makstaks
Member
Hello all, just a couple of home cooks looking to buy a nice set of Japanese Knives for my wife. Almost went with Shun Premier since I found a couple sales but then i read they are prone to chipping and may be overpriced for the performance. Researching further led me to this forum. So many beautiful collections here! I'm hoping to find a good Japanese Knife substitute, rust proof, not as brittle, and no more expensive than the Shun's. Here is what I was considering...
Shun Premier Blonde 7" Santoku Knife. On sale for $130 LINK
Shun Premier Nakiri Knife 6.5" Nakiri. On sale for $135 LINK
Should we be looking at something else like the Tojiro or is this also prone to chip?
Tojiro DP Hammered 6.75" Santoku Knife $90 LINK
LOCATION
What country are you in?
United States - Los Angeles. If there is local knife shop i could make a trip. We did visit HITACHIYA USA- Cutlery & Knife Sharpening High Quality Cookware Store since its near us.
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Santoku, Nakiri, Bread Knife, Petty (or Pairing)
Are you right or left handed?
Wife - Right (85% of food prep)
Me - Left (15% of food prep)
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Definitely Japanese handle. Hexagon or Octagon shape look great.
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
Santoku 180mm at most. Wife is resistant about going with Gyuto, perhaps since she never used one before and likes shorter main knife anyway.
Nakiri, Bread Knife, Petty is open for suggestion.
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Yes. We are just home cooks and do not want to worry about Rust but also want to avoid chipping. Not sure what kind of knife that puts us at.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Up to $150 each since i was prepared to pay that for the Shun Premier (Santoku, Nakiri, Bread)
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.)
My wife is japanese and makes alot of asian foods. Prepares alot of vegetables along with some meat, fish, chicken.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
$5-$10 each cuisinart knives I bought 12+ years ago from Marshalls.
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
N/A
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.)
N/A
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.)
Almost anything is improvement over current knifes lol. We remodeled Kitchen a couple years ago and would like to display beautiful japanese knives in here. Wife is best cook in the family so i want to give her something appropriate. She is from Niigata and mentions there are nice knife makers there. So she certainly seems like she wants japanese knife.
Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
If handles are different colors but same shape (ex. Hexagon or Octagonal) that would be fine. Stain, rust, chip resistance is desired.
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
Lighter.
Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?
Probably N/A since we are more home cook rather than enthusiast
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
Wife prefers long lasting knife. We do have local japanese knife shop if sharpening is needed.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
We currently have a plastic board and Epicurean (Wife hates it though due to noise). I am likely to research new cutting board to go with these knives
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
No
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Depends on how often sharpening is needed, we do have local knife sharpening options.
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
See above
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
Shun Premier Blonde 7" Santoku Knife. On sale for $130 LINK
Shun Premier Nakiri Knife 6.5" Nakiri. On sale for $135 LINK
Should we be looking at something else like the Tojiro or is this also prone to chip?
Tojiro DP Hammered 6.75" Santoku Knife $90 LINK
LOCATION
What country are you in?
United States - Los Angeles. If there is local knife shop i could make a trip. We did visit HITACHIYA USA- Cutlery & Knife Sharpening High Quality Cookware Store since its near us.
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Santoku, Nakiri, Bread Knife, Petty (or Pairing)
Are you right or left handed?
Wife - Right (85% of food prep)
Me - Left (15% of food prep)
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Definitely Japanese handle. Hexagon or Octagon shape look great.
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
Santoku 180mm at most. Wife is resistant about going with Gyuto, perhaps since she never used one before and likes shorter main knife anyway.
Nakiri, Bread Knife, Petty is open for suggestion.
Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
Yes. We are just home cooks and do not want to worry about Rust but also want to avoid chipping. Not sure what kind of knife that puts us at.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
Up to $150 each since i was prepared to pay that for the Shun Premier (Santoku, Nakiri, Bread)
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.)
My wife is japanese and makes alot of asian foods. Prepares alot of vegetables along with some meat, fish, chicken.
What knife, if any, are you replacing?
$5-$10 each cuisinart knives I bought 12+ years ago from Marshalls.
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
N/A
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.)
N/A
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.)
Almost anything is improvement over current knifes lol. We remodeled Kitchen a couple years ago and would like to display beautiful japanese knives in here. Wife is best cook in the family so i want to give her something appropriate. She is from Niigata and mentions there are nice knife makers there. So she certainly seems like she wants japanese knife.
Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
If handles are different colors but same shape (ex. Hexagon or Octagonal) that would be fine. Stain, rust, chip resistance is desired.
Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
Lighter.
Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?
Probably N/A since we are more home cook rather than enthusiast
Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
Wife prefers long lasting knife. We do have local japanese knife shop if sharpening is needed.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
We currently have a plastic board and Epicurean (Wife hates it though due to noise). I am likely to research new cutting board to go with these knives
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
No
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Depends on how often sharpening is needed, we do have local knife sharpening options.
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
See above
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS