MittenMan
Member
Hey folks, new guy here. Recently dove into the world of Japanese chef knives and I’m in pursuit of my first high end blade to enjoy in the kitchen for a lifetime.
Currently using an 8” Shun gyuto that I impulsively bought years ago and it’s definitely time for an upgrade. In the meantime it’s what I use to practice sharpening with on my Shapton pro 320 & 1000.
I’m pretty much dead set on getting Yamatsuka or Nakagawa ginsan because my fiancée just won’t care for the knife like I would. I absolutely love bunkas because k-tip, but it’d be nice to get a 240mm gyuto to slice through chicken breast and larger cuts of meat. The problem is that I know both are smiths for multiple brands, but I don’t know which ones. I’ve been just searching “Yamatsuka ginsan” or “nakagawa ginsan” in google and it does fine, but it’d be a lot easier knowing which brands I can safely look at that are still their work. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks for coming to my ted talk
LOCATION
What country are you in? - USA
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chef’s knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)? - Gyuto or Bunka
Are you right or left handed? - Right and left handed (I’m right fiancée is left)
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle? - Japanese
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)? - typical lengths for the respective styles
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no) - yes. Been looking at ginsan
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? - $400-/+
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment? - 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.) - veggie and protein prep for home cooked meals. Typical veg like carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, garlic, peppers, etc. boneless proteins from grocery store. Mostly chicken
What knife, if any, are you replacing? - not sure if I’ll fully replace it, but 8” shun gyuto. Looking for a new workhorse.
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.) - edge retention, aesthetics, flatter profile
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? - wood and synthetic
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) - yes. Shapton pro 320 & 1000. New to sharpening but am able to get my knife shaving sharp
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? - yes
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) - yes
Currently using an 8” Shun gyuto that I impulsively bought years ago and it’s definitely time for an upgrade. In the meantime it’s what I use to practice sharpening with on my Shapton pro 320 & 1000.
I’m pretty much dead set on getting Yamatsuka or Nakagawa ginsan because my fiancée just won’t care for the knife like I would. I absolutely love bunkas because k-tip, but it’d be nice to get a 240mm gyuto to slice through chicken breast and larger cuts of meat. The problem is that I know both are smiths for multiple brands, but I don’t know which ones. I’ve been just searching “Yamatsuka ginsan” or “nakagawa ginsan” in google and it does fine, but it’d be a lot easier knowing which brands I can safely look at that are still their work. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks for coming to my ted talk
LOCATION
What country are you in? - USA
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chef’s knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)? - Gyuto or Bunka
Are you right or left handed? - Right and left handed (I’m right fiancée is left)
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle? - Japanese
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)? - typical lengths for the respective styles
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no) - yes. Been looking at ginsan
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? - $400-/+
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment? - 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.) - veggie and protein prep for home cooked meals. Typical veg like carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, garlic, peppers, etc. boneless proteins from grocery store. Mostly chicken
What knife, if any, are you replacing? - not sure if I’ll fully replace it, but 8” shun gyuto. Looking for a new workhorse.
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.) - edge retention, aesthetics, flatter profile
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? - wood and synthetic
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) - yes. Shapton pro 320 & 1000. New to sharpening but am able to get my knife shaving sharp
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? - yes
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) - yes
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