Budget Workhorse Recommendations

[tostadas]

If you're after blade mass and decent price, the hatsukokoro kurosagi is a fat piece of steel with a flat grind. Mine had barely any taper, and even with a dense handle was still way forward balanced. I think it was iron clad AS if I recall correctly.

 

[porcinecephalic]

His blue #2 seems quite heavy and thick, iron clad Toyama-eaque
https://carbonknifeco.com/products/gihei-nashiji-blue-2-gyuto-240mm?_pos=4&_sid=a1bac0e49&_ss=r

The relative dearth of commentary about these has me on the verge of getting one to review. Perhaps from Sugi...

 

[yummycrackers]

If you're after blade mass and decent price, the hatsukokoro kurosagi is a fat piece of steel with a flat grind. Mine had barely any taper, and even with a dense handle was still way forward balanced. I think it was iron clad AS if I recall correctly.

That's beginning to sounds a bit like my old Zwilling, lol.

I am in the same, home environment. Less than 1-hour prep Or so.

Are you strictly going with Japanese makers or do you consider Westerns too?

For the same reason u posted this, I have a knife ordered from @eddworks which will soon be here. I do have japanese knives (Fujiyama, Nakagawa both sharpened by Myojin). I have some Hatsukokoro Yoake & Komorebi (which can be more on the Work Horse style), but considered Eddy as his work looks dope with good performance. And it’s within the budget. Went with a monosteel 52100 workhorse grind yet thin BTE.

I'd be glad to try a Western, give that I've never had the opportunity to. I assumed that most of them would be well above budget, but it's good to know that a few might not be.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

That's beginning to sounds a bit like my old Zwilling, lol.

I'd be glad to try a Western, give that I've never had the opportunity to. I assumed that most of them would be well above budget, but it's good to know that a few might not be.

As @labor of love said, @MSicardCutlery can sort you out.

Otherwise, I can attest that Munetoshi is a good option.

 

[labor of love]

As @labor of love said, @MSicardCutlery can sort you out.

Otherwise, I can attest that Munetoshi is a good option.

Yeah if we’re talking budget these are the best 2 options I’ve personally come across. Although there’s some stuff suggested here I’ve never used that sounds promising too

 

[tostadas]

That's beginning to sounds a bit like my old Zwilling, lol.

Nothing like a zwilling. Flat grind is thin right behind the edge, but more like a medium thickness overall. I sold one a while back, if you go thru the search maybe you can dig up the details.

 

[Gshep91]

As stated before, you Can’t go wrong with @MSicardCutlery or @eddworks im sure both would be happy to answer questions & take budget into consideration.

You can read what to expect about all the Japanese makers but you’ll KNOW what you’re getting by going custom.

 

[tostadas]

You can read what to expect about all the Japanese makers but you’ll KNOW what you’re getting by going custom.

Unless you order a Japanese custom. You can specify a ton of stuff, but you get what you get.

 

[yummycrackers]

The older mazakis (2019-ish) are on the workhorse side.

This I was wondering about because I've seen quite a few, but they all look quite different both in terms of grinds and profiles. Are all of the older ones more on the workhorse side or is there still quite a bit of variation knife to knife?

 

[tostadas]

This I was wondering about because I've seen quite a few, but they all look quite different both in terms of grinds and profiles. Are all of the older ones more on the workhorse side or is there still quite a bit of variation knife to knife?

There's a lot of variation.

 

[yummycrackers]

One last question for you knowledgeable lot: having seen a few of them recently, would you consider the convex Togashis (the kasumi, not the wide bevel gyutos) close to workhorse territory? Both the weight and the grind would lead me to think so, although since we've mostly been talking about Sanjo makers, I'm wondering what people think of these.