Top 5 Knives to try at Under $300

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Xenif

Xenif

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Recent thread about 100 knives to try really got me thinking about this, many of the knives on that list seem unattainable to us mere mortals. At $300 (USD, excluding shipping) each these knives should be more easily attainable. So please, KKFers give us your list of 5 knives anyone should try, the price (recent, non sale, non bst price), and a brief reason on why it made your top 5 must try list. Can be any shape, size, steel.

Heres my list

Munetoshi Butchers $110 - makes butchery so much more fun. Really tough white steel, yet too hard to sharpen. Great meat/utility knife.

Yu Kurosaki AS Mini Chuka $250 - Laser mini cleaver. Very thin, not a pro kitchen knife imo but FUN knife for the home.

Munetoshi 165 Petty $85 - Easily the sharpest knife for the least money. Alot of work to get it "nice". Almost a mini gyuto.

Mazaki Anything $100-$300 - Craziest Sanjo Taper, good to great steel, good grind, however, profile can be all over the place. Can feel like a bit of a lottery.

Tanaka B2 240 gyuto $140-250 - Common gateway drug into Japanese knives, good steel And grind, profile too curvey for some, but good transition from bellied westren knives.
 
This sounds like fun:

1) buy a cheap poorly ground knife with decent HT and send it off to @makeitsharper on IG. I have a few of his knives and more in his shop, life got in the way and his books are closed. I love when the first question he asks is “tell me more about how you cut and what you like.” I don’t know what other professionals charge to seriously thin a knife, but I imagine it has to be less than $200.

2) Makoto Kurosaki- I have had his white 240 gyuto and have his SG2 gyuto now. There is a reason you don’t see these in BST often.

3) I am currently enjoying a dao vua knives out of Vietnam. They are cheap and rustic, which means I do not hesitate to change this out the thicker grinds on the Gyuto and bunka-cleaver hybrid. The stock bunka cuts pretty well.

4) Shibata- the laser gold standard. I don’t have any, but I have borrowed a few. Cuts like a hot knife though butter.

I know my tastes are always changing... I am curious what I will say in 1-3 years.
 
Xenif, a voice of reason!

I like this idea a lot.

I nominate three midrange gyutos, all of which I own, and they’re the only ones I own

Gesshin ginga 240. I think $265. I love having a super nimble stainless knife. When preps over and I’m getting dinner on the table this is the one thats always out.

Kochi kurouichi 240. Also $285. nice pure cutter. Perhaps a little taller than I like but a good knife to have around. I’m sure it’ll come up often in this thread (edited)

Wakui stainless clad white steel 240. $180-200.
Feels almost as nimble as the ginga and the grind and geometry just suit me. My newest knife, my favorite.

Also the munetoshi petty. Reminds me of a difficult teenager you raise, they become an upstanding citizen, you’re super proud of them.

Last for me is a honesuki. Mine is a masamoto tsujiki stainless. Seriously, it could be any honesuki, I love the idea of a purpose built knife.

Honorable mention. A 35 buck gesshin 105 paring knife. Cool little blade
 
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Great thread idea. Here are a couple standards I have loved.

Gengetsu 210 semistainless at $300: fantastic grind, gorgeous blade and handle, limited reactivity but nice patina on the core, great edge retention, came stupid sharp---first knife in forevah that I haven't sharpened OOTB, and I didn't even ask JKI to do it for me. Probably my favorite knife... well this and a Watanabe that's out of the price range.

Kochi 240 at $285: the quality makes you happy just to hold it. nice forward balance, best kurouchi and burnt chestnut I've ever seen, good food release, lovely thinner tip without seeming like it's going to bend over if you breathe on it like with a Mazaki. This was a present to myself after getting tenure at the university where I work, back when this seemed like a ton of money to spend on a knife. The knife has since moved on, but the affection remains.

(Gesshin) Ginga 240 at $285: you want thin? you want to cut carrots? you don't mind a little push or pull, rather than straight chops? you don't mind your knuckles close the board, and like the precision this offers? don't delay! buy now.

Any honesuki: even a tojiro dp at < $100 changed the way I look at chicken. just feels right.

Speaking of tojiro: the $15 tojiro bread knife on Amazon may not be the best for everything, but for $15, it checks all my boxes. It'll be my stocking stuffer at Christmas. I just hope they'll open the cut resistant gloves I give them first before reaching in to the stocking. But hey, red's a Christmas color, no?
 
Here goes:
- Zkramer Meiji or Carbon - you can fund these sub $300 on sales - height
- Matsubara tall Nakiri - $290 - Authority, because power is addictive
- Yoshikdane 240 - $290 - HRC 64+ because you should know what real edge retention is
- Shibata Kotetsu bunka - $245 - because super-laser (the 240mm is just over budget, Geshin Gina is great alternative)

No 5th, but honorable mentions go to: Daovua, Moritaka, CCK cleavers because these are quite budget but work great .. gotto know where the road begins before you can travel on it.
 
My list just like the 100 knives starts with

1- Watanabe pro nakiri 180. My example is the best cutter I have used, steel is great, low maintenance.

2-Tanaka blue 2 KU. Great performer in term of cutting, good steel, and very cheap. Can sub this for the Ginsan gyuto if you prefer stainless.

3-Tanaka Ginsan petty. This is maybe the most used knife in my house, again great steel, and it's ground thin but it can withstand even being used by my mom to scrape mango seeds sideways. Can do anything including breaking down chicken and it cuts great. Bonus for being extra cheap.

4- Munetoshi butcher. Super useful knife built like a tank. It has single handedly stopped me from getting any other knife for butchery.

The four above I still have them in my collection after many many more expensive knives have shown up and some left through the door.

Bonus to complete the five would be Wakui or Yoshikane gyuto.
 
My top 5 knives under 300$ list:
1. Watanabe pro KU 180mm nakiri. Killer blade, it just gets the job done. Easy.
2. Mazaki kasumi bullnose version or KU version 240mm. Don’t even need further explanation.
3. Mazaki petty 180mm. always stays in my roll. For detail job and brunoise small stuffs.
4. Munetoshi 210mm slicer. This is my longer version of 170mm butcher(also thinner) my multipurpose knife, useful for portioning boneless protein, fish and slicing cooked meats.
5. Tadafune vintage SK gyuto 230mm extra tall gyuto, my beater knife. Almost like a cleaver with gyuto tip. Useful for portioning XL meat, pork with crackling, cut through soft bones and small bones without any problem. No chipping so far.
 
Silverthorn

silverthorn-8-trimming-scimitar-o1-carbon-steel-bl.jpg
 
Xenif said:
Recent thread about 100 knives to try really got me thinking about this, many of the knives on that list seem unattainable to us mere mortals. At $300 (USD, excluding shipping) each these knives should be more easily attainable. So please, KKFers give us your list of 5 knives anyone should try, the price (recent, non sale, non bst price), and a brief reason on why it made your top 5 must try list. Can be any shape, size, steel.

Heres my list

Munetoshi Butchers $110 - makes butchery so much more fun. Really tough white steel, yet too hard to sharpen. Great meat/utility knife.

Yu Kurosaki AS Mini Chuka $250 - Laser mini cleaver. Very thin, not a pro kitchen knife imo but FUN knife for the home.

Munetoshi 165 Petty $85 - Easily the sharpest knife for the least money. Alot of work to get it "nice". Almost a mini gyuto.

Mazaki Anything $100-$300 - Craziest Sanjo Taper, good to great steel, good grind, however, profile can be all over the place. Can feel like a bit of a lottery.

Tanaka B2 240 gyuto $140-250 - Common gateway drug into Japanese knives, good steel And grind, profile too curvey for some, but good transition from bellied westren knives.
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In all honesty, I think this is a clear improvement over my suggested try’n’die 100-list. Good thinking! That said, the 100-list will soon be assembled - shameless, blasphemous and immodest (just like the knife gods want it to be).
 
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Cool idea, Xenif! This was tough…

Wakui 240mm gyuto
For me it’s Wakui vs. Tanaka in the discussion about a good value gyuto. Both nice. I just prefer Wakui’s profile (bit more of a flat spot and more distal taper) over Tanaka’s (radius profile, more modest distal taper). At ~$200, Wakui punches above weight class.

Teruyasu Fujiwara 150mm nashiji petty (wa handle)
No brainer. All the upside of TF white, but, since they’re short, no downside with the intermittent problems with overgrinds/general wonkiness like TF gyutos. Once upon a time, these were $60 direct (!).

Yoshikane 210 hammered
I like Yoshi 210mm more than the 240mm because it is pointy, low height, feels like your hand is buckled on.

Watanabe 180 Nakiri
The only nakiri with its jersey in the rafters.

Musashino Kuni Kogetsu 270mm (western handle)
Midweight, convex, nice flat spot + certified traditional craft sticker. No brainer for $150. (Downside is SK-5 not White). A lot of knife for the money.
 
Just because it is so different, I think everyone should try the Chan Chi Kee 1303 cleaver:
s-l1600-1.jpg
Can be bought for under USD 80.00. Worth taking the risk of trying out at that price. If someone decides this isn't their kettle of fish, not much harm is done.
 
+1 to the Mune butcher. That's my most resent purchase and I haven't been this exited for a new knife in quite a while.

The now defunct Itinomonn line from JNS was really nice too.
 
I think this is great to build a ready to go set.

Main gyuto: 240mm Yoshikane from Carbon Knife Co.

Petty: Shibata Kotetsu R2 (ease of stainless is nice on this jack of all trades piece)

Laser: Ginga

Fun: Wat Nakiri

I’m a huge laser lover and often have two knives on the board when I cook.
 
Im glad everyone is enjoying the thread so far.

Ginga Gyuto, Hinoura w#1 Nakiri, Tanaka Ginsan petty/nakiri almost made my list as well.

Is it me or is a Laser revival going on??
 
Elliot said:
Main gyuto: 240mm Yoshikane from Carbon Knife Co.
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I wish members would encourage purchasing their Yoshikane knives from Epicurean Edge to support the sponsors that pay for this forum we all enjoy for free....and we get a 10% KKF discount.

It’s not cool to promote other retailers for products that are in stock at a KKF sponsor’s store.
 
parbaked said:
I wish members would encourage purchasing their Yoshikane knives from Epicurean Edge to support the sponsors that pay for this forum we all enjoy for free....and we get a 10% KKF discount.

It’s not cool to promote other retailers for products that are in stock at a KKF sponsor’s store.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, as I typically stray from the drama that often saturates the forum, there is nothing "not cool" about promoting a business that I have had multiple good experiences with. I have nothing against Daniel's shop, and would never suggest people don't shop there. However, I would argue that simply sponsoring this forum should not dictate where people spend their money.

Both are wonderful knife shops with extremely knowledgeable owners. I have never heard a bad word about either. My experience with Carbon Knife Co. has always been quite lovely. As such, promoting their business is something I feel quite comfortable in doing. I will continue to do so.
 
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parbaked said:
I wish members would encourage purchasing their Yoshikane knives from Epicurean Edge to support the sponsors that pay for this forum we all enjoy for free....and we get a 10% KKF discount.

It’s not cool to promote other retailers for products that are in stock at a KKF sponsor’s store.
Click to expand...

Elliot said:
With all due respect, as I typically stray from the drama that often saturates the forum, there is nothing "not cool" about promoting a business that I have had multiple good experiences with. I have nothing against Daniel's shop, and would never suggest people don't shop there. However, I would argue that simply sponsoring this forum should not dictate where people spend their money.

Both are wonderful knife shops with extremely knowledgeable owners. I have never heard a bad word about either. My experience with Carbon Knife Co. has always been quite lovely. As such, promoting their business is something I feel quite comfortable in doing. I will continue to do so.
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There's also the possible caveat that the knives may be different from vendor to vendor. I bought the Yoshikane 240 SKD in my profile pic from EE, but I hear that those available elsewhere may be thinner/lighter (Bernal has been specifically mentioned a time or two, no idea about CKCo), so vendor-specific recommendations may certainly be warranted.

I certainly appreciate the forum sponsors, and it's one of the reasons that I bought from EE and intend to buy from others in the future, but I think that it's silly to pretend that other vendors don't exist and to not let knives and vendors to stand upon their own merits; IMO, this isn't a zero sum game - praising one isn't a negative reflection upon another.
 
Never mind.
Seems EE has already terminated it’s sponsorship along with Korin and JNS.
Folks should be aware that KKF can’t exist without sponsors, and it is important to support them so that they have a reason to contribute.
 
parbaked said:
I wish members would encourage purchasing their Yoshikane knives from Epicurean Edge to support the sponsors that pay for this forum we all enjoy for free....and we get a 10% KKF discount.

It’s not cool to promote other retailers for products that are in stock at a KKF sponsor’s store.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, it's perfectly appropriate to recommend products from non-KKF sponsor stores, whether or not in stock at KKF sponsor stores. It's my hope that comments and opinions on this forum are independent and objective—it keeps things honest.

If Elliot's main gyuto is a 240mm Yoshikane, I'd like to know where he bought it—and IMO Carbon Knife Co is a great shop. These threads are very informative for learning about who the J-knife vendors are, whether they are members or not.
 
This is EXACTLY the reason why I didn't put in the OP WHERE and only the price. But obviously if two places sell from knives the same maker and are different, I would like to know the difference. If we can only recommend knives from sponsored vendors here then the list of knives is pretty short.
 
Xenif said:
This is EXACTLY the reason why I didn't put in the OP WHERE and only the price. But obviously if two places sell from knives the same maker and are different, I would like to know the difference. If we can only recommend knives from sponsored vendors here then the list of knives is pretty short.
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I really like your post! $300 is quite generous, 'cause I'm cheap. Next challenge is a 'Best of' post for knives under $150–$175! Proletariat J-knives.
 
DitmasPork said:
I really like your post! $300 is quite generous, 'cause I'm cheap. Next challenge is a 'Best of' post for knives under $150–$175! Proletariat J-knives.
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Thanks! Many of the knives mentioned so far have been well under the $300 threshold like Tanaka, Munetoshi, Wakui, CCK. Even the tojiro $20 bread knife got an honorable mention (I have one too!) This thread has me itching for a new knife that I totally dont need
 
Xenif said:
Thanks! Many of the knives mentioned so far have been well under the $300 threshold like Tanaka, Munetoshi, Wakui, CCK. Even the tojiro $20 bread knife got an honorable mention (I have one too!) This thread has me itching for a new knife that I totally dont need
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As I mentioned on your IG a while back, I've been wanting a Mune butcher's for some time. Gotta pace myself, my 180 Maz petty is arriving today.
 
DitmasPork said:
I really like your post! $300 is quite generous, 'cause I'm cheap. Next challenge is a 'Best of' post for knives under $150–$175! Proletariat J-knives.
Click to expand...

If you can stretch just to $200, don't think you're going to beat Wakui or Munetoshi. Mazaki 180mm petty is sex.
 
Elliot said:
If you can stretch just to $200, don't think you're going to beat Wakui or Munetoshi. Mazaki 180mm petty is sex.
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Cheers! Right now I'm trying to slow down with gyutos, getting one tomorrow—want to focus on other knives I need. Heard very good things about Wakui (have a petty from them) and Munetoshi.

The 240 Mizuno Tanrenjo Hontanren on sale at Carbon at just a whisper over $300, seems a steal.
 
DitmasPork said:
I really like your post! $300 is quite generous, 'cause I'm cheap. Next challenge is a 'Best of' post for knives under $150–$175! Proletariat J-knives.
Click to expand...
Start that thread! :D
I'd be interested to see what's up at $150 and below.
 
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