Need a knife recommendation

[fylmperson]

Hello. New here, I hope I do this right.

LOCATION
California(US)

KNIFE TYPE
gyuto/chef's knife? (right handed)

HANDLE
Wa, the larger the better

LENGTH
240mm

STAINLESS
Carbon preferred

MAX BUDGET
$250, but willing to go as high as $350

KNIFE USE
at work

MAIN TASKS
general use. Cutting veg, sushi rolls, misc. Proteins in the future

What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Masahiro Virgin Carbon/Suisin Inox Honyaki

PINCH grip/sushi grip? (Finger on the spine)

CUTTINGMOTIONS
Push and pull cutting. No rocking.

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.)

I really enjoy the Masahiro VC, but I'd like to try something else. The main things I don't like about it are that it gets thick behind the edge rather quickly, and the weight is balanced around the bolster. I sharpen at least a couple times a week, and I don't enjoy thinning knives but I think I'm going to have to get over that. I recently purchased a Suisin Inox Honyaki that I like for the most part. The convex grind makes it feel like my knife just glides through food. A cool bonus but not necessary. I really like that the knife is weighted more towards the tip of the blade. I don't like that the knife is really light. I also prefer the steel on the Masahiro as it pertains to sharpenability and edge holding (patina is a huge plus as well). From what i know the Masahiro is similiar to Blue #2.

The rest (aesthetics, edge retention etc is extra)

KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Expensive japanese rubber boards as well as cheap plastic ones. I use an F.Dick Scandinavian rod as well.

Do you sharpen your own knives?
 Yes

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives?
No 

Mainly I'm looking for a 240mm wa handle gyuto that is tip heavy. I prefer carbon steel from my experience. I really like my knife to have a patina I've read that steel isn't the most important thing, so I'll try not to get stuck on that. I'd consider a western chef's knife, but I like the flatter profiles of gyutos. There's Damascus I really like and Damascus I really don't like. I like darker woods like ebony, but I'll consider anything that isn't white (magnolia). I'm considering the Shiro Kamo Damascus SG2 gyuto on chefknives2go, but I would like more options. I think that's about it.

Thank you!

 

[blokey]

Probably the Yoshikane here
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/mazaki-yoshikane-sakai-kikumori-manaka-hamono.70627/

 

[blokey]

For brand new stuff
https://bernalcutlery.com/collectio...gyuto-v2-carbon-kurouchi-nashiji-ho-octagonal

 

[augerpro]

I would look at https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...lue-super-kurouchi-kiritsueke-shaped-wa-gyuto

I just got the 210mm today as a matter of fact! I have had the 210mm kurouchi version that was sold under the Kintaro name for the last 5 years or so. I used to buy way too many knives but that knife was so perfect for me that I quit looking. The only reason I bought this one was it was a cooler looking version and I like the kiritsuke tip because it is so thin. I spent a long time finding something that was very thin behind the edge, slid through food, but still had some weight to it. Tough to find something both thin and reasonably weighty. My path was something like Ginga>Shigefusa>Tanaka damascus>Tanaka R2>Itinomonn>Kochi>Kagekiyo. Finally thought I found the perfect knife with Ginrei. When Gengetsu came back in stock I picked one up because they had such a good reputation. Couldn't decide on which I liked better, Ginrei had perfect weight, Gengetsu was bit light but oh so thin. When Kintaro came out I bought one on a lark. Same thinness as the Gengetsu, but heavier. Perfectly happy with it for the last few years. Sold the Ginrei and should really put the Gengetsu up soon. Kintaro is now sold under the Yoshimi Echizen name. I've had a lot of knives and I really think these should get more attention.