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Next Level Japanese Santoku ?

Aloha ,
Looking for a Santoku a step up from the entry level Victorinox Santoku .
Is there a specific reason you want a santoku?

Nakiri, kiritsuki, gyutos, or chinese cleavers are more useful shapes imo.

If you're set on a santoku, you need to answer the following questions for yourself:

Can you maintain a good knife? E.g. handwashing and sharpening correctly. If not, just stick to cheaper knives.

Do you want to deal with carbon steel or just use stainless and not worry about wiping and patina. If you go stainless, I really like SG2 steel (miyabi Birchwood or eden susumi are great). VG10 cuts fine and if it is a good maker, they shouldn't botch the heat treat.
 
Is there a specific reason you want a santoku?

Nakiri, kiritsuki, gyutos, or chinese cleavers are more useful shapes imo.

If you're set on a santoku, you need to answer the following questions for yourself:

Can you maintain a good knife? E.g. handwashing and sharpening correctly. If not, just stick to cheaper knives.

Do you want to deal with carbon steel or just use stainless and not worry about wiping and patina. If you go stainless, I really like SG2 steel (miyabi Birchwood or eden susumi are great). VG10 cuts fine and if it is a good maker, they shouldn't botch the heat treat.
Thanks , I'm used to the Santoku ; I'd consider a Nakiri .
 
Banno Bunka by Takeda

Santukos are the "catch-all" but in reality , "catch none!"
It's not really GOOD at anything, but it is a "make do" wannabe.
 
I prefer Arutsugi knives. I used to live in Kyoto. Their shop in Nishikikoji was convenient and the customer service was excellent. They sell their own kamisori as well, but when I lived there many moons ago I was not into wet-shaving.
 
I prefer Arutsugi knives. I used to live in Kyoto. Their shop in Nishikikoji was convenient and the customer service was excellent. They sell their own kamisori as well, but when I lived there many moons ago I was not into wet-shaving.
I've always wanted the A style WA gyuto
 
Tojiro ITK. No frills made for a professional.
Takes a sick sharp edge. Requires some maintenance.
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I originally asked about a next level Santoku , but I'm open to any all-purpose / multi-use style Japanese knife .
 
How much are you looking to spend?

I have way too many knives (I don't mean that, one can never have enough kitchen knives in my biz) and I reach for
l more than any most anything but a bread knife, boning knife or vegetable peeler. I bought it on a whim because it is what I kind of learned on. Only country boy working in an Asian restaurant and they didn't like my french knife so i used the house cleavers. This blade gets screaming sharp if you can sharpen. The handle did fall apart on my. Just the last decorate bit. It was bradded on and glued but it broke. I fixed it with a drill and a round pin but the picture changed so I'm assuming they changed the handle.

Harukaze AS Wa Gyuto 210mm - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/haas21gy.html is another knife that I got as the same time as the cleaver and I never use it. :( It is a great knife! I just never use it. Great fit and finish. Mine was super sharp out of the box.

If I'm not using my cleaver I'm using a 240mm Hiromoto AS Gyuto from the last group buy many years ago. it has a lovely handle and I need to get the handle retreated and have probably worn the blade down a few millimetres from constant use and sharpening. That is how much I enjoy that cleaver.

Both knives I listed are carbon steel or carbon core so they take a touch more care in wiping off and making sure they are dry but they are not that much harder than stainless steel knives. Really.
 
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