Branching into Japanese Knives—Recs please

[JollyRogers]

Hi all, looking to expand into some higher quality Japanese knives and would love any and all recommendations!!
Primary uses will be vegetable prep, and meat trimming. We don’t do much with dense root veggies and I’ve got a utilitarian boning knife for working with bone in meats.

1)Pro or home cook? Home cook

2)What kind of knife do you want? (Gyuto, Santoku, Petty, Paring, Sujihiki, etc.)
I’m still learning but looking for a tall petty 120-130 or similar length ko-bunka. I definitely would like a nikiri, and a workhorse gyuto or bunka

3) What size knife do you want?
See #2 but open to suggestions

4)How much do you want to spend?
$175/knife

5) Do you prefer all stainless, stainless clad over reactive carbon, or all reactive carbon construction?
Open to guidance but stainless clad is where I’m leaning

6)Do you prefer Western or Japanese handle? Japanese handled

7)What are your main knife/knives now?
Misen 8” chef and 5.5 utility, brigade santuko, wustof on pairing. Primarily reach for the santuko and utility knives.

8)Are your knife skills excellent, good, fair? Fair but working on them

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

10)Do you know how to sharpen? I’m planning to get a stone and start practicing

[eriksg]

Hi and welcome.

One question: why do you reach for the santoku not your 8" chef? Is it about the steel, the profile, the length or weight? That might help provide better recommendations.

Not knowing that, for now . . . It's pushing your budget a bit but you might be interested in something like this for your all rounder gyuto. I've been eyeing these myself:
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kosld21gy.html

You might save on the nakiri/petty to balance out. General advice would be to spend more on your gyuto than your other knives. I don't have great nakiri recommendations as I don't use them much myself, so I'd have to point at the standard ones.

But for tall petty knives this is interesting and saves you some budget: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/koshtape12.html

It is on the thicker side but the profile and height look great to me.

[JollyRogers]

Thanks for the reply!
I’m not really sure why I continually reach for the more “mid” length knives. I definitely notice the limitations the tip of the santoku introduces. Perhaps I go for the shorter knives just due to my still limited technique.

I’ve been eyeballing the exact petty you linked, seems like a great option. I do wish I could find the following tall petty in stock:https://www.chefknivestogo.com/mabl2wafatap.html

[eriksg]

Perhaps I go for the shorter knives just due to my still limited technique.

Do you use a pinch grip? I found when I started to use a pinch grip not only did I feel more confident and have more control but 8" knives stopped feeling long.

[JollyRogers]

I’ve been working to use a pinch grip and get it where I naturally go to this grip. I definitely realize its advantages.

I think I’ve got my gyoto and petty selected. Just need to narrow in on a Nakiri

[JollyRogers]

Actually just picked up the Shindo Nakiri from CKTG with sharpening service! So looking forward to it arriving.

[eriksg]

Well I just saw those had come in and that would have been one of my recommendations by reputation. So, good choice!

I believe that one is all reactive, but I have found reactivity to be minimal with kurouchi knives. Best to wipe it off before setting it down to do something else.