Japanese Knives

[Weedy1]

I'm considering a few Japanese knives to add to the kitchen mess.
As this seems to be a re-emerging market susceptible to market hype, any pros / cons & reviews would be appreciated from those with prior experience in purchasing and using these tools.

[grouse_hunter]

Originally Posted by Weedy1

I'm considering a few Japanese knives to add to the kitchen mess.
As this seems to be a re-emerging market susceptible to market hype, any pros / cons & reviews would be appreciated from those with prior experience in purchasing and using these tools.

I have 3 Damascus Henckels from their Japanese line. The knives are made in Japan and are simply incredible. I've had them for close to ten years and have enjoyed every day that I've spent cooking with them.
I sharpen the knifes with my Edge Pro sharpening system giving them the perfect edge for kitchen duty. Frankly it seems that the knives keep themselves sharp as long as I use them therefore the Edge Pro is collecting dust!
I bought all of the knives at Hendrix Food Equipment in Edmonton. The small paring knife cost me $180, the large paring knife - $260 and the 7" Santoku - $370.

Edit: I forgot to add that I was gifted a nice Deba straight from Japan. The knife maker engraved my name on the blade too! It's an awesome knife for fish and chicken. Being about a quarter inch thick at the spine it work like a mini cleaver. The one sided grind makes skinning a fish fillet a quick and easy procedure. Granted I could do it just fine with my old Rapala filleting knife. Just another knife style to consider.

[YoteStopper]

Depending on your budget, the aforementioned Miyabi lineup is quite nice and there are plenty of models available. Another option might be Ice Bear knives, Lee Valley carries them.

[Big Sky]

We've got a set of Henckel 4 star II knives. Very nice looking and easy to work with. We like 'em.

Then, a friend gave me a gift of this knife.
https://knifewear.com/collections/ta...mo-petty-150mm
The thing is amazing. Very, very sharp. Holds an edge well. Touches up with a ceramic hone. This knife gets a lot of use in our kitchen.

We picked up the smaller knife from the same series. Again, just an outstanding knife. This one gets more use than any other in the kitchen. It's just a nice size.

You may have noticed that these knives are not cheap. When I stopped by the store, the clerk suggested this series.
https://knifewear.com/collections/haruyuki-goma
They're a little less money, but they still hold an edge very well.
We tried the 80mm paring knife and liked it a lot. Added the 240mm slicing knife to the collection and have been impressed with it also.

We will probably add another Japanese knife or two to our collection, but for now, the knives we have cover the vast majority of the work we do in the kitchen. The Henckels don't see near as much work but they are still a great knife.

My suggestion would be to try a smaller paring knife. They seem to get a lot of use and would give you a good idea as to whether you want to expand your collection.

[Weedy1]

Originally Posted by Big Sky

We've got a set of Henckel 4 star II knives. Very nice looking and easy to work with. We like 'em.

Then, a friend gave me a gift of this knife.
https://knifewear.com/collections/ta...mo-petty-150mm
The thing is amazing. Very, very sharp. Holds an edge well. Touches up with a ceramic hone. This knife gets a lot of use in our kitchen.

We picked up the smaller knife from the same series. Again, just an outstanding knife. This one gets more use than any other in the kitchen. It's just a nice size.

You may have noticed that these knives are not cheap. When I stopped by the store, the clerk suggested this series.
https://knifewear.com/collections/haruyuki-goma
They're a little less money, but they still hold an edge very well.
We tried the 80mm paring knife and liked it a lot. Added the 240mm slicing knife to the collection and have been impressed with it also.

We will probably add another Japanese knife or two to our collection, but for now, the knives we have cover the vast majority of the work we do in the kitchen. The Henckels don't see near as much work but they are still a great knife.

My suggestion would be to try a smaller paring knife. They seem to get a lot of use and would give you a good idea as to whether you want to expand your collection.

There are a lot of knives made in Japan that are made via a production model. Although they are great knives I'm looking for something more of a one off that can be handed down. Handmade Japanese knives, like those which you have mentioned, is what I am considering and would probably be purchased either through Knifewear or KnifeToronto. Like you mention the cost is very high thus the reason I am taking my time in choosing. I will probably start out with a Gyuto 240mm then add on from there.

Have you happened to take any courses from Knifewear?

[Dona]

My Wife was given a set of TAKESHI SAJI knives by our Son. They are scary sharp but they are a great knife. Silly expensive though!

[Big Sky]

Originally Posted by Weedy1

Have you happened to take any courses from Knifewear?

I haven't taken the sharpening course, but I probably should. The friend that gave me the first knife has all the stones that are needed and is happy to sharpen our knives for us and show me the ropes. On the other hand, I don't want to impose on him.

For household use, the knives don't need a lot of sharpening. Our smaller knives, that generally only get used on fruits and vegetables, have only needed honing. But, like anything, it depends on use.

When I suggested starting with a paring knife, I should have said that a person should start with what they will use most. Carving, slicing, paring, boning or whatever; get what you'll use a lot and then you can decide if you want to get more.

[hilt134]

I was given a knife for house sitting while a family was in japan. Its a Tsukiji Masamoto knife
https://www.mtckitchen.com/tsukiji-m...fe-270mm-10-6/
yeah its roughly 460 Canadian but without a doubt you will never feel a nicer, more sharp knife. I want to get a pairing knife from them but lack the funds. one thing I do notice with the Japanese knives is that they are a lot more fine than German or American blades and its a bit weird at first but once you get used to it you wont like the heft of other knives. also a lot of them a carbon blades, so while they are sharp and awesome they may impart color and taste until a patina is built up. I noticed this on raw veggie the most and cooked was not a problem.

[calgarychef]

Save your money :$ use it fo hunting!

[RigPig]

Best place to order Japanese knives https://japanesechefsknife.com/. I have ordered from them and shipping is ridiculously quick. Also there sister site Japanese knife direct is also great for all other knives. Have also used there warranty and they were spectacular. Buy with confidence .