Redundancy

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DanHumphrey

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I assume everyone here has lots of knives. How do y'all handle it when you have a number of knives you want? Do you get them all in different lengths (or a wide variety of lengths, at least) to have slightly different uses, or do you get an array of 240mm (or whatever) gyutos and pick whichever you feel like on a given day?

For example, right now, my "nice" knife is a 240mm K&S Tanaka blue2. I do love it - it's sharp, doesn't wedge, and the length works well because it's nimble enough to dice peppers and onions, while it's long enough to shred a pound of Brussels sprouts at once reasonably quickly. I've been drooling over Takedas for a few weeks now, and Dalmans both look beautiful and will (or at least seem like they should) straight-out stop onions from climbing the face. In this situation, would y'all get everything as 240mm gyutos and pick which you felt like on a given day, or get the Dalman as a 210 (for use on peppers and onions), Takeda as a 150mm petty, and keep using the Tanaka for Brussels sprouts? That would give a wide variety of options, but also means that if I decided I just liked using a 240mm gyuto, I only have the one.

Decisions suck, and you are all horrible influences and enablers. :curse::justkidding:
 
It depends on the size of your budget and your knife block.

You will likely do 90% of the tasks with one knife - the gyuto/chef's - and that the rest of the blades will fill the 10%. I would (and have) kept most of my gyuto purchases in the 240 mm range. I'm fortunate enough to be able to have several that I rotate, usually using one for a couple of weeks before I want a change to another.

Keep in mind that a 240 will sell quicker than a 210 or a 270 if you decide it's not for you.
 
Small stuff will climb for sure, don't expect magic food release :)
I diced some onion yesterday:

(Now I'll read up on some rules to see if I'm allowed to reply like this...)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Small stuff will climb for sure, don't expect magic food release :)
I diced some onion yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BFONDi1P8rL/

(Now I'll read up on some rules to see if I'm allowed to reply like this...)

Well I, for one, appreciate that video and your honesty. :) I still love how your knives look - the thing about them and the Takedas is that they look noticeably different from others without being ridiculously flashy or compromised for appearances. And sharp.

Like, I know everyone here speaks highly of Itinnomons, and I'm sure they're great. But they look like a lot of other knives, and if a great knife can be had that also looks unique, I'd shade towards that.
 
Before I joined this forum I thought that I had a problem and I had to many knives. Ya'll made me feel much better about myself. The only redundancy I have is 2 pettys and they are diff lengths. I'm a pro and I'm certainly not a collector. I have no "drawer queens" and all my knives need to put in work. I recently upgraded my gyuto from a 240 Zakuri to a Kagekiyo but I first sold my old one to to one of my cooks to make room for it. My kit includes gyuto, suji, nakiri, 2 petty, parer, honesuki, bread and a kogatana "utility". I understand there's a wide variety of people on here and we all get knives for different reasons. I love j knives because of they're form and function. Yes they are beautiful but they also make my job easier and far more enjoyable. I just don't need a gyuto 3x over at 240 plus a 210, 270 and 300. Just need the one. That being said, I'm always ready for a new knife. We're gonna start getting whole salmon in so looks like I need to get myself a large deba...
 
Yeah, I don't ever intend on having a drawer queen. I want knives I can and will use, though some redundancy isn't the end of the world. Nothing for hanging on the wall or sitting in a box so I can say I have it, though.
 
I just decided to make sets. One or two gyuto something to slice with a petty and maybe a few butchery knives. If a knife is good enough it becomes the base of a new set. Currently have a set of beaters and working on a set of wa handle knives.
 
Small stuff will climb for sure, don't expect magic food release :)
I diced some onion yesterday:

(Now I'll read up on some rules to see if I'm allowed to reply like this...)

Hey Robin, Welcome. That turned around pretty quick.

Short answer is no - your're not allowed to"reply like this" when your reply promotes your products (in any way) outside of your subforum. A link in your sig block is generally accepted. Happy reading.

As penance you must now provide 5 Norwegian jokes for our amusement.
 
Okay, here are some Norwegian jokes, but I believe Robin is Swedish. (See #8)

Q: Why did the Norwegian take a ladder with him to the supermarket?
A: Because he'd heard the food prices in Oslo were extremely high.

Q: Why did the Norwegian crawl on the floor through the supermarket?
A: Because they’re looking for the low prices.

Q: Why do Norwegian garbage trucks drive so fast?
A: The drivers are scared of getting robbed.

Q: Why did the Norwegian bring a rolled-up piece of sandpaper to the desert?
A: Thought it was a map.

Q: How do you sink a Norwegian submarine?
A: Scuba-dive down and knock on the door.

Q: How do you sink a Norwegian submarine again?
A: Dive down and knock on the door again. Wait for them to open the window and say, "You aren't fooling us this time!"

Q: How do you sink a Danish submarine?
A: Dive down and knock on the window. Wait for them to open the door and say, "Come on, who do you take us for? Norwegians?"

Q: How do you sink a Swedish submarine?
A: Give it a Norwegian crew.

Q: How do you say "genius" in Norway?
A: Tourist.

-Two Norwegians are driving at night. The driver starts to worry something is wrong with his blinkers so he pulls over and asks the other Norwegian to get out and check them.
"Hey," the guys yells from the front of the car, "It works... Wait it doesn't work... No now it works... Wait it doesn't work... No wait, now it works... Oh sorry, it doesn't work..."
 
Are there 5 Norwegian jokes? :viking:

This one time at viking camp...we got exited and sacrificed 10 people to the gods instead of 9. Odin must have been so confused!

Also in all seriousness, I think of my collection as just that. I'm not a chef but cooking is my zen activity. Boutique knives are fun purchases, not an economically utilitarian decision. I have many redundant knives and none exist to be non-functional. I kind of view it as choosing which toy to play with in the kitchen today.
 
I have wondered if I should just force myself to use the same gyuto for an extended period of time. Sometimes I think switching between different knives has a negative impact on improving skill and speed. Not that speed is that important to me as a home cook, but someday it would be cool to be able to do some consistent cutting at a good speed.
 
the only reason i will have more than one knife/type of same length is if i am deciding which one i like better otherwise i don't like redundancy. the one exception is having a single beater but that serves a different purpose so it is excusable in my book.
 
Lol oh man. Well done. Gonna use these around the office.

Okay, here are some Norwegian jokes, but I believe Robin is Swedish. (See #8)

Q: Why did the Norwegian take a ladder with him to the supermarket?
A: Because he'd heard the food prices in Oslo were extremely high.

Q: Why did the Norwegian crawl on the floor through the supermarket?
A: Because they’re looking for the low prices.

Q: Why do Norwegian garbage trucks drive so fast?
A: The drivers are scared of getting robbed.

Q: Why did the Norwegian bring a rolled-up piece of sandpaper to the desert?
A: Thought it was a map.

Q: How do you sink a Norwegian submarine?
A: Scuba-dive down and knock on the door.

Q: How do you sink a Norwegian submarine again?
A: Dive down and knock on the door again. Wait for them to open the window and say, "You aren't fooling us this time!"

Q: How do you sink a Danish submarine?
A: Dive down and knock on the window. Wait for them to open the door and say, "Come on, who do you take us for? Norwegians?"

Q: How do you sink a Swedish submarine?
A: Give it a Norwegian crew.

Q: How do you say "genius" in Norway?
A: Tourist.

-Two Norwegians are driving at night. The driver starts to worry something is wrong with his blinkers so he pulls over and asks the other Norwegian to get out and check them.
"Hey," the guys yells from the front of the car, "It works... Wait it doesn't work... No now it works... Wait it doesn't work... No wait, now it works... Oh sorry, it doesn't work..."
 
I take a Noah's Ark approach, but just one of everything instead of two. Every major steel, different lengths, different profiles. All of my knives are somewhat different. No two are extremely similar.

I use a new knife exclusively for about three weeks to decide if it's a keeper. If not I sell it. Keepers get used regularly; there are no draw queens among my collection.

While I have more 240s than anything else, my choice of knife is dictated by mood, what I am cutting, type of cuisine and so forth.
 
Thanks for clarification Dave, I read up and figured that out too, I'll keep it in my corner :)

Haha thanks for the morning laughs guys. Hope Dave is happy with that, my brain is gearing up so can't think of any right now.
 
Sensible advise given here IMO. My Ark is filled with pairs though and 90% of them are gyuto's.

I take a Noah's Ark approach, but just one of everything instead of two. Every major steel, different lengths, different profiles. All of my knives are somewhat different. No two are extremely similar.

I use a new knife exclusively for about three weeks to decide if it's a keeper. If not I sell it. Keepers get used regularly; there are no draw queens among my collection.

While I have more 240s than anything else, my choice of knife is dictated by mood, what I am cutting, type of cuisine and so forth.
 
I think a little redundancy can be alright. Especially if you look at other differences than just length. As a home cook, I cannot justify very many larger gyutos 240+, and I seem to highly favor the 210. I can probably justify up to 3 gyutos in my preferred size. I have a Laser 210, a standard convex 210, and am on the lookout for a nice wide bevel 210 to round out the trio. That way I have a different blade grind to try out and match to the things I am cutting. Also the steels can be different as well. I have a couple of knifes in the 165mm that I also enjoy and both get used frequently. Everything in moderation some say.
 
Im huge into redundancy. seven 240's and 3 210's. I just enjoy the rotation, like watches, they are all different and act differently and it like a constant comparison when ever i use another. I am also a home cook that cooks vegan at home, so no need for anything else really.
 
Interesting thread.

have six 240 gyutos and plan to get more, but any one knife of mine can do whatever I need to do. Sometimes I want stainless for carefree cutting. Other times carbon when I am in a full-on mode. A knife that's a great rocker when mincing a lot of herbs. Nakiri when I stir fry. A gyuto with a chopper profile when I chop or push cut. By my way of thinking, all my knives are redundant, and yet, none of them are. All were selected for a specific strength in mind.
 
Feel the same way jbart. Have five 240 gyutos pared down from nine. The four that were cut had strengths that were outdone by those in the five that stayed. So yes redundant, but each with a particular set of features that makes it stand out enough to keep using, in view of the rest of the collection.
 
I take a Noah's Ark approach, but just one of everything instead of two. Every major steel, different lengths, different profiles. All of my knives are somewhat different. No two are extremely similar.

This is sorta the approach I was thinking of taking, originally, when I wrote this. After all the replies I'm leaning more towards the golf bag full of 240s approach. Still must ponder.

And I do appreciate all the feedback, everyone!
 
This is sorta the approach I was thinking of taking, originally, when I wrote this. After all the replies I'm leaning more towards the golf bag full of 240s approach. Still must ponder.

And I do appreciate all the feedback, everyone!

This is what I do personally. I figure I use a gyuto (240 mm) for 90%+ of my cutting tasks, so it makes the most sense to make 90% of my purchases 240 mm gyutos. As an added bonus they also happen to be the easiest to resell if the need arises.
 
Lets not forget the look of a 240gyuto. perfectly balanced blade length to handle length, just looks right. And i know i buy and use what i find attractive.
btw. Jbart65 on your knife list ( yea i stocked what you had :dance4:) -- your kono is a fujiyama? , never heard of a kono fukiwara.
 
Redundancy. I found a knife at my house a few days ago. It's a 240 gyuto. I don't recognize the kanji and don't remember buying it or ever having used it. I have no idea what it is other than it looked a little thin to make into the line up. Redundancy.
 
I've rationalized several gyuto purchases by telling myself I need a 210, 240, and 270, but the truth is all I really need is one 240 and the rest are for fun. I've shown some restraint in the petty/suji categories.
 
Yep. Typo. Fujiyama.

Right now have a 240 Kono Fujiyama, Kono GS, TF, Richmond Ultimatum, Anryu Hammered, Tetsuhiro Hammered, Koishi, Messermeister Oliva Elite
 
I have many (for most people, not necessarily compared to certain people here) 240 Gyutos. It is completely illogical for a home cook that needs to cook more, but I still have an itch to try more. I gift some but I am much better at buying than selling. For me it is the ideal size, and I feel the need to try them all :knife:
 
I have no problem at all owning multiple 240mm gyutos as long as the grind/profile/blade height are varied among them. Thicker grind(watanabe for instance) for herb mincing and good food release. Heiji for potatoes. Kochi or wakui for fine veg brunoise cuts. Munetoshi/ masamoto ks/or something similar for slicing motions.
 
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