Looking for a knife recommendation

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wxchef10
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Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

I am not a professional, but I love to prep, cook, and I love knives. I've only found this site recently and want to upgrade a few pieces in my arsenal.

1)Pro or home cook?
Home
2)What kind of knife do you want? (Gyuto, Santuko, Petty, Paring, Sujihiki, etc.)
Gyuto or Bunka
3) What size knife do you want?
210mm gyuto or 160-165mm bunka
4)How much do you want to spend?
under $300, preferably under $250
5) Do you prefer all stainless, stainless clad over reactive carbon, or all reactive carbon construction?
stainless clad over reactive carbon or all reactive
6)Do you prefer Western or Japanese handle?
Japanese
7)What are your main knife/knives now?
Wustof Classic knife set
2 Miyabe Birchwood: 240mm chef knife and 127mm utility
3 Shun Classic: 178mm santoku, 165mm nakiri, 228mm slicing
Shun premier 114mm honesuki
Shun Kanzo 178mm utility
Shun Blue Steel 140mm petty
Global 178mm vege (don’t like handle)
Aritsugu Wagokoro-Santoku 178mm stainless clad carbon steel from Kyoto. This is really a souvenir from my trip and not sure I want to use it…but I should.
8)Are your knife skills excellent, good, fair?
good
9)What cutting techniques do you prefer? Are you a rocker, chopper or push/pull cutter?
depends on the food, all three really
10)Do you know how to sharpen?
have stones, but have not tried. Want to learn and perfect skill.

Thank you in advance!
Carlo
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by Carlo »

Welcome!
You’ve clearly got a lot of knives now, but I don’t have a sense of what you feel like you’re missing in your current lineup or what you feel like you think you might be drawn to ...for example a “laser” that slips through even hard vegetables with little effort versus a knife with a thick spine and a balance point well forward of the heel that would beg to be chopped with. Or perhaps you’re open to either and looking for something that pleases you aesthetically?
Maybe let us know what’s caught your eye so far?
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Altadan
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by Altadan »

+1 on what Carlo said.

But just to set you off, here are three knives, all middleweights, that get little else than praise:
a) all reactive Mazaki Gyuto, in W#2 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yashhagy21.html (there is also a Kurouchi version, which is excellent, though the coating has some drag to it)

b) all reactive Tanaka Damascus, in B#2 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tanakagyuto2.html (there are also customized handled ones on site)

c) stainless clad Anryu Hammered, in B#2 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/anhagy21.html

These are only three, and they are middleweights, for reference.
Tell us whatcha think
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wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

Good questions. I think I am looking for a 'laser' and something interesting to look at with character and chiseled kanji. Excellent fit and finish and comfortable feel with plenty of use. I am left handed and have small hands. I regret some of my earlier purchases (not from here), such as the global, one of the cheaper Miyabi knives, and the granton edge knives. My shun have been 'chippy' and I am very careful. That is why I am looking for something special to add to my collection...something that I will really enjoy using. I can give some of my knives to my daughter as she starts to cook...she is only 14.

In the bunka group, have been looking at the:
Yahiko Sanjo White #2 Nashiji Bunka 165mm
Kanehiro AS Bunka 165mm
Masakage Yuki Bunka 170mm
Masakage Koishi Bunka 170mm

In the gyuto group,
Anryu B#2 Hammered 210mm (as suggested by Altadan above)
Anryu AS Gyuto 210mm
Masakage Koishi Gyuto 210mm
Makoto W#2 Gyuto 210mm

I've been looking for days and it is becoming mind-boggling. Thank you for your help and suggestions. Let me know what you think!
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Altadan
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by Altadan »

This might be left field, but small hands, short-ish blade, laser... Reactive? All these sound like a Konosuke is in order. Only, maybe making the budget is a challenge here... The MM B#2 (lovely flat profile with nice sweeping tip) is $325... The Fujiyama FM B#2 Laurel (an extremely pleasurable blade) is $349 (and out of stock at the moment).
Sorry! I didn't mean to add confusion, or stretch your budget! My apologies!

Others will join in and help you narrow it down.
Tell us, perhaps, what is about the globals that you didn't like?
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
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wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

I will check those out, but to answer your question, I don't care for the handle of the global...slippery if wet and not that comfortable to hold for a long time. Not too large for my hand though. Veg sticks to the blade.
gladius
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by gladius »

Get a Kanehiro stainless-clad AS Bunka and enjoy a great performing knife.

If you want all stainless another high performing knife is the Shibata Bunka. Both are within budget
Cutuu
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by Cutuu »

Laser = Shibata, and it's in your price range.
wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

Unfortunately I did like the Konosuke MM B#2 Gyuto 210mm, just a bit afraid of the full reactive as I have never had a knife like that. The Shibata Kotetsu AS Gyuto 210mm looked nice too. Still considering my earlier options from the other message. Other thoughts?
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Jeff B
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by Jeff B »

All the knives you mentioned from Anryu, Masakage and Makoto are great selections. Kinda comes down to what is really calling your name.
The Konsuke MM is a very good knife but will require some extra care if you're up to it.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

The Konosuke is very appealing, but for the money, I could get a Masakage Yuki Gyuto 210mm and an Anryu B#2 Bunka 170mm! I thought I had narrowed it down to a gyuto and no bunka.

I like the following...besides not cutting hard items or bone, etc...are there any restrictions for any of these? How much care is there for an all reactive knife beyond wiping it after each cutting and making sure it is dry? I am quite inexperienced with reactive knives.
Konosuke MM B#2 Gyuto 210mm
Shibata Kotetsu AS Gyuto 210mm
Kanehiro AS Gyuto 210mm
Masakage Yuki Gyuto 210mm
Masakage Koishi Gyuto 210mm

Thanks so much
Radar53
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by Radar53 »

It's worth considering a Shibata Kashima https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shkagy21cu.html and also a Shibata bunka as gladius has suggested above. Both of these are in R2 steel which is a fully stainless PM steel, which Shibata heat treats very well. They take a great edge and it seems to last & and are not difficult to sharpen. The Kashima never spends much time out of my rotation.

The other knife that came into my thinking is the Konosuke Swedish https://www.chefknivestogo.com/koswstgy21.html Fully stainless and one of my top three gyutos.

I also have the Anryu B#2, which is more of a workhorse and I like that a lot too.

Just a couple of other options to think about
Cheers Grant

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lsboogy
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by lsboogy »

I'd check out the Matsubara B2 210 as well. I have one, and my review is the latest one (Andrew)
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/manabl2gy24c.html
They are tall knives for their length (makes doing product quicker with bigger ingredients, and they take an edge that will make you leave your other knives on the rack. If I was cooking at home, and I had smaller counter space, it would be worth looking into. And if it's only going to get used for meals at home, it would probably need nothing but a strop session once a month or so Well balanced knives (I pinch grip - and it is slightly blade heavy - even with a piece of metal shoved in the rear of the handle - Carter Hopkins gave me the idea - it helped for me - I like blade light knives for some odd reason), takes a wonderful patina (cut a bag of onions for practice when you get a reactive knife edge) - it makes the knife almost carefree - plus they are just plain good looking knives. I used mine yesterday on a couple boxes of zucchinis (diagonal pull cuts), easy peezzee
wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

That is a beautiful knife Andrew. Anybody know about Moritaka AS Gyuto 210mm? I am concerned about the weight of the Matsubara.
Right now, I am leaning to two knives a bunka and a 210 gyuto. For the bunka, I am down to either the Anryu AS Bunka 170mm or the Masakage Yuki W2 Bunka 170mm.
For the gyuto, I am not really close to a decision. I think that any knife I pick will be better than what I have in my current collection. I'm not sure that I want a laser anymore...I want a great knife that really moves through product, keeps an edge and easy to sharpen since I have no experience with stones yet. Trying to stay away from the $300 knives since I'm looking at getting two knives now.

I appreciate the advice as I am really lost. I like many of those listed in this thread, but I think I've ruled out the big shibata laser knives.
wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

Also, I really liked the Konosuke MM B#2 gyuto because of the good flat spot at back and a bit of a belly at the tip. I tend to rock, chop, and push/pull depending on what I am working with.
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lsboogy
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by lsboogy »

What do you rock chop wx? I seem to use rocking on very little any more (pull cut soft veg and proteins, push cut hard veg, and chop a few ingredients). About the only thing I rock chop any more are herbs - can get yelled at and answer back while doing them, and occasional other items. You might well find that a knife can improve you choice of cuts and techniques at the same time. I still have a fascination with Sabatier profiled blades (they can rock/push/pull/and chop) - I'm getting one custom made by CHII for my Xmas present - but as I work more around product I find myself rocking a lot less - and kono blades just seem to be among the best around. I'd either think about a Kono or something in that line, or a knife that has less belly (where I'm moving) - welcome and if you get a matsubara and don't like it, I'll buy it from ya. Great food release, excellent grind, tall enough that I don't need to look down when using it, and I think I just lucked out - purchased on a whim. Try doing more pull cutting with most veg - one of the best pieces of advice I've ever had
wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

Now that you ask, I don't rock chop a heck of a lot anymore...herbs and getting finer onions, garlic mincing, etc. I get according cuts often from my current knives and have to do extra work to get stuff small. Is the Matsubara heavy for long periods of work? I have small hands.
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by lsboogy »

the Matsubara is kind of a medium weight knife, but you mention owning Miyabi and Shun blades. I think the Matsubara is a bit lighter than them, but mark a
So sells some blindingly light knives - my kohetsu 210's are both sub 5 oz blades, and one with sock handle is less than 4 1/2 oz. and you could always turn your shun into a rocking knife

I think a Wusthof Classic 8 inch knife weighs about 12 oz for comparison - most of the stuff Mark sells is very light
wxchef10
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by wxchef10 »

After more research, I am now leaning to the following gyuto blades in 210mm size:
Kanehiro AS or Makoto Ryusei AS or Anryu B#2 Hammered
The Yahiko W#2 Nashkiji and the Makoto W#2 are both OOS, but impressive.

I have a nakiri (Shun), but really like the look of the tall nakiri from Masakage Yuki. I would get that or the bunka.

Any thoughts or other recommendations?
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Re: Looking for a knife recommendation

Post by gladius »

wxchef10 wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2019 5:30 pm After more research, I am now leaning to the following gyuto blades in 210mm size:
Kanehiro AS or Makoto Ryusei AS or Anryu B#2 Hammered
The Yahiko W#2 Nashkiji and the Makoto W#2 are both OOS, but impressive.

I have a nakiri (Shun), but really like the look of the tall nakiri from Masakage Yuki. I would get that or the bunka.

Any thoughts or other recommendations?
---
All good knives. I sold my Kanehiro gyutos (still have my Yuki) but kept the Bunka - great knife. I also sold my Anryu B#2 but kept my Mizu and Anryu AS. My Makoto AS gyuto I use often and is my favorite of those you listed just edging (pun intended) out the Anryu AS.
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