Foo shops for a Japanese knife

[TheFoo]

A ton of Appreciation:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/842125-Artisan-Chef-Knives

Any opinions on any of these?

 

[Manton]

Wow. I've heard of almost none of those.

Hattori is a nice knife. I like them but the profile and handle are not for me. Kramer is really famous but I dislike the profiles of his knives strongly. I recognize the Masamoto name but I have not played with one of their Japanese style knives, which is what is depicted.

Really, aside from the Nenox (ahem), you really ought to be focusing on either a Mac Pro or a Masamoto VG. Those are the best value knives on the market. Everything above that is, well ... I say that as the owner of Kikiuchi which cost about 30% more. Nice knife but I bought it in part because Korin was out of stock on the Masamoto and because I let someone talk me out of the Misono UX10 even though I vastly preferred its handle. (To be fair, the Kikiuichi does use better steel than either.)

A damascus knife is for hanging on the wall. If you actually use it, clean it, sharpen it, the pattern will fade and the knife will eventually look funky in a bad way. I just would not bother. I have bothered in the past and it wasn't worth it.

 

[Crat]

^^ So much awesome!
I mentioned three of those makers in a previous post but imo the Sirou kamo, Wakui and Koraat also look stunning. Never seen them irl though so I'm just judging from their pictires
I do agree with previous posters that japanese knives in general, whilst sharp, are also fairly fragile. I try not to use my (watanabe) gyuto on anything I have to apply too much pressure to as that does tend to damage the hard but thin cutting edge.

 

[itsstillmatt]



A ton of Appreciation:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/842125-Artisan-Chef-Knives

Any opinions on any of these?

This looks like it was taken from the window of Billionaire Couture.

 

[TheFoo]

Am I at the stage where I'll like anything crazy-looking but will eventually settle down with the knife-equivalent of the OneShoe?

 

[Manton]

I must repeat what Matt said. What do you cut and what do you cook?

You will need "one knife" to do most of the work. They say that you can do 99% of kitchen taskes with a chef's (gyuto) and a paring (no Japanese equivalent). After that it's all about whatever stuff you do.

I break down a lot of poultry so I love my honesuki. And I bone and french meat a lot so I need a heavy boning knife for scraping. I love to turn veg so a bird's beak parer is useful. And about once a month I break down fish, so I have knives for that.

But the workhorse is definitely the gyuto. First figure out that.

 

[TheFoo]

I think those are all gyutos though.

 

[Manton]

No. not all.

Anyway, I would be less foo about this if I were you. There are a half dozen or so commercially available gyutos at around $200 give or take that will give you excellent service. I have, to be honest, way more experience with this than you and I still have no interest in some crazy artisinal knife. Maybe some day, though I doubt it. I just see no point in focusing, at your beginning point, on obscure artisans you don't know anything about. You can get a fantastic knife at Korin or MTC that will outclass 99.9% of what's out there.

The sainted Matt S, the best cook I know (by far) uses a Masamoto that costs about $100 less than my knife. Any my knife, while available only in specialty shops, is still easy to get compared to the things you posts.

Only someone with deformed hands needs a bespoke knife.

 

[TheFoo]

I have absolutely zero experience. I just think they are pretty, that's all. I'm also trying to understand the knife world. At this stage, I am still dazzled by intricate, showy finishing. Like I said, that will surely change. You are familiar with the OneShoe, correct?

Matt is sending me a knife I don't deserve. Will show it off.

 

[Manton]

All that exterior **** not only means nothing, it will either fade or look gunky with use. Never worth paying extra money for.

 

[Manton]

FWIW, reviewing that thread, I'd say that fewer than 10% of what's there has a profile I would like. When you factor in the length and the handle, that drops by half, or more.

 

[CBrown85]

So if Foo (and myself) are starting from square one, is there any advantage to going Japanese rather than German? Say, if one develops a style around a particular instrument is one superior over the other, or is that irrelevant?

Seems tempting:
http://www.houseofknives.ca/Kitchen-Knives/4596-20-Wusthof-Classic-Ikon-Chef-8

http://www.houseofknives.ca/Kitchen-Knives/6770-20-Kussi-Kata-Chef-8

http://www.houseofknives.ca/Kitchen-Knives/DM0706-Shun-Classic-Chef-8

 

[itsstillmatt]



So if Foo (and myself) are starting from square one, is there any advantage to going Japanese rather than German? Say, if one develops a style around a particular instrument is one superior over the other, or is that irrelevant?

Seems tempting:
http://www.houseofknives.ca/Kitchen-Knives/4596-20-Wusthof-Classic-Ikon-Chef-8

http://www.houseofknives.ca/Kitchen-Knives/6770-20-Kussi-Kata-Chef-8

http://www.houseofknives.ca/Kitchen-Knives/DM0706-Shun-Classic-Chef-8

In the real world, it is irrelevant. If you tend to be obsessional, then it is not.

 

[Manton]

Well, I disagree somewhat.

My training is French and my cooking style is French, or Franco-American. I worked with a German knife for years until recently. I really, really hate them now. Even for traditional french taskes like cutting julienne or brunoise, Japanese knives blow the krauts out of the water.

A Mac or Masamoto is not much more than either one of those knives and both are way superior in every way.

 

[itsstillmatt]



Well, I disagree somewhat.

My training is French and my cooking style is French, or Franco-American. I worked with a German knife for years until recently. I really, really hate them now. Even for traditional french taskes like cutting julienne or brunoise, Japanese knives blow the krauts out of the water.

A Mac or Masamoto is not much more than either one of those knives and both are way superior in every way.

I agree, I just don't agree that we are normal people.