My 32yo brother is getting married and I would like to get them a nice knife they will enjoy and that will last. They are decent amateur home cooks.
Their wedding registry had some Shun knives, but they said they weren't wedded to those particular models.
They registered for a Shun classic 6" utility knife, Shun classic 5.5" santoku, and a $200 Shun bread knife (!) They already have a chef knife, but they don't love it. I could get them a petty or small santoku like they want, or a gyoto they didn't know they want.
LOCATION
What country are you in? Bay Area, California
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)? Gyoto or Petty or small santoku (or maybe something like a funayuki)
Are you right or left handed? both right
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle? Western
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)? 8" chef knife equivalent and/or 6" petty equivalent
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no) YES
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? $150
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.) General meat and vegetable prep. They are not super big meat eaters but not vegetarian
What knife, if any, are you replacing? not sure
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.) Unknown
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.) Unknown
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 -- it's a gift, so it should have some gravitas
Comfort --
Ease of Use and Care -- they always hand wash their knives, but it might sit on the counter with food on it. Handle should be well-sealed, blade stainless.
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)? -- months?
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? Wood Block
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) YES
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives?
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) He borrows whetstones from me
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I know they're frowned on here, but Shun knives do look impressive to non knife people. I wonder if there are real j-knives that also have that wow factor. Most in my price range look more utilitarian (e.g. Tojiro DP)
I did search the forum first, and found this list. I'm not sure how to pick from this list.
Suisin Inox western
Gesshin Stainless
Fujiwara FKM
Masamoto VG
Mac MBK
Mac MTH-80
Togiharu (inox, G1, moly)
JCK Kagayaki
Kanehide PS60
I could just get them a 5.5" or 6" Petty like they wanted, especially if there's something particularly gifty given the price range.
(I have a tojiro DP petty, but the handle feels undersized... perhaps that's normal and I'm just not used to it)
Their wedding registry had some Shun knives, but they said they weren't wedded to those particular models.
They registered for a Shun classic 6" utility knife, Shun classic 5.5" santoku, and a $200 Shun bread knife (!) They already have a chef knife, but they don't love it. I could get them a petty or small santoku like they want, or a gyoto they didn't know they want.
LOCATION
What country are you in? Bay Area, California
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)? Gyoto or Petty or small santoku (or maybe something like a funayuki)
Are you right or left handed? both right
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle? Western
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)? 8" chef knife equivalent and/or 6" petty equivalent
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no) YES
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? $150
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.) General meat and vegetable prep. They are not super big meat eaters but not vegetarian
What knife, if any, are you replacing? not sure
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.) Unknown
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.) Unknown
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 -- it's a gift, so it should have some gravitas
Comfort --
Ease of Use and Care -- they always hand wash their knives, but it might sit on the counter with food on it. Handle should be well-sealed, blade stainless.
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)? -- months?
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? Wood Block
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) YES
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives?
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) He borrows whetstones from me
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I know they're frowned on here, but Shun knives do look impressive to non knife people. I wonder if there are real j-knives that also have that wow factor. Most in my price range look more utilitarian (e.g. Tojiro DP)
I did search the forum first, and found this list. I'm not sure how to pick from this list.
Suisin Inox western
Gesshin Stainless
Fujiwara FKM
Masamoto VG
Mac MBK
Mac MTH-80
Togiharu (inox, G1, moly)
JCK Kagayaki
Kanehide PS60
I could just get them a 5.5" or 6" Petty like they wanted, especially if there's something particularly gifty given the price range.
(I have a tojiro DP petty, but the handle feels undersized... perhaps that's normal and I'm just not used to it)
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