That Kip
Of all the chef's knives you own, which do you reach for first?
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My short Birgersson (180 or so) is my default, I rarely feel the need for a longer knife. I bought a 246 Birgersson afterwards, I think I used it twice, and only to try it out. Even my 210 Gyutos (Hatsukokoro Kumokage and Hitohiro KikuchiyoxKyuzo) get very little use
Though here in April I try to stick to my homemade knife while slowly improving the grind, but there is not a single thing yet it does better than my BB (except perhaps opening beer bottles
)Itās a pretty much between 4 nowadays.
1) For heavy prep situations, that arenāt tomatoās the Markin megahorse takes the battlefield.
2) For heavy prep of acidic things like tomatoās, the AEBL shihan takes the board
3) For smaller volumes or if Iām too lazy to take care of a good knife, the enso hd 5.5ā prep knife I received as a gift years ago is used. Itās cheap enough that itās kept in the general kitchen knife drawer and Iām not worried about damaging it via rust thanks to the vg10
4) for small jobs such as fruit or cheese, the windmill knife is king. Definitely the most used knife in the kitchen, anywhere from 1-3x a day
1) For heavy prep situations, that arenāt tomatoās the Markin megahorse takes the battlefield.
2) For heavy prep of acidic things like tomatoās, the AEBL shihan takes the board
3) For smaller volumes or if Iām too lazy to take care of a good knife, the enso hd 5.5ā prep knife I received as a gift years ago is used. Itās cheap enough that itās kept in the general kitchen knife drawer and Iām not worried about damaging it via rust thanks to the vg10
4) for small jobs such as fruit or cheese, the windmill knife is king. Definitely the most used knife in the kitchen, anywhere from 1-3x a day
Mute-on
Senior Member
Toyama 210 iron clad nakiri. Beast. Although I just knocked the handle off to refinish since it looks like hell.
Otherwise, Kato workhorse 180 Gyuto. Total indulgence. Delicate and powerful. Doesnāt cut so much as separate at a molecular level ā¦
Otherwise, Kato workhorse 180 Gyuto. Total indulgence. Delicate and powerful. Doesnāt cut so much as separate at a molecular level ā¦
Depends on what I'm cutting and what mood strikes me. If I had one go to I probably wouldn't own 50+ kitchen knives!
Unless it's April, then I'm sticking with the challenge and only reaching for the 210 Denka.
Unless it's April, then I'm sticking with the challenge and only reaching for the 210 Denka.
Corradobrit1
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90% of the time I reach for my 195 Yo Denka. Always ready to slay 
and 
with a keen edge that only needs occasional finessing. Perfect balance and weight for home cutting duties. When I have more time which is usually at the weekends I bring out the big guns. And thats usually the one and only Kato WH 210.
and with a keen edge that only needs occasional finessing. Perfect balance and weight for home cutting duties. When I have more time which is usually at the weekends I bring out the big guns. And thats usually the one and only Kato WH 210.user 50450
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I dont have any expensive knives. Mostly I reach for my Hitohira Chromax Santoku 170.
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Is the saya also made by Milan?
That's a classic @birdsfan if I've ever seen one
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I think the best part of having a collection is pick and choosing which knives to use for the day. The different experiences is what makes it fun.
However, if I was to pare down to 1 knife, it will be between the Toyama or the Shihan. Probably the Shihan. I like tall gyutos with some weight behind the edge, but not WH thick that it wedges badly. Both are carbon but not very reactive. If the Toyama was iron clad, it might be different. Toyama's blue 2 is so good though.
However, if I was to pare down to 1 knife, it will be between the Toyama or the Shihan. Probably the Shihan. I like tall gyutos with some weight behind the edge, but not WH thick that it wedges badly. Both are carbon but not very reactive. If the Toyama was iron clad, it might be different. Toyama's blue 2 is so good though.
Good eye Deltaplex. I did the saya and handle combo for Bico Doce. That Milan is a sweet blade, sturdy but nice and thin behind the edge. The whole time I was working on it I wanted to make a stew (or something) so I could put it through its paces!
Itās been a Tetsujin 240 kasumi for a bit. The balance on it just makes it feel like itās an extension of my arm. Love it.
However, itās starting to get edged out by a Toyama 240 dammy I recently purchased. Not the same feel but thereās just something about itā¦
However, itās starting to get edged out by a Toyama 240 dammy I recently purchased. Not the same feel but thereās just something about itā¦
Bico Doce
aka Big Dice / Bocce Ballz / Big Douche
You should have!
Swearing is not tolerated on KKF...
240 Denka for me. Doesnāt need to be put away immediately, great board feel, killer edge and good heft to it. 
I do a weird self-denial thing where I don't reach for my favorite knife, a Shindo 170 nakiri, because I know exactly how it performs/how much I love it and so I try to reach for knives I'm less comfortable with or want to grow my skills on. Even though every time I pick it back up I'm smiling and chiding myself for spending money on too many big gyutos.
There's something about the Munetoshi 240 that really clicks with me though. It seems a little beefy but is one helluva cutter, can push or rock depending on my mood, has a deceptively thin tip, and it's hardly reactive. Despite my best efforts and loads of use it just refuses to take a colorful or strong patina. I chuckle because the Kochi 240 next to it on my rack is far more beautiful, has better f&f, a nicer handle, and is thinner BTE but I always reach for the Munetoshi over it.
Honorable mention is the Chopper King V-toku-1 small slicer, I don't get the joy from it that my other knives give me but the thing just works perfectly fine on everything I put in front of it and it usually just lives on my cutting board so I end up using it more than anything else, ARM just reinforced that habit.
There's something about the Munetoshi 240 that really clicks with me though. It seems a little beefy but is one helluva cutter, can push or rock depending on my mood, has a deceptively thin tip, and it's hardly reactive. Despite my best efforts and loads of use it just refuses to take a colorful or strong patina. I chuckle because the Kochi 240 next to it on my rack is far more beautiful, has better f&f, a nicer handle, and is thinner BTE but I always reach for the Munetoshi over it.
Honorable mention is the Chopper King V-toku-1 small slicer, I don't get the joy from it that my other knives give me but the thing just works perfectly fine on everything I put in front of it and it usually just lives on my cutting board so I end up using it more than anything else, ARM just reinforced that habit.
Most of the time I reach for
my Yanick Gyuto
and My Raquin BK or Gyutohick
my Yanick Gyuto
and My Raquin BK or Gyutohick
Lovely knives, but I need to know: What's the story behind the last picture? Did you spill grains on the ground for the photo, or perceive a photogenic opportunity?
(I'm going to have to up my knife photo game).
(I'm going to have to up my knife photo game).
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Do you use the Raquin for more than just butchery tasks? I have one, and love it, but never thought to use it for anything else.
I think most of the time I reach for my 246 Birgersson most the time, if it's a bunch of small produce then probably my shibata kotetsu bunka. My 240 Toyama is up there as a WH though. The knife I probably reach for the least is my red handle takamura just because I like taller blades a lot better.
hotsaucewasted
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I donāt cook that often anymore but when I do, itās my 240 KS gyuto.
For one, Iām always looking for any chance to build that sweet sweet patina babbbyyy.
But also it has been my beater knife for a while and has been effective with whatever I throw its way. Plus that also means I get to have fun with the stones once it needs a touch-up!
Not the biggest fan of the handle as of now, so I think a rehandle is in order soonā¦ maybe western style since I havenāt seen a Yo-KS anywhereā¦
For one, Iām always looking for any chance to build that sweet sweet patina babbbyyy.
But also it has been my beater knife for a while and has been effective with whatever I throw its way. Plus that also means I get to have fun with the stones once it needs a touch-up!
Not the biggest fan of the handle as of now, so I think a rehandle is in order soonā¦ maybe western style since I havenāt seen a Yo-KS anywhereā¦
bradmacmt
Well-Known Member
The one I reach for the most, and the knife I'd keep if forced to have just one, is a 180mm Sakai Kikumori stainless clad, Blue no. 2, Bunka (187mm x 55mm).
this pic was taken by Bryan to promote the knife sale, not me.
I use it all the time to slice proteins in barbecue events
210 TF Denka wa gyuto.
DitmasPork
Senior Member
Firstly, the term ābestā is problematic for me regarding kitchen knives. āBestā never comes to mind, the ābestā is whatever Iām using (all my knives are good ones)āknives I favor live in the kitchen drawer; any can get relegated to the flat file.
What I reach for and how I select kitchen knives to use?
1] Typically by what floats to the top.
or
2] Mood. Choosing kitchen knives are akin to datingāitās not about striving for the best of the best of the bunchābut might be driven simply by thoughts like whichever knife I fancy at the moment; want to satisfy curiosity; fun and capable to work through a prep; rekindled desire; performance; etc.
For, the entire month of April, Iāll be using the same set of 4 kitchen knives (bottom pic; butcher knife not shown)āthe carbon yanagiba and gyuto, stainless petty shown below, plus a carbon butcher knife for fish/poultry.
What I reach for and how I select kitchen knives to use?
1] Typically by what floats to the top.
or
2] Mood. Choosing kitchen knives are akin to datingāitās not about striving for the best of the best of the bunchābut might be driven simply by thoughts like whichever knife I fancy at the moment; want to satisfy curiosity; fun and capable to work through a prep; rekindled desire; performance; etc.
For, the entire month of April, Iāll be using the same set of 4 kitchen knives (bottom pic; butcher knife not shown)āthe carbon yanagiba and gyuto, stainless petty shown below, plus a carbon butcher knife for fish/poultry.
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One of the ones that is sharp.
