Would appreciate advice on next knife.

[Miguelito's Blade]

Being new to all of this, I so far have one Japanese knife: an Akifusa 210 mm Migaki Aogami Super (Carbon Steel) Gyuto. I would like to add a petty knife and found this one: https://japanesechefsknife.com/prod...wa-petty-150mm-5-9inch?variant=39359179587681. I would like to hear your opinion of my choice and suggestions about what to get. My budget is $200, give or take.

 

[Benuser]

Just a few thoughts. Pettys have a small contact area with the board, need much more sharpening than a gyuto, their life span is rather short and are relatively expensive as their production doesn't require much less labour hours.They are likely to be used with fruit. I'm a carbon lover but do need one stainless knife, and a petty is the most indicated. I would look for a 180mm one: again, longer contact area and better edge retention; greater versatility.
The one I use the most is a unexpensive, boring but very practical Misono 440 180 'slicer'. It has a normally sized handle which isn't that common. With other knives I hardly care, but with a petty it's rather essential.
Using the questionnaire will help you in getting the best advices.
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/the-which-knife-should-i-buy-questionnaire-v2.12791/

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

LOCATION
What country are you in?

USA

KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)? Petty, but I am open to suggestions.

Are you right or left handed? Right

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

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)? Depends entirely on the type of knife I decide on.

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no) No, I prefer carbon.

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? $200 range, give or take.

KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment? At 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.) I would be slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, trimming meats, etc.

What knife, if any, are you replacing? A western knife similar to a 150 mm petty knife.

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
I have always used a hammer grip, but now I am trying to break an old habit and learn to use the 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.) Slicing, chopping.

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.) Hold an edge, be relatively easy to sharpen.

Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)? I prefer soft carbon steel clad in stainless, or simply carbon steel. I prefer the traditional Wa handle.

Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)? Weight, balance, and handle shape. A lighter knife with good balance.

Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)? Use out of the box. Push cutting is a habit I am striving to change for slicing. Ease of sharpening is important but not a deal breaker.

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)? I really am a beginner in all this so I don't know what to expect from a Japanese knife. I would like the blade to last a reasonable amount of time.



KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.) End grain wood

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

If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.) Yes

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) Yes



SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS

 

[gentiscid]

In that price get a Takamura petty 150mm

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

In that price get a Takamura petty 150mm

Sorry but the handle, though beautiful, is too western for my taste. I just found this one.

Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan White Steel No.2 Wa Series Wa Petty (135mm and 150mm, 2 Sizes). What do you guys make of it?

 

[AT5760]

I've got one of these in 165mm. It probably sees more use in my house than any other knife as I use it as an all around utility knife when I'm cutting just a couple of things. Unless I'm doing in-hand work, I don't feel the need to go any shorter.

https://carbonknifeco.com/products/gihei-nashiji-blue-2-petty-150mm

 

[tostadas]

You can also order a TF with a Wa-handle

https://www.teruyasu.net/products/japanese_knife_paring_nashiji.htmlhttps://www.teruyasu.net/products/japanese_knife_paring_maboroshi.html

 

[Infrared]

That Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan looks like a good knife.

You should also consider a Wakui stainless clad petty (with White #2 core). Upkeep should be much easier.

https://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=95734
Edit: The Gihei and Fujiwara are also stainless clad. All good choices.

 

[adam92]

Sorry but the handle, though beautiful, is too western for my taste. I just found this one. View attachment 169547Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan White Steel No.2 Wa Series Wa Petty (135mm and 150mm, 2 Sizes). What do you guys make of it?

I own severally Furinkazan knives, I can say that they F&F is much better than others brand in the same price range, Also, steel heat treat very nice, easy to sharpen. I said go for it, you won’t regret.

Koki is a best vendor I’ve ever met. I been buying from him since 2016.

 

[ModRQC]

S. Tanaka 150mm utility makes more sense than many if you ask me. Nice width to the blade, somewhat of a crossing with a Honesuki in shape and a grind that makes the best of it.

Otherwise the best utility I ever used was a Futana S3 Bunka. 174/43. If going to use mostly on board longer and wider makes more sense to me.

And yet a Victo petty makes perfect practical sense also.

Not saying these fit you, just saying that to make them worth their price tag, it sometimes helps to think outside of the box unless that box is exactly where you want to be.

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

S. Tanaka 150mm utility makes more sense than many if you ask me. Nice width to the blade, somewhat of a crossing with a Honesuki in shape and a grind that makes the best of it.

Otherwise the best utility I ever used was a Futana S3 Bunka. 174/43. If going to use mostly on board longer and wider makes more sense to me.

And yet a Victo petty makes perfect practical sense also.

Not saying these fit you, just saying that to make them worth their price tag, it sometimes helps to think outside of the box unless that box is exactly where you want to be.

Thanks for the response. I will check those out. I am working diligently to become competent enough to take take care of my own sharpening, but I have a hard time aligning my body at the proper angle as I am in a wheelchair and have to work while seated. Nonetheless, I continue to work on beater knives and, whether realistic or not, my goal remains to be able to sharpen the good knives I acquire by the time they need sharpening. We'll see.

 

[stringer]

Thanks for the response. I will check those out. I am working diligently to become competent enough to take take care of my own sharpening, but I have a hard time aligning my body at the proper angle as I am in a wheelchair and have to work while seated. Nonetheless, I continue to work on beater knives and, whether realistic or not, my goal remains to be able to sharpen the good knives I acquire by the time they need sharpening. We'll see.

I have a few pointers as a chef who increasingly can't stand or walk very much but still want to mess around with knives.

You might try sharpening "in hand". You hold your whetstone in one hand and your knife in the other hand. It takes some getting used to (watch your fingertips). Medium sized whetstones that are thick or mounted to a small wood block are easiest to get the hang of it. The benefit is you don't need a work surface. And both hands work together to figure out the best angle. It doesn't rely on body position at all. With enough practice you could do it upside down and blindfolded. Tough for thinning and damage repair but once you get the hang of it not impossible. I'm temporarily unable to stand or walk for a few months due to a foot and ankle surgery. But I can't kick the sharpening thing cold turkey. Sharpening in hand allows me to play with my knives and razors without needing to be vertical.





Another good touch up option is a fine ceramic honing rod. The one I have is the white 12" Mac. There are many others out there. The key is to practice getting a nice angle control and using a very delicate touch. The ceramic will quickly cut a fresh new nanobevel any time you need it without raising much of a burr. Get the knife professionally freshened up every couple of years and you're set.



You can also try stropping in hand with a strop on a block.

 

[Jovidah]

If you're in a wheelchair and forced to remain seated you might want to ignore half the knife advice related to length, profile or shapes. The ergonomics are going to be vastly different from all the other people here who cut standing up.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

If you're in a wheelchair and forced to remain seated you might want to ignore half the knife advice related to length, profile or shapes. The ergonomics are going to be vastly different from all the other people here who cut standing up.

This may be a good point. My wife has serious hip and knee issues that force her to do a lot of kitchen chores in a chair. Especially cutting that takes some time. Now, yes, she's always been prone to smaller knives but with her situation, she's really enjoying a tall 150mm petty as her "chef" knife.

As to sharpening, @Miguelito's Blade when you say you're having a hard time "aligning your body to the proper angle" what does that mean? When I sharpen, be it seated or standing, I have the stone more or less centered and perpendicular to my body. No angling, so that's why I ask.

And kudos for keeping at it. You'll get it.

 

[chefwp]

How do you like your Akifusa gyuto? I ask because I have two petties of that same line and I think they are great. You could get both an 80mm and a 135mm for about 200 bucks I think.

 

[Delat]

Personally I like stainless or stain-resistant for a petty since it gets used for citrus which can be tough on high-carbon. AS is a good compromise and I like my stainless-clad Y Kato AS which was around $175; it’s also available as an iron clad if that’s your jam.

Shiro Kamo iron clad AS is a heck of a value. And Home Butcher has a discount code of “Foolmeonce” right now, not sure how much it’s for.
https://homebutcher.com/products/shiro-kamo-aogami-super-150mm-petty?_pos=4&_sid=3a7466779&_ss=r
Here’s a Yoshikane 150 in stainless-clad SKD that I’d grab right now before prices go up if I didn’t already have the Y Kato.
https://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=86373
The Yoshi and Kato are very thin and you definitely don’t want to whacking away with them all willy-nilly. My wife has a tough Tsunihisa stainless that holds up to that sort of abuse. I don’t know about the Kamo - my R2 gyuto from him is a robust midweight but I’ve seen a lot of posts describing his more recent work in AS as being very thin.