knife (let's call it a "Hey, make it look like Henckels but sell it cheap, people will buy that") nearby, for when that prissy carbon steel says (again) that it doesn't want to do acid with me. New knife is beautiful but apparently it's not up for adventure.
I'm a crappy home cook, who just got a nice carbon steel knife, and I keep the very basic stainless 6" utility knife (let's call it a "Hey, make it look like Henckels but sell it cheap, people will buy that") nearby, for when that prissy carbon steel says (again) that it doesn't want to do acid with me. New knife is beautiful but apparently it's not up for adventure.
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Sukenari YXR7, Shibata Kashima, and Mazaki ginsan sujihiki.
Offcourse not
, the more the merrier
Carl Kotte
Senior Member
A makoto kurosaki sg2 210. It just works very well for many tasks. Even my wife can use it. Great stuff
At the moment, a Wusthof Pro
Thank you for participating.
Please see yourself out the same way you came in.
Don't call us, we'll call you!
Thought I'd fix that for ya before I see myself out.
Takamura Hana, one of the best knives I have, fantastic cutter, holds an edge for ages.
Just an awesome knife.
Just an awesome knife.
I have top three that share the number 1 spot. I would be perfectly happy with any of them as my only knife.
Tanaka ginsan nashiji 240
Itinimonn semiSS kasumi 240
Yoshikane SKD tsuchime 240
Itinomonn and Yoshi are very similar with all the same strengths.
Profile, grind, edge taking, feel on stones.
Tanaka is a bit more substantial, with better edge retention and not quite us fun
on the stones. Still decent though. Superb grind, but a bit more curvy edge profile.
Can't beat the convenience of a good SS knife
Tanaka ginsan nashiji 240
Itinimonn semiSS kasumi 240
Yoshikane SKD tsuchime 240
Itinomonn and Yoshi are very similar with all the same strengths.
Profile, grind, edge taking, feel on stones.
Tanaka is a bit more substantial, with better edge retention and not quite us fun
on the stones. Still decent though. Superb grind, but a bit more curvy edge profile.
Can't beat the convenience of a good SS knife
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Don't have a stainless gyuto (and don't need one), but we use a lot Yoshikane SLD petty and my Toyama nakiri is stainless clad (what I have learned to appreciate).
Sukenari hairline zdp-189 k-tip 240mm gyuto is both my go-to stainless and one of my go-tos, period. It's good at everything. I got a few micro-chips in the OOTB sharpen, but once my own edge has been on it, it's a razor that keeps on razoring.
What is this "just one" nonsense?
Shibata Kashima 220 gyuto - stainless clad SG2/R2 It is a laser with the accompanying pro and cons, excellent edge retention. It is very light to the point of feeling a bit insubstantial and fragile, but has not proved fragile in use. Slightly numb board feel.
HSC/// 186 gyuto - Z-Wear mono Even better edge retention than the Shibata but also slower to sharpen (with Shaptons). Better tactile feedback than the Shibata. A very nice knife.
Kippington 207 work pony gyuto - Nitro-V mono Easier to sharpen than either of the above knives but less edge retention although still markedly better than Shirogami. I have nothing but praise for my Kippingtons.
Yoshikane 212 k-tip gyuto - stainless clad SKD12/A2 This is the least stainless, although still more than adequate, of this group of knives. It has slightly poorer edge retention than the Nitro-V Kippington but still noticeably better than Shirogami knives. The fastest and most pleasant to sharpen of the above knives. Great value
Shibata Kashima 220 gyuto - stainless clad SG2/R2 It is a laser with the accompanying pro and cons, excellent edge retention. It is very light to the point of feeling a bit insubstantial and fragile, but has not proved fragile in use. Slightly numb board feel.
HSC/// 186 gyuto - Z-Wear mono Even better edge retention than the Shibata but also slower to sharpen (with Shaptons). Better tactile feedback than the Shibata. A very nice knife.
Kippington 207 work pony gyuto - Nitro-V mono Easier to sharpen than either of the above knives but less edge retention although still markedly better than Shirogami. I have nothing but praise for my Kippingtons.
Yoshikane 212 k-tip gyuto - stainless clad SKD12/A2 This is the least stainless, although still more than adequate, of this group of knives. It has slightly poorer edge retention than the Nitro-V Kippington but still noticeably better than Shirogami knives. The fastest and most pleasant to sharpen of the above knives. Great value
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I've been really liking my Hunter Valley Blades m390 gyuto. She's a lazer that loves acidic food and doesn't need to be coddled.
Tanaka ginsan 150 petty
Gesshin Uraku 210 gyuto
Gesshin Uraku 210 gyuto
Tilman Nilox
Devin AEBL
Devin AEBL
Michi
I dislike attempts to rewrite history
Shun Hiro 210 mm. Not too short, not too long. Reasonably thin behind the edge, but not so that I have to baby it. Not too flat, so it works well for rocking. Great edge retention.
It’s a good every-day allrounder.
It’s a good every-day allrounder.
My only two left, Konosuke YS 210, and SKD Tsuchime 240, they really don't see the love anymore I've been using stainless clad as my heavy onion knives (I'm not a pro).
Then there is also the Tanaka R2 Ironwood.
Boy can that cut.
Boy can that cut.
DT ITK 225 gyuto(s)
They live out on our cutting boards.
They live out on our cutting boards.
True that!
That would push it to the #1 spot of my top 3.
WiriWiri
Senior Member
A fairly venerable Konosuke Swedish Steel 210, purchased in an era when HDs were actually pretty difficult to get hold of. Slightly depressingly, despite the wealth of outwardly more impressive blades nearby, it’s probably been my most used daily driver in recent years - two small kids walking about and phone distractions aplenty mean that the meatier carbons tend to get reserved for more considered occasions and meals not quite so geared towards toddlers.
Can’t really complain - it’s a low-maintenance, fun knife to pick up and use. Very similar to the HD, it’s a monosteel light enough <120g) to straddle the controversial laser boundary and yet feel stiff enough to inspire trust in cutting pretty much anything, It’s a decent blade for the home - reasonable edge retention and easy to sharpen, not quite in the league of the HD but an acceptable trade off with keeping it fully stainless.
It does have some obvious shortcomings too. To use a pained automative analogy, this feels like something like a (beautifully Kono‘d finished) kit car best reserved for Sunday-drives. It feels quick, nimble, really responsive and live to the touch, but also strangely liable to flip unforgivingly if you really pushed it. It’s basically ludicrously undersized at 195ish, with a dangerously low heel height of 43mm , precipitating rapidly downwards with little flat spot. Add in a fair bit of stiction and this isn‘t the one for confident speed chopping
But for the few cloves of garlic and some some soft veg of a swift midweek meal, or a quick sandwich or slice of something on a crowded countertop it‘s still the first blade I’m likely to reach for, despite repeated attempts to replace or substitute in other options over the years
Strangely fond of the old thing and suspect I’ll still be hanging onto it when I’ve whittled it down to even more of a suji/petty/icepick profile.
Can’t really complain - it’s a low-maintenance, fun knife to pick up and use. Very similar to the HD, it’s a monosteel light enough <120g) to straddle the controversial laser boundary and yet feel stiff enough to inspire trust in cutting pretty much anything, It’s a decent blade for the home - reasonable edge retention and easy to sharpen, not quite in the league of the HD but an acceptable trade off with keeping it fully stainless.
It does have some obvious shortcomings too. To use a pained automative analogy, this feels like something like a (beautifully Kono‘d finished) kit car best reserved for Sunday-drives. It feels quick, nimble, really responsive and live to the touch, but also strangely liable to flip unforgivingly if you really pushed it. It’s basically ludicrously undersized at 195ish, with a dangerously low heel height of 43mm , precipitating rapidly downwards with little flat spot. Add in a fair bit of stiction and this isn‘t the one for confident speed chopping
But for the few cloves of garlic and some some soft veg of a swift midweek meal, or a quick sandwich or slice of something on a crowded countertop it‘s still the first blade I’m likely to reach for, despite repeated attempts to replace or substitute in other options over the years
Strangely fond of the old thing and suspect I’ll still be hanging onto it when I’ve whittled it down to even more of a suji/petty/icepick profile.
WiriWiri
Senior Member
This is the one that I most regret letting go, selling it onto a chef mate at cost (when they were still reasonable in price)
In mitigation, I was increasingly moving towards Wa Handled blades and carbons at the time, plus I already had one other R2 Yo-handled stainless to act as reserve, And that other stainless gyuto seemed a better counterpart to the aforementioned Kono Swedish, feeling far more substantial in the hand than the ‘tweener‘ Tanaka.
So reluctantly I sold on the Tanaka and kept the other blade. Which - facepalm alert ahead - is a Mr Itou gyuto. Probably not my smartest or coolest move in hindsight, albeit I still have the Itou (a comparatively rare, soberly handled one) and keep underestimating it)
WARNING - Some may want to sit down.
All of mine are stainless/semi stainless.
I guess I've been reaching for my Suncraft Senzo a lot lately.
All of mine are stainless/semi stainless.
I guess I've been reaching for my Suncraft Senzo a lot lately.
