What's your favourite knife for this/these tasks?

[Garm]

Like the title says, what's your favourite/preferred knife(type, maker, size) for halving, quartering, and finely slicing heads of cabbage and apples(and similar tasks, you get the idea)?
What features and qualities makes it your favourite?

I've been doing this more frequently lately, and I'm looking for something that will excel in these tasks while being a decent all-rounder as well.

I haven't treated myself to a new knife in a few years, and figure it's about time.
BTW, I'm a home cook, so we're not talking copious amounts of prep here.

 

[SeattleBen]

I'm partial to a cleaver for bulk runs on cabbage or even at home.

 

[M1k3]

As for knives I have....
Cabbage I'd grab my Ikazuchi 240mm. For apples my Takamura 210mm.

 

[dafox]

For cabbage a 240 laser gyuto, I'd probably reach for my Konosuke hd2.
For apples a 210 gyuto, Takamura migaki r2.

 

[YumYumSauce]

I'd probaby use a thin chinese cleaver.
Or any thin gyuto. I have a gengetsu and cck cleaver. The height helps with speed and thinness for finer cuts.

 

[VICTOR J CREAZZI]

A clever is my go to. I use it 95% of the time.

 

[Henry]

I would probably use my Takeda AS 330 Gyuto.

 

[chris9998]

I mainly use "Misen Chef's Knife".

 

[GorillaGrunt]

Yes, cleaver is good for this, I’d probably use my Shibata Kashima (240 laser) if I had it in my bag because my cleaver skills aren’t the best.

 

[panda]

something cleaver-like such as a thin behind the edge watanabe

 

[MrHiggins]

For heads of cabbage (and other bulky greens like kale, chard, mustard, etc...) nothing beats my Toyama 270 gyuto. It's a heavy knife at around 265gr., but its grind is surprisingly thin, and the edge lasts forever. I feel like a Toyama 270 should be on everyone's "to try" list.

For apples, I core them with a Mac bird's beak and slice with a thin gyuto (like my Xerxes Primus) or long petty (like my Gesshin Ginga 180).

 

[Garm]

Appreciate all the feedback!
Cleavers and lasers seem to be the favourites here. I've never tried a Toyama or Watanabe, but I was curious to see if they would be mentioned here based on what I've read about them. I kind of expected more people recommending Takedas, but then again I have only very briefly tried one of his knives, and that was on softer ingredients, so I can't say I have a very good understanding of them.

This Christmas, while making huge batches of a braised sweet&sour cabbage side dish often used here in Norway for pork belly, I experimented a fair bit with the different knives I currently own. The thinner knives performed better overall, and a bit of convexity certainly seemed to help, I'm guessing because of all the friction you get with cabbage. Weight, height, and length, depending on style and profile, were lacking a bit for me though. My two best performers were both 210 mm gyutos, though they differ greatly in specs and the way they cut.

I can definitely see the appeal of cleavers in this context, but I fear they'll be too large and perhaps deviate too far from the knives I'm accustomed to.

A Toyama or Watanabe seems intriguing though..

 

[Xenif]

I make a lot of okanomiyaki and apple pies so I hear you.

For cabbages I really like my Heiji 210 nakiri, with my cutting style the long flat really helps to julienne them for coleslaw or okanomiyaki. My alternative knife for this is a Yu Kurosaki Small cleaver, a tad short but still excel at this job.

Apples I use a Tanaka Gin3 Nakiri, this thing is my dedicated apple knife, i find knives with taller blade road works wonders for apples.

 

[Brian Weekley]

No doubt about it ... my Takeda cleaver. Here’s a pic ...

 

[Garm]

That Takeda is beastly in the most beautiful sense of the word!

For those of you who swear by Chinese cleavers, are there any decent budget options that will perform well?
I can't see spending an inordinate amount of cash on a style of knife I don't have the slightest idea if I'll be able to actually wield, yet alone appreciate. However, after searching a bit online and watching videos etc, I'm definitely growing more fascinated with this type of blade.

How are CCKs or Sugimotos(cheaper stainless kind) for example?

I have looked around trying to find lasers or laser-like 240 gyutos that have decent height, but that also proven easier said than done.

A thin Toyama/Watanabe 240 is probably the frontrunner at this point after further reading, as many people on the forum have commented that newer versions are thinner than older versions in general.

 

[Jville]

210 Toyama Nakiri for cabbage, it's a beast! There are alot of other good ones though. I agree with Brian, I also like my takeda cleaver for cabbage and it would actually work well with apples. A takeda Nakiri would be one of my first choices for apples.

 

[dafox]

That Takeda is beastly in the most beautiful sense of the word!

For those of you who swear by Chinese cleavers, are there any decent budget options that will perform well?
I can't see spending an inordinate amount of cash on a style of knife I don't have the slightest idea if I'll be able to actually wield, yet alone appreciate. However, after searching a bit online and watching videos etc, I'm definitely growing more fascinated with this type of blade.

How are CCKs or Sugimotos(cheaper stainless kind) for example?

I have looked around trying to find lasers or laser-like 240 gyutos that have decent height, but that also proven easier said than done.

A thin Toyama/Watanabe 240 is probably the frontrunner at this point after further reading, as many people on the forum have commented that newer versions are thinner than older versions in general.

The CCK 1303 is a classic, many of us have or have had one, a great place to start. They can be purchased on CKTG or on ebay for less from Hong Kong.

 

[Jville]

That Takeda is beastly in the most beautiful sense of the word!

For those of you who swear by Chinese cleavers, are there any decent budget options that will perform well?
I can't see spending an inordinate amount of cash on a style of knife I don't have the slightest idea if I'll be able to actually wield, yet alone appreciate. However, after searching a bit online and watching videos etc, I'm definitely growing more fascinated with this type of blade.

How are CCKs or Sugimotos(cheaper stainless kind) for example?

I have looked around trying to find lasers or laser-like 240 gyutos that have decent height, but that also proven easier said than done.

A thin Toyama/Watanabe 240 is probably the frontrunner at this point after further reading, as many people on the forum have commented that newer versions are thinner than older versions in general.

For cheap cleaver, I'd go cck. I would choose the Carbon version, I have both. I also have the small ones, which I like but I'd bet I'd like the bigger ones also. I have a takayuki inox cleaver, small, that I need to sell. It's like new. Let me know if there is any interest.

 

[YumYumSauce]

I love my cck carbon. I got the stainless version for a friend and he loves it too.

 

[Brian Weekley]

Check out Daovua knives. CKTG has several alternatives in stock at less than $100. There are other suppliers. I have three of the Daovua knives including their Chinese cleaver (Nakiri). They take a great edge and are fearsome cutting machines. Here’s a pic of mine ...

 

[Dendrobatez]

These are the two that I use for those kind of tasks. Something tall with a large flat spot. I like cleavers but to me a k-tip is more useful.

 

[MowgFace]

Check out Daovua knives. CKTG has several alternatives in stock at less than $100. There are other suppliers. I have three of the Daovua knives including their Chinese cleaver (Nakiri). They take a great edge and are fearsome cutting machines. Here’s a pic of mine ...

View attachment 68490

Bernal has a heavy and tall cleaver as well, and doesn’t have the stupid heel/choil thing going on


http://bernal-cutlery.shoplightspeed.com/kitchen-knives-by-brand/dao-vua-knives-vietnam/

-Mowgs

 

[minibatataman]

I have looked around trying to find lasers or laser-like 240 gyutos that have decent height, but that also proven easier said than done.

Yoshikazu Tanaka in white 1 from JNS? They're pretty tall and I've been told very thin, might fit your bill.

 

[TomInDonostia]

This thread inspired me to go online and buy a Chinese cleaver, something that I don’t have in my arsenal. But I’ve ended up buying 2 more Gyutos and I still don’t have a cleaver!!

 

[BlueSteel]

For heads of cabbage (and other bulky greens like kale, chard, mustard, etc...) nothing beats my Toyama 270 gyuto. It's a heavy knife at around 265gr., but its grind is surprisingly thin, and the edge lasts forever. I feel like a Toyama 270 should be on everyone's "to try" list.

This. A giant head of cabbage is just a minute away from being coleslaw when the Toyama 270 gyuto sees it.

 

[Garm]

A cck shipped from Hong Kong is actually a quite reasonable option. Shipping from US stores is commonly around 50$.
How's the edge taking and retention of the 1303?

A fellow knife enthusiast here in Norway, who also happens to be a fantastic sharpener, alerted me to a cleaver IKEA sells for the equivalent of about 15$. Apparently it's made from X50CrMoV15 steel, and he claims the heat treat is actually superior to Wusthof's and that it performs surprizingly well(he has tried a lot of Chinese cleavers). That could be a dirt cheap way of getting a feel for the style of knife.

Regarding the Toyama recommendations, would there be a big difference in performance between the 270 and a 240?
Is it just the height and weight that varies a little/ a lot, depending on how one seees it, or do the properties of the grind/geometry change in a significant way?
I've found the latter to be the case with some makers when comparing their 210 vs 240 mm offerings.
I can't seem to shake the urge to try a Toyama or Watanabe.

As for Takeda, there's a shop in Oslo that carries his knives, but mostly his shorter and smaller models. No cleavers or regular gyutos, just Sasanohas, suji/yanagiba and one kiritsuke amongst the longer knives.
Are his knives generally similar in thickness behind the edge?

Thanks for all the helpful input and replies!

 

[dafox]

A cck shipped from Hong Kong is actually a quite reasonable option. Shipping from US stores is commonly around 50$.
How's the edge taking and retention of the 1303?

A fellow knife enthusiast here in Norway, who also happens to be a fantastic sharpener, alerted me to a cleaver IKEA sells for the equivalent of about 15$. Apparently it's made from X50CrMoV15 steel, and he claims the heat treat is actually superior to Wusthof's and that it performs surprizingly well(he has tried a lot of Chinese cleavers). That could be a dirt cheap way of getting a feel for the style of knife.

Regarding the Toyama recommendations, would there be a big difference in performance between the 270 and a 240?
Is it just the height and weight that varies a little/ a lot, depending on how one seees it, or do the properties of the grind/geometry change in a significant way?
I've found the latter to be the case with some makers when comparing their 210 vs 240 mm offerings.
I can't seem to shake the urge to try a Toyama or Watanabe.

As for Takeda, there's a shop in Oslo that carries his knives, but mostly his shorter and smaller models. No cleavers or regular gyutos, just Sasanohas, suji/yanagiba and one kiritsuke amongst the longer knives.
Are his knives generally similar in thickness behind the edge?

Thanks for all the helpful input and replies!

How's the edge taking and retention of the 1303?

I'd say average, very easy to sharpen (it is carbon steel of some unknown type) and lasts a reasonable amount of time, nothing to write home about, but good enough for this home cook.