recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

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TallDrinkOfWater
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recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by TallDrinkOfWater »

Hi everyone-

I'd like to buy a going-away gift for a good friend of mine. She's a regular and enthusiastic home cook; she has a typical set of generic German knives (Wustoff or similar, I don't recall exactly), and it's time to add at least one less-generic Japanese knife.

[I've found a local engraver with knife experience (sometimes used by a local knife shop), who will be laser-etching her last name onto the blade; it's a Japanese name with an easily-found/verified Kanji representation, so I don't need to mess around with a katakana approximation.]

Her info below:

1)Pro or home cook?
Home

2)What kind of knife do you want? (Gyuto, Santuko, Petty, Paring, Sujihiki, etc.)
Gyuto or Santuko (more of a gyuto-like profile regardless of the actual designation of the knife; see my preliminary list at the bottom of this post for an idea of what I mean).

3) What size knife do you want?
180mm -- my friend is of smaller stature and has relatively small hands and a constrained kitchen space. My own recent experience with a 180mm gyuto (and I have big hands and a bigger space!) has won me over to that size for many home cooks.

4)How much do you want to spend?
~$200 or maybe a little more

5) Do you prefer all stainless, stainless clad over reactive carbon, or all reactive carbon construction?
Stainless clad over carbon would be ideal. As a first Japanese blade, having a full reactive blade seems like I'd be gifting a burden.

6)Do you prefer Western or Japanese handle?
Probably Japanese, mostly so it stands out as more distinct from the German knives she has now.

7)What are your main knife/knives now?
Wustoff or Henkels or some similar box-store "set"

8)Are your knife skills excellent, good, fair?
Her knife skills, from what I've seen, are good.

9)What cutting techniques do you prefer? Are you a rocker, chopper or push/pull cutter?
I haven't cooked with her recently enough to know or remember. Given the profile of her existing knives, I'd guess rocker, but maybe with a flatter-bellied knife that would evolve more towards push/pull (??)

10)Do you know how to sharpen?
She does not. I've found a sharpener near her new home who does hand sharpening on water stones and will refer her there.


Right now, here are my possibilities:

Kanehiro AS Gyuto 180mm $230 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kaasgy18.html
Masakage Shimo Gyuto 180mm $195 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/mashgy18.html
Masakage Yuki Gyuto 180mm $176 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/mayugy18.html
Yoshimitsu AS Santoku 180mm $215 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yosa.html
Kurosaki AS Gyuto 180mm $219.95 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kuasgy18.html

The Kanehiro AS is my leading candidate right now. It's unfortunately the most expensive of the bunch, but that's okay. The Masakage Yuki looks great too, and I do like that the blade is a little thinner at the heel. Both have relatively flat bellies, which I'd prefer.

The Masakage Shimo is beautiful but it's a full-reactive blade which might be too much maintenance.

Any strong feelings/preferences about these? Thanks in advance.
thetoe
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Re: recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by thetoe »

I would do santoku and this would be my pick in that price range.

Fujin : https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kufuvgsa16.html This one sure is a looker.

Makoto Ryusei : https://www.chefknivestogo.com/maryassa17.html I haven't gotten hands on one, but this would be on my shortlist.

Masakage Yuki : https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yukisantoku.html Don't let the price fool you. The yuki's are one hell of a knife!

The yuki is so easy to recommend here. Only thing about the yuki..The handle, while beautiful and grippy, might not be for everyone. It's unfinished or raw compared to most knives and will get "fuzzy" on you if you don't treat it. Other than that I don't think you could go wrong between these.
slensgra
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Re: recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by slensgra »

I have liked my Harukaze AS wa 180 gyuto, unfortunately it is out of stock at present, but maybe it will be back.
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TallDrinkOfWater
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Re: recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by TallDrinkOfWater »

thetoe wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2020 12:36 pm I would do santoku and this would be my pick in that price range.
Why specifically would you pick a santoku? I have 2 and rarely reach for them; when I do I mostly wished I'd picked something else. I appreciate the small size but a small gyuto, tall petty, or in the case of some veggies, a nakiri, are almost always better choices.

Santokus are fine, just not very fun (to me) and I'm hoping to give a gift that will be a go-to selection in the future.
Bob Z
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Re: recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by Bob Z »

I agree a 165 Santoku might not fit the bill for a 180 chefs knife. I also have a few of them and they just aren't on par with a 180 gyuto.

Your Kanehiro choice is good. Have the bunka version of that knife and it cuts and looks great. Unfortunately a few of your choices are OOS. Adding to the oos pile i would recommend the Anyru blue#2 hammered. Have the 210 version of it and its a great knife.
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/anbl2hagy18.html
thetoe
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Re: recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by thetoe »

Your mileage may vary. I love santokus, and I have experience gifting knives. From what I've seen a lot of people like them. You also put in your OP that you were open to santoku's. Add to that, there are more in stock at the moment. If it's not something your interested in why list it in #2 under "What kind of knife to you want?"?
TallDrinkOfWater
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Re: recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by TallDrinkOfWater »

thetoe wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2020 11:14 am Your mileage may vary. I love santokus, and I have experience gifting knives. From what I've seen a lot of people like them. You also put in your OP that you were open to santoku's. Add to that, there are more in stock at the moment. If it's not something your interested in why list it in #2 under "What kind of knife to you want?"?
I’m open to santokus, definitely. I’m mostly just curious as to your particular reasons. The primary issue is that I find the typical 165mm/170mm length slightly too small; 180mm minimum is really the target. (And if I could find a ~190-195mm for this particular use it would be perfect but such a thing doesn’t really seem to exist.)

The santoku that I list in my examples is 180mm and more pointed, lacking the more rounded nose that I usually associate with the type; if it wasn’t labeled as a santoku, I would have called it a gyuto. (I own a similar one that the maker/vendor in Kyoto also called a santoku so I’m guessing it has more to do with the size than the profile).

Anyway, I really do appreciate your suggestions, all of which I’m considering. Something in the 180mm length is really more likely at this particular time, but that’s not for sure. And there will always be more gifting opportunities!
thetoe
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Re: recommendation for 180mm gift (first Japanese knife)

Post by thetoe »

Right on, sorry,looks like I jumped the gun after re-reading your OP. I have a found that I enjoy the smaller and taller santoku's vs a lot of my larger knives. Could be my small kitchen and board. They just seem nimble and perfectly suited for most of the stuff im cooking. That said, I have not tried a 180-200mm gyuto! I may love it and sell my santoku's!
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