Knife enthusiast looking for Gyuto advice

[chefjpkuhn]

Hello,
First what an amazing forum. I thought I new a lot about knives but people here really geeking out in a great way! I am currently looking for a new 240mm Gyuto. I use a 270 Nenox kiritsuke as my work horse chef knife. I have a smaller hattori gyuto, Aritsugi Deba, a kikuichi yo deba, and a couple of misonos I use on a regular basis in my life as a private chef. I am looking to explore some different brands and would love to know opionons on a few I am looking at.

I am looking for a non-kiritsuke tip 240mm chef knife with a Budget around 300-500 but I have wiggle room for the right knife. Thank you all!

Yoshimi Kato Aogami Super Clad Kurouchi​

Yoshimi SG2 Gyuto 240mm​

Yoshikane SLD Black Damascus Gyuto 240mm​

Wakui Migaki Gyuto 240mm​

Kei Kobayashi R2 Damascus Special Finished CS Japanese Chef's Gyuto Knife 240mm​

 

[daveb]

Welcome.

The Yoshi SLD dammy is nice without a doubt. IMHO the Yoshi SKD is the better work knife of any you cited. KnS FTW.

You know that in LA you're in the knife Mecca of the universe? A phone call / trip to Japanese Knife Imports is well worth doing.

 

[chefjpkuhn]

Thank you for your insight. I had just started looking at the hammered Yoshi SLD which is currently my top choice.

 

[Carbonara]

I know they are not on your list but I would recommend taking a look at Myojin’s sg2 line or a Kono HD2.

Edit: grammar

 

[runninscared]

I know they are not in your list but I would recommend taking a look at Myojin’s sg2 line or a Kono HD2.

homebutcher has these up now with the code philsgettingold its 350$~ which is a fantastic deal.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Welcome.

I would start with this:

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/new-knife-questionnaire.63548/
Go to the Kitchen Knife sub-forum, start a thread, copy/paste this and fill it out. You'll get more input.

Along with the active Home Butcher discount, @TokushuKnife is a forum sponsor and is offering a KKF15 discount.

 

[jacobwilder5]

Yoshi or Wakui from what you listed is my vote. Yoshi are top tier cutters but pretty flat so get a bit of love/hate from folks (I’m a love). +1 on the SKD it’s a great steel.

Wakui’s price to performance is hard to beat and outperforms knives I own that are twice the price. Kochi from Japanese knife imports is another line worth checking out that’s made by Wakui.

 

[Gshep91]

Second for yoshi SKD. Took one off of @daveb not too long ago and it’s my go to when I need to help out the kitchen at work. Doesn’t see much home use since I’ve got lots of other knives but it’s definitely a top contender

 

[SwampDonkey]

+1 for Kochi (Wakui) and Yoshikane SKD 240s. Both cut beautifully, Kochi is taller and a bit more generalist of a profile (some flat, some curve) while the Yoshi is shorter (height) throughout and has a large flat spot at the back half of the knife. Both have that intoxicating Sanjo mix of thick comfortable spine, strong distal taper, and very thin behind the edge. Cut like lasers but are way more comfortable in-hand.

I agree with Humble that the questionnaire might help us narrow down some choices based off your particular preferences/use case

 

[Seemore]

+1 for Kochi (Wakui)

Good to know. Here I thought that Kochi was a co-op or unnamed maker from Tosa (along with the unnamed core steel as stated @ JKI). Confusion reigns among sophomores, or at least this one (myself, that is).

 

[Nemo]

+1 for Kochi (Wakui)

Good to know. Here I thought that Kochi was a co-op or unnamed maker from Tosa (along with the unnamed core steel as stated @ JKI). Confusion reigns among sophomores, or at least this one.

This is also the first I had heard that Kochi and Wakui were the same (assuming that this is what @SwampDonkey meant).

 

[jacobwilder5]

Rumored to be Wakui more like?

 

[SwampDonkey]

This is also the first I had heard that Kochi and Wakui were the same (assuming that this is what @SwampDonkey meant).

That is what I meant, but I should have said it is strongly rumored/suspected. Per JKI's contract they are unable to disclose the maker