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Cookingguy1717

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Hello. Im looking for a 12" chefsknife for what i would call "western" cooking. Which means a knife that i will (ab)use when im focusing purely on the cooking. I basically wanna do everything with it and not worry about it. From chopping hard nuts to mincing herbs. I guess u could call it a normal chefsknife for regular use lol.

I got plenty of carbon knives, but i know nothing of stainless steel. I found two candidates, Wusthof classic and Global (i would love other suggestions, but my choices are limited due i would rather not import. Live in sweden/norway)

Does any japanese knives with these western qualities exist? (wa handle, stainless steel, soft steel, preferably 12")
 
Yes im a righty. As of right now im based in norway, and i see they are unable to ship to norway. What about Wusthof classic or Global?
 
For me, the problem with Wüsthof's Classic line is the bolster that goes all the way down to the edge - hampers sharpening. Because of that, I would go with Zwilling's Pro line. The trade off is that theoretically Zwilling knives are HRC 57 while Wüsthof's are HRC 58. Wüsthof's Ikon lines (Ikon Classisc and Ikon) have shorter bolsters (and beautiful handles), but are more expensive then the Zwilling Pro or Wüsthof Classic. In the same line there's also Victorinox Grand Maître, which I think are gorgeous, but are on the soft side (HRC 56) and are as expensive as a Classic Ikon. Global are nice knives, but not "Japanese hard" (HRC 56 - 58) and I don't like very much their style. Furthermore, at least down here, they are priced like Classic Ikons or even Ikons.
 
Strange if Cleancut will no longer ship to Norway. I've ordered from them in the past, but back then they didn't have a direct checkout option for international shipping. They didn't have an international site like they do now. You had to contact them and they would send you a mail.
Here in Norway skarpekniver.com is starting to get pretty good selection of Japanese knives, but the options for chef's knives in the 27-30cm are pretty limited. They have some Masahiros in those lengths, which in your case might just be the combination of performance and durabilty you're looking for. I have a couple of Masahiros myself that I'm never afraid of abusing, but still perform well and take good edges. I greatly prefer them to Globals btw.
If you live in or near Oslo I would stop by their shop(next to Mathallen) and check out some blades in person.
Great guys to deal with.
Best of luck:)
 
The Wusthof classic comes in a demi-bolster, no bolster all the way to the edge for ease of sharpening.
 
Interesting in Germany never stumbled across one with no bolster or half bolster called Classic.
After searching for it they all have the newer logo and are indeed written classic on. Before they had a different denomination.
 
I sharpen the bolster down to match the blade on my Wusthof classics and Henckels 4- and 5-star knives. I mean so the bolster does not stick down farther than blade edge. I still leave it as a bolster. Well, I am not sure I have done it on my Wusthof classic knives as they are not that old but I will. I do on my old Henckels 4 & 5 star knives. I am talking probably at least 20 years old. I am a home cook so it takes a while to wear down a blade. Plus, I have lots of knives I use so wear is even less than most people. I added a picture of a Henckels knife I have had over 30 years. If I want to crack a bone or hit something hard with the bolster it works fine.
 

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My knife picture above is 290mm and yes I don't do everything with it. I believe in owning lots of different sizes of knives. I do love my big chef knife. What it does it does well for me. I don't believe in a do everything knife. But like I said I am just a home cook.
 
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cleancut is the way to go!

Global is a no-no. I use them when cooking at my aunt‘s place. Horrible knives and a pita to sharpen. They feel „different“ to standard German knives though as they are rather thin. But that’s the only credit I’d give them.
 
My way of thinking is a large chef knife should be thick enough to do heavy jobs. I cut large watermelons, big heads of cabbage, chop, sometimes cut through the back of a chicken if I am in a hurry. I get it out for heavy jobs. I am just a home cook. I expect the knife to stand up to whatever heavy job I can come up with.
 
Cookingguy1717 said:
Hello. Im looking for a 12" chefsknife for what i would call "western" cooking. Which means a knife that i will (ab)use when im focusing purely on the cooking. I basically wanna do everything with it and not worry about it. From chopping hard nuts to mincing herbs. I guess u could call it a normal chefsknife for regular use lol.

I got plenty of carbon knives, but i know nothing of stainless steel. I found two candidates, Wusthof classic and Global (i would love other suggestions, but my choices are limited due i would rather not import. Live in sweden/norway)

Does any japanese knives with these western qualities exist? (wa handle, stainless steel, soft steel, preferably 12")
Click to expand...
Ryo (I haven't seen any in stainless. Doesn't mean they don't exist in some far off part of the internet or in Japan) or Yo deba is what you're looking for.
 
dafox said:
https://www.wusthof.com/products/wusthof-classic-9-demi-bolster-cooks-knife-4581-723
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That one is from the former Le Cordon Bleu series. Lighter, thinner, neutrally balanced.
I would at any price avoid the Globals. The G-2 has a decent profile, is light. But sharpening it is certainly no fun, and its edge retention is poor.
There’s a good choice in Japanese knives with a Western handle. A Misono 440 is a solid performer if it has to be stainless.
Much lighter, with a an excellent 14C28N, the K-Sabatier 200 series. Forget all you know about poor F&F, warped blades, crazy soft stainless of other modern Sabs. This is a very serious contender. Couteau Cuisine 25 cm - Série 200 - Manche en G10 200 - Sabatier K
 
coxhaus said:
My knife picture above is 290mm and yes I don't do everything with it. I believe in owning lots of different sizes of knives. I do love my big chef knife. What it does it does well for me. I don't believe in a do everything knife.
Click to expand...
Then why post in a thread where the OP wants a do-everything knfe?
 
juice said:
Then why post in a thread where the OP wants a do-everything knfe?
Click to expand...

Because I don't believe there is a do everything knife. I grew up having lots of knives and there always seems there is a knife that will do a certain task better than another knife.
 
coxhaus said:
Because I don't believe there is a do everything knife. I grew up having lots of knives and there always seems there is a knife that will do a certain task better than another knife.
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Try out a yo-deba. Do everything from smash garlic, split lobster and survive the new guy in the kitchen 10# cans.
 
M1k3 said:
Try out a yo-deba. Do everything from smash garlic, split lobster and survive the new guy in the kitchen 10# cans.
Click to expand...

What is a yo-deba ? Do they make one to match a Wusthof so it looks nice in the knife block?
 
Well do you want a 12" or not?

Seems to me Victorinox Rosewood is an easy choice of soft, rugged, ready to be beaten, and soooo cheap.
 
M1k3 said:
https://japanesechefsknife.com/collections/western-deba
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How can that be a do everything knife. I just bought a big brisket right before thanksgiving because they were on sale. It is around 25 pounds. It is 2 feet long, thin on 1 side and thick on the other side which is the fatty side. I will need a knife to trim the fat. Then I will use a different knife to slice the smoked whole brisket. Then I might need to filet a fish and skin a salmon for sushi then slice sushi. It just seems to me there is not one knife to do everything. Maybe even slice a watermelon and chop a cabbage. I don't like thin knives in either watermelon or big cabbages. I think that is why I have 30 kitchen knives.

Nice looking knife. I do like my chef knives a little longer.

Maybe it just me but I don't get it.
 
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The gist of @M1k3 suggestion is a thicker chef knife - get it thin enough behind the edge, with a rather conservative edge, retain the "do-it-all" aspect of the Gyuto coupled with beef to sustain the heaviest of abuse.

Do you core apples with a 10" Gyuto? There's "do everything" within reason, and do everything absolutely, which of course doesn't exist.
 
coxhaus said:
How can that be a do everything knife. I just bought a big brisket right before thanksgiving because they were on sale. It is around 25 pounds. It is 2 feet long, thin on 1 side and thick on the other side which is the fatty side. I will need a knife to trim the fat. Then I will use a different knife to slice the smoked whole brisket. Then I might need to filet a fish and skin a salmon for sushi then slice sushi. It just seems to me there is not one knife to do everything. Maybe even slice a watermelon and chop a cabbage. I don't like thin knives in either watermelon or big cabbages. I think that is why I have 30 kitchen knives.

Nice looking knife. I do like my chef knives a little longer.

Maybe it just me but I don't get it.
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It's a "do everything" knife in the sense that it's beefy and will handle chopping nuts, shells and all. Splitting lobsters. Chopping at frozen stuff because defrosting is a foreign concept to some people even with a heads up. 🤷‍♂️
 
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