An unfair question OOTB

[DavidPF]

I wouldn't do this to a nice knife, but I'm still interested in the kinds of answers that may come up.

If you could have just one knife (a production model, not custom) for the next four months, and you had no choice but to use it exactly as shipped, straight from the factory, no modification, no store's pre-sale service, no sharpening, no honing, just use it and keep it clean until the four months are up - what would it be?

 

[M1k3]

Something custom. Generally comes with an edge ready to go.

 

[DavidPF]

Something custom. Generally comes with an edge ready to go.

That's the "easy, of course" answer. It's good to get that kind of answer out of the way early on, so I appreciate that.

(I edited the OP to fix my mistake in not excluding those)

 

[tostadas]

Victorinox Fibrox 8"

 

[Hassanbensober]

Mazaki nashiji for sure my pick.

 

[spaceconvoy]

An unfair answer: I'd start my own LLC, Spaceconvoy Knives, and designate my walk-in closet as the production factory. Set up a business account and use my corporate credit card to purchase the raw materials: a Sukenari 270mm gyuto in HAP40, some sandpaper, a GS500, and an Aizu. Get to work on production, thinning the bevel with the sandpaper until I'm happy with the balance between thinness and food release, then sharpening it on the stones. List it for sale on etsy and immediately purchase it with my personal credit card. Maybe even ship it to myself because why not, this is just a silly exercise in arbitrary constraints.

 

[JaVa]

My Yoshikane SKD 240 came with a decent edge and has pretty good edge retention. The blade geometry and profile are super versatile so works well in all situations. Also it's one of my favourite knives so I'll go with that one.

 

[Bensbites]

If I read into the op question, and go for what I think they are really asking... shibata r2.

I have other loophole answers that would also work. I am itching to try some cpm s35vn..

 

[DavidPF]

If I read into the op question, and go for what I think they are really asking... shibata r2.

The OP question is really asking what you see in the OP, what production knife would you pick if you had to just use it for 4 months and not do any sharpening or modifications or maintenance except keeping it clean. Why Shibata r2?

 

[YumYumSauce]

No sharpening or touch up for 4 months? I might just choose a bread knife. I don't have any fancy steel knives but I can't imagine them lasting 4 months.

 

[DavidPF]

this is just a silly exercise in arbitrary constraints

Why? Is out-of-the-box performance not at least a somewhat valid question? Of course it's not everything - but it's not nothing, is it?

 

[DavidPF]

If my question is wrong, it's due only to stupidity, there is no trick.

 

[spaceconvoy]

It's close to nothing, and I would rate knife-box aesthetics higher on my list of relative importance. It's something if you're rich and not planning to ever sharpen the knife, just dispose of it and buy a new one every few months. But assuming going to sharpen in eventually, why wait? Even if you're just learning how to sharpen, you can probably get a sharper edge than most knives ootb. And if you can't, then you need the practice so again, why avoid sharpening?

 

[Helicon]

Of the knives I've bought so far, the Yoshikanes have arrived with the best OOTB edges, in addition to having stellar grinds and profiles, as well as excellent F&F. For edge retention and ease of maintenance, probably the SKD nashiji or YS-M gyuto would be my top pick.

 

[Benuser]

I've been told Japanese knives used to leave factory without any edge, as the end-user was supposed to put his own on it — or the resailer for him, at his costs. That only changed with export becoming important, and users abroad expecting differently.
Since, there is an edge nobody really cares about. People who do care sharpen it as soon as possible. In the best cases the edge is there to make further sharpening easier. I remember receiving a honesuki with an edge of 6° per side. Certainly not meant to be used as such. But, it was a pleasant service as with very little work I could make it mine. Got a basic gyuto from the same manufacturer. Other members told me it came with a very conservative edge, and a kanji inscription. Mine had a Latin inscription and a crazy thin edge the steel certainly wouldn't hold — obviously meant for the Japanese market.
Even in Europe not so long ago, it was perfectly common to have a new knife sharpened prior to the first use.
To answer the OP's question: not interested.

 

[Barry's Knives]

Toyama

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I have been studying under Grand Master @ian for quite some time now. All the way back to yesterday. And I have been enlightened to the ways of Food Transformation and Transferation.

I have trudged the pathways of this life long enough now that I believe all I would need is a carpet knife and chopsticks.

 

[daveb]

Sharpen the tip on a chopstick and you'll only need one....

 

[Barmoley]

Get something like this this doesn't have to be Spyderco, but this general style.

 

[Jason183]

Yoshikane and Shibata kotetsu are the sharpest OOTB edge I have tried. After sharpening, Yoshikazu Tanaka’s was the sharpest, But for my work environment there’s no such knife can last up to 4 months without sharpening/honing if you use it everyday.

 

[DitmasPork]

I wouldn't do this to a nice knife, but I'm still interested in the kinds of answers that may come up.

If you could have just one knife (a production model, not custom) for the next four months, and you had no choice but to use it exactly as shipped, straight from the factory, no modification, no store's pre-sale service, no sharpening, no honing, just use it and keep it clean until the four months are up - what would it be?

Raquin. My KT a delight to use, straight from his workshop (factory).

 

[Fellax]

Takamura sg2 has a really good ootb edge and keeps it very well

 

[jbou]

Takamura sg2 has a really good ootb edge and keeps it very well

Takamura is great out of the box, but may be prone to chipping. It has already been discussed that chippiness may come from steel fatigue from factory edge. And I can confirm : After getting a new edge, takamura r2 is much less chippy.

 

[Brian Weekley]

Myabi Black (probably 8” Gyuto) ... ZDP 189 steel, factory sharpened... would last 4 months with a good edge. Decent looking, inexpensive, easy to replace if damaged.

 

[Michi]

If you could have just one knife (a production model, not custom) for the next four months, and you had no choice but to use it exactly as shipped, straight from the factory, no modification

I find that most of the knives I've bought were plenty sharp enough out of the box.

If I have to use the knife for four months without sharpening (assuming it's the only knife I can use), I'd go for one of the really tough PM steels. ZDP-189, SG-2, or HAP-40.

If I had to choose only one, I'd go for my Sukenari HAP-40 240 mm gyuto. I bought that quite some time ago and still haven't sharpened it. Close seconds would be Zwilling-Kramer 240 mm Damascus gyuto, and Shun Hiro 210 mm gyuto (both SG-2).

All those knives work well for a long time before they need to be touched up.

 

[Jovidah]

Couldn't care less about OOTB edge since it's one of the few 'issues' on a knife that I'm equipped to resolve quickly. I'd care more about thinness behind the edge; that's a lot more work.