Another "Which knife should I buy" thread.

[PotterMcMuck]

I'm pretty new to this forum, and I'm very happy to see that this kind of thread is encouraged! I had decided that my next purchase would be a carbon steel santoku, but after reading a bunch of threads here I'm beginning to question that decision. So I thought I'd see what others would suggest. Here goes:

LOCATION
What country are you in?

Canada

KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?

Smaller gyotu or santoku

Are you right or left handed?

Right handed

Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?

Either. I like the look of the Japanese handle and enjoy the octogonal handle on my nakiri, but am pretty used to the western handles as well.

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?

180mm - 210mm. Ideally on the smaller side.

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)

No. I don't want a stainless knife.

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?

Ideally under $200 CAD (approximately $150 USD), but that could be stretched a bit if necessary.

KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?

At home.

What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)? (Please identify as many tasks as you would like.)

Mostly boneless meat and vegetables.

What knife, if any, are you replacing?

An 8" Zwilling Tradition chef knife.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)

Depending on what I'm doing, either pinch grip or hammer grip.

What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)

Almost completely slicing or push/pull cutting.

What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)

Better aesthetics: nicer handle, a blade that will develop patina (which I equate to having character), nicer blade profile.

Comfort: definitely important. Especially looking for good balance, lightness, and a comfortable handle.

Ease of Use: shorter blade so that it's easier to control, wider blade for easier food transfer.

Edge Retention: Definitely - I like sharpening, but I don't want to sharpen my knife every two weeks (which is what I'm doing now).

KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)

Yes, wood, although I'm not sure what kind.

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)

Yes.

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)

No, I already more than enough. On second thought, yes, I'd love to have a better Jnat. I'd better not think about this one too much, I have a bad case of HAD already.

SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS

I would prefer to buy in Canada. I have already bought from Paul's Finest, which excellent results, so that would be my preferred shop. In fact, here are some finalists in this contest. Opinions and suggestions are welcome.

https://www.paulsfinest.com/Sakai-T...l-santoku-180mm-SAK-13061.html?category_id=73
https://www.paulsfinest.com/Sakai-T...s-Knife-Gyutou-210mm-8_3.html?category_id=119
https://www.paulsfinest.com/Misono-...fe-Gyutou-8_3-inch-210mm.html?category_id=119

 

[Nemo]

I can't help with knives from Canadian vendors however I can help you refine your preferences.

You mention thar you want a "nicer profile". Different profiles have pros and cons. Can you specify whether this means a flatter profile (which would suit your stated cutting technique)?

A shorter blade may give more control but the grip is so much more important. Use a true pinch grip, where the main contact between your hand and the knife is on the blade face in the first few cm (Canada is metric isn't it?) After the heel. This gives much more control, even of longer knives and effectively hortens the blade by 3-5 cm, so you need a slightly longer knife to use it properly.

When you say you want a "wider blade", do you mean thicker (from left to right) or taller (from down to up)?

You may find with a carbon steel knife that the sharpening is easier and more enjoyable, so you are more happy to do it every week. If you are really after good edge retention, a PM stainless is probably king but some AS and even blue1 or blue2 knives have decent edge retention. Simpler steels like white or Misono Swedish may not last as long.

Hope this helps.

Let us know if you decide that you are prepared to look outside Canada and I can give some specific recommemdations. Otherwise hopefully a helpful Canadian member will be along shortly.

 

[Midsummer]

With your preferred cutting style I would suggest either a flat profile santoku or a 210 gyuto. A 180 gyuto can sometimes have too small a flat section to perform we'll with push cutting. The Misono above has been a favorite on this board for a while. It is a well made knife. It can be a bit reactive. The other two I have not handled, but Sakai Takayuki has a excellent reputation.

 

[PotterMcMuck]

You mention thar you want a "nicer profile". Different profiles have pros and cons. Can you specify whether this means a flatter profile (which would suit your stated cutting technique)?

When you say you want a "wider blade", do you mean thicker (from left to right) or taller (from down to up)?

Yes, I was a little vague, hopefully this will clarify:

What I mean by the blade profile comment is that I don't like the curved edges of the Western style knives, I much prefer a flatter profile. Not completely flat, but flatter than what I have at the moment.

By wider, I actually meant taller. The santoku profile is really calling to me, I have to say.

 

[PotterMcMuck]

I should add that I am open to buying from outside of Canada, I would just prefer to buy within Canada. Money is a little tight at the moment, and I would like to avoid the import fees.

 

[Blerghle]

Yoshikane SKD Tsuchime Santoku 180mm Magnolia Handle This is semi-stainless from a well-respected maker, sold from a Canadian shop. I'm not sure how much of a patina these pick up, but I think these are supposed to be known for their edge retention.

 

[Nemo]

Yoshikane SKD Tsuchime Santoku 180mm Magnolia Handle This is semi-stainless from a well-respected maker, sold from a Canadian shop. I'm not sure how much of a patina these pick up, but I think these are supposed to be known for their edge retention.

Yoshi SKD is quality stuff.

Edited to add: it is stainless clad semistainless rather than carbon, though so only the edge will patina and only slowly. Sharpens nicely though and has decent edge retention. Quite flat profiles. My 240mm gyuto has quite a thick grind. It's magic in potato, though.