2021 Bucket List

[labor of love]

Once again I wanted to start a bucket list thread for the new year as part of my kkf tradition 2020 bucket list
It is interesting, I think to take a moment and look back at the past thread(s) and notice how ones tastes may have evolved and in which direction they’re evolving towards. The main thing that has changed for me is a gravitation towards lighter thinner and shorter knives (Sakai styled 230mm).
Work has always been the driving force in what I purchase and why. Covid has thrusted me into a kitchen that is tight on space, heavy on activity, plenty of hustle and bustle and lots of careless accidents.
This means I’ve grown to really prize smaller gyutos and sujis for the reduced prep space, and stainless knives for the relative ease. Feels like I can’t cut anything for more than 60 seconds at a time without constant interruptions coming from all directions, lots of picking up and putting down of the gyuto, basically not a place for Kato, Shig or Honyaki...or any San mai really.
So where does all this leave me? Nice performing stainless knives. No matter what the situation is I can’t unlearn all the knowledge I’ve gained from from using jknives so $150-200 beaters won’t be an option, even though it sounds practical, the craftsmanship just won’t be the same. But what I can do is purchase fine stainless offerings that will atleast afford me some headaches with patina throughout the duration of the shift.
Really been putting both of these off but a takada no Hamono in ginsanko is likely the next thing I grab, already tested a carbon one, loved pretty much everything about it. Also, the walnut handled Kagekiyo non shinogi line. Really curious about those and how one might compare to the takada super thinness.
Shihan AEBL gyuto would be nice at some point too, it’s the least talked about shihan...and I just can’t live without atleast one shihan in my roll.
Something produced by ryusen, not sure which line or steel. But the blazen I had from a couple years ago was so solid. Would like to find a wa gyuto.
What knives are you eyeballing for the new year and why?

 

[shinyunggyun]

Any and all new creations from Yoshikazu Tanaka. I'm following that guy until he dies.

 

[labor of love]

Any and all new creations from Yoshikazu Tanaka. I'm following that guy until he dies.

Oh yeah! He has stainless clad knives now! Would like to try one for sure.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Well, as my screen name would suggest, I'm a home cook. I come from a heavy pocket/sporting knife background with my kitchen knives being primarily Wusthof, Henkels, and Dexter. Last year I started modifying my kitchen knives (primarily thinning) to gain that experience and explore the cutting difference. This was all a conscious effort to begin my Japanese knife and water stone journey.

I already had a Yaxell Dragon Fire gyuto in BD1N that I started using more and realizing just how much I prefer push cutting over rock chopping. So I knew I wanted to get deeper and a couple months ago I decided that 2021 would be my "Japanese Knife" year.

I'll be wading in at lower levels as I learn and explore and will have a heavy focus on switching from oil stones to water stones and changing up my techniques. I've already got a couple bunkas and like the style.

So this year I want to get honesuki next. I like to break down chickens and I want to learn asymmetric sharpening.

Next will most likely be a Takamura Migaki in R2. I want to experience the thinness and also test my ability to sharpen that steel.

I'm a semi or full stainless guy.

Then a couple new stones.

Once I'm confident with styles and sizes I like, performance characteristics I prefer, and with my sharpening skill, then I'll be able to consider something higher end. That will probably take me at least this year.

 

[alterwisser]

A Raquin Cleaver!


That might be on the 2022 and every other bucket list from there to eternity

 

[daveb]

My roll is full. All of my rolls are full.

Though I have been looking at Shihan a bit. Maybe the 240 Yoshi in SKD. Don't see another suji in my near future but if Marko was to do one as part of his WH line........

 

[heldentenor]

A few Japanese gyutos, probably one laser and one with more convexity. I haven't owned a Japanese gyuto in years and thought my knife collection was "complete" with solely American made customs. Now I know otherwise.

 

[Nagakin]

I've gotten 2 Maz a year since I started cooking + 2 from the year prior. If he brings the most recent spearhead profile into 2021 that's it for me though.

I'll probably pickup a honyaki to use and resell it at the end of the year again. The loss is less than $1 a day and someone gets a good price later on.

The rest is really up to BST.

 

[IsoJ]

Custom 210-230 suji/slicer semi/stainless, going to get used by wife and kids too so can't go for carbon.

Cheap carbon cleaver

Yanick, to see what all the fuss is about

Something from Isasmedjan, propably wrought iron

Sell at least 10 knives

 

[preizzo]

Sell at least 30 knives

Buy more mazaki (anything)and few more honyaki

 

[labor of love]

I did in my OP mention primarily jmakers...but I’m keeping a close eye on semi stainless and stainless offerings from @Isasmedjan and @HSC /// Knives also.

 

[damiano]

I hear you on the stainless steel. Might go for a Blazen too and sell one of my two - both carbon - gyutos. I’m also looking into a Wat pro 270 sujihiki at some point.

 

[WildBoar]

My 2021 bucket list is a little different. It is a conversion of my kitchen island into one large knife block so I finally have enough slots for the knives I already have.

 

[F-Flash]

Play more boardgames

 

[Iggy]

Integrals...

 

[DitmasPork]

More knives from French makers; buy my first Swedish made gyuto; add a suji or another nakiri.

 

[jonnachang]

Winning the Raquin lottery!

 

[mack]

A xerxes would be nice (I owned at least 5 of his knives, sold all and I regret it), there are 2 smaller ones incoming from Uwe Mattern (suntravel) in the first half of the year and one or two other knives will find the way in my kitchen too, I guess.

Mack.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I did in my OP mention primarily jmakers...but I’m keeping a close eye on semi stainless and stainless offerings from @Isasmedjan and @HSC /// Knives also.

I first discovered HSC on another forum and instantly fell in love! His work is beautiful and looks so functional.

Far beyond me at the moment but I certainly do admire them and if you get one, I hope you love it.

 

[DrEriksson]

A normal-sized Dalman gyuto, waiting for a Steel by Lundbergs k-tip and would like to order something from Alfredsson knives.

Beyond that, I hope to not buy to much. Guess I’ve come to the right place to keep this madness at a reasonable level...

 

[Michi]

My roll is full. All of my rolls are full.

What's your bloody problem? Just get another roll!

 

[stereo.pete]

I hoping that when Michael Rader contacts me whenever my name comes back up on the list, I’m ready financially to purchase a gyuto from him. I only regret selling one knife and that was my pear wood gyuto in 52100 by Mr. Rader.

 

[mcwcdn]

Would love a Kaiju and a Kaeru Workhorse (both in 240)

 

[LostHighway]

I have a couple knives in the pipe: a Dalman since I was one of the lucky winners in the KKF group buy (thanks again @RockyBasel, @RDalman, and @nakiriknaifuwaifu!) and a Kippington that I've been in the queue for sometime so those soak up a substantial chunk of my likely available resources for this year

As @Nagakin noted above "The rest is really up to BST" but I continue to watch for an AEB-L or maybe 52100 guyto from Devin Thomas, Mario Ingoglia, Rob Dalman, Marco Tsourkan, or maybe Halycon Forge. I'm hoping for a ~225 but wouldn't say "no" to a 180.

Among Japanese makers a thinner Y Tanaka Aogami 240 gyuto form Kagekiyo, Konosuke, or maybe Takada would be very tempting. A Gesshin Ginga stainless wa petty in 180 or 210 is also on my radar.

My HSC/// Z-Wear gyuto has piqued my interest in other less common steels including Z-Tuff, Uddeholm Sleipner, Vanadis 23, Vanadis 4 Extra, K490, and perhaps PM 3V but there are few makers using those alloys.

 

[ian]

I wrote this last year: "On order: two short sujis from Heiji, a 180 in ss and a 210 in carbon. I’m also on Kippington’s list for a 240 laser, which hopefully will be 2020 and not 2021. Hopefully I’ll calm down a little this year and be satisfied with what I have, though. Or not. Would very much like to try out a TF at some point, but it’s not urgent."

And then I went through like 20 knives buying and selling. Right now, first order of business is selling a couple. After that, I'll presumably get the Dalman massdrop. Still on Kipp's list, so maybe that'll happen at some point. I don't really need anything right now. But I'd like to try out something by @HSC /// Knives and @Isasmedjan and a Shihan gyuto.

TBH most of my knife time is spent sharpening for people nowadays rather than obsessing over new knives. I guess if we end up moving and I have space for a small workshop I'll buy some powertools, but probably won't otherwise. I'm too frustrated at the moment with working in tiny cramped conditions so I'd rather not buy more stuff yet.

 

[Leon.B]

I've ordered and payed a week ago for a Tanaka from Hitohira (strangely I'm not the only one wanting Tanakas..) but they cancelled it and refunded me couse they shipped it to their partner retailers right before I made the purchase. I was quite bummed out but they've been apologetic and quite nice about it and that knife stays strongly on my bucket list for 2021 (hopefully sooner then later I'll get it).
I want also to show some love to western knife makers this year starting from the British ones. I'd like to try Blenheim Forge, Prendergast and Catcheside and sprinkle some USA with Shihan (couse why not), some Taylor Edgerton and Alex Horn.
In all of this I'd like to improve my sharpening that I humbly consider pretty s**t.

 

[JimMaple98]

Have been making my way towards more convexed workhorse Knives recently and I think that tred will continue into the new year. After buying a few Mazakis I am leaning into heavier knives, so next of my list is a thicker, stainless clad gyuto, possible a Toyama.
i have been craving to try a wide bevel Togashi for a while, as I am enjoying thinning and wide bevel aesthetics, so I expect to get either a Stainless white 1 or a iron clad blue 2.

At that point a sacrifice will have to be made, I made a promise to myself to limit the size of my collection to around 15 knives, as a result I will probably sell one Mazaki and maybe my Takeda 220mm. I generally like only keeping one knife from a blacksmith/company, am exception to this would be my two Yoshikane, two Kikuchiyo (Nakagawa) and two Maz (for now).

I really like the Takada white2 gyuto my girlfriend got for me, I would like to get a ginsan as well but don’t think I would have the heart to sell the white if it fell short to the ginsan, seeing as it was a beautiful present from her. might not get the Ginsan as well because you pay more for the fancy finish now, which I am not too fond of. I would rather is just be polished personally.

I definitely want a ginsan gyuto though, my Kikuchiyo has left me craving it bad, would probably end up getting a Kagekiyo or Sakai Takayuki wide bevel.

Would like a high end vegetable cleaver, have my eye on a Togashi but can’t seem to press the trigger.

And finally I would like to get a lot better with my sharpening and polishing, I see myself getting a few more naturals this year and a few more Kiridashi for fun.

 

[dafox]

From last year:
Learn to sharpen single beveled knives, yanagibas, make more sushi.
Learn to use finer grit stones, 6000 and 8000.
Try a 210 petty, probably a konosuke hd2 with the older long skinny handle with white ferrule and no machi gap to go with a 240 gyuto of the same ilk- my winner of the laser trials so far.
Or, maybe a Suisin inox honyaki 210 petty, newer batch.
Find a Wakui 180 nakiri with a thin grind and put a rosewood handle on it to go with my 165.
Look for a Kikuichi TKC 240 gyuto to go with my 210.
Maybe try a JCK Deep Impact 210 gyuto.
Work on some ebay project knives that I have.
Teach my friends how to sharpen.

Update:
Learning to sharpen yanagibas, got a set of permasoakers to do it with, Cerax.
Making sushi, love it, got a hinoki board and hangiri to help.
Got a 6k Arashiyama, used it a couple of times, didnt like the edge for everyday cooking, got an 8k Kitayama, great for yanagibas and sushi.
Decided I like 210 gyuto sakai lasers better than petties for cutting maki rolls, current fave Suisin inox honyaki, comparing to HD2 and Tad.
Found the 180 Wakui nakiri, rehandled it in rosewood, comparing it to a Kashima Sanjo.
Found a Kikuichi TKC 240 gyuto.
Got a Deep Impact, didnt keep it.
Teaching my friends to sharpen and sharpening friends knives.

Next:
Have a Blazen 210 and 240 rehandled.
Compare the Blazens to the Akifusa srs 15's, old stock.
Get a honesuki, learn to use it, and make yakitori.
Try more yanagibas, get better at sharpening them, get a Hide.
Continue to compare the Sakai lasers, SIH, Tad, and HD.
Continue to remind myself I dont need a deba even though I want one.
Maybe get a heavier carbon or semi stainless sujihiki.
Use my cleavers more.
Probably put up another magnetic knife bar or 2.

 

[juice]

Not to buy new knives I don't need.

Update: made an excellent start by not buying Mike's.

 

[labor of love]

Have been making my way towards more convexed workhorse Knives recently and I think that tred will continue into the new year. After buying a few Mazakis I am leaning into heavier knives, so next of my list is a thicker, stainless clad gyuto, possible a Toyama.
i have been craving to try a wide bevel Togashi for a while, as I am enjoying thinning and wide bevel aesthetics, so I expect to get either a Stainless white 1 or a iron clad blue 2.

At that point a sacrifice will have to be made, I made a promise to myself to limit the size of my collection to around 15 knives, as a result I will probably sell one Mazaki and maybe my Takeda 220mm. I generally like only keeping one knife from a blacksmith/company, am exception to this would be my two Yoshikane, two Kikuchiyo (Nakagawa) and two Maz (for now).

I really like the Takada white2 gyuto my girlfriend got for me, I would like to get a ginsan as well but don’t think I would have the heart to sell the white if it fell short to the ginsan, seeing as it was a beautiful present from her. might not get the Ginsan as well because you pay more for the fancy finish now, which I am not too fond of. I would rather is just be polished personally.

I definitely want a ginsan gyuto though, my Kikuchiyo has left me craving it bad, would probably end up getting a Kagekiyo or Sakai Takayuki wide bevel.

Would like a high end vegetable cleaver, have my eye on a Togashi but can’t seem to press the trigger.

And finally I would like to get a lot better with my sharpening and polishing, I see myself getting a few more naturals this year and a few more Kiridashi for fun.

Really love my OUL ginsan from Bernal. muira knives also carries them.