Kitchen Knife Shape Opinions

[Eli Chaps]

Glad you're enjoying it!

At that price point, it's expected there will be some minor fit and finish issues. Plain ole laxative grade mineral oil or board wax (bees wax + mineral oil) are common for the handles and what I use most often.

Ginsan is a nice stainless.

[Scandi Grind]

Glad you're enjoying it!

At that price point, it's expected there will be some minor fit and finish issues. Plain ole laxative grade mineral oil or board wax (bees wax + mineral oil) are common for the handles and what I use most often.

Ginsan is a nice stainless.

Thanks for giving me help and guidance on selecting a knife, it was very helpful.

[Eli Chaps]

Glad you're enjoying it!

At that price point, it's expected there will be some minor fit and finish issues. Plain ole laxative grade mineral oil or board wax (bees wax + mineral oil) are common for the handles and what I use most often.

Ginsan is a nice stainless.

Thanks for giving me help and guidance on selecting a knife, it was very helpful.

You're most welcome. Congrats on doing your research and taking the plunge!

[benben]

Rehashing an old thread....thinking of buying my future SIL a Japanese Santoku. Just got back from vacation, we ate out once at a restaurant, used a Blackstone and a charcoal grill almost every night.

He's about to turn 21, absolutely loves to cook, and he's good at it. Last Summer during college break he worked with a pretty notable Chef almost all Summer long, he must have really paid attention!

I took my 5.5" Shun Santoku and a 6" Shun chef's knife with me on vacation, he loved them both he but really took to the Santoku!

So, for any of you out there who may know, what's your opinion of Miyabi Knives? A step up above Shun? I love my Shun knives but I feel they're just basic Japanese kitchen knives, very nice but nothing special, they work great for me though.

Back to the SIL, he probably cooks four days a week? Does tons of stir fry and cooks a lot of vegetables, and meats! The Miyabi Rocking Santoku has really caught my eye, thinking hard on this one? Just want to get him one good special knife from me!

Any suggestions, brands, different steels, mainly been focused on VG-10 and SG2 but I'm open to all recommendations. Here's that Rocking Santoku.

https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-k ... fe-p133211

[skeeg11]

If he does a lot of stir fry, then perhaps a very thin carbon steel Chinese vegetable knife is in order. If just starting out and testing the waters, many inexpensive carbon steel versions are available for sampling. Actually #1 choice in professional Chinese kitchens by far vs pricier options.

[benben]

If he does a lot of stir fry, then perhaps a very thin carbon steel Chinese vegetable knife is in order. If just starting out and testing the waters, many inexpensive carbon steel versions are available for sampling. Actually #1 choice in professional Chinese kitchens by far vs pricier options.

You referring to a Nakiri?

[Coastal]

Kiwi #172 is very useful. Two for $11.75 on the worlds largest online seller. It sounds unbelievable that they can be any good, but I can't recommend them highly enough. The #172 is essentially a lightweight, very thin Chinese vegetable knife.

[Airlsee]

I have a couple of Miyabi's and they are nice but perform on par with Shun and are not truly Asian knives. My go-to source for Asian kitchen knives is ChefKnivesToGo.com.

They have a large selection of Santoku's both Wa handled and Western handled ranging from ~$70-$350. I am very sure that you will be able to find a fantastic knife in any style, size and price range. Once you start going through all of the different styles it definitely becomes a rabbit hole subject.

Good luck and let us know what you eventually decide on!

CKTG Santoku's

[skeeg11]

If he does a lot of stir fry, then perhaps a very thin carbon steel Chinese vegetable knife is in order. If just starting out and testing the waters, many inexpensive carbon steel versions are available for sampling. Actually #1 choice in professional Chinese kitchens by far vs pricier options.

You referring to a Nakiri?

Chinese vegetable cleavers are taller then Nakiri's and flat ground from thin stock. Similar to the ones Martin Yan brandishes, but much less expensive.

[Airlsee]

Did you go with the Miyabi? I feel we may not have given you the feedback you were looking for...he will appreciate whatever knife you choose/chose, no doubt!

[benben]

Did you go with the Miyabi? I feel we may not have given you the feedback you were looking for...he will appreciate whatever knife you choose/chose, no doubt!

No not yet, but thanks for asking, last couple of days have been crazy at work. I’ve locked in on three or four different knives, when I get to work I’ll post links to them and hopefully get your opinion on them if you don’t mind? I’m pretty much all over the map on them….

[benben]

Did you go with the Miyabi? I feel we may not have given you the feedback you were looking for...he will appreciate whatever knife you choose/chose, no doubt!

Here's a few I'm looking at....

***First is a Enso 6.5" Nakiri, VG-10 and Micarta, factory-second for $80.00, I may grab one of these for me?
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/enso-hd/ ... nd-p138853

***Next are these two carbon Moritaka's, a Nakiri and a Santoku. A little higher up on the food chain!
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/moritaka ... ri-p139612
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/moritaka ... ku-p139614

***Several different Miyabi models.
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-k ... fe-p133211
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-m ... fe-p133132
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-k ... fe-p121862
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-m ... fe-p137429

This is absolutely an endless ocean! And as you said, I know he'll love anyone of these I get him! And also as usual I'm way overthinking this!

[Airlsee]

Here's a few I'm looking at....

***First is a Enso 6.5" Nakiri, VG-10 and Micarta, factory-second for $80.00, I may grab one of these for me?
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/enso-hd/ ... nd-p138853

***Next are these two carbon Moritaka's, a Nakiri and a Santoku. A little higher up on the food chain!
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/moritaka ... ri-p139612
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/moritaka ... ku-p139614

***Several different Miyabi models.
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-k ... fe-p133211
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-m ... fe-p133132
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-k ... fe-p121862
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-m ... fe-p137429

This is absolutely an endless ocean! And as you said, I know he'll love anyone of these I get him! And also as usual I'm way overthinking this!

Great choices, that Enso is really hard to pass up at that price!

Not knowing what he has now and assuming you're looking for a great do it all knife, I would probably go with the 8" Miyabi Chef's knife, or 7" Santoku. Stainless is the best bet as a gift just because they require less maintenance and fewer unexpected surprises (staining and odors). All are awesome selections, for a do it all knife I prefer the 7-8" range and something with a tip.

8" Miyabi Mizu SG2 Chef's Knife
7" Miyabi Kaizen VG10 Santoku

Let us know what you decide on!

[benben]

Here's a few I'm looking at....

***First is a Enso 6.5" Nakiri, VG-10 and Micarta, factory-second for $80.00, I may grab one of these for me?
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/enso-hd/ ... nd-p138853

***Next are these two carbon Moritaka's, a Nakiri and a Santoku. A little higher up on the food chain!
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/moritaka ... ri-p139612
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/moritaka ... ku-p139614

***Several different Miyabi models.
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-k ... fe-p133211
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-m ... fe-p133132
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-k ... fe-p121862
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/miyabi-m ... fe-p137429

This is absolutely an endless ocean! And as you said, I know he'll love anyone of these I get him! And also as usual I'm way overthinking this!

Great choices, that Enso is really hard to pass up at that price!

Not knowing what he has now and assuming you're looking for a great do it all knife, I would probably go with the 8" Miyabi Chef's knife, or 7" Santoku. Stainless is the best bet as a gift just because they require less maintenance and fewer unexpected surprises (staining and odors). All are awesome selections, for a do it all knife I prefer the 7-8" range and something with a tip.

8" Miyabi Mizu SG2 Chef's Knife
7" Miyabi Kaizen VG10 Santoku

Let us know what you decide on!

Thank you!
He actually has nothing now, so whatever he gets I'm sure will work great and he'll be super happy! With as much as he liked my Shun Santoku I'm sure that's probably the right direction to go.

[mongo1958]

Well, I decided on a knife and bought a 165mm Yahiko Ginsan Nashiji Santoku, from Chef Knives To Go.

Sharpest blade out of the box I have ever had! Beautifully thin, it just glides through most food. I used it for all the food prep I did for a big dinner last night and I am very satisfied.

If there was an issue to speak of, it has a strong tendency to stick to food, but this has only been a problem for me when trying to cut an apple. I was happy to find it was not a nuisance when cutting up potatoes to bake. Other that, there seems to be just a bit of run-out on the grind at both the very tip and heel, but I don't foresee it causing an issue as it is very slight and should sharpen out eventually.

The handle could use a bit of fine sanding, which doesn't bug me, then I will have to decide on some sort of finish to use. I might just use Ballistol, or I might get some linseed oil for it. I don't think I want to use varnish, because I want to maintain the wood-like feel, but I could possibly consider a thin coat of oil varnish blend too. We'll see.

I am having so much fun using this thing in the kitchen!

Is this the one you purchased?

[Airlsee]

Sounds like a great idea!

[Scandi Grind]

Yep! That is the one I got. Light and thin, and very pretty knife. I am still using it plenty but I have found that I process larger ingredients frequently and prefer the extra length of a 210mm Gyuto, as well as a bit of extra heft.

My rugged looking Yoshimitsu Fugen has become my go-to now. It is iron clad White #1 carbon steel, medium weight, above average height, and tends to work really well for most things I do. It could do with less belly, but I am accustomed to knives with belly anyway so I'm OK with it.

[benben]

Finally bit the bullet, just got a notification that USPS dropped off two new Santoku knives. One for the future SIL, and I had to have one too!

Ordered two 165mm Muneishi knives, Blue Aogami #2 steel with oval cherry handles for what I think is a ridiculous price! Ordered them from Realsharpknive.com in New York. The owner, Dustin was really awesome to work with, highly recommended! He ended up giving me a pretty substantial discount, one because I was buying it as a gift for my future SIL, and two, because I actually bought two of them!

I'll post some pics later when I get home.

Here's some info on it.
https://realsharpknife.com/collections/ ... nless-clad

[benben]

[Murphy Slaw]

Not to hijack, but I see some knowledge in here about the subject so what the heck...

I have some "Prairie Forge" kitchen knives I bought back around 1983. They say "Super Stainless Steel" and are made in Japan.

I've always wondered who made them because I've been using the chef's knife for 40 years...