Need budget SS small cleaver suggestions

[JWK1]

I find myself using my 3 carbon cleavers pretty much exclusively. Two are vintage Ho Chin Kee Lee, one is a fairly recent Shibazi. However, when preparing my wife's drink each night which involves cutting lime wedges, I reach for the Henckles santoku (wife's knife - she loves that thing, I hate it). Sometimes even for a quick tomato slice.

So what I want is a small, stamped, Stainless, small cleaver. Stamped so it will be thin and inexpensive, small and stainless because of purpose.

What I've seen so far that seems to fit my parameters:
1. Dexter 7" vegetable cleaver, 2" high.
2. Zwilling twin 7" cleaver.
3. Victorinox 8" cleaver.
4. Mercer has an 8" cleaver and a 7" nakiri.

My preferred size by far would be 7". I would like the height to be at least 2"/50mm. I'm familiar with Henckes and Victorinox regarding sharpening, how they hold an edge, how I need to use the ceramic honing stick, etc. I would not like anything that would not hold and edge as well, need the stick and sharpening more often, be even more difficult and unpleasant to sharpen, etc. You get the idea.

Anyone know how the Dexter SS cleavers compare to the German blades? Anyone know if any of these are significantly thinner? Anyone know if there some lesser known 7" blades for me to consider? Thanks for any info and suggestions.

 

[M1k3]

https://carbonknifeco.com/products/tsunehisa-g3-ginsan-nakiri-165mm

 

[JWK1]

Oooooooooooooooohhhh, you are evil.

The edge will still degrade from the acidic citrus and tomatoes. That's it. That's why it won't work. No, it won't. You should be ashamed. Stop it.

 

[More_Gyutos]

Oooooooooooooooohhhh, you are evil.

The edge will still degrade from the acidic citrus and tomatoes. That's it. That's why it won't work. No, it won't. You should be ashamed. Stop it.

You need a touch up stone too then.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Oooooooooooooooohhhh, you are evil.

The edge will still degrade from the acidic citrus and tomatoes. That's it. That's why it won't work. No, it won't. You should be ashamed. Stop it.

If it helps, that's exactly what I was going to recommend. And Ginsan will hold up to acidic ingredients well. And hey, maybe your wife will like it and abandon the santoku.

 

[blokey]

Dexter or a CCK 1912

 

[drrayeye]

I am very happy with a Shibazi f/208-2. It's clad stainless and has a nonstick coating as well. It's at least as hard (HRC) as any of those you mention.

It is light enough to work as an 8". I have a Hezhen wide nakiri that's about 7" and would work for you, but I think the Shibazi works better.

 

[JWK1]

If it helps, that's exactly what I was going to recommend. And Ginsan will hold up to acidic ingredients well. And hey, maybe your wife will like it and abandon the santoku.

Seriously, there are two things:
1. The last thing I would want is for my wife to like it and abandon the santoku. She is carbon steel's worst nightmare.
2. I just want an inexpensive SS that I can hone with the ceramic stick that won't need immediate wiping and/or rinsing. It takes longer to properly treat my carbon cleaver than it does to cut the one wedge of lime, and I'm still in the middle of making other drinks. A specific tool for a specific purpose.

 

[JWK1]

I am very happy with a Shibazi f/208-2. It's clad stainless and has a nonstick coating as well. It's at least as hard (HRC) as any of those you mention.

It is light enough to work as an 8". I have a Hezhen wide nakiri that's about 7" and would work for you, but I think the Shibazi works better.

The HRC is probably about the same. I've considered the Shibazi in the past. For me, it's just too thick, especially for this purpose. I'd be interested in hearing about this non stick coating. I wasn't aware of that at all. What is it?

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Seriously, there are two things:
1. The last thing I would want is for my wife to like it and abandon the santoku. She is carbon steel's worst nightmare.
2. I just want an inexpensive SS that I can hone with the ceramic stick that won't need immediate wiping and/or rinsing. It takes longer to properly treat my carbon cleaver than it does to cut the one wedge of lime, and I'm still in the middle of making other drinks. A specific tool for a specific purpose.

Ginsan is stainless.

 

[nopomo]

While I don’t understand why a nakiri is to be preferred for cutting lime wedges, the Kai Wasabi nakiri would be a decent choice to do so for ~$35.

 

[Transmaster]

I have just what you want, Zwilling, Stainless steel, cheap about $90 USD. has an RC-55-58 hardness. It is light and very handy.
It is the Zwilling Gourmet series Nakiri. There is also the Pro version which has a bolster but no heal it costs $149 USD. I should also point out I have the Kai Wasabi nakiri which I purchased back in 2015, my very first Nikiri it is really a very good knife for the price.

Here is mine Zwilling. I rather like it.

Here is the 7-year-old Kai Wasabi nakiri as you can see it does need the be reground which would cost no more than $10 bucks. I no longer have the equipment to do it myself.

 

[Transmaster]

For lime wedges there really isn't anything better than a Kyocera Advanced Ceramics 6" French knife. its only problem it is so specialized and you sure don't want to drop it on a hard floor it will shatter. I have this knife and I only use it to cut pickles, it is so sharp it almost cuts through them by its weight alone.

 

[blokey]

If you need something holds a edge really well, these srs13 will do, CKTG also have them with handle at 99
https://tokushuknife.com/products/tsunehisa-srs13-migaki-165mm-nakiri-blade-only

 

[JWK1]

Ginsan is stainless.

DOH!!!!!!!

While I don’t understand why a nakiri is to be preferred for cutting lime wedges, the Kai Wasabi nakiri would be a decent choice to do so for ~$35.

Lime wedges is a prime example. It will not be a dedicated lime wedge knife. I'll check out the Kai. Thank you.

For lime wedges there really isn't anything better than a Kyocera Advanced Ceramics 6" French knife. its only problem it is so specialized and you sure don't want to drop it on a hard floor it will shatter. I have this knife and I only use it to cut pickles, it is so sharp it almost cuts through them by its weight alone.

View attachment 284608

Interesting. I'll check it out. Thanks.

If you need something holds a edge really well, these srs13 will do, CKTG also have them with handle at 99
https://tokushuknife.com/products/tsunehisa-srs13-migaki-165mm-nakiri-blade-only

I'll check that out. Thanks.

 

[drrayeye]

The HRC is probably about the same. I've considered the Shibazi in the past. For me, it's just too thick, especially for this purpose. I'd be interested in hearing about this non stick coating. I wasn't aware of that at all. What is it?

I don't know any details about the nonstick coating--just that one was put on. Maybe check out this one:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...00020777734724!sea&curPageLogUid=EnrHAhAoJRNB

 

[blokey]

The HRC is probably about the same. I've considered the Shibazi in the past. For me, it's just too thick, especially for this purpose. I'd be interested in hearing about this non stick coating. I wasn't aware of that at all. What is it?

It's not a coating, just some sand blasted finish, quite coarse and draggy

 

[drrayeye]

It's not a coating, just some sand blasted finish, quite coarse and draggy

Not mine. I have a Shun Kanso with that sandblasted finish--my f/208-2 has an extra layer of something. There was a sticker in place that may have been put on before the coating--leaving a shadow that reveals the coating.

 

[btbyrd]

Kiwi nakiris are like $5.