Adding a petty to the collection

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muru

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I don't work in a kitchen (or at least not anymore). So let's get this out of the way first, I certainty don't NEED another knife, I could honestly do everything I need with the 12 dollar dexter 8" chef knife I have. Okay now that we've established that, I'm looking to add a second nice/fun knife to my list to bring some variety to my life. I currently have:

1. 210mm Yoshikane White#2 Tsuchimi
2. 210mm Shun Classic Kiritsuke
3. Dexter 8" Chef Knife
4. Winco heavy cleaver
5. Opinel inox 4" paring

So I figured the next knife should be a petty around 135mm (maybe 150mm).

I'd like to try a different carbon steel (preferably blue#2) and keep it sub/around 100. Keep in mind these are just kind of fun things for me rather than pro tools, so silly intangibles do matter like being not being factory made. I also think I would like as flat profile as possible, almost honesuki like rather than a mini-gyuto.

Don't really have a preference if it's wa or yo, iron or SS clad or mono. Though maybe an iron clad would be least desirable since I already have that style (like I said I like variety).

Here's what I've found so far, feel free to add better options.

Fujiwara FKH 150mm ($45) - SK4 factory knife, but hard to beat that price...
Masakage Mizu 135mm ($90) - Blue#2, concerned the grind maybe not great, but think I would be nice to have an Anryu knife and add an Echizen knife to the other Sanjo one.
Moritaka Blue#2 150mm ($80) - Heard F&F is awful and grinds possibly terrible...
Misono Carbon 130mm ($90) - Don't love the idea of a bigger name though heard it's a great performer

thoughts?

After the petty, which knife is next? A european style chef knife to replace the Dexter? Sujihiki?
 
After the petty, which knife is next? A european style chef knife to replace the Dexter? Sujihiki?
Well, what kinds of foods do you cook, and how would you plan to use that knife?
 
Well, what kinds of foods do you cook, and how would you plan to use that knife?

Pretty much everything... veggies, meat and fish and all kinds of cuisines. Though I guess fish is cooked the least often (or at least whole fish/sashimi)
 
I like the shape, balance, and handle of the FKH a lot, I have had one and currently have an FKM. You might consider stainless for a petty if you plan to use it much on citrus or fruit.
 
I know you said carbon, but for a fun chrap petty its hard to beat Tanaka VG10 150mm.
 
I’d really prefer carbon as I have a stainless paring.

speaking of Tanaka, his blue dammy 150mm is only 100 from hochoknife. Now I’m leaning towards that one... That seems to be the most tried and tested knife of the bunch.

im thinking I’m now down to the Tanaka or the Sakai takayuki aoniko monosteel western handle.
 
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Those Sakai Takayuki seem like interesting knives, don’t see a lot of monosteel blue. But they look kind of thick behind the edge, and maybe a little generic/flat-ground besides.
I think the Tanaka would be a much more impressive cutter. I’ve been through all kinds of Tanaka petties, in Damascus and nashiji, vg10, Ginsan, wa and western handles. Owned, sold to coworkers, rebought, bought as gifts.. Not a dud among them and the best budget petty imo. I haven’t used the blue 2 damascus petty but have a 240 from that line, thicker and more convexed than the other Tanakas I’ve used. Not sure how that translates to the petty. I love the steel, it’s rather tough, sharpens nicely and the knife is just so confident in the board. Iron cladding will be more reactive than the monosteel Sakai Takayuki, but if you’re okay with that.. no brainer
 
Would also recommend the Tanaka VG10 or Blue 2 petty.
I've had mixed experiences in the past with VG10 but his sharpens quite nicely on the stones and holds good edge.
His Blue #2 is really nice on the stones + holds an edge really well. I personally really like the profile (great for in the hand work and smaller board work) Great bang for buck knife.
 
I really love my Misono swedish carbon 150mm. I know what you're saying about not digging the 'big name' and there was a period of time when I tried to find something more boutique to replace it, but I kept coming back to it. Probably my most used knife.

The heel is slightly taller and the handle is smaller than most, with my hands I can use it on the board but ymmv. The handle is also one of the best feeling westerns I've held, perfectly finished with nice curves and very slim. After using it for a while everything else feels too chunky and awkward for a petty. And surprisingly for an $80 knife it has a really nice distal taper, making the tip wicked thin.

Steel is really nice too, sharpens beautifully and the reactivity is mild/average (though I've heard others complain about this - maybe there's some variation out there?). Nowadays Misono can seem boring an unsexy, but I think they're the best non-custom western style knives available.
 
I did not know Tanaka has 150mm petty in blue 2. Then I think its a no brainer for OP. I like his blue 2 and overall I think its hard to go wrong with Tanaka at this price range.
 
I bought this knife last week. I should be receiving it in the next day or so. It will be my first decent quality knife. Everything else I have is Victorinox or lower in quality. I couldn’t find any reviews on this knife. But, I went with it because I trusted that JKI wouldn’t carry it if it were junk. Why did you recommend this knife? Do you have any first hand knowledge of it?
No first hand knowledge. Just seemed to tick most boxes and like you said, JKI doesn't carry junk.
 
I can’t wait to get it. I’m not sure if it will need sharpening or not. I’m really new to the knife game. I’ve been stuck in analysis paralysis for weeks and just pulled the trigger on this one mainly because it was available. I need to find a thread titled, “So you bought your fist knife, now what?”
 
“So you bought your fist knife, now what?”
More knives, practice sharpening, more stones, more practice, more knives, practice, stones, practice, knives, jnats, practice, handle making, practice, knife making, practice, knives, practice, stones, practice...

Somewhere a long the journey, you'll help someone else spend their money also...
 
I can’t wait to get it. I’m not sure if it will need sharpening or not. I’m really new to the knife game. I’ve been stuck in analysis paralysis for weeks and just pulled the trigger on this one mainly because it was available. I need to find a thread titled, “So you bought your fist knife, now what?”
You can ask Jon at JKI to sharpen it before sending it to you, no charge, ask him which stone he used. That will give you a baseline for what a certain grit and stone is like.
 
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You can ask Jon at JKI to sharpen it before sending it to you, no charge, ask him which stone he used. That will give you a baseline for what a certain grit and stone is like.
I didn’t think to ask until it had been shipped. I feel relatively competent at sharpening. I’m wondering how sharp it will be when it arrives.
 
20200603_132316.jpg


Went with the Tanaka b2 Damascus petty 150mm from honcho was 109 shipped. Promptly made a balsa wood saya. Will probably burn the handle.

I had heard Tanaka had poor f&f but great grinds and HT.

F&F seems good on this knife. Nice taper on the handle, no step between handle and ferrule, and spine and choil are smooth. Ferrule has a line of tan running through it but I dont mind it, makes it clear its horn not plastic.

Took about 10min to put a new edge with a 1k and polish on 6k. Does that standing receipt test thingy.

Not really any distal taper but I guess I expected that. Super light and nimble.

Was going to say claddings not that reactive in my short use time, but the fiancee just used it and put on quite a bit of patina (some blue). Could have easily been user error though as I wasnt watching her.
 
View attachment 82671

Went with the Tanaka b2 Damascus petty 150mm from honcho was 109 shipped. Promptly made a balsa wood saya. Will probably burn the handle.

I had heard Tanaka had poor f&f but great grinds and HT.

F&F seems good on this knife. Nice taper on the handle, no step between handle and ferrule, and spine and choil are smooth. Ferrule has a line of tan running through it but I dont mind it, makes it clear its horn not plastic.

Took about 10min to put a new edge with a 1k and polish on 6k. Does that standing receipt test thingy.

Not really any distal taper but I guess I expected that. Super light and nimble.

Was going to say claddings not that reactive in my short use time, but the fiancee just used it and put on quite a bit of patina (some blue). Could have easily been user error though as I wasnt watching her.
Woah, looks really good. Congrats. Are you planning on using this for any citrus? Also going to be looking for a petty/utility in the near future and wondering if I should go carbon or stainless, since I'll be cutting a lot of citrus with it.
 
Woah, looks really good. Congrats. Are you planning on using this for any citrus? Also going to be looking for a petty/utility in the near future and wondering if I should go carbon or stainless, since I'll be cutting a lot of citrus with it.

When I use citrus the knife contact is pretty brief. Just making a quick slice to squeeze onto seafood or guacamole, so hasn’t bothered me much.

I use a paring knife for fruit and citrus typically. I think the general consensus is to go SS steel if cutting lots of citrus.

takamura r2 petty is probably about the same price as this right now since MTC is having that 20% off sale if you’re looking for a good SS one.
 
takamura r2 petty is probably about the same price as this right now since MTC is having that 20% off sale if you’re looking for a good SS one.


Unfortunately, Takamura is always one of the brands excluded from the sale.
 
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