Shiro Kamo 180mm Nakiri vs Santoku

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user 51435

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Joined
Jun 14, 2023
Messages
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LOCATION
What country are you in?
USA


KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chef’s knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Nakiri or Santoku

Are you right or left handed?
Right Handed

Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Japanese (Wa)

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
180mm


Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No


What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
$150


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.)
Mostly Vegetables (slicing, chopping,mincing). Maybe boneless proteins for small dinner prep.


What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Not replacing any knives.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch Grip

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.)
Push Cut/Rocking

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.)
Thinner, lighter, and shorter (main knives are a ZKramer Carbon 8in and 1302 CCK Cleaver)


KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board?
Maple Wood Cutting Board

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
Yes

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
No. Already own a set of Shapton Pro stones (320, 1K, 2K, & 5K) and a cork strip.


SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
Hey All!

I’m wanting to add another knife to my collection and have narrowed it down to two options by Shiro Kamo. Either the 180mm Nakiri or 180mm Santoku, both in iron clad Aogami super with a horn ferruled teak handle.

I can’t decide if the Nakiri or Santoku is more useful with the rest of my collection. I’d like something a little smaller and thinner than my chef’s knife or vegetable cleaver. I’m leaning towards the Nakiri, but wondering if it will feel completely redundant with my CCK 1302.

Below is my current setup:

ZKramer Carbon 8 in Chef’s Knife
CCK 1302 Cleaver
Gesshin Stainless 120mm Petty
Naozumi 240mm Sujihiki
Sakai Kikumori 150mm Honesuki
Tojiro 270mm Bread Knife
Robert Herder 3 in Paring Knife

Thanks in advance for any insight folks provide!
 
I remember a blacksmith once saying that a nakiri has no benefits over a santoku. It's just a santoku with no tip.

I tend to agree with him. If you find yourself using a tip, definitely go with the santoku. The only reason to go for the nakiri is for the extra height (not always the case).

Overall, santokus are just more versatile.
 
I remember a blacksmith once saying that a nakiri has no benefits over a santoku. It's just a santoku with no tip.

I wouldn't trust that blacksmith to make a kitchen knife if they don't understand the difference between a santoku and a nakiri
 
I’m assuming both are thin lightweight lasers. Personally I like santokus this way - light and nimble. Heavier nakiris with a forward balance make sense to me. I’d vote santoku.
 
I've only had bunkas and gyutos from him but I'd probably lean nakiri, they're well regarded by owners. Some folks get a mental block with nakiri but once you get the change in technique down, I like them more than santoku. That rounded tip is still sharpened and unmatched for draw cuts; it can also do fine work.

I think Shiro Kamo's style of tall, thin, and hard knives would lend itself well to a nakiri. If you're looking at the K&S ones, 46 mm heel height for the santoku is something to be aware of whereas the nakiri listed at 53 mm which I'd find more comfortable.

Cleancut carries a ton of his stuff too, I found their Tora line to be far thinner than the Shinko Seilan.
 

Shiro Kamo Nakiri looks like a lot of fun to me. One of the cool aspects with a Nakiri is that not only can you do tip work, but you can go harder (like he does with the garlic in the video). Which would mess up the tip on gyuto or santoku.
 
1302 and a Nakiri would be quite different experiences, one thing I really like about the Nakiri is the tip heavyness, which is great for tap chop. Lots of people misunderstood Nakiri as vegetable knife, they are actually pretty well rounded for most small tasks. For Santoku the balance it’s gonna be closer to the handle, the tip is going to be for more precise task and the heel is gonna do more cutting. It’s personal preference after all… Personally have both some nice santokus and nakiris, if I’m gonna chose from those 2 I’m probably gonna go with the Nakiri.
 
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