# Do I even need a santoku



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Anything I would use this for I would reach for a chinese cleaver or a petty first. That said... something about a tall santoku (53mm!) with distal taper and good geometry.. It's hard to say no at the sale price $71. If it was stainless it would make a good gift knife.

http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/itinomonn-kurouchi-180mm-wa-santoku/


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

I like that Maksim carries some 180mm nakiri and santoku, as opposed to the more common 165mm.

How's the shipping without hitting the free shipping limit?


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

foody518 said:


> I like that Maksim carries some 180mm nakiri and santoku, as opposed to the more common 165mm.
> 
> How's the shipping without hitting the free shipping limit?


It is STEEP like $32. This is only a good deal if you combine it with something to make the cut off amount

Actually two of these is exactly the free shipping minimum amount!


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

MillionsKnives said:


> Actually two of these is exactly the free shipping minimum amount!


Haha, score!

To be honest though as someone who has a couple of nakiri and santoku+bunka, I have to make an effort to think about pulling them out and using them as opposed to 230mm+gyuto or large chuka bocho or the occasional petty/parer usage.

Probably going to sell off my Shibata Kotetsu bunka sometime in the future to put funds towards the 240mm gyuto which is what I should have gotten in the first place.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

If your tempted and have the cash, go for it... and enjoy! Personally, I don't need more knives and can't be tempted by a santoku... I just don't like he feel or work well with them. But i, apparently, am in the minority considering their popularity.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I had a Dexter Russell santoku. The thing I liked it best for was cheese. But it didn't merit a place in my kitchen in the long term. The petty was a better design for me over all.


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I gave mine to my wife as I never used it.


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## tastytaco (Feb 17, 2017)

I think the santoku is pretty much the perfect knife for a home kitchen of a busy parent.  I can do just about any job, easy to clean (if stainless), store and use.   Chopping up veggies for dinner or an apple for snack time...  not like you are breaking down whole rib roasts or a case of watermelons.  throw in a petty or a good parer and you are pretty well set.


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## captainbligh (Feb 25, 2017)

Pretty much how I see it too ... carried a basic Santoku in the kit for a while but never pulled it out, other than when I was handing out decent blades to people who didn't have a good one of their own to use, preferring at various times a larger 'chefs" like my 8" German (classic then later on a wide) or eventually my 8" Japanese (tojiro dp) for most tasks. 

What I discovered was when it started to live at home in the block, it was the one I'd grab and do most tasks with because I had a smaller work space, smaller wooden board and the 7" was just enough smaller to feel better with the space limitations w/o being too small (like a Petty might be) and be able to handle most any task I needed to do well enough.


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## tastytaco (Feb 17, 2017)

how about this one? "rocking santoku" it's like a santoku... that rocks..

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1669043/Miyabi+Artisan+SG2+Rocking+Santoku


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## captainbligh (Feb 25, 2017)

Ah, the exception that proves the rule, I'm actually rocking the 600D (Morimoto Fusion) version now after falling for the shape in the German "Pro" version of that blade about a year ago. Figured the thinner, lighter (and harder steel) Japanese would be the upgrade I wanted. It is. So -- That one? yeah. But the normal ~7" Santoku? I never found myself going to in my working kit.


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

TastyTaco said:


> I think the santoku is pretty much the perfect knife for a home kitchen of a busy parent. I can do just about any job, easy to clean (if stainless), store and use. Chopping up veggies for dinner or an apple for snack time... not like you are breaking down whole rib roasts or a case of watermelons. throw in a petty or a good parer and you are pretty well set.


This is exactly what it was invented for, back in the 1920s: the busy, on-the-go urban housewife. It remains a very good knife for that purpose.


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