So I'm a cook, and a knife enthusiast. I collect everything from bayonets to modern EDC folders, which I have over 2 dozen. As for cooking, over a decade ago I switched from German to Japanese, and never looked back. These are all beautiful pieces, but the most important aspect of any knife is the user's hand feel. Always buy from a shop that will let you handle the blade before you purchase. (Or if online, will let you return) Japanese do require more care / service, but it's well worth it. Keep in mind, you can adjust that bevel angle with the right tool, and keep a razor sharp edge. I have a slicer from Shun that is a hollow flat ground edge. I can shave with it. The santoku should be everybody's first Japanese knife, then expand. My current favorite brand is Kikuichi Cutlery. Been around since 1267. That's not a typo. My current gyuto & nakiri are from them, plus a few others. Shun is great, and I have too many😂but (at least they used to) Shun Classic can be purchased with left or right hand specific scales. I still grab them when I'm in the mood, and they are the reason I jumped from German so many years ago. Anyway, sorry for rambling...
I spent over $500 of my very small summer camp counselor check on a santoku and a nakiri. One of the best purchases of my teens. I still have them to this day and everyone who gets to use them fall in love with how they handle
I recently fell into the Japanese knife rabbit hole. My Victorinox knives worked well, but the Japanese knives I bought made cook prep so much more fun. I have a Santoku, a Gyuto, a Petty, a Nakiri, a Chinese Clever, and a Bunka. I use the Bunka, Petty and the Nakiri most often. None of them are the brands most recently recommended by ATC. But they all have Rockwell hardness levels of 62+ and remain very sharp after use. If you enjoy cook prep, and have some disposable income, take the journey. You might not be disappointed.
I honestly don't see the point of anything other than a chef's and a santoku for most people. Maybe a gyuto at best. Mind you, I'm talking about most home cooks.
@@abeindoriaMy wife loves the Nakiri I got her as does our very experienced (what do you call a near chef-level cook who only uses his super power at home? “Home chef”?). After trying it he bought the same one I got her.
@@masstwitter4748 You are probably right. My Santoku knife usually sits on my cutting board and gets the most use, but it doesn’t have the point of a Bunka. When a point is needed I use a Petty knife, but a shorter Bunka may also work. Everyone has different preferences, but I prefer a straighter edge/chopping/slicing knife than one I need to rock for most of my food prep.
I love my Nakiri. One thing that deserves mention is that the curve near the tip of the cutting edge is perfect for stopping just shy of the root end of an onion, keeping the onion together as you do a full dice. I use a Nakiri made in Thailand bought from my local Asian grocery store. It was $8 but arrived as sharp as my $100 Tojiro gyutou. I don't have any anxiety about damaging it either.
Rounded tip definitely a fantastic feature on a Nakiri. Budget knives are fine but you will not get optimal blade geometry, handle comfort or edge retention. They are also harder to sharpen once dull. So if you really want a Nakiri to try out and abuse than its absolutely perfect to get a 10-20 dollar knife, but there are concrete advantages to spending more money.
I've switched from a western knife to a Nakiri. I prep and cook for our family nearly every day and I won't switch back. I prefer it over every knife we have for all the normal veggie tasks. I purchased a nicely made Enso Nakiri that I like. I'm sure there are better but this has held up very well for me.
As a gadget guy and a cooking enthusiast, I appreciated these videos. After having a multitude of nice knives and sharpening stones, I've finally arrived with the Bob Kramer Carbon by zwilling in 8". It's got heft, extreme sharpness holding, and feels good in a large hand. For the person that has everything..this is the gift.
I have a gyuto that I got when I went to Japan. I got it from a small knife shop in Kappabashi ("Kitchen Town"), Tokyo. It's a carbon and stainless steel knife, with stainless on the outside and carbon on the inside. I love it so much, it's so much easier to sharpen on a whetstone than the American knives I have, and it's still incredibly sharp! They even engraved my name on it in Japanese for free!
i have 70 knives - in a mix of German, Japanese, and Chinese patterns. Amongst them, 7 gyuto, all hand hammered, made in blue or white steel, ZDP-189, and HAP-40. ranging from 240 to 330 mm in length. I mostly go for the one made in zdp-189 or the clad blue steel ones. The ZDP-189 knife I have is hardened to 67 RC which keeps a sharp edge for a very long time (over 6 months in a home kitchen). My best is a Masamoto blue steel honyaki at 330mm yanagiba to make sashimi at home.
I'm Asian but not Japanese and ended up with all 3 types throughout the past 10 years! My mom got me a nakiri for living alone during college Then I bought a santoku because I needed something more versatile Then my cousin just got me a fancy gyuto I think I like santoku shapes the best
Santoku and Guyto/Chef's knife will pretty much do 90% of all your cutting. Nothing wrong with liking the santoku over the gyuto. Everyone has their preferences.
Great video! I fell down the Japanese knife rabbit hole during the pandemic, and now have eventually purchased seven Japanese knives. I love them for their lightweight, beautiful iron patterns, and the signature on them. They are all work of art! And I feel like a chef (or a samurai) on the cherry wood cutting board I had to get to make the cut feel right.
I have one of the octagonal handle Nakiri by Nakiyo. I loved it so much I went for a petty and a paring knife to match. The control and lightness with those octagonal handles is just amazing. I also have an oval handle Santoku by Tojiro and it feels so amazing to cut with and no arm fatigue. Once you use Japanese steel and style, you can't go back to western style.
As a chef and knife sharpener I have to say that a good nakiri is a game changer. First time I used one it was a revelation. Great knife for prep monsters. For chefs, consider getting a good yanagiba as a carving knife, they laugh at traditional European knives. Not just for sashimi, my Japanese chef friend has a box full which he uses on anything that needs to be sliced. Last time I helped out in his restaurant he had me slicing rare sirloin with one, it was wonderful! Their is a caveat with good Japanese knives, they don't take prisoners. If you need to get your mise done really quick make sure your technique is up to it, otherwise you will be losing finger nails. In a blink.
@@vpontrelli4 A good question which I cannot answer. I don't know the manufacturers of the knives I've used. My favourite was a Japanese carbon steel blade, Wa handle. Very light, very thin and ridiculously sharp. Even a cheap non Japanese SS Nakiri is good but I suspect would not last well. Find one that feels good, good steel and go for it. They are not particularly specialised like an Usuba.
I would like to see Kate's blooper reel bc she worked through her segments almost effortlessly in a way that also felt very genuine and natural. Her voice and tone is, for lack of a better description, very entrancing.
I'm surprised there wasn't more knives made in Seki, Gifu prefecture represented. It's literally the heart and soul of knife and blade making in Japan. Maybe the testers just didn't have access to a lot of different brands. Seki has around 100 knife makers, and their blade making skills go back to like the 1300's. If you are looking to get into Japanese knives, I would highly suggest taking a closer look at knives made in Seki if you have access to them where you live. I live about 35-40 minutes drive from Seki, I've been there, I've seen the knives and blades manufactured and crafted there.
I think they're selecting knives that are most likely to be easily found by their market audience. You know us yanks lol plus Japanese knives made by smiths in Japan are super expensive. Like unless you're a professional chef, there's little reason for a standard home cook to own
I was in Japan last week and had planned to go to Seki but got misdirected by the trains and lost the day...By the time I got back on track I only made it to Gifu..haha. Next time:)
In my home ... I can do everything I want to do with my 165mm Kohetsu Blue #2 Santoku. The blade is thin and SS claded CS. It's easy to sharpen and keeps a great edge. It has a slight curve to the edge and rocks just fine if ya want it to. It's also less than $125 as of today. I use it every day. It's a nifty little knife and I couldn't be more happy.
My own favorite for many years has been what I think is a Kiritsuke style, thin bladed, shorter (6-1/2" blade) stainless Japanese knife with a western handle. Similar to the Santoku, but more rocker to the blade, a little wider in girth, and a straight angled vs round angled tip. Lightweight and easy to use for just about everything, except cutting through dense, heavy bone & vegetables, where I use a big Chinese cleaver.
One of the things I really like about my tojiro gyuto is that it's easier to get a 7" knife and the tip is a little more precise than a German style western chef knife. Overall a more nimble and precise tool. I still use a western knife for heavier jobs and smashing garlic. I will also say that for me the Japanese knives with Western handles are the best combination!
I try to keep a very minimalistic kitchen and used a chef's knife for pretty much everything. However, my dad bought me a Nakiri knife because I cook mostly vegetables and I have to say I love that little thing. I use it for pretty much everything unless I'm hacking through a big vegetable like butternut squash.
You have to know the hardness of the blade for a Japanese knife. Rc over of 60+ and you should avoid twisting the blade edge in hard materials (bone cutting boards) or scraping it across hard surfaces like cutting boards. The lateral forces will chip the blade edge instantly and can result in a ruined blade edge after a single use. At an Rc of 60+ don’t use honing steels and be very careful using sharpening rods or disc based sharpeners. At an Rc of 60-, you can start to treat them more like European chefs knives. Hand sharpening asymmetric knives on sharpening stones is actually easier than sharpening symmetric knifes as long as you don’t try to put on a micro bevel. Regarding microbevels, the sharpening researchers in Australia showed there was no benefit to this practice for any type of knife edge. Once you get used to the practice, it takes very little time to maintain the cutting edge of a Japanese knife. Don’t leave you knives in the sink to soak. Oxidation can also accelerate edge wear. If you can’t let go of this practice, get knives made from SG2. It’s extremely resistant to oxidation.
Traditional Japanese knives tend not to chip, it's the new super hard steels which get the wee dings, almost crystalline. A solution is to have a shallower bevel angle but that kind of defeats the purpose. My rule of thumb is beware of very pretty knives with bold claims. Micro bevels can extend the time between sharpening but do nothing for overall sharpness and are pointless on European style knives, double bevel.. I will put a micro bevel on a single bevel chefs knife which is getting worked hard but not on a home knife where the owner just wants to be amazed by how sharp the knife is. All IMHO.
My favorite Gyuto is a Kikuichi carbon steel 210 mm. It's fantastically sharp and quite easy to sharpen on a whetstone, but it hold an edge quite well so I don't need to sharpen it too often. I forced a patina on it by coating it in mustard, which left a dark and unique patina on the blade that also helps keep it from rusting (like seasoning a cast iron). I look forward to using it for many years to come.
Just a note for those in the market for a Japanese knife: all of the "Japanese" knives I investigated on Amazon were actually made in China. This is not necessarily to denigrate these knives, but if you want a made in Japan knife you must look into the origin carefully.
Yeah buying Japanese knives on Amazon for a newcomer is kind of sketch. I suggest buying from chef knives to go, Japanese chef knives, carbon knife Co, miura, Korin, knife merchant, chubo, knife wear, sharp knife shop. Those are all solid and reputable websites.
2 years ago that’s where I started(Amazon). While in transit and after doing quick research I sent them back when they arrived. I now own around 10 Japanese knives. Anryu, Masakage, Matsubara, Tsunehisa and the likes. I buy my knives from CKTG (America) and Sharp Knives (Canada).
I have used the same german chef knife since 1995. Over the years, I have purchased quite a few knives with different blade styles and materials, but I find myself reaching for the old standby. The classic western blade shape is stilll, IMHO, the best combination of versatility, performance and durability. Now if you like collecting beatiful knives and have a ton of money or time to keep them sharp. Go for it. They really are cool.
Great job, everybody. I love my Shun knives and a beautiful El Cheapo Nakiri I picked up from Amazon for about $35.00. I'm a big Gearheads fan and I look forward to seeing more of Kate on your team.
I'll say that i got a Wusthoff classic santuko probably 25 years ago, and it has really held up well. Tons of commercial use and many years of home use, and a good amount of sharpening. The edge has held really well due to the quality of the steel.
These videos should come with a rabbit hole / slippery slope warning! I'm actually very supportive of folks diving into cooking adjacent hobbies that might encourage them to cook more. As hobbies go, kitchen knife experimentation/collecting is actually very reasonable: genuinely enjoyable, develops a legitimately useful skill and leads to more home cooking-which is likely to both save money & improve nutrition in the long run. All while costing significantly less than taking up woodworking or hunting or golf. That said, it *_is_* a hobby. Which is to say optional and completely unnecessary. After spending hundreds over the years to try out a wide range of knives & knife types, each tending to be more specialized and pricier than the last; I now do nearly all my cooking with a 8" CCK sangdao that I picked up at the Asian market on a whim for $50. I don't worry about marring its finish while sharpening it in a hurry or damaging its fine edge by using it on a sub-optimal cutting surface. I don't need to fret about wiping it regularly to protect it from acidic foods.* I just grab it and use it like tool and if something should go wrong (though to date nothing ever has) I can just replace it without much pain. Performance wise, I've never felt I was missing much. I *_wanted_* my pricey acquisitions to be obviously superior, but they just aren't. There are real differences, but they're small … on the level of feelings or minor differences in comfort that only come into play with very extended use.† There's absolutely no difference in how fast I can prep a meal or how well that meal turns out! --- * Another nice thing about my cheap knife: I can wrap it in a towel and take it to a friend's house without feeling self-conscious. Nobody looks at my well worn slab of a knife wrapped in an old tea towel and thinks "geez, that guy is putting on airs". Plus it's an unusual type of knife (here anyway), so I don't think anyone gets the impression that I thought their knives would be insufficient. I just brought mine cause I like to use a different kind of knife! And should the worst happen & someone chucks it in the sink or (gasp) into the dishwasher I can genuinely just shrug and say it isn't a big deal! † A notable exception to that actually cuts the other way: the very real pain of actually trying to sharpen some fancy Japanese knives. That harder steel may retain an edge for a bit longer, but it also makes sharpening significantly more time consuming. This can be alleviated somewhat by investing some in sharpening equipment (ie diamond plates), but that's an additional level of hassle/research/expense to be considered.
Love my Santoku & Nakiri knives. I use my Nakiri mostly when I'm slicing vegetables for the grill. FYI.....the octagonal handle on Japanese kitchen knives is a WA handle. I'm in the process of making myself and my daughter a set of Japanese style kitchen knives out of gang saw blades & large sawmill band saw blades.
Have a japanese Gyuto and a Petty at home, with a Bunka on the way. Absolutely love my Japanese knives, they stay incredibly sharp for such a long time and they just look and feel great in hand. Would recommend to step up your knife game! But do your research on the steel the blade is made from and how to take care of it.
I have many German and Japanese knives. My go to knife for 20 years is the MAC Superior MTH-80 8 1/4" gyuto. Thin, light, super sharp, and easy to sharpen. I have tried nakiri and santoku styles but i find them frustratingly too short. A word of caution about Japanese "stainless steel" knives. There are better called "stain resistant". Many will develop pits if left damp with salty ingredients overnight. Always hand wash and dry any knife when you are finished cooking. German and and Victorinox knives are more resistant to pitting.
I have quite a few Enso knives. I love them. The prices are reasonable. They hold an edge a long time, and yet are easy to sharpen with my Chef's Choice sharpener. There's not one I am unhappy with. Nice weight, terrific handles.
This is so timely, with Christmas just around the corner. My husband is really getting into cooking now that we are retired. Lisa, great content and presentation as usual. Kate is terrific! So professional, like Lisa.
I think most premium manufacturers of Western knives have modified their cutting angle over the years. Wüsthof knives have a 14° cutting angle, Zwilling knives have 15°.
Used the high quality German chef's knife that I got as a wedding present for 10 years before upgrading to a Gyuto. First upgrade was to the Mac Pro 8" Chef's knife with a Gyuto profile and western handle. Lighter than the Henkels with a much better blade geometry. Next upgrade was an Ikazuchi stainless clad, aogami super blue carbon steel 8" Gyuto with a Japanese handle. Even more of a food laser than the Mac. Quality carbon steel is worth the little bit of extra care required over stainless. Faster to sharpen, holds an edge longer than stainless and holds a finer edge. Love them both. They make prep work fast and enjoyable. Learning to sharpen on a whetstone was worth the small amount of time invested. A dull $200 knife is still a dull knife. Still pull out the Henkels occasionally for heavier work such as squash, pumpkin and hacking at bones.
I have a Shibata Kotetsu R2 240mm gyuto and it is the best knife I have handled. It is super sharp, stays sharp, just glides through food. It has rounded top and choil and it is so comfortable.
@@MMuraseofSandvich There's a guy called Grutte Pier ("Big Pier") from Friesland (what is now a Dutch province in the north of The Netherlands), who supposedly had superhuman strength and wore a 213 cm long sword. They actually found a sword which they think was his! He used a short Frisian phrase that you had to repeat, and if you couldn't he'd lop your head off with his humongous sword :O
Although I do believe the knives they recommend are amazing and great, my biggest tip is not to go and get those just because they recommended them, I suggest (if you have the ability too) go to a knife store and grab and feel and act like your cutting food with as many as you can. When I got my first two knives I went in thinking I knew exactly what I wanted, and it wasn’t till I got to hold the knives when I realized what fit my hand and my body best. So yeah awesome video btw !
My personal go two is the tojiro atelier gyuto, and a seki kanetsugu shiun Santoku. Both knives are completely different styles, weights and price ranges but I live both :)
Great to see ATK do a presentation on Japanese knives! I prefer the Kiritsuke, Bunka, and Nakiri knives, then the Santoku and Gyuto. I also use a Deba knife for fish and heavy winder squash, along with Petty and occasionally, Yanagiba, and Honesuki knives as well. My collection is 95% from Japan, mostly hand fordged as I transitioned away from heavy, dull German knives. German makes are dull in comparison to Japanese blades.... I do keep a Victorinox for rock and roll chop since , as you all pointed out, the Japanese knife is a slicer. Of the European knives, Victorinox is the best...I do hand sharpen on whet stones myself, and I love carbon steel - Aogami #2 and Aogami super over Shirogami.... Either is preferred for me over SS, and of the SS from Japan, I love SG2- aka R-2 steel, which is sharper and holds edge way better than VG 10(the most common used Japanese SS on the market)..... Most of my knives are hand made from "Chef Knives to Go". Mark Richmond owns the company and is very helpful...Also, a needed thing to know is - to learn how to use single bevel v.s. double bevel, and some well know knife smiths do very thin blades.... I highly recommend that ATK bring on an expert that knows all the ins and outs of Japanese knives for a deep dive. It is wise to do research into Japanese knives and the different types, including steels and western v.s. traditional handles, before purchase. That avoids a bad purchase since all designs are specific for different food and cuts.
Recommending people do RESEARCH? Hah! Instant gratification is the only way. Without a link for me to throw money at, what would I do?! /sarcasm I second everything you said pretty much. My Nakiri is my favorite and most used knife. It did come unsharpened, and I had to learn to whetstone, but gosh it was worth it. My partner pays me back for all the meals I cook for her by springing for professional knife sharpening once a year on all the Japanese knives. A+. Do recommend getting a partner that sharpens your knives for you! XD
well, I made mistakes with the insta gratification of "buy now" and pay the pain later! So yep- did the RESEARCH!! I sharpen once a year since I am a home cook! @@meikgeik
There are three Santoku knives in my block. Shun, Tojiro and Mac. They are sharp and hold an edge. Picking a favorite is difficult so I grab the one that is closest at hand. With patience these great knives can be had for less than a 100 bucks.
I have and love my Masamoto VG knives: 240mm Gyuto, 180mm Santoku, 150mm and 120mm Petty, 240mm Sujihiki (slicer) and a MAC Ceramic Honing Rod. I use my Gyoto the most, it is super versatile. If I could redo my choices, I would swap out the larger Petty for a 145mm Honesuki (boning) knife.
@@FF-li6zj I think you misunderstand. If you only had one knife that wouldn't be the one lol. I'm saying people want more than two knives and that's ok. You don't NEED salt on food but it certainly helps. We don't need to cook, we could just eat packets. We do it because we want to. Not because we need to.
We have Shun's including the 10" premier chef's knife along with a 26 piece Wusthoff Classic Ikon set. But my wife always goes to her Wusthof gourmet santuko for day to day cooking.
Love both my Japanese and my old German knife. They are good for different things. The lighter Japanese knife was a gift a few years ago - I know its Ikeda and is more expensive than the knives you tested - thing is, after 3+ years: the blade is as sharp as day one. I love using both but secretly prefer my Ikeda....I don't chop pumpkins or frozen foods.....with either.....never occurred to me.
That is why I use a Deba, which is a "fish knife" . The thickness of the blade, and most come in Shirogami- aka white steel #2, make cutting big and heavy winter squash easier and not to worry over breaking a blade.
I love my Japanese knives, but when I need to chop something, or cut through something that is frozen, I turn to the cheapest knives I have ever owned, and which have lasted me over 30 years now, my MIRACLE BLADES! To this day, I always get a big smile whenever I pull one of them out of the drawer and find it cuts as well as when it was new, and I have put those knives through things I would never think of using a Japanese knife on.
@@fabe61 If they have been properly maintained and sharpened with a whetstone when needed, then sure, they will still be as sharp as when new. But if someone has been cutting with them for years and never sharpened them, there is not a chance in hell they will still be that sharp. I love my Japanese steel knives, and they are always great to cut with, but right after I have sharpened them, that is when I realize exactly how sharp they can really be. But quality knives require care, they cannot simply be tossed in the drawer with every other thing you have in the kitchen.
I have a traditional profile 8" Western carbon steel chef knife that is unmarked but that i bought used specifically because of the thin spine. It slices like a dream which is helped by the carbon steel being very easy to get scary razor sharp.
The most of knife you introduced were a little bit expensive side. Many restaurant use them. In japan most of knife below 100 at home. Also you may explain the reasons of price differency. Depend of what kind of steel or stemless.steel are using. That makes sharpness and rusting condition. Otherwise, excelent video well Expain.
I will never understand their "value alternatives " You have 200+ dollar knives...."but hey, that 50 dollar one works as well" For me "value" means I'm getting the best for the buck, not simply cheap. Imo, the Miyabi evolution line is probably THE BEST value proposition out there. Made from one best blade steels on the market, 61 hrc, beautiful Katana edge finish, European style handle, and an 8 inch chefs knife or Santoku runs about 130. Quality that's on par or better than the 200+ knives...for half the price...that's a real VALUE
i bought for myself a mid-range kai gyutoh and petty knife for playing with food at home. my mother who has been using chinese cleaver-style knives for as long as i can remember recently got curious of my knives and started using them. she told me she likes that the knives are light and very sharp, and since then she's been using them daily for our home dinner prep. the cleaver now pretty much only sees action when there are bones to be chopped through. basically tells you all you need to know about the merits of japanese knives!
My workhorse knives are a 240 mm Masahiro Virgin Carbon Steel gyuto, 150 mm Masahiro VC Steel petty, and 180 mm version of the 210 mm Kanetsugu best buy in the review. The Masahiros stay sharp and are easy to maintain on whetstones. They develop a nice patina and resist rusting, though I do wipe them down periodically during prep. If you do a lot of whole chicken prep, a honesuki makes quick work of the birds. Since it lacks a bolster, you need to be careful with the heel of the honesuki. My Kanehide was so sharp that I did not notice a cut when the heel touched the back of my hand.
About one year ago I changed from a traditional European chefs knife to a 65 layer Damast steel Miyabi Santoku knife. It's really a dream. Light weight and sharp like hell. The only downside I found is that sharpening needs a lot of time with a wet stone and you should try to gain experience with a cheap knife before you try to sharpen the expensive knife.
Quite a few years ago I was gifted a set of 3 Global gyoto, utility, and paring knives as my first foray into quality Japanese kitchen knives and they quickly became my favorite workhorses, especially after only using essentially bargain bin kitchen knives. A couple years ago I invested in a Takamura Chromax gyoto and I couldn't be happier, especially for the sub $200 price. I expect my kitchen is going to be full of Japanese style knives I fully intend to pass on as heirlooms.
For professional work I use a 9ish inch Misono swedish carbon and a Tojiro santoku and for home cooking I use a Masamoto 8 inch. The carbon steel is a little bit of a pain to take care of but worth it.
I bought a cheap nikiri on Amazon and liked it so much I bought a bunch of other blade designs. I've been using it for years, my favorite blade in the kitchen for 90% of my cutting.
Oddly I had a Cutco Nakiri twenty years ago and it was my favorite vegetable knife. It was lost during one of our trips so recently I bought a Japanese knife and an Ontario knife of similar proportions. Yeah they're good.
I have a Mercer Genesis 8 and love how durable the thing is. I also have a USA made hand forged Nakiri. It’s almost just as sharp. I like the Mercer because of its weight.
I got Kramer Stainless Damascus 6.5" Nakiri Knife, Kramer Stainless Damascus 7" Santoku Knife, Kramer Stainless Damascus 8" Chef's Knife and Kramer Stainless Damascus 5" Utility Knife. Love them. I know it is expensive, but every time when I cook, I enjoy them. Great combination of Japanese and Western knives. Worth every penny
For people new to sharpening - and to Japanese Knives - I have found that VG-10 steel (which is stainless) is the easiest to get a good edge that lasts long. It is about 60 On the Rockwell Hardness scale. (Watch out - china has a knock off Vg-10 which is not the same) Most harder metals - and powder steel - are much harder to sharpen and are more brittle. Tojiro has a line of Vg 10 knives that you can get with Western Handles that are economical but there are many others in all price ranges.
VG 10 is decent. It was once considered a 'super steel', but it's been left behind with the powdered steels coming out. And it's no joy to sharpen compared to a carbon shirogami or aogami.
For a stainless steel - it is far easier to sharpen than any Powdered Steel, it takes a very nice edge, and it is still not as brittle as the powdered steel (Nor as expensive either). Carbon steels rust if not taken care of properly and for a home cook are not ideal. For those NEW to Japanese Knives and NEW to Sharpening their own knives with stones - I still feel they are a good choice. VG 10 has not been left behind and is still being used on a huge quantity of High end Knives - it is the knife snob that moved to powdered steel and they are really really pricey, beyond the AVERAGE home cook while VG10 knives can be had for reasonable prices. I am sure that the average home cook is NOT going to consider knives that are $400 and well above that EACH but they can get Vg-10 knives for below $100 - which is German Knife territory but they are far superior to German soft steel.
A thin R2/SG2 like my Takamura is easy to sharpen, because the knife is literally thin and sharp on the scale of atoms. The smaller carbides from its creation also helps.@@Thommadura
I actually have some R2 knives for a while but I have not found them to cost under $100 here in the USA. I have actually bought VG10 knives for far less than $100. And While I do not have problems sharpening the R2 NOW - they are still harder to get right than Vg-10 - but then you will want to get the last word in too. I am just talking to those NEW to Japanese knives who are not prepared to spend more for one knife than they spent for a whole set of German ones.
Aeb-l or 14c28n is pretty much the best steel for kitchen knives. Inexpensive, tougher than almost all other stainless or carbon steels (that means you can make them very thin an sharp), very corrosion resistent and good edge retention. The latter is of course not at the level of powder super steels, but they are easy to sharpen and better than most plain carbon steels.
You should look at some of the more specailized knives. I like a yanagiba for slicing fish. It is one of the preferred shapes for sashimi. Yanagiba (yanagi is willow and the name comes from the shapes resembelance to a willow leaf). Yanagiba are always single bevel. It's also great for slicing salmon fillets into steaks and they are great for removing the skin from a fillet. Another important single bevel shape is the deba. These are heavy knives used for butchering fish. They come in a wide range of sizes, which is good because fish come in a wide range of sizes too.
In the various kitchen knife sets I've seen here in Europe, they seem to use the Santoku as a small chef's knife to go with a larger chef's knife. Then some sort of paring knife, or utility knife as well. Maybe even a peeling knife to go with the Santoku and chef knife.
I really enjoy Japanese knives because of the balancing, weight and grip techniques they favour. I find a knife with one of the octagonalish traditional handles to be much more comfortable and better balanced for a pinch grip which is how I feel I get the best control with my knife. The thinner spines also generally feel nicer to use. Still think there’s a strong place for western knives in the kitchen though, and I think a kitchen should always have a good western chefs knife that’s very low maintenance with a sturdy handle, forgiving material hardnsss (or lack thereof) and modern construction that isn’t affected by water.
I have a 6" and an 8" santoku. I like them a lot. Very versatile. I just need to get a whetstone and train on it as the drag-through sharpeners set it to the wrong angle, I think, and it doesn't hold an edge long.
Also there are drag through sharpeners where you can set the angle. I I used cheap drag through sharpeners for years, but when I finally upgraded my knives I upgraded my sharpener too. It cost maybe $50 I think but I can sharpen all my knives on it because you can set the angle of the grind. It's really fantastic
@@Jake_Ritter Yep, I use the Mac Santoku myself, and honing does much of the "fixing" that they typically need between sharpenings. I do use a pull through sharpener, but it is also symmetrical in the blade design, not asymmetrical. The sharpener has both the 15* (I think) and typical 30* for western knives and a honing stage. Does very well in keeping my Mac knife quite sharp. I find I use the Santoku more than my 8" Chef's knife, a nice, Gerber one I've had 30+ years.
I came into the comments to say exactly what you said. One of my favorite knives is a Kiwi nakiri. I use it purely for vegetables and really just soft vegetables. It'll require sharpening probably more often than other knives. But you really can't beat the price!
I have MANY kitchen knives as I enjoy collecting them. I have Wustof collections, Ikon and Classic, Henkles/ Zwilling collections and while I like the classical European knives....Japanese knives are on a whole other level. I have Dalstrong Shogun series, folded Damascus knives, Miyabi Birchwood series knives...to include: Kiritsuke, Slicer, Petty, Gyuto, Santoku, Nakiri and Paring...all folded Damascus steel, as well as MAC pro and Ultimate series knives. I also have a Shigafusa 8" Gyuto and a Masamoto KS Series 10" Yanagiba. Each of those are over $1200 per knife that no one needs, but you buy as heirloom collectibles as they are individually handcrafted by the namesake artisan and they are two of the most renown culinary blade smiths in Japan. They make their blades with 1600's era traditional hand hammered sword smith techniques used to forge the Katana's of that period and as they are made one at a time, per order, you can wait up to a year or more before you receive one after submitting your order for one. They are cultural and historical works of art....not just, 'kitchen knives." So they are more for die hard collectors than home cooks. While I use, from time to time, my European knives, they tend to stay on the mag rack as I nearly always grab a Japanese knife. They cut through product...meat, fish, poultry and vegetables like warm butter. They are just a JOY to use. NEVER use a pull through sharpener or electric grinding stone sharpener on any kitchen knife, especially Japanese blades, as they do terrible things to the cutting edge and can permanently damage an expensive knife. Use only wet stones,, varied grit diamond plates or precision angle sharpeners that use varied grit diamond plates. If you're not comfortable with wet stone sharpening, particularly with asymmetric edges, take your knives to a professional. For me, there's no comparison. European knives? Long lasting, very high quality, easy care and maintenance, gets the job done nicely. But the best knives made are Japanese...period. They cost more, require more care with handling and sharpening...but NOTHING cuts like a properly sharpened, high end Japanese blade.They are the "lightsabers" of kitchen cutlery. I have enough of both types, European / Japanese to know. For me? It's Japanese blades every time. They just ARE...better.
After using "traditional" chef's knives for about 15 years, I bought a Global gyuto (it was on sale, what could I do?). I miss the curve on the blade, and have never acclimated to the tip not being centred from top to bottom. But I have 3 of them now (one in each of two homes, plus one for my knife roll). I especially like the unique handles they have.
I have a fairly large collection of Japanese kitchen knives, both western style and traditional, covering most styles and steels. My only comment was one made during the Gyuto review, under no circumstances should one use a pull thought sharpener on a Japanese knife. The other point is that one can easily spend a lot more than $200 on an individual knife, and half the fun for me in adding to my collection was conversing and buying direct from makers and merchants in Japan. Lastly if well taken care of they will last a lifetime
I have gyuto, nakiri, and santoku knives by MAC. I love them all--however, I rarely use the gyuto. Unlike the santoku and nakiri knives, the gyuto is markedly longer. This is a problem if you have a small kitchen without abundant counter space for prep work.
I have high-quality Japanese knives I acquired 30-40 years ago when they were affordable. I can't imagine paying $200 for a cutting tool! Anyone doing that has a different agenda than preparing family meals at home. For me, 90% of my cutting is done with three knives, each costing less than $30. Two I've had over 10 years and use almost daily. They get the job done!
I started down this rabbit hole with a gyuto that was 140 dollars. 2 years later the knives i use most are a Victorinox chef, kiwi nakiri and a chinese vegetable cleaver - all less than $40.
I'm actually very supportive of folks diving into cooking adjacent hobbies that might encourage them to cook more. As hobbies go, kitchen knife experimentation/collecting is actually very reasonable: genuinely enjoyable, develops a legitimately useful skill and leads to more home cooking-which is likely to both save money & improve nutrition in the long run. All while costing significantly less than taking up wood working or hunting or golf. That said, it _is_ a hobby. Which is to say optional and completely unnecessary. After spending hundreds over the years to try out a wide range of knives & knife types, each tending to be more specialized and pricier than the last; I now do nearly all my cooking with a 8" CCK sangdao that I picked up at the Asian market on a whim for $50. I don't worry about marring its finish while sharpening it in a hurry or damaging its fine edge by using it on a sub-optimal cutting surface. I don't need to fret about wiping it regularly to protect it from acidic foods. I just grab it and use it like tool and if something should go wrong (though to date nothing ever has) I can just replace it without much pain. Performance wise, I've never felt I was missing much. I *_wanted_* my pricey acquisitions to be obviously superior, but they just aren't. There are real differences, but they're small … on the level of feelings or minor differences in comfort that only come into play with very extended use. There's absolutely no difference in how fast I can prep a meal or how well that meal turns out! Another nice thing about my cheap knife: I can wrap it in a towel and take it to a friend's house without feeling self-conscious. Nobody looks at my well worn slab of a knife wrapped in an old tea towel and thinks "geez, that guy is putting on airs". Plus it's an unusual type of knife (here anyway), so I don't think anyone gets the impression that I thought their knives would be insufficient. I just brought mine cause I like to use a different kind of knife! And should the worst happen & someone chucks it in the sink or (gasp) into the dishwasher I can genuinely just shrug and say it isn't a big deal!
Exactly, they have a different agenda and I am afraid it's posing mostly. I have met some pretty clever home-cooks in my life and not a single one of them was using a cutting tool that cost 200$ (and not because they could not afford it). This 200+$ knife trend is a bit ridiculous to be honest.
It's actually not that expensive. Even your knives when adjusted for inflation over 40 years would cost $126 nowadays. The santoku was $160 so you're only paying a little more for what's probably slightly better materials. I do agree that there is a difference between a pro who can really can reap the advantages of these knives because they're doing so much cutting on a daily basis, and an at home amateur who occasionally cooks.
I have a few gyuto style knives. I've been using one going on over a decade and I have absolutely no plans on going back to a western style chef's knife.
Mood? Amen. That’s what may determine which Japanese knife I use in the kitchen. The Santoku is my all around favorite. The Petty and the Gyuto may be the one I choose depending on the job at hand. My Nakiri isn’t as versatile as my other Japanese knives. The Bunka? Not so much. Right now I’m thinking about giving my brother a Santuko instead of a bottle of bourbon or Scotch when I next visit him. A bottle lasts for a while but a good knife can be passed down for generations to come. Can I get an amen?
I started out sweating over developing rust or a patina on my Japanese carbon steel knives. I rinsed and dried it after each vegetable. Then I relaxed. Only clean off when finished preparing. If I do develop a little rust, a little Bartender Friend will clean it.
Was about to splurge on a nakiri, because they’re so cool, but couldn’t justify a single use case that all my other knives couldn’t do, as a home cook. Seems like a santoku is the same knife but with a tip
It's exactly that. The nakiri is an older version of the santoku. At one point, the type of food that Japanese people cooked started involving more meat and other ingredients that do well with a tip, so they added one. Nakiris are perfect for chopping veggies but if you cut other things, a santoku is more useful imo.
I have a collection of 12-15 J-knives and your review is not too bad, although you really focus on the more mass-produced end of the spectrum of these knives. There are dozens and dozens of smaller producers who turn out knives that surpass your recommendations at similar prices. Nevertheless, this was one of the better popular media reviews of these style knives that I’ve seen.
My experience is Japanese knife are awesome but they are expensive. What about a video or recommendation about good Japanese knife’s for the money? Thanks!! 🙌🏻
For a $50 knife, you're also taking a big step down with AUS-8 steel. While the Masamoto and Hitohiro are VG10, which is good, I think the Tojiro DP line is just as good for about half the price. I know it's risky to suggest a knife that could potentially rust to an American audience, but Aogami or Shirogami steel knives is where it's at. The incredibly hardness and insane sharpness is breathtaking. There are still some good 8" Gyutos out there for under $200 using those steels.
Although I don't cook often, let's be honest. I really don't cook at all lol but I still want a Japanese knife so bad!! 😂 Those single beveled blades *chef's kiss*
Another advantage is that fruits don't brown so quickly if they are sliced with a very sharp knife. I find even cheap Japanese knives sharpen much easier than German alloys.,,
I have two Japanese Style knives in my kitchen. A 7" inch Bunka, which usually doubles for a lighter and more agile Chef's knife. the other is a 7" Nakiri, which I primarily grab for vegetable prep. It actually replaced my Chinese Vegetable cleaver, since it is so light and easy to handle. Both I got from Table to Forge, maybe a year apart from one another, and I don't think I paid more than $90 for each... I honestly think that these two knives, a good bone knife and a good bread knife should be the only knives I need in the kitchen.
My daily drivers are the 7" Zwilling Pro Chef's knife and the Miyabi Nakiri. I do have a Aritsugu Kyoto gyuto and santoku. Not sure why I don't use them as much as I do.
