LOCATION
Australia
KNIFE TYPE
Gyuto / Santoku / larger Petty. Something that will make a good general-use knife around a home kitchen.
Are you right or left handed?
Right
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Western only because that's what I'm used to. They also strike me as more hygenic, but that's probably a lie I made up in my own head??
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
Prefer 180-210mm, but could be convinced a 150mm petty would suffice fro 90% of our needs.
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Prefer it for ease of maintenance, but not locked to it.
Would prefer non-reactive, simply for the fact I can't guarantee it will be treated 100% (wife will almost definitely leave it to air-dry after washing) or leave it sitting uncleaned after use for 30+ minutes.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$220 AUD (incl any shipping) for the perfect knife. Preferably a bit lower though, closer to $150 would be nice.
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home use
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.)
80% vegetable & fruit prep - predominantly potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potato, apples, melons and bananas.
20% protein trimming - mostly trimming chicken breasts/thighs.
May very occasionally be used to slice processed meats (chorizo, sausages).
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Stepping up from a Victorinox Fibrox 210mm and a set of Mundial knives. The large Mundial will be kept for heavy duty tasks such as portioning roast chicken or possibly cutting tougher fruit/veg if required. Also for the wife - not sure I trust her with an expensive knife
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Hammer. Though I have tried pinch a small number of times.
Yes, I am uncivilized.
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.)
Push cut and rock. Primarily push cut.
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.)
A pretty knife is nice, but it's not one of the boxes that must be ticked for me...yet.
Rounded off (at least, not sharp) edge would be preferred.
Sharper = YES
Edge retention = BIG YES
Ease of sharpening = Yes
Ideally low maintenance - doesn't need to be babied against rust, however I am happy with stainless clad carbon core. Also fairly low chance of chipping (but I can reduce this risk by using my current cheap knives for anything risky/heavy duty).
Ideally $200AUD or less to get my toes wet and see if I like this new world.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Bamboo primarily, but we also have cheap synthetic (polypropylene) ones.
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes, I have a Hapstone M2 with Edgepro 'stones'; 220 / 400 / 1000. Pretty certain the 400 is a bit dished.
Also have 3 Hapstone silicon carbide stones, unused. 200 / 400 / 1200.
Happy to buy a whetstone though - possibly a Suehiro Cerax 1000/3000 combo (or 1000/6000). Or just source some new Hapstone/Edgepro format stones. Suggestions welcome under $100AUD.
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
See above. Basic stone kit/combo if necessary.
I've spent the last few weeks looking at CKtG, K&S, JKI, Protooling and JCK and my current "short"list goes something like this (remembering the poor AUD/USD rate and shipping for some of these sites). The red ones are probably leading the pack at the moment, with the Hitorhira and Hoketsu probably my current favourites.
Masutani VG10 Damascus Gyuto 180mm - $185 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/mavggy18.html
Hitohira Imojiya Kuma 200mm Gyuto Knife - $190 AUD
https://protooling.com.au/products/hitohira-imojiya-kuma-200mm-gyuto-knife
Shinko Seilan Gyuto 210mm KU Aogami Super by Shiro Kamo - $195 AUD
http://www.knivesandstones.com/shinko-seilan-gyuto-210mm-ku-aogami-super-by-shiro-kamo/
Minamoto Hamon Santoku 180mm - $200 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/mi19hasa18.html
Tanaka Blue 2 Kurouchi Gyuto 180mm with octagonal Ebony handle - $220 AUD
http://www.knivesandstones.com/tanaka-blue-2-kurouchi-gyuto-180mm-with-octagonal-ebony-handle/
Kohetsu Blue #2 Gyuto 210mm -$220 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/kohetsublue1.html
Kohetsu Blue #2 Nashiji Petty 170mm - $230 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/kobl2nape17.html
Tanaka VG-10 Nashiji Western Gyuto 210mm - $240 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/tagy211.html
Takamura Chromax Gyuto 210mm - $250 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/tachgy21.html
Gihei Blue #2 Tall Petty 165mm - about $250 AUD after shipping
https://www.**************.com/gibl2tape17.html
And the budget option - Tojiro DP3 210mm Gyuto. <$100 AUD sourced locally.
Australia
KNIFE TYPE
Gyuto / Santoku / larger Petty. Something that will make a good general-use knife around a home kitchen.
Are you right or left handed?
Right
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Western only because that's what I'm used to. They also strike me as more hygenic, but that's probably a lie I made up in my own head??
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
Prefer 180-210mm, but could be convinced a 150mm petty would suffice fro 90% of our needs.
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Prefer it for ease of maintenance, but not locked to it.
Would prefer non-reactive, simply for the fact I can't guarantee it will be treated 100% (wife will almost definitely leave it to air-dry after washing) or leave it sitting uncleaned after use for 30+ minutes.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$220 AUD (incl any shipping) for the perfect knife. Preferably a bit lower though, closer to $150 would be nice.
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home use
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.)
80% vegetable & fruit prep - predominantly potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potato, apples, melons and bananas.
20% protein trimming - mostly trimming chicken breasts/thighs.
May very occasionally be used to slice processed meats (chorizo, sausages).
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Stepping up from a Victorinox Fibrox 210mm and a set of Mundial knives. The large Mundial will be kept for heavy duty tasks such as portioning roast chicken or possibly cutting tougher fruit/veg if required. Also for the wife - not sure I trust her with an expensive knife
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Hammer. Though I have tried pinch a small number of times.
Yes, I am uncivilized.
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.)
Push cut and rock. Primarily push cut.
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.)
A pretty knife is nice, but it's not one of the boxes that must be ticked for me...yet.
Rounded off (at least, not sharp) edge would be preferred.
Sharper = YES
Edge retention = BIG YES
Ease of sharpening = Yes
Ideally low maintenance - doesn't need to be babied against rust, however I am happy with stainless clad carbon core. Also fairly low chance of chipping (but I can reduce this risk by using my current cheap knives for anything risky/heavy duty).
Ideally $200AUD or less to get my toes wet and see if I like this new world.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
Bamboo primarily, but we also have cheap synthetic (polypropylene) ones.
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes, I have a Hapstone M2 with Edgepro 'stones'; 220 / 400 / 1000. Pretty certain the 400 is a bit dished.
Also have 3 Hapstone silicon carbide stones, unused. 200 / 400 / 1200.
Happy to buy a whetstone though - possibly a Suehiro Cerax 1000/3000 combo (or 1000/6000). Or just source some new Hapstone/Edgepro format stones. Suggestions welcome under $100AUD.
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
See above. Basic stone kit/combo if necessary.
I've spent the last few weeks looking at CKtG, K&S, JKI, Protooling and JCK and my current "short"list goes something like this (remembering the poor AUD/USD rate and shipping for some of these sites). The red ones are probably leading the pack at the moment, with the Hitorhira and Hoketsu probably my current favourites.
Masutani VG10 Damascus Gyuto 180mm - $185 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/mavggy18.html
Hitohira Imojiya Kuma 200mm Gyuto Knife - $190 AUD
https://protooling.com.au/products/hitohira-imojiya-kuma-200mm-gyuto-knife
Shinko Seilan Gyuto 210mm KU Aogami Super by Shiro Kamo - $195 AUD
http://www.knivesandstones.com/shinko-seilan-gyuto-210mm-ku-aogami-super-by-shiro-kamo/
Minamoto Hamon Santoku 180mm - $200 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/mi19hasa18.html
Tanaka Blue 2 Kurouchi Gyuto 180mm with octagonal Ebony handle - $220 AUD
http://www.knivesandstones.com/tanaka-blue-2-kurouchi-gyuto-180mm-with-octagonal-ebony-handle/
Kohetsu Blue #2 Gyuto 210mm -$220 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/kohetsublue1.html
Kohetsu Blue #2 Nashiji Petty 170mm - $230 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/kobl2nape17.html
Tanaka VG-10 Nashiji Western Gyuto 210mm - $240 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/tagy211.html
Takamura Chromax Gyuto 210mm - $250 AUD shipped
https://www.**************.com/tachgy21.html
Gihei Blue #2 Tall Petty 165mm - about $250 AUD after shipping
https://www.**************.com/gibl2tape17.html
And the budget option - Tojiro DP3 210mm Gyuto. <$100 AUD sourced locally.