Looking for my first Santoku!

[microtech]

This will be an anniversary gift for my wife! She loves to cook, but has only every used cheap $40 knives that dull fast. I've done some research already but before I purchase, please confirm if I'm making the correct selection. Here are the conditions, with priorities listed in order:

• Japan made
• price range $100 - $400
• between 5" - 7" blade length
• hollow ground (granton?) edge
• SG2 steel or better (VG10 is OK but nothing lower)
• single side blade, right handed, no more than 20°

I know there might not be the perfect knife that fits all these conditions, which is why I listed them in order and willing to compromise. Based on my search, I've narrowed it down to these few. Please let me know if there are better choices, or feedback on the ones I picked:

Yaxell Gou 6.5" Hollow Edge Santoku
Shun Hiro SG2 5.5" Santoku
Miyabi Black 5.5” Santoku
Enso SG2 6.5” Santoku

 

[Qapla']

single side blade, right handed, no more than 20°

Well, what do you mean by "single side blade"? Single-bevel santoku knives do exist, but they're rare and from the list you've come up with, you don't seem to be that interested in them anyways.

At your price point, and given your preference for SG2, here's one obvious choice:
https://mtckitchen.com/takamura-hsps-pro-santoku-165mm-6-5/

Here are some alternatives, if that's not your thing:
https://mtckitchen.com/sakon-ryuga-powdered-steel-santoku-knife-165mm-6-5/
https://japanesechefsknife.com/coll.../jck-natures-deep-impact-series-santoku-175mm

What kinds of cutting-boards does she use?

 

[microtech]

Well, what do you mean by "single side blade"? Single-bevel santoku knives do exist, but they're rare and from the list you've come up with, you don't seem to be that interested in them anyways.

At your price point, and given your preference for SG2, here's one obvious choice:
[link]
Here are some alternatives, if that's not your thing:
[link]

What kinds of cutting-boards does she use?

Thanks for your these recommendations! I didn’t know about these other alternatives you linked and will throw them into the list I’ll choose from.

Sorry, still new to this. Yes by single side, i mean singble-bevel. This aspect isn’t as important, that’s why it’s the very last condition I’d look for.

She uses some kind of white polymer cutting board, probably also pretty cheap. Down the road, I’ll also be adding a nice cutting board, more knives, and a sharpening stone.

 

[esoo]

I had the Miyabi Black 7” santoku. It’s thick and wedges. Beautiful knife, but you can do better for the price.

The Miyabi Birchwood I suspect would be a better option. I had the 8” chefs and only reason I sold it was balance is at the front of the handle and I like it at the pinch. Otherwise an excellent knife.

 

[toddnmd]

You might want to fill out the "Which knife should I buy?" questionnaire for better recommendations: The "Which Knife Should I Buy?" Questionnaire - v2 Just do your best to answer as you think your wife would.

$100-400 is a seriously broad range.
I'm assuming you want stainless, since you mentioned VG-10 and SG2/R2.
What about handle--wa or yo?
Most people on here aren't big fans of granton edges.

Here are a few ideas:
https://knivesandstones.us/collecti...ki-raijin-santoku-170-mm-cobalt-special-steel(this steel is reportedly a slightly enhanced form of VG-10, taken to 63 or 64 hardness)
https://knivesandstones.us/collecti...aka-ginsan-silver-3-銀三-nashiji-stantoku-180mmhttps://www.**************.com/kur2sa16.html

 

[daddy yo yo]

That Tanaka, and most important, please, none of the knives mentioned in the OP.

I know that Yaxell very well. It is good for beater jobs, but the knife itself isn’t worth much. The handle is much (!) too heavy and chubby.

As said, the Tanaka is a very fine choice!

 

[tostadas]

The Takamura R2 is a really nice thin knife that performs excellent at its price point. This one matches your criteria and will outperform all of the options that you listed.

https://www.chefknives togo.com/takamura1.html

 

[ModRQC]

This will be an anniversary gift for my wife! She loves to cook, but has only every used cheap $40 knives that dull fast. I've done some research already but before I purchase, please confirm if I'm making the correct selection. Here are the conditions, with priorities listed in order:

• Japan made
• price range $100 - $400
• between 5" - 7" blade length
• hollow ground (granton?) edge
• SG2 steel or better (VG10 is OK but nothing lower)
• single side blade, right handed, no more than 20°

I know there might not be the perfect knife that fits all these conditions, which is why I listed them in order and willing to compromise. Based on my search, I've narrowed it down to these few. Please let me know if there are better choices, or feedback on the ones I picked:

Yaxell Gou 6.5" Hollow Edge Santoku
Shun Hiro SG2 5.5" Santoku
Miyabi Black 5.5” Santoku
Enso SG2 6.5” Santoku

Reading this I don't feel so ready to answer, and I do love my Santokus.

Price range is so far apart we're starting to delve from far north a good enough Santoku to techniqualities over a 200$ one that'd fit the bill.

5 - 7 inches are world apart... then again depending on blade height, both may have virtues the other doesn't, but in my experience and reading here, myself and folks tend to look at such knives (say Bunkas - long/tall pettys - small Gyutos - average Santokus) by length, and yes, would probably choose three different lengths for all three, but still in the end, there would be intent behind it I don't get from your query.

Granton = mostly less friction, not definitive nor determinant, and some unwanted/unnecessary troubles sharpening up ahead.

I took your "single side blade" hint as the only one pointing towards what I would need to know: kind of user, experience of blades? She would likely be shy of long blades, at ease with the rounded tip of Santokus, and wanting something that feels very sharp?

 

[ModRQC]

Single-bevel or very such inclined Santoku would be something like a rounded Usuba with some more heft... not surprising it's a rare thing. Still joy could arise, depending on the needs or most likely type of food prep.

You could always get to thin/sharpen any harder one of them to such a thing in the end... but then again, depending on what is needed, you could also very well buy a dud.

 

[rob]

To this day this is still the sharpest knife out of the box I have purchased. It’s the first time I’ve laughed out loud when cutting a potato and carrots.
Not that important as you can always put on your own edge but an experience I’ll never forget.

 

[ayumi_ishida]

This food writers search ended in a Tojiro R2 SG2 ( $160 ) : A Vogue Food Writer Takes a Stab at Finding the Perfect Chef’s Knife
Doesn't tick all your boxes but does leave room for a cutting board or a stone(s) .
In any case I found it an enjoyable article .

 

[Nemo]

• Japan made
• price range $100 - $400
• between 5" - 7" blade length
• hollow ground (granton?) edge
• SG2 steel or better (VG10 is OK but nothing lower)
• single side blade, right handed, no more than 20°

5-7 inches would be... 125-175 mm...pretty short to moderately short knife. Is it intended to be a utility (petty) knife or a small chefs knife?

Don't get a knife with grantons. Get a well made Japanese knife.

Saying "SG2 or better" or "nothing lower than VG10" doesn't really make sense. Better at what? I recommend that you buy a knifemaker not a steel. Decide if you need a stainless knife, then look at which knives have a combination of grind and profile that you need (especially decide if you want a thinner or thicker knife- happy to explain the tradeoffs here if you are interested), then look at which of those are by a maker that has a reputation for heat treating that particular steel well and executing the grind well.

You do not want a single bevel knife unless your Mrs really knows what she is doing. Both in terms of knife handling skills and sharpening.

Speaking of which, how are you planning to keep the knife sharp?

All of these questions we have... that's why there is a questionairre . It's not too late to cut and paste the questionairre into this thread.

 

[M1k3]

https://www.knivesandstones.com.au/...gashi-r2-damascus-santoku-170mm-by-shiro-kamo

 

[Bobby2shots]

This will be an anniversary gift for my wife! She loves to cook, but has only every used cheap $40 knives that dull fast. I've done some research already but before I purchase, please confirm if I'm making the correct selection. Here are the conditions, with priorities listed in order:

• Japan made
• price range $100 - $400
• between 5" - 7" blade length
• hollow ground (granton?) edge
• SG2 steel or better (VG10 is OK but nothing lower)
• single side blade, right handed, no more than 20°

I know there might not be the perfect knife that fits all these conditions, which is why I listed them in order and willing to compromise. Based on my search, I've narrowed it down to these few. Please let me know if there are better choices, or feedback on the ones I picked:

Yaxell Gou 6.5" Hollow Edge Santoku
Shun Hiro SG2 5.5" Santoku
Miyabi Black 5.5” Santoku
Enso SG2 6.5” Santoku

Pardon my bluntness,,, but your post doesn't mention a single consideration that your WIFE might want in a knife. I get the impression that you are looking for "approval" of your own criterea from the members here, even though they (we) will never be the ones to handle that knife.

If you want to buy her something she may use for the rest of her life,,, take her to a dealer somewhere, and let her handle a few models to see what she likes, and feels comfortable with. She may have issues with certain types of handles,,, or she may not like the heft and agility of certain "styles",,, and she may not give a hoot about what steel is used. Will she be maintaining and sharpening that knife?

Just "food for thought".

 

[ModRQC]

Glad to see I am not alone feeling this then.

1- Victorinox Santoku - Rosewood handle: very thin, granton edge makes it an eye opener for someone that never used anything else than hardware store knives. Balance forward, lightweight and wooden handle will give a feel for J-Knives while remaining on the Western comfort side of things. A wonderful knife. Must be around 40-50$ US at worst. Buy Victorinox smooth rod 10" - say 20ish US. Learn to keep the knife ready to cut with it, and learn from the knife itself.
Buy wife a good restaurant to titillate her cooking skills, a nice edge grain board to complement her knife. You're still up some 50-100$ methinks. Spend as you feel. She won't dislike her gift if she's truly getting into this thing - knife skills, good knife, great cooking.

2- End user knows a thing or two about cutting foods, and has used decent knife. OP should then be much clearer than this. We're certainly looking at 150$ US or so to give said end user more satisfaction than ever before - and this can easily go up depending on specific requirements such user would have, or specific knives used and not satisfied with. Add to this a couple of stones and some quality edge/end grain board and some related equipment. North of 400$ will be fast spent - but well spent.

3- End user is really looking for something specific of a knife. He is into this alright, and has got a couple of great knives already. End user wouldn't go through an intermediate - he would be the OP.

 

[swarfrat]

Another vote for more info on the end user.

Before I fell down this rabbit hole my go-to knife was a Henckels santuko. Still like the profile, so the Henckels shifted to beater duty and a Hattori FH is now the main santoku.

My wife's go-to was a CUTCO boning knife. A #%$@ CUTCO boning knife! On board, off board, slice, chop, veg, proteins, large, small, everything. It was excruciating to watch her wrestle with that damn thing.

On the sly, I slipped a JCK 150mm petty into the block. It took a few days for her to find it. Of course I got the look. You know the one, the half side glance, half rolled eyes, "you bought another knife?" look.

She tried it. Hasn't touched the CUTCO since.

She will use a larger blade occasionally, now. But the petty is her workhorse.

 

[ayumi_ishida]

Yes ; you don't want this "gift" to end up stabbing you in the back .

 

[esoo]

Another vote for more info on the end user.

Before I fell down this rabbit hole my go-to knife was a Henckels santuko. Still like the profile, so the Henckels shifted to beater duty and a Hattori FH is now the main santoku.

My wife's go-to was a CUTCO boning knife. A #%$@ CUTCO boning knife! On board, off board, slice, chop, veg, proteins, large, small, everything. It was excruciating to watch her wrestle with that damn thing.

On the sly, I slipped a JCK 150mm petty into the block. It took a few days for her to find it. Of course I got the look. You know the one, the half side glance, half rolled eyes, "you bought another knife?" look.

She tried it. Hasn't touched the CUTCO since.

She will use a larger blade occasionally, now. But the petty is her workhorse.

I know the feeling - no matter what I put onto the rail, the only two knives the fiancee pulls off are the cheap Tojiro Shirogami Nakiri and Santoku. I bought them as they were cheap carbon to practice with, but she absolutely loves them.

 

[Noodle Soup]

If that is the length you (she) really wants I think you (she) will be happier with a 180mm gyuto. Either is a good all purpose knife but I think a good gyuto will give you more choices as to makers.

 

[BladeSharpDale]

Pardon my bluntness,,, but your post doesn't mention a single consideration that your WIFE might want in a knife. I get the impression that you are looking for "approval" of your own criterea from the members here, even though they (we) will never be the ones to handle that knife.

If you want to buy her something she may use for the rest of her life,,, take her to a dealer somewhere, and let her handle a few models to see what she likes, and feels comfortable with. She may have issues with certain types of handles,,, or she may not like the heft and agility of certain "styles",,, and she may not give a hoot about what steel is used. Will she be maintaining and sharpening that knife?

Just "food for thought".

I agree totally,

You can read a ton of reviews and listen to recommendations but in my humble opinion there's nothing better than gauging a knife's suitability than by how it feels in the hand. The weight, balance, grip etc. So a visit to a dealer might be a good idea

 

[daddy yo yo]

Check out the Watanabe santoku from @Kozuka: WTS - Mazaki Gyuto & Watanabe Santoku

 

[lars78]

My first "real" knife was Shiro Kamo Santoku, and i still like it.

 

[JayS20]

If it is really for your wife and she knows even less than you then I would definitely recommend stainless. Also never put the knife in a dishwasher, just a heads up I'm sure you know and hopefully your wife too.
Yoshimi Kato, Makoto Kurosaki, Yu Kurosaki-wouldn't recommend Raijin line for a beginner, Shiro Kamo, Tanaka Hattori, JCK, Takamura might be a bit too thin fragile at first, are all good options.
From your first post your choices aren't so good. Skip Yaxell and Enso, Shun Hiro is too much bling for me and I didn't like how the Chefknife felt in my hands and for the price you can get way better, also wouldn't necessarily recommend the Miyabi Black Ash for you.

 

[Midsummer]

Using a good cutting board will keep the knife sharper for a much longer time. Ultimately, if she really wants a sharp knife (many women do not) then you will need to arrange sharpening. Either you do it, she does it or you have a professional do it. There are no gadgets that you can buy that will compete with freehand sharpening.