Looking for my first japanese kife

[oakroot]

Please guide me finding a knife with my preferences, thank you!

----------------

Pro cook but this is for home use

Wa Guyoto and prefer with kurouchi/tsuchime finish and Kiritsuke shape if possible.

21cm

Around 250$

Prefer clad but full carbon is also all ok

Japanese handle

Have a few german chef knifes in various sizes, mostly stainless.
This will be my first japanese knife and I will most certainly add more quite soon,
next up will be a petty and then an nakiri.

30+ years as a chef my knife skills are pretty good.

95% push/pull cutter

I know how to sharpen and will add some stones with finer grit 1000-6000 and further on a strap.

Been looking at:

Kochi 210mm Kiritsuke Wa Gyuto

Masakage Koishi Gyuto 210mm



I'm located in Sweden so shops in EU or straight from Japan is prefered.

Thank you!

[kirkystyle]

Just pick one. Either one is going to be better than what you are using now. My only recommendation is to start out with stainless cladding and carbon edge. So you can get use to taking care of reactive steel with out taking care of the whole knife being reactive. Think of it as baby steeps. But if one of those 2 knives are calling to you just get one. From your post it sounds like you want the kiritsuke,so just get it. You will most likely end up buying more buy the sound of your post you already have that plan. I will recommend getting the Takeda as your nikiri buying option

[dAviD]

I posted first. On your last post about nakiri.
Definitely get a Takeda NAS.
Masakage knives are excellent but after 6? Takeda knives in a pro kitchen there's more magic to be found.
Even though I sold a bunch of them I always miss every single one of them! The Takeda nakiri is a perfect example of food release.

[oakroot]

The Kochi Kiritsuke-Shaped Wa-Gyuto is sold out at the moment and is exclusive to Japanese Knife Imports.

Any further recomendations on a Kiritsuke Wa-Gyuto with stainless cladding and carbon edge?

How's Matsubara? https://www.chefknivestogo.com/mabl2nabu17.html

How is the Moritaka, it's a 240mm and fully reactive though..

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/moritaka13.html

[gladius]

Have you considered Shibata knives? They are excellent performers made from high quality PM steel.

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shkogy21.html

[ChefKnivesToGo]

This is new to us and it’s a seriously good knife: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kosg2gy24.html

[oakroot]

ok lets start over from the beginning since I get recomendations not in line with what I asked for..

Wa gyuto shaped kiritsuke with kurouchi and/or tsuchime finish

210mm

stainless clad or pure carbon

Thank you!

[Runner_up]

Get a Moritaka 210 Kiritsuke and be done with it. I love mine. Reactivity is not a problem at all.

[lsboogy]

Kiritsuke knives are master chef knives in Japan. I have several but like a more traditional gyuto shape for the most part. Kiritsuke blades tend to be very flat and mostly a showpiece, but that's my 2 cents. And you probably want to spend a good chunk more than $250 if you get a kiritsuke (wonderful knives, but there are not as many made and the prices for equivalent gyutos tend to be a bit lower IMHO). Most of my kiritsukes a are more on the 240-300mm variety, I use them when father in law is "helping" and they see very little use most of the time.

But knives are personal, and my likes (ultra thin Sabatier or a little flatter profile type stuff) will be different than yours. My best chef buddy still uses a Kurosaki 240 Laser every day, and I am still searching for one. But I grew up with Sabatier knives, and have a Richmond AEBL Ultimatum that has been thinned and is my present blade of choice. I can rock, push cut, and slice with the thing and it takes a brutal edge and now is a definite laser cutting machine. You may well find yourself in the rabbit hole with me and many others - have well over 100 chef knives, but I am starting to learn what I really like. Find something that does what cha like and use it - I use my favorite three knives for 99% of everything. And I am going to have a new to me super thinned nakiri soon - should be my beast veg knife. We all cut different, and you will find what suits you if you take the plunge - welcome to our world

[oakroot]

Thanks for the indepth response! I spend way to many hours on the net looking and comparing knives, it starts to look indeed like a rabbit hole

My wish is to combine stellar performance with bad ass aesthetics and at a fantastic price
I will soon bite the bullet and order the first knife in what looks like the start of a useful minor collection.
The search continues..

[itsjun]

I'm have a masakage but it chip quite often.
If you have the budget, you can try Hinoura River jump series

[Leopang]

I would go with masakage. Hands down

[athel]

I know this is a bit late, but if you're still looking OP, here are a few possibilities that nearly meet your requirements:

• Stainless-clad Aogami Super 210mm k-tip gyuto: http://www.knivesandstones.com/sukenari ... uto-210mm/

Meets all your requirements except it doesn't have a KU or tsuchime finish. Great handle, though I can't comment on the particular knife.

• Iron-clad Aogami Super 240mm k-tip gyuto: http://www.knivesandstones.com/shinko-s ... hiro-kamo/

Checks all the boxes except for the size. Great price to boot. As an aside, I prefer 240mm to 210, but it's all personal preference.

[athel]

Both are in stock BTW.