Home Use Suji - Preferred Length?

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Barmoley said:
I’ve noticed something else on @daveb picture that I’ve seen before, watching other pro chefs, I hold the suji the way I hold a gyuto in a deep pinch grip where my middle finger is right against the choil. This way I am effectively shortening my knife. If I modify my grip the 270 I have will feel significantly longer. Definitely something to try.
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Don't really think about it but do almost all draw cuts with a finger grip. I don't need the side to side precision that a pinch grip provides, instead I want more control of the angle of attack for the tip of the knife. Do same with yani and fish.


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I prefer a 240 the majority of the time. The 300 only comes out when dealing with the amount of large things Dave posted or I'm carving in front of customers. Usually when I want a suji I just want less drag than my gyuto and the extra 3-6cm in length is unnecessary for potatoes, melons, pineapples, sandwiches, finishing slices on smaller protein, etc. which is why it's popular to use a 240 as a line knife as mentioned by others.

A 270 is a good compromise if you only want one suji, but it feels like a compromise to me and I always want slightly more or less in length. I'd recommend a 240 before a 300 for home use because they're good general purpose knives in addition to slicing and you'll have more opportunities to use it day to day. Then you'll have another purchase to look forward to down the line with a 300.

The discussion about grip makes a good point about preferences though. I use the same pinch on my suji as I do my gyuto. It's also interesting to see a shot of where someone is standing relative to the board (unless that's just for the photo). Most videos are from the front and positioning is probably important to what techniques people prefer to use too.
 
Benuser said:
If you want to try a size without spending a lot of money: with most makers the price increases a lot with the size. Not so with the basic Fujiwara Kanefusa FKH carbons, with a Western handle. Right-handers only. The steel hasn't the most refined grain, so it offers some extra bite. Compared to the Misono Swedish in the same size I found it quite stiff. Not so much a factor of thickness, but above all of the steel and its Heat Treatment.
That being said, feeling uncomfortable when sharpening somewhat flexible blades hasn't to remain a problem. Unless you're using a lot of pressure from the handle you get used to it.
Have a look:
https://japanesechefsknife.com/products/fujiwara-kanefusa-fkh-series-sujihiki?variant=28900360323
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baller. 80 bucks for a decent looking 270? tempting.

tbh this is a knife i'd only use a handful of times per year, so it's hard for me to justify spending a lot of money. i don't actually own one yet. i use 240 gyutos for roasts and briskets and stuff.

any other good and cheap options for 270? or 300? i'd probably want a 300 to try.
 
sansho said:
baller. 80 bucks for a decent looking 270? tempting.

tbh this is a knife i'd only use a handful of times per year, so it's hard for me to justify spending a lot of money. i don't actually own one yet. i use 240 gyutos for roasts and briskets and stuff.

any other good and cheap options for 270? or 300? i'd probably want a 300 to try.
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A lot of knife for not a lot of money.

https://bernalcutlery.com/collectio...olster-sk-carbon-steel?variant=36251415216280
I have a Masakane honesuki and really like it.
 
Many decades ago used 12" Granton Forschner to carve steamship rounds at end of double sided Buffet lines.😁
 
If I ever get a single suji for home use, it would be 300mm. I do not see any reason to get anything shorter. For 240-250 I have plenty gyutos. And 300mm suji can do what 270mm can and more.
 
I think this question begs another question. Namely, what do you envision using a suji for most often? I've had a 270 Ashi for a while and mostly reach for it for things like flank steak or a chateaubriand. I reach for it when cutting a skinny pork tenderloin, but really it's not needed here, one of my gyutos would be fine.
I recently picked up a 210 Sukenari suji/petty, I think it will take over on those skinny tenderloins. I used it tonight to slice a roasted chicken breast thinly for a salad, it was perfect for the job, it would make a great line knife for slicing smaller proteins. I look forward to also using the 210 to break down roast chicken. I used to cook one almost every Sunday in the cold weather months, but haven't really gotten back to that this season.
 
HumbleHomeCook said:
I know it's a very different animal than a suji, but this gift from my wife sure does have the spirit of that traditional meat carving profile (scimitar-ish). 230mm.
M0WD9mZ.jpg
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What is that design known as in French?
 
chefwp said:
I think this question begs another question. Namely, what do you envision using a suji for most often? I've had a 270 Ashi for a while and mostly reach for it for things like flank steak or a chateaubriand. I reach for it when cutting a skinny pork tenderloin, but really it's not needed here, one of my gyutos would be fine.
I recently picked up a 210 Sukenari suji/petty, I think it will take over on those skinny tenderloins. I used it tonight to slice a roasted chicken breast thinly for a salad, it was perfect for the job, it would make a great line knife for slicing smaller proteins. I look forward to also using the 210 to break down roast chicken. I used to cook one almost every Sunday in the cold weather months, but haven't really gotten back to that this season.
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For my daily drivers, I really like 180's. I may migrate back to 210's at some point, but right now, I'm digging the dexterity of 180's. The majority of my cooking is for two and rarely exceeds six or eight and in fact when we start getting above four or five, I start thinking simpler stuff anyway as it means we're entertaining for some occasion and I'd rather be engaging than cooking.

Use Case: My wife will pick up a 4-6lb pork roast that I break down into a smaller roast and steaks. This would be a good place for the suji. We also cook two or three beef or pork roasts in the 3-4lb range a month so slicing here would be nice too. In the summer I like to smoke larger cuts. Just basic pre- and post-cook slicing duties of the larger/denser items really.

I pulled out the ole tape measure and used the body to simulate a handle then extended the tape to approximate the knife length and "tested" in my work space. 300mm is just too long to be comfortable and care-free. 270mm is much less prone to hitting anything and in terms of wielding, 240 seems like it might be the Goldilocks choice. At least for slicing air-roasts with a Stanley. 😁
 
I prefer 270 just so you don't run out of knife, and imagine I'd just keep using a gyuto if I wanted something shorter. But I don't slice up small roasts at home.
 
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