General protein knife - which type?

[Xunzi]

I currently have a Bunka, Gyuto, Pankiri and a petty from Victorinox. The Bunka and Gyuto are both wa-handled and I use them exclusively for veggies / cooked meat. As I'm planning to do more protein (raw), I'm looking for an all-round knife which is yo-handled and can handle a bit more stress (lower HRC and/or thicker spine) to deal with things like cutting off fish heads, cut around bone or through cartilage.

I will not do enough meats to justify one knife for each type (poultry, fish, beef) but looking for one knife to do it all. What type should I go for? Worried that another Gyuto / Santoku will be too thin, while Honesuki / Deba are too specialised. What's the best of all protein worlds?

Thanks.

 

[M1k3]

What size of fish and what other proteins are you looking at cutting?

 

[Jovidah]

Go for a cheap Victorinox boning knife? Probably like half the carcasses in the world are dissasembled with them...
Your Victorinox petty could probably do a reasonable job as well.

 

[Xunzi]

What size of fish and what other proteins are you looking at cutting?

Primarily fish when I think about it - small to mid-sized (sea bass, salmon, red snapper, nothing too crazy) - maybe the occasional chicken or tenderloin.

 

[Jovidah]

Mora Comfort fillet 155? If it's more trimming than boning I'd take a fillet knife over a boning knife.... although admittedly hat's rather personal preference.

 

[Se1ryu]

I think 270-300 Sujihiki is great for all around protein knife. Slicing and cutting fish, beef and other stuff

 

[Xunzi]

I believe, based on the replies so far, that the choice is between a yo-deba, longer petty and sujihiki. What are the pros vs cons between these?

The Mora/Victorinox suggestion sounds right; however I guess I’ll admit I’m looking for something Japanese for this and then use my Victorinox petty if it’s something that requires a bit more abuse.

 

[Xunzi]

To add, I guess I’m also looking for this knife to be a bit of a “beater”, in between the gyuto and the Victorinox, in the sense that if I feel the task at hand seems slightly risky my for my bunka or gyuto (both fairly thin / high HRC) I can rely on this knife (whether it’s a hellish root or whatever).

 

[Jovidah]

I think 270-300 Sujihiki is great for all around protein knife. Slicing and cutting fish, beef and other stuff

As a slicer sure... for trimming, maybe... but for boning / disassembly work? Wouldn't be my pick.

Part of the problem is you're trying to do 'everything' with one knife. Hence my idea to 'go cheap' since it's easier to get multiple ones to fill different niche roles. I like sujis for slicing big chunks of everything but I wouldn't want to take apart a chicken or a fish with one. But at least something like that cheap Mora will at least allow you to take apart chickens, trim meat and fillet fish all reasonably well. And for slicing you could always just use a longer gyuto; works almost as well.
Petties can do most meat and fish reasonably well as well but I'm still not convinced they do it as good as knives dedicated for the job. If you go down the petty route you should probably get either a 180 or a 210. If cheap beater is what you're looking for maybe the Misono 440 slicer could be an option. Still not sure it would do most meat work any better than a western fillet or boning knife though.

I never used a deba so I have limited experience there, but I can imagine the tall profile becoming a profile if you want to trim meat or take apart chickens with it.

 

[M1k3]

I'd say get a petty and/or some kind of Japanese boning knife, and a Sujihiki.

 

[Nagakin]

Misono swedish garasuki is really versatile versus a real single bevel. Shape and grind are useful for basically everything meat. Just have any of your gyuto out for when you need length.

A hankotsu can replace the Vic petty for most things and is equally useful with meat.

 

[Xunzi]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I've narrowed this down now to a longer petty from a "workhorse" series. Seems well-supported by the responses and would suit most of my needs I think - the gyuto (240mm) can step in if I need larger slicing action, the victorinox petty/paring knife (100mm) if any detailed action is needed. I can still see why it's not going to be the perfect knife for everything, but it seems like it might be the best compromise. Maybe I'll expand the set down the road once my chef skills catch up...

 

[Blank Blades.]

I vote boning knife. More useful, and durable than a fillet knife. Basically the same shape but thicker and not flexible. They're pretty good in general for proteins, getting into tight areas for precision cuts.

 

[Xunzi]

I vote boning knife. More useful, and durable than a fillet knife. Basically the same shape but thicker and not flexible. They're pretty good in general for proteins, getting into tight areas for precision cuts.

Western style boning knife or honesuki / garasuki?

 

[Xunzi]

I went with a Fujiwara Kanefusa 180mm petty. The future will decide the wisedom of this decision

 

[Nemo]

I went with a Fujiwara Kanefusa 180mm petty. The future will decide the wisedom of this decision

FKM or FKH?

 

[Xunzi]

FKM or FKH?

FKM.

 

[Jovidah]

Tip is a bit chunkier than you'd want it and handle is a bit too skinny for my taste... but it should do the job. At least it's not excessively tall.
Though I might be going against the general consensus here, I still tend to take a cheaper western boning or fillet knife over a Japanese petty for almost all my meat and fish work. Exception being birds, for which a honesuki is just plain awesome... although in all honesty you can take them apart just about as easily with any paring knife or cheap box cutters.

 

[Xunzi]

Tip is a bit chunkier than you'd want it and handle is a bit too skinny for my taste... but it should do the job. At least it's not excessively tall.
Though I might be going against the general consensus here, I still tend to take a cheaper western boning or fillet knife over a Japanese petty for almost all my meat and fish work. Exception being birds, for which a honesuki is just plain awesome... although in all honesty you can take them apart just about as easily with any paring knife or cheap box cutters.

Appreciate your input on this. In fact, partly why I went with this, is that seemed quite close to a western boning or filet knife all in all (more boning as it doesn't have the flex). Before posting I did some research and there seemed to be different opinions on fillet/boning in terms of western vs japanese - and I kind of went for something that seemed somewhat in-between...

 

[Tristan]

Too late. Tojiro western 210mm would have worked a treat.

 

[Xunzi]

Too late. Tojiro western 210mm would have worked a treat.

The Western deba?

 

[Xunzi]

While there’s still time to pivot to a western deba (if that’s the suggestion above) my hunch is that a narrower blade will be more useful as the use is more fish filleting than other meat, and that I’m not working any large fish so the need for the cleaver type action is limited… not 100% sure though but I hope the long petty will be good

 

[Blank Blades.]

Western style boning knife or honesuki / garasuki?

Western. It's just super versatile. the steel available on these leaves a lot to be desired. Which is why I plan to make one that has something better, at least for my own personal use.

 

[Tristan]

Yes I meant the western deba. Reading your first post led me to think you wanted to break down fish and do heads/cartilage. It will handle a lot of abuse.
However if as you say, you will fillet more than anything, go with your current choice.
If you keep the knives affordable and buy quality you can always add one more down line when you’re curious

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

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