Stainless Santoku Under $200

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Marc,

I called in and was asked to email you. I know you are busy and I am sure you get lots of these emails but I will make this as efficient as possible for you. I did quite a lot of research on your website and narrowed down some options I think might fit my need so I thought id give you my requirements and see which if any of your thoughts show up on the list I came up with.

I am looking for a Short Santoku or Gyuto no more than 175-180MM in length.

It needs to be as sharp as possible right out of the box or something that if using your sharpening service prior to shipping will require as little maintenance as possible.

It needs to be a steel that wont rust or patina and the stiffer the better.

I am mainly push pull and a chopper but do rocking time to time for herbs. But I focus very heavily on skirt steak, meaty fish and chicken.

I do not want something cheap but I also do not want to spend more than $200. …oh and I certainly do not mind a little bit of bling.

Id love to hear your best recommendation.

Thank you kindly in advance.

Best,
Jordan

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Hi Jordan,

What kind of handle would you prefer? Western or Japanese?

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Marc,

Thank you so much for the prompt reply. I am open to either but I would probably lean towards a Japanese Handle.

Jordan

[ChefKnivesToGo]

A couple stainless gyutos I like for you:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kavgnagy18.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/makivggy18.html

If you prefer santokus here are a couple I think you would enjoy

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kagisa16.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kohetsu1.html

[Lepus]

This is a somewhat difficult request. A lot of the things you want are unfortunately at odds. A stainless steel is often not as tough as its reactive counterparts at high hardness and part of maximum retention is steel hardness. You're going to be using the knife to chop herbs at some points, so you definitely want something tough. I think the Kanehiro Ginsan is a pretty good middle of the road choice as asked. It does leave a little edge retention on the table, but ginsan is a tougher knife steel and the grind and performance on the Kanehiros is excellent.

Personally I would consider something in aogami super in your place, maybe a Kurosaki. It's not a particularly rust prone steel, though it certainly will patina. The Kurosaki I linked is only reactive near the edge and features a stainless steel jacket to keep rust more limited, a common feature. AS is pretty optimized as far as toughness and retention are concerned and a lot of blacksmiths do very well with it these days.

Inevitably the knife will of course dull. Above all else and regardless of any knife you do or do not buy I would suggest you consider how you will handle that. I will always suggest a cheaper knife and a sharpening stone over just a knife to anyone willing to listen. A dull Kanehiro vs a sharp Kohetsu SLD, or even a Victorinox Fibrox, is no contest.

[Musashi]

Hi Jordan,

This addition comes a bit late in the conversation. If you're in the market for a Santoku in the $200 range maybe consider a Kikuichi. https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kiswwada.html

Now, already this suggestion is above your price range a bit. However, when making a knife purchase - at least one that you'll be happy with - may mean spending a bit more; and it could make all the difference. More expensive does not make better but IMHO - for this Kikuichi the cost difference is well worth the expense.

I have a Kikuichi Santoku 180mm and it performs wonderfully. I do a lot of home prep and have had this knife wet from veg cutting 30-45 minutes at a time with no rust issues. The sharpness of the blade is also quite impressive. My Kikuichi Santoku is one of those knives that will always be in my line up and is irreplaceable. It's one of the best knives I own.

Hope this consideration helps and good hunting.

[gladius]

You will love the Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Santoku 180mm
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kohasa18.html
Top notch performance, super sharp out-of-the-box, stiff, semi-stainless so you have an easy to care for blade that is tough and long lasting yet sharpens like a carbon - the best of both and under budget and in-stock. The core steel will patina as it is semi-stainless but the cladding is stainless. You won’t have to fuss too much about keeping it wiped all the time. Just use it and enjoy it.

Here is a photo of mine which I really like using...

viewtopic.php?p=29648#p29648

[jbart65]

I've got the 170 Kanehiro santoku for my wife. Super knife. Does give up some retention, as Lepus notes, but stainless and quite sharp with the occasional touchup. Resharpens easier than other stainless steels.

That said, a santoku is not the best for rocking herbs. Most tend to be better choppers than rockers. I also find a 170 santoku on the smaller side to cut larger pieces of cooked meat or even big carrots.

I'd recommend a 210 on the thinner and lighter side. Perhaps a Tanaka VG10.

But if a smaller knife is what you want, the Kanehiro or an AS stainless clad knife would still do the job. Look at the profiles closely, though, to make sure it has enough belly for rocking.