Help me again! This time I want a nakiri.

[abechang23]

Hello everyone,

Really appreciate everyone's input on helping me choose my gyuto and now I'm calling on everyone to help me choose a nakiri. I have never used a nakiri before and I want to get a relatively inexpensive one so I can mess around with the blade shape and have some fun. If I fall in love with the blade shape, my plan is to eventually upgrade to a Takeda but I don't want to jump into something like that unless I actually enjoy using this type of knife.

The most important consideration is that I want something I won't be afraid to use hard. Not necessarily a beater, but something where I won't be afraid to use on jobs I wouldn't want to use my laser on. I've narrowed it down to a few choices that look decent. The price point I'm hoping for is around $150 since this will be mostly an experiment so I'm not trying to break the bank. Here are my options in no particular order. Please feel free to make any suggestions I may have missed.

1. Yamishin Blue #2 165mm https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yabl2na161.html
2. Tsunehisa G3 Migaki 165mm https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tsunehisa4.html
3. Kohetsu Blue #2 Kurouchi 165mm https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kobl2na162.html
4. Kohetsu Blue #2 Nashiji 165mm https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kobl2na16.html
5. Goko White #1 165mm https://www.chefknivestogo.com/gona16.html
6. Yahiko Sanjo White #2 165mm https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yasaw2na16.html
7. Yoshito Saku Blue #2 165mm https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shbl2na16.html

Lot of options here. Obviously I'm not too picky on which type of steel so if you guys think a particular steel type is more suited to this type of knife please let me know.

I'm leaning heavily toward the Yamishin because it has a nice height (approx 55mm). I definitely want something that's at least 50mm for this type of knife. I didn't include the heavily recommended Moritaka because I do want a slight curve toward the tip and this one just seems way too flat. I don't plan to necessarily rock chop but I think something so flat might be slightly les versatile. Also, is there a functional different between the two Kohetsu's? There's a pretty big price difference and I'm wondering if that has to do with performance or just the aesthetic and handle type. I know a lot of you like the Tsunehisa but for some reason, oval handles really feel uncomfortable in my hand. I'm okay with D-shape but a straight oval just doesn't feel right. I recently bought the Masakage Yuki Honesuki which comes with an oval handle and I'm actually in the process of getting a custom handle on it because of how uncomfortable it feels to use. I included it in the list in case anyone wants to really tell me it's worth getting because of how good it is. (Will definitely show pics when it's ready).

Thanks everyone.

[XexoX]

I haven't bought this one, yet, but at only $35, it might be a very inexpensive way to find out if you like a nakiri. A Shibamasa VG5 Stainless Nakiri 165mm. It is 47 mm high, so a tad short, Construction: San Mai, Stamped, Edge Steel: VG5 Stainless Steel, Handle: Walnut Western.

I only mention it cause I keep thinking of getting one myself.

[abechang23]

I haven't bought this one, yet, but at only $35, it might be a very inexpensive way to find out if you like a nakiri. A Shibamasa VG5 Stainless Nakiri 165mm. It is 47 mm high, so a tad short, Construction: San Mai, Stamped, Edge Steel: VG5 Stainless Steel, Handle: Walnut Western.

I only mention it cause I keep thinking of getting one myself.

Haha, that might not be a bad idea. I was looking at some of the really cheap ones like the Tojiro and even the DaoVua but ultimately decided that I want something reasonably decent so if I do like the shape, I'm not in a rush to immediately replace it with something better. Something I can throw into the rotation while I wait for one of the unicorns to come back in stock and not feel itchy for something new while I'm waiting. If I do end up hating the knife style, I'd be okay with giving it to someone as a gift so it's not a huge loss. Basically, I'm betting that I will probably like having a nakiri even if I don't reach for it daily so I'm looking to go a tier higher than the budget options available. Thank you very much though.

[taz575]

Tojiro budget option, all stainless and with a D handle:
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/toshsa16.html

[Qapla']

What do you think of this?

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/katkna18.html

[abechang23]

In my search I came across a vendor who has the Kato Aogami Super 165mm nakiri - I know these are super hard to get and he says he has 2 or 3 in stock. If anyone is interested, send me a PM and I'll give you his contact info. It isn't Hiroshi Kato - it's his son-in-law Yoshimi Kato. Not sure if that makes a huge difference. What are people's thoughts on that?

[Eli Chaps]

My Tsunehisa G3 nakiri gets a workout and I have not for one second regretted buying it.



It sharpens lovely and is the opposite of finicky. It actually led me to a Tsunehisa gyuto. Ginsan is an excellent steel. At this point, I think of buying anything else as "what does it bring different" than my Tsunehisa?

Let me know if you have specific questions.

[jbart65]

I’ve tried dozens of nakiris before finally finding ´the one.´ And I’ve used knives all of the listed makers except for yoshitsu.

If I were buying one of the nakiris listed, I’d likely get the Goko. I prefer taller nakiris and it cuts extremely well. Stainless clad is a must for me. A nakiri is a large blade to wipe down.

Tsunehisa and Kohetsu would also be in my top three. Both are excellent makers. I am partial to blue 2, but ginsan is my favorite stainless metal.

[abechang23]

Thank you to everyone who has given me their opinion so far, I really do appreciate it.

I’ve tried dozens of nakiris before finally finding ´the one.´ And I’ve used knives all of the listed makers except for yoshitsu.

If I were buying one of the nakiris listed, I’d likely get the Goko. I prefer taller nakiris and it cuts extremely well. Stainless clad is a must for me. A nakiri is a large blade to wipe down.

Tsunehisa and Kohetsu would also be in my top three. Both are excellent makers. I am partial to blue 2, but ginsan is my favorite stainless metal.

@jbart56: Very good point with the stainless cladding. Just out of curiosity, what nakiri is your "the one" - I'm assuming it isn't one of the ones I listed above.

The Goko and Yamashin were definitely among my top considerations just due to their blade height. I really think it might be a toss-up between those two at this point with the Tsunehisa in the back because everyone has such nice things to say about it. If it didn't have an oval handle, I think it would definitely be a more serious candidate. I don't know know why, but oval handles just fills my entire hand and it feels bulky.

What were your thoughts on the Yamashin? I've seen some mixed reviews on their white #1 nakiri but haven't been able to find anything about this specific knife. I think the handle looks very cool on this.

And if nobody has tried the Yoshito, maybe I should take one for the team and try it out!

Aaaannnd now I'm basically right back where I started. Haha.

Edit: I actually don't have any knives in white #1 so I might even do the Yamashin white #1 nakiri - it's quite a bit cheaper than the blue 2 version. At just $90 it might be a decent choice to try out a different steel in addition to the new blade shape. Anyone have any idea why the white #1 would be 25% cheaper than it's B2 counterpart? I've always heard the two steels are pretty comparable so I'm confused by such a dramatic price difference.

[jbart65]

My only nakiri now is a Watanabe B2 stainless clad 180. There is no need, to me, for any other. I probably paid around 250 and asked him to send me the lightest one of the batch he was working on at the time.

The best 165 I’ve used is the Yuki.

Yamashin makes a very good knife. The one I used had a nice grind and was not very reactive. I just prefer paying a bit more and getting the best I can get. And as I said, stainless clad was a must for me.

[gladius]

In my search I came across a vendor who has the Kato Aogami Super 165mm nakiri - I know these are super hard to get and he says he has 2 or 3 in stock. If anyone is interested, send me a PM and I'll give you his contact info. It isn't Hiroshi Kato - it's his son-in-law Yoshimi Kato. Not sure if that makes a huge difference. What are people's thoughts on that?

Buy it and don’t look back.

Please send me a PM and I may even get one!

[abechang23]

In my search I came across a vendor who has the Kato Aogami Super 165mm nakiri - I know these are super hard to get and he says he has 2 or 3 in stock. If anyone is interested, send me a PM and I'll give you his contact info. It isn't Hiroshi Kato - it's his son-in-law Yoshimi Kato. Not sure if that makes a huge difference. What are people's thoughts on that?

Buy it and don’t look back.

Please send me a PM and I may even get one!

Okay, you convinced me... I had a feeling this was the one and I just needed a slight nudge. I placed my order and I'm PMing you now.

Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Edit:

Just wanted to give people some details on the knife I decided to go with.

Yoshimi Kato AS 165mm Nakiri Kurouchi, stainless clad.

It's the same line as the Kato AS Nashiji with stainless clad except it has a kurouchi finish instead of the nashiji.

Edge length: 160mm
Heel Height: 51mm
Weight: 136g (it's pretty light)

It does have an oval handle but the vendor is happy to switch it out for a rosewood octagonal handle for me at no additional charge which I'm thrilled by. Will share pics here once I receive it.

[FisherMAn1298]

AS Super is my favorite steel. Also, I'm waiting on an SG2 damascus 210mm gyuto made by him.Here is the nakiri in SG2 but alas it's also out of stock.
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yosg2na.html.

[MattinPA]

I haven't bought this one, yet, but at only $35, it might be a very inexpensive way to find out if you like a nakiri. A Shibamasa VG5 Stainless Nakiri 165mm. It is 47 mm high, so a tad short, Construction: San Mai, Stamped, Edge Steel: VG5 Stainless Steel, Handle: Walnut Western.

I only mention it cause I keep thinking of getting one myself.

Well, I'm taking the plunge. I like nakiris fine, no problem there, but I can't decide which high-ender is a good choice. A couple of weeks ago just for grins I bought a duo of the famous Kiwi nakiri, at six bucks each, a millimeter thick, nicely ground OOTB and a breeze to resharpen which is nice because heilige scheiss do they dull if they see a carrot coming. I exaggerate, of course, they cut like bastards but one stew's worth of prep and they start slowing up. If the Shibamasa is roughly the same with a proper low-end steel that will go for a week or two I may ask for its hand in marriage. If anyone wants a slightly saner budget option I'd recommend the Tojiro bolsterless two-pin model. It's VG-10, a no-frills DP; you can't go wrong.

[Santas_101]

I’m personally not a fan of a western handle nakiri. To me it feels off. It’s like buying a German steel Santoku. Who does that? Well… maybe Rachel Ray, but hopefully no one else lol….

My top 3 165mm nakiri’s are:
1) Takamura Chromax wa handle
2) Masakage Koishi, Masakage Yuki is very similar just W2
3) Shigefusa Swedish Carbon

But I’m also a fan of the longer 180mm

My top three at 180mm
1) Takada No Hamono Suiboko Ginsan
2) Watanabe Blue2
3) Kochi V2 Stainless Clad

[XexoX]

... Well… maybe Rachel Ray, but hopefully no one else lol….

Wait, you mean my Rachel Ray knives, which I've never used, are crap? You learn something new every day.

[packster]

Santa, I have the Yuki and the Wat, not the others. But I have to agree that they both rock!

[MattinPA]

I haven't bought this one, yet, but at only $35, it might be a very inexpensive way to find out if you like a nakiri. A Shibamasa VG5 Stainless Nakiri 165mm. It is 47 mm high, so a tad short, Construction: San Mai, Stamped, Edge Steel: VG5 Stainless Steel, Handle: Walnut Western.

I only mention it cause I keep thinking of getting one myself.

I took the very shallow plunge and have had it for a week or two now. It's a perfectly good knife and absolutely worth the derisory amount of money it costs. Great performer, gliding through carrots and whatever else you have. Way sharp OOTB, I cleaned up the grind on the rounded front end a bit but even before it was fine, allowing me to demolish onions with speed and ease. To me it's a Kiwi with named steel, and that VG-5 just this side of respectable (people compare it to AUS-8), so it takes the insanely performative when freshly sharpened Kiwi and gives you something that will hold an edge long enough for a few sessions where you don't have to think about it. I love my high-enders, the knives you hold up to the light, turning them this way and that to admire their magnificence, and then there are knives you reach for to get shit done. This is that second thing. Definite case of so far so good.