New Knife Rack and a (good) Problem

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Adam_M

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I finished this knife rack a few weeks ago and have that big, ugly gap on the right with no knives in it.

What's pictured are the knives I actively use - what should go in that gap that would compliment the rest? I'm approaching the point that I don't NEED any more knives, but ... you know how this goes.

If the right Toyama Suji came along, I'd probably kick the Victorinox slicer off the rack, but other than that, I don't need to change what's up there (ignore that knife on the far right, it came with a Costco Serrano ham and more or less does it's job - if I get another one after this one is done, I may get something better).

I don't know that I'd like a Deba - I really like the flex and relative indestructibility of the boning knife for taking apart fish.

Maybe its a Nakiri? I like the Wat petty, so that has me thinking. I'm not sure that's something that would do things the gyutos don't though... Other thoughts?

Knife Rack.jpg
 
What kinds of foods do you cook? That'll probably help inform your choice.
 
What do I cook?
My cooking is pretty eclectic - but I cut a lot of veg. The basics: Carrot, onion, celery, pepper, along with a fair amount of mushrooms and root veg, particularly celery root and sweet potatoes (The tanaka is my favorite for those, with it's laser-ish tendencies), and I use the Tanaka (R2) for bulk citrus prep. When the garden is going, fresh herbs are often used, but it's not quite the right time for that yet.

Protein breakdown is usually things like grocery-portioned beef chuck, whole chickens (Victorinox boning knife for now), or portioning cooked chicken breasts or steaks. I occasionally slice larger roasts, but it's not super common. I break down small fish a couple times a month - things like Spanish mackerel (my favorite), snapper, black bass, grouper, etc. Nothing huge like a salmon.

Regarding the cleaver:
I actually have an Ikea cleaver as kind of a beater on the next rack over - its surprisingly OK - but definitely in the heavy meat cleaver family. The steel holds a good edge and is durable. It does the job better than a $25 (or whatever it cost) knife has a right to.

A long petty is an interesting idea, and I've already been toying with the Nakiri, especially given the positive buzz for Watanabe's. I'm a lefty, so the Suji is tough (as is anything in the same family), but I do want one eventually.

What does a bunka offer over a gyuto? The edge looks sankotu with a sharp point.

I'm not sure what kind of other Gyuto to look for, other than the unicorn knives. Of the guytos I have:
I reach for the Mazaki the most. There's something special about the way it goes through food
I use the Tanaka any time I'm concerned about wedging or when I want something light and agile
I don't often reach for the Jikko - it's kind of in no man's land - It's mid-weight and I like the profile, but the other 2 both do what they do better. ...But my wife LOVES it. Which is a win.
So I'm open to suggestions there.

Budget will vary depending on the knife. If its a Shig, I'll obviously spend more than something common, but I'd really options in the $300-$450 range (...so not a Shig, but I'll stretch to a certain point for something super cool) Once I have a direction, I'll probably throw up a formal what knife to buy thread.
 
Nakiri !!! It will provide you a whole new experience.

wat pro is a go-to for many. I don’t have one, but re-handled a few and they are bad ass. I love my Yuki, it’s another fine choice.
 
The wat pro was/is my first instinct - just wanted to see what else is out there that I don't know about.
 
Adam_M said:
A long petty is an interesting idea, and I've already been toying with the Nakiri, especially given the positive buzz for Watanabe's. I'm a lefty, so the Suji is tough (as is anything in the same family), but I do want one eventually.
Click to expand...

Then I would recommend contacting the makers first about whether they make double-bevel knives with a true-lefty grind.
 
Have some fun and find a Tinker Tank. Otherwise a Nakiri.
 
My vote goes to a chinese cleaver, one of my favorite knife types.
 
Honesuki is my most used specialty knife. If you've never used one for breaking chickens, they're quite nice.
Skip the cleaver. Square knives are for squares, what can a cleaver do that your big ol' Mazaki can't? Heavy, and everyone who uses one has a really goofy hat.

A good wide-bevel suji is also a great double-duty item: first for proteins (makes jerky day much nicer) and second for board-level roll cuts
 
I was gonna say bone cleaver but since you don't seem to use much, then I vote for a cai dao or chukabocho or veggie cleaver thing to fill in the large gap
 
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