Thinking Of Replacing My Santoku

[Kekoa]

1)Pro or home cook?

Home.

2)What kind of knife do you want? (Gyuto, Santoku, Petty, Paring, Sujihiki, etc.)

Gyuto.

3) What size knife do you want?

210-240.

4)How much do you want to spend?

$170 I think is my max.

5) Do you prefer all stainless, stainless clad over reactive carbon, or all reactive carbon construction?

I want something I haven't tried yet. AS, Blue 2, more on stainless below.

6)Do you prefer Western or Japanese handle?

Slight western preference, just to try something new, but good with either.

7)What are your main knife/knives now?

Yoshimitsu Fugen 210 Gytuo, Dexter 8 in. Chinese Cleaver

8)Are your knife skills excellent, good, fair?

Fair to good. I'm not fast, but I am fairly careful I think.

9)What cutting techniques do you prefer? Are you a rocker, chopper or push/pull cutter?

Mostly push/pull, finding some use for rocking, not sure I understand chopping.

10)Do you know how to sharpen?

Yes.

Please also add any additional pertinent information that can help everyone with suggestions.

So my first knife was a Yahiko Ginsan Santoku, and I'm quite fond of it in general. I like the grind, like the steel, like the handle, but what I have found is that I really just prefer more length. I usually use my gyuto or Chinese Cleaver because I feel I can do things much easier with at least 8 inches of blade. I'm not sure if I can successfully sell my santoku, but I'm considering trying to sell and use the money to invest in a longer knife.

I am leaning toward getting a 240mm western handle, but because options are more limited in that category, I could easily be convinced of getting a Wa handle or 210mm as well. I want something thinner than my Yoshimitsu, perhaps something similar geometry to my Yahiko Santoku that it would replace.

I am considering AS or Blue 2 if I go carbon steel. AS is tempting but I am unsure if it suits my use case. I am using length grain Teak cutting boards, not the best, I know, but it's what I've got, I'm just not sure if AS will be a bit brittle. Carbon knives that have caught my eye:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/hamoasgy24.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kobl2wagy24.html

Shorter options (less appealing but 210mm is still on the table):

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/minamoto1.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/okbl2gy21.html

For stainless it's more about the knife than the steel for me. I would tend to avoid VG-10, unless someone can vouch for the specific maker using it. The most obvious options to consider for me are the Kanehide PS60 and for some reason the Takayuki Grand Chef always gets my attention, not sure how good it is though. What I have been looking at:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kapsgy24.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tagrchaegy24.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tagrchgy24.html

VG-10 under slight consideration:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ya24gywa.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tavghadawagy.html

Stainless 210mm:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tachgy21.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tsaudasu24.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/hahavg5gy21.html

This has ended up more broad than I wanted, but if you want to narrow what to make a suggestion on, the highest priority I suppose is getting the full 240mm length, and something thinner than my Yoshimitsu, steel and handle type are less important. If you bother to make a suggestion, thank you for surmounting this indecisive attempt at narrowing my options!

[Qapla']

Are you righty?

If yes, then the Kanehide PS definitely has my vote. It also seems to be the best choice for the budget. I have the Kanehide TK and I like it a lot; you might consider it as well if you're open to semistainless steel.

There's some blue-super out there, but it's likely above your price point:
https://japanesechefsknife.com/collecti ... 9537701635

[Bob Z]

Without reading your 12 candidates, I'd go for one of these two:
This one comes in a 240 for a bit more. I have the Nakiri in this steel and love it!
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kosld21gy.html
The Kanehide looks good as well. Personally I like to see reviews for knives. It has a few.
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kapswagy21.html

[trancher]

BNIB Makoto Ryusei VG7 240mm Gyuto in Classifieds???

https://www.chefknivestogoforums.com/vi ... hp?t=17475

I'd ask about the spots on the non-kanji side near the heel.

[Radar53]

This knife really impressed me and right on the money;

Harukaze AS Gyuto 240mm ~ https://www.chefknivestogo.com/harukaze240.html

well balanced, cuts well, feels great in hand, takes & holds a fantastic edge, not wildly reactive and patinas nicely. Typical great value for money.
HTH

[eddiesalita]

This knife really impressed me and right on the money;

Harukaze AS Gyuto 240mm ~ https://www.chefknivestogo.com/harukaze240.html

well balanced, cuts well, feels great in hand, takes & holds a fantastic edge, not wildly reactive and patinas nicely. Typical great value for money.
HTH

I have the 210 version of this. A great, super light, extra nimble little gyuto. Very very well priced. G3 is a wonderful steel. Great food release.

[Kekoa]

Anyone have any input on Takayuki as a maker? Their Grand Chef is made from N695 which I am totally unfamiliar with, and their VG-10 model has me thinking hard. The description says their VG-10 is easier to sharpen than some, I am just a little hesitant with VG-10 usually.

[Radar53]

This knife really impressed me and right on the money;

Harukaze AS Gyuto 240mm ~ https://www.chefknivestogo.com/harukaze240.html

well balanced, cuts well, feels great in hand, takes & holds a fantastic edge, not wildly reactive and patinas nicely. Typical great value for money.
HTH

I have the 210 version of this. A great, super light, extra nimble little gyuto. Very very well priced. G3 is a wonderful steel. Great food release.

ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My apologies as I somehow linked the wrong knife It should have been;

Harukaze AS Gyuto 240mm ~ https://www.chefknivestogo.com/haas24wagy.html

I have both of these knives and while the Nashiji G3 is good & has better food release the AS (Aogami Super) is the better knife and worth the USD170 price tag.

[Kekoa]

Well, actually thinking hard about selling my Santoku has me hesitating on that idea, but I think I have narrowed my options fairly well at this point. I think it is between the western PS60, western Takayuki Grand Chef, or possibly a Sakai Kikumori SKK I found elsewhere. I am leaning toward the PS60, but this is largely due to the fact that I don't know much about the other two knives, even though they seem appealing.

The Grand Chef might be less tall than I would want, so that could knock it off the list. I'm afraid even with my small hands, if I do a pinch grip on the blade I might not like how close my fingers get to the cutting board. I'll have to measure it out and see what I think. I'd like to know more about N695 steel before buying as well.

The Kikumori SKK looks nice, but I don't really know what the steel is, and I haven't even seen a HRC for it yet. Looking closer it is also quite a bit heavier, which I take as being an indication that it is probably a stouter grind, something I wouldn't favor.

So things lean toward the PS60 at the moment, but I am going to keep researching. This may end up being a Christmas present option I submit to my family. Or maybe I can convince them to make it a Thanksgiving present so I can use it to help prep Thanksgiving lunch and dinner!

[Kekoa]

Ugh, I'm being stupid and I know it. I've looked around more and am now almost certain the PS60 has got to be just about the best performing western Gyuto available at it's price range... but I really am not a fan of brown handles on western Gyutos for some reason. I really like boring black handles. I found another Gyuto made with AUS-8 steel that is very similar while having black handles. Looks great, but it sits around 58 Rockwell, about as hard as AUS-8 gets from what I've seen, and it is a bit heavier, likely indicating a thicker overall grind. It's a perfectly fine knife I'm sure, a good upgrade to a typical German chef knife to be certain, but I know it won't be as good as a PS60 at the same price.

I don't usually get caught up on aesthetics, this is quite unusual for me. So if you will, please just tell me to stop quibbling over brown handles and get the right knife!

[Jeff B]

Stop quibbling over the Brown handle, the PS60 has much better steel and is a great performing knife for the money. You won't even notice the color of the handle after a little time with the knife.

[transmaster]

I have several Santoku's, 2 of them are a Paudin, and a Mitsumoto Sakari, both 7". Both are very good, I recently added a Zwilling Pro -8" Chef's Knife. I have been watching YouTubes of top chef's in Europe. When you can identify the knife they are using it is almost always a Zwilling Pro 8", or a Wüsthof 8" Chef's Knife. Comparing my Santoku's with the Zwilling it is apparent with how it feels in your hand why they are so popular with high end EU chef'

[Jeff B]

You won't find Zwilling anything getting too much love around here other than being a good beater knife.

[Kekoa]

I don't have anything against Zwilling, but I will say that usually when I consider getting a stainless beater in a European style, I tend toward Victorinox. Same steel as a Zwilling's forged knives but at about a third of the price, and thinner too I believe. I do appreciate European blades though, if I had more expendable income I would own one just for the fun of it and for collections sake.

[gladius]

The Harukaze AS Gyuto 240mm would be my suggestion. Best performance for the budget, love mine.

[transmaster]

The fact Zwilling is considered a "beater knife" here is what makes them so good you can "beat" them. I am not exactly sure what My German Butcher uncle used in his butcher shop in the 1960's but what I remember were like the Zwilling/Henckels. I have mine in his memory.

I have used Japanese style pattern welded knives for around 25 years. I have 3 Santoku's. in my knife bag. My absolute favorite is a Mitsumoto Sakari 7" very sharp very smooth cutting. I does not have Grantons, an English invention I detest in this style of knife. A local chef turned me onto the Paudin line of Japanese style knives. Very well made out of what they call VG-10 Damascus. The Paudin 8" French form, Damascus "Cloud Bright" knife is a good alternative to the Santoku. Well balanced, comfortable handle and so far has maintained a very good edge. Which I maintain with a Shun knife steel.

[aporigine]

I don't have anything against Zwilling, but I will say that usually when I consider getting a stainless beater in a European style, I tend toward Victorinox. Same steel as a Zwilling's forged knives but at about a third of the price, and thinner too I believe. I do appreciate European blades though, if I had more expendable income I would own one just for the fun of it and for collections sake.

I have a Grand Chef 210 pettyhiki. (It’s long for a petty and short for a sujihiki.) It’s a nice knife for factory-produced. My one tiny gripe is that the bevel is wider than on my lasery knives. A future thinning project perhaps.

The stainless is very like AEB-L around RC61, and it feels very good on the stones and takes on a nicely sharp edge. The steel feels very fine-grained and does not have the chewiness of VG-10 or (worse) typical Western stainless cutlery steels.

It isn’t one of those stay-sharp-forever powder steels, but it is more a pleasure than a chore on the stones. It also responds instantly to a strop or ceramic rod.

I will admit being drawn to the 240 gyuto with those food-release windows and the Galaxy handle.