Wusthof vs Made In vs Victorinox vs…
- Thread starter OldSaw
- Start date
shavefan
I’m not a fan
FWIW, I've never been a fan of VG10 steel like used in the Miyabi Fusion. VG10 can be 'chippy' (the edge is very brittle). That said, you're looking at a slicing knife so brittleness shouldn't be too much of a concern, over say a chef, cleaver, or santuko style knife that will see chopping duty.
In addition to the previous recommendations, I think the Zwilling Pro Slicing Knife would be a good candidate. Durable steel, easy to sharpen, made in Germany, and a traditional western handle (if you prefer that).
I use a ten inch carbon steel Thiers Issard Sabatier myself. It is superb. I recommend the Tojiro based on the 240 gyuto and the nakiri I have from that line. They do not have the finish of a $300 (or more) knife, but they take and hold a screaming sharp edge. They are so cheap that picking up a 1000/3000 water stone would still come in under budget.
Taiwan. Mercer is highly regarded. The Knife Merchant has a made in Sheffield, England one for just under $30. Grantons aka kullen keep things from sticking to the blade.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
To add, if the knife is going to be used primarily for carving meat (not fish/sashimi) look into a sujihiki (vs. yanagiba) if you want a Japanese knife.
I own Henkle, Victorinox, Shun and Wusthof. My very favorite is my 6 inch chef knife by Shun followed by my Wusthof Carving knife. Can't go wrong with any of the good knife companies. I love the handle on the Shun the most.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
Which Shun? They have many lines with differences in blade material and handle shapes.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
Ah, the Shun Classic
That would be a nice knife and work well, but not with your diamond rod. Japanese knives are much harder than “western” blades, so when you take diamonds to them, the blade chips at the actual edge, and it’s not an optimal edge for cutting. Having to buy a new sharpening setup is a meaningful investment, and it would be hard to justify, unless you plan on adding more high end Japanese knives to your collection.
Based on the above, I’d recommend picking up a Wusthof carving knife, it’ll serve your family for generations, and the blade can get more than sharp enough to do a stellar job. Probably best of all, it won’t be the gateway drug into the high end Japanese knife rabbit hole.
- Thread starter
- #31
OldSaw
The wife's investment
So what type of sharpening system would I need if I want to make the leap?
kelbro
Alfred Spatchcock
You can spend a lot more ( I have!) but few are better carvers than the Dexter Russell. They are also one of the easiest to sharpen.
- Thread starter
- #33
OldSaw
The wife's investment
Do tell more.
There's already a great thread here on Knife Sharpening. I do great with water stones, a 1000 grit and a 3000.
kelbro
Alfred Spatchcock
I have read that Dexter Russells are used in more commercial kitchens than any other brand. I've had great luck with their blades over many years. We used to have a butcher shop and I've cut a LOT of meat!
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Most of their stuff is very reasonable, made is US and seems high quality. I have a half dozen different models and a few turners and their spreaders are great too.but they don’t excel in the looks department. Commercial plastic handles are very utilitarian but I don’t have them out on display or in a block.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
Dexter Russel are no-nonsense commercial quality knives. They won't impress with their looks but they get the job done. Easy to sharpen on a honing steel and NSF certified. They can stand up to being thrown in a commercial dishwasher night after night.
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Miyabi are meant to be alright. Though if you're in the US and want a Japanese knife I would go for something sold by one of these two retailers, and be guaranteed that they've spent some time finding the best QPR they possibly can:
Sujihiki
Sujihiki / Slicing
The sujihiki (or sujibiki) is a Japanese-style slicing knife with a thinner, sharper edge than Western versions. The long blade of the sujihiki is ideal for thinly carving cooked meats and slicing terrines and patés. The typical length of Sujihiki ranges between 210mm to 300mm (8.3 to 12 inch)...
knivesandstones.us
Or a third option, also good: Sujihikis - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/sujihikis.html
I've had this Wustohof knife for a few years and like it a lot. I like the weight and balance. I had already been using the chef's knife for quite a while, so no surprise.
That’s a tough question to respond to, and frankly is a thread in and of itself. The least expensive (yet most difficult) path would be freehand sharpening with synthetic water stones. Then there are inexpensive ($100) systems that use ceramic stones like the spyderco sharpmaker - which is fine for the Miyabi - but if you went further down the Japanese knife rabbit hole, the Spyderco isn’t going to do it for single beveled blades, re-profiling, modifying bevel angles or getting super hard blades insanely sharp.
