Need 240mm carbon gyuto recommendation

[cpentak4]

I have been extensively researching wa gyutos for the past few months. My 30th birthday is coming up and this is going to be my wife's gift to me.

I initially was sold on a super aogami, or possible blue 2, clad knife. Then I came across a kramer zwilling 10 inch 52100 yesterday and kind of loved it. Was not expecting to, but I love the look of it, when I held it it felt great in my hand, and I cut up a potato with it and overall it was fantastic. I also kind of love how huge it is.

So now I am torn. From my research I understand the kramer zwilling 10in, which I can get for $300 shipped, could probably be matched or outstripped by a lot of the knives on CKTG in the $200 range.

Here's my filled out questionnaire:

1)Pro or home cook?

Home

2)What kind of knife do you want? (Gyuto, Santuko, Petty, Paring, Sujihiki, etc.)

Gyuto

3) What size knife do you want?

240mm

4)How much do you want to spend?

$300ish

5) Do you prefer all stainless, stainless clad over reactive carbon, or all reactive carbon construction?

Carbon clad or full carbon

6)Do you prefer Western or Japanese handle?

Japanese

7)What are your main knife/knives now?

Global 8-in

8)Are your knife skills excellent, good, fair?

Somewhere between fair and good probably.

9)What cutting techniques do you prefer? Are you a rocker, chopper or push/pull cutter?

Push/pull

10)Do you know how to sharpen?

I'm a novice but have been successful getting my Global nice and sharp.

I think my biggest take away from the kramer zwilling is that I not only want a knife that performs well but a knife that looks awesome. Ability to get ridiculously sharp outweighs edge retention for me because I will just be using it a couple times a day at home. I don't think I want a true lazer, but something that can be a work horse and also has a nice tip for more refined work.

I have my eye on the Masakagi koishi 240mm right now, but at $320 and with a saya being necessary (my knife block is too small) that might be getting a bit steep for me. Or are there reasonably priced knife blocks out there that would fit a 240mm gyuto? On the lower end of my price range I have been seriously considering the Gihei blue 2.

I feel like I've over researched this and my list of contenders is so long it's become useless. Recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[snipes]

Can one assume that in stock is also a (realistic) requirement with your bday approaching? One came to mind but is OOS so I'll exclude it. It's also on the high end of your budget. I'd forget about the wood block and go the saya route or just keep it in the little box they come in. You could always have a custom saya made for it down the road as well.

[jared]

You can get a way better knife with way better steel for 300 than a kramer

[cpentak4]

@snipes yeah I'm really only looking for in-stock right now as Im going to pull the trigger soon. I have had my eye on a couple that are out of stock or that have gone out of stock while I was considering it lol

@jared That's what I figured. That's why I'm here!

[cpentak4]

@snipes Yes, in stock is preferred though I am interested in hearing oos recommendations if there is something worth waiting for.

@jared That's what I figured. That's why I'm here!

[J david]

If you are looking for a full carbon in stock and in your price range, a couple come to mind. First is the Angry Damascus KU http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kaankusugy24.html
I don't own this knife, but I do have another by him. This one is on my want list and if it performs like his others, it will be a keeper.
This Tanaka is one that I have and is a solid performer.
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/tanakagyuto1.html
It is a good knife for the money but it is a little more reactive than average. You just need to keep it wiped down while in use.
I've never used that zwilling so I can't compare performance.

[gladius]

The Kraemer is a fantastic knife! Excellent distal taper makes it a true workhorse with a fine tip. 52100 gets super sharp - as sharp as Hitachi steels.

See...
http://kitchenknifeguru.com/bob-kramer- ... hef-knife/

It is a very good choice imo. I love mine.

[cpentak4]

@gladius How do you store yours?

[mauichef]

The Koishi is one of my favorite knives. I know of few others that perform at this level for this price. It also runs long so maybe you could use a 210 and come in at budget (without saya).

Another knife I have really been enjoying is the new Kohetsu Shinano 210mm gyuto.
It comes as a 240 as well. http://www.chefknivestogo.com/koshbl2gy24.html
It was recently the subject of a pass round and I liked it enough to buy it.
Good looks, sure footed, solid feel. Excellent fit and finish. Sharpens really easily. It is a great all rounder that I could use every day with a smile on my face.
And costs just over $200 with a really nice semi custom handle.

[gladius]

Fits in my block. It also fits well in a cleaver stand.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/weclst.html

I use it way more often than my Koishi.

[J david]

I believe the Koishi is stainless clad BTW, if you are looking for a full carbon.

[easilver]

+1 on the Tanaka Sekiso. One of my favorite knives.

[delmar]

I have used the kramer before and was surprised at how it performed - in a good way. Only had it for a weekend, so don't know about sharpening. Gladius would know better since he owns one. But I do remember a balance point a bit further back than I usually experience, but it wasn't a bother. Fit and finish was uber good. Handle pretty big, well done.

The only negative I remember was that the profile and angle of the handle were peculiar visually to me. Could have just been unique to me, so don't let me sway you. Either way, proof is always in performance to me, and the knife did very well at a brief adjustment. Would I pick different knives at the price point? Yeah. But that's me.

I will say that you might find a bit 'o bias on these forums against bigger makers. Folks tend to embrace the 'small guy' a little easier. Just sayin...

[Dmiller]

Have you given any thought to the Masakage Yuki? http://www.chefknivestogo.com/mayugy24.html

If I were buying my first Gyuto, I would give that knife a lot of consideration. You can also get both that knife and a saya. If you are worried about storage, you could try clearing out a kitchen drawer and using that for your knives. That is what I do

Oh and what kind of cutting board do you use?

[jprezfe]

I only got the chance to play with the Kramer for about 10 minutes so this is just my take on this. The knife was an impressive sight but I thought I wouldn't like the profile but I was surprised. Mark also carries a lot of impressive knives and you have a healthy budget. However you held the Kramer in your hand, you play with it and it "felt right". Again while many of Mark's knife could outperform the Kramer you might not feel that connection...initially, I have knives that I wasn't that impress from the get go but love them now. The Gihei it is indeed a great knife well under your budget, whIle I haven't put it through a heavy prep day at work, I can say that all the reviews are accurate.

[snipes]

There has been quite a bit of good information in this thread. After thinking about it some more, I'd suggest going with the Kramer if you really did find it that enjoyable. There is no question the knife is a looker, 52100 is a really cool steel and if the performance stands up as it sounds like it does, I say go that route and be happy. I think that would be a great bday present. When you get the itch to compliment it with something like a petty stop back in and give a full on japanese blade a try.

[cpentak4]

Thanks for all the advice! I did end up ordering the Kramer. I'm typically a must-get-maximum-bang-for-buck kind of person, but I just gotta trust my gut on this one. Also, I have a feeling I'll end up getting a 210mm gyuto down the line to replace my Global.

Oh, and for the person who asked about my board - I have a Michigan Maple Block end grain board.

[jprezfe]

Welcome to the sharp side
Congratulationson on your pick. There are plenty of fine knowledgeable people here to help you pick your next 10 knives, I mean your next and last knife.

[jbart65]

The Kramer is quite impressive based on my limited experience with it. The Japanese influence is obvious, and of course it's made in Seki, Japan. Cuts exceedingly well and is lighter than it looks. Much more fluent tip than German stand-bys.

I did find that it was overpriced at list and the profile had too much belly for me. For my cutting style the Koishi is a much better match and I don't really like European-style handles anymore. That's more because of the choice of material than the shape, however. I own a Messermeister Olive Stealth Elite that has an olivewood handle shaped like a traditional German knife. Really nice.

I do think you should get a traditional Japanese gyuto at some point to see what they are all about. Or see if that local store will let you try a few out. I used to bring my own produce to a local shop. They would let me cut it up on their board. Just be aware that some knives might not be at peak sharpness, depending on whether they let customers use them.