I'd like your 240 gyuto suggestions

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bennypapa

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Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Messages
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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

Are you right or left handed? Right

Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle? Prefer Japanese handle

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)? 240mm

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no) no, I'd prefer a carbon edge with stainless cladding for aesthetic reasons

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? $250 delivered, sharpened and ready to cut.



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.) I will use this knife slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats

What knife, if any, are you replacing? 10" Henckels ProS chef knife

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.) I use a pinch grip

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.)I use the push cut, slice, and draw most often

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.)

Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)? I really like the look of a carbon edge with stainless cladding. The contrast of a patinated edge against the stainless is nice. I'm not a huge fan of damascus. I'd prefer a solid cladding material. I've been wanting to try a Wa handle.

Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)? I find my Henckels comfortable but that being said I do appreciate a rounded spine and choil even if I have to round them myself. It would be nice to have a lighter knife but I'm not looking for a laser.

Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)? I'd prefer to use the knife right out of the box. I'd like less wedging, less steering, better food release (especially potatoes) better edge retention, and a sharper/thinner edge.


Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)? I cook at home so this is not too much of an issue for me. Most any steel will stay sharp long enough to make me happy



KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.) I use synthetic but I'm looking for an end grain board

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) Yes

If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) Yes



SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS


I'm looking for my first Japanese style gyuto. As a result I'm not looking for the hardest, nor the thinnest knife out there. I don't really go in for flashy and I'm not looking for a stamped knife. I'd like a san mai knife that doesn't look machine made. That being said, I'm not trying to break the bank either. I prefer performance value over rarity or name brand. Thanks
 
I would say - have a look at the Ikazuchi, Kochi (a bit above your budget) from JKI (Jon) and Itinomonn from JNS (Maxim). Maxim also has stainless-clad Itinomonn with semi-stainless core, but those will take patina slowly and not such a strong one.

If any of the mentioned knives could fit your needs, it would still be a good idea to drop Jon or Maxim an email - you can get advice more tailored to your needs.

Should you drop that stainless cladding requirement, than there would be of course quite a few more options.

Just to add - both Jon and Maxim offer some of the best sharpening stones out there.
 
i have no personal experience with the Ikazuchi but it sure looks like what the OP wants. You can actually talk to Jon at JKI and he can answer all your questions. The 240 mm gyuto that I looked at on the JKI web site was priced at $200. I think Jon also has a sharpening service but, since he's selling the knife, the knife may already be sharp enough out of the box. If you don't already have them you're going to need maintenance tools like strops, etc.
 
It's a bit more than you want to spend, but a yoshikane skd is a great first Japanese knife
 
Thanks Matus. I was not familiar with the Itinomonn. 58 mm is very tall at the heel. I have been looking at the Ikazuchi and Kochi very seriously. The Ikazuchi I think might be a bit thin for me and the Kochi is a bit out of my price range though I confess it is a beautiful knife and I like it a lot. I'm not married to the stainless cladding option. What other knives do you have in mind?

chiffonodd: Thank you for bringing this knife to my attention. I had not heard of this maker before and the knives look great.


And what do you all think about the Masakage Yuki knives? A bit under my price max but that's OK too.
 
Ben, I am about to receive Kochi Santoku (has Kiritsuke shaped tip) - I could not resist anymore. Kochi knives from Jon have very good reputation being excellent cutters. So it might be worth stretching your budget if possible.

Afew words on Yoshikane and Masakage. I have Yoshikane Hakata Santoku which I love deeply. But I would not recommend it as first Japanese knife - main reason being that the core steel - SKD (also known as A2) is hardened to about 64 HRC - very hard, excellent edge holding, but also on the brittle side (micro-chipping is not rare on mine since I use the knife to chop stuff) - I always use a micro bevel on mine (see Jon's videos on youtube). Also - this knife is pretty much a wide bevel one and thus not the thinnest some where the wide bevel ends. By no means not thick, but wedges a little in hard rooted vegetables. I also have a small Masakage Koischi (the ko-bunka). Excellently made from super-blue which does not seem to micro-chip. But the grind is very similar to yohikane. Again - not thick, but not ideal for hard stuff like pumpkin either. I expect the Yuki to have similar geometry (I am just guessing here though)

When it comes to Itinomonn - have a close loo as Maxim has several different modes and they have different blade profiles - the first ones were taller with lots of belly, the later ones have 'normal' blade height and less belly.

Based on my personal experience - do not hesitate to contact Jon or Maxim directly - they know what they are offering and will be able to give you recommendation tailored to your needs. Personal experience :)
 
:plus1: on the JKI Ikazuchi. I have one in 240mm and it is very thin, but meets all your other criteria. It will be a big change from the Henkels.
 
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