Foo shops for a Japanese knife

[otc]

Magnetic strip.

If I wanted to get fancy, I would get a wooden one...but instead I use the stainless one from ikea and just make sure to be careful not to let the edge snap to the magnet first.

 

[gomestar]

knife block for the worker bee knives. Saya cover + drawer for the Masamoto gyuto.

 

[gomestar]

also, some carbon edge pron

 

[Manton]

oooh, I think I know what that is. Deets?

(I thought they were out of stock)

 

[gomestar]

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

really really happy with it. Might get the gyuto (even though I don't need it).

 

[Bounder]



Saya cover + drawer for the Masamoto gyuto.

You astound me. I thought for sure silk and a tokonoma would be involved.

 

[gomestar]

i'm no :foo:

 

[NewStart]

Solid knives - I never thought that there would be a knive threat in Styleforum

 

[mikeman]

In the market for a new chef knife. Budget is $200 or less. 8 inch.

I've been looking around Korin, and a few are standing out to me.

http://korin.com/Misono-UX10-Gyutou_3?sc=27&category=280073

http://korin.com/Togiharu-Hammered-Damascus-Gyutou?sc=27&category=280059

http://korin.com/Masamoto-VG-Gyutou?sc=27&category=280096

http://korin.com/Togiharu-Inox-Steel-Gyutou?sc=27&category=280054

Opinions? Other recommendations are welcome. Thanks!

 

[Manton]

of those, masamoto hands down

but get this instead

http://www.mtckitchen.com/p-768-takamura-hsps-gyuto-knife-21cm.aspx

 

[mikeman]



of those, masamoto hands down

but get this instead

http://www.mtckitchen.com/p-768-takamura-hsps-gyuto-knife-21cm.aspx

Awesome! Thanks for the recommendation. Is the Takamura an easy knife to maintain?

And just curious, as to why the Takamura is that much better than the Maamoto?

 

[Manton]

They are both awesome, you really can't go wrong. I have the black handle Takamura and it's the best knife I have ever owned, though out of your stated price range. The red handle one is cheaper because it uses less total steel, but it's the same quality. It's a lot like the Masamoto in that it's a "laser", which is to say, extremely thin. This is for fine veg cuts, not for anything hard.

I have less experience (but not zero) sharpening a Masamoto. I would say that the Tak is probably easier. I bought this stone:

http://www.mtckitchen.com/p-1638-kitayama-sharpening-stone-for-knives-fine-grit-8000.aspx

(among many others) and lately it is the only one I have needed to restore the edge. It's rated at 8,000 grit but knife geeks say that when you use that little buffer stone (nagura) to prep it, you get a range of up to 12,000.

The other thing I would say is that the Tak is a 50/50 edge, but the Masamoto performs best at 70/30, which is more difficult to do. You can learn how, but it's trickier and will take more practice.

 

[mikeman]



They are both awesome, you really can't go wrong. I have the black handle Takamura and is the best knife I have ever owned, though out of your stated price range. The red handle one is cheaper because it uses less total steel, but it's the same quality. It's a lot like the Masamoto in that is a "laser", which is to say, extremely thin. This is for fine veg cuts, not for anything hard.

I have less experience (but not zero) sharpening a Masamoto. I would say that the Tak is probably easier. I bought this stone:

http://www.mtckitchen.com/p-1638-kitayama-sharpening-stone-for-knives-fine-grit-8000.aspx

(among many others) and lately it is the only one I have needed to restore the edge. It's rated at 8,000 grit but knife geeks say that when you use that little buffer stone (nagura) to prep it, you get a range of up to 12,000.

The other thing I would say is that the Tak is a 50/50 edge, but the Masamoto performs best at 70/30, which is more difficult to do. You can learn how, but it's trickier and will take more practice.

Thanks again! Decisions, decisions... That was my one concern about the Takamura– seems to be super thin. However, I'm sure it would be fine.

As far as not cutting anything hard. What does that generally mean? Chopping through like chicken bones is what cones to my mind.

 

[Manton]

Definitely no chicken bones. Nothing harder than a hard veg, carrot, squash, etc.

If you want to go through bone, you need a deba or a honesuki or something like that.

BTW, the masamoto is very thin, too. that's one of the reasons why it's so great. For veg work, you want a thin knife.

 

[mikeman]

That's what I figured. I don't really ever do that, so it's fine. Thanks again for your help. There are just too many damn choices out there!