# Need new cutlery set recommendations



## vlad40 (May 5, 2016)

Hello!  I am brand new to this forum but have lurked for a few months, much enjoying the conversation and impressed by the aggregate knowledge displayed.

I am updating my home cutlery set from Zwilling Professional S (20+ years old now) to Miyabi Artisan (for the most part).  I use my knives every day and am fundamentally unfamiliar with Japanese style knives.  I would greatly appreciate any insight provided.

Current Miyabi knives:

3 1/2" Paring

5 1/4" Prep

5 1/2" Santoku

8" Chef's

Issue:  I am trying to decide if I should go with a 7" ROCKING Santoku or a 6" Chef's AND a 7" Santoku.

Any thoughts?


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

That 8 inch chef should be able to take care of most everything the paring and prep aren't already doing. Do you have need for a boning, filet, bread knife, or slicer?

Truthfully so long as we are still talking about double beveled knives, the main differences are that these knives are thinner and made of harder steel.

What sharpening equipment do you have in place for these knives?


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

IMO what you have is already redundant.  What do you think you can do with the new three that you couldn't already do with these:

5 1/4" Prep

5 1/2" Santoku

8" Chef's

If you want new knives spend your money on things that are actually different: a long slicer, a butchers knife, a boning knife, a filet knife etc.  Stop buying more of the same.


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## vlad40 (May 5, 2016)

Reading your post and re-reading my post, I see that you make a great point! Much of what I prepare doesn't require a long blade and I tend to use the Professional S 6" chef's knife a lot, particularly on meats.

Your insight makes me think that the Miyabi 6" chef's knife might be the best choice of the 3 options.

Thank you! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

After using my first 8.4 inch chefs, I never went back to my 6/6.5 inch chefs knife I was using before that. 

And after buying a 240mm knife, I only very reluctantly use a 210mm size.


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## vlad40 (May 5, 2016)

I have found that each of the knives handle quite a bit differently. Here is an idea of how I use them:

Prep Knife - Paring and small volume/quick chopping jobs

Santoku - Higher volume chopping jobs

8" Chef's Knife - Larger raw meat-cutting jobs or hard vegetables like Jicama. I find that the knife feels a bit unwieldy in many of my day-to-day meal preparations so I am looking for something more nimble but sturdy and not tiny.

I already have solid plans to get the slicing knife and bread knife.

Also of note, I don't rock chop because I've never been comfortable with that chopping method. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Seems you're pretty much good to go with your existing and planned knives then!

No real need to rock chop much, your edges will thank you.

Speaking of, what sharpening equipment do you have for your Miyabis?


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## vlad40 (May 5, 2016)

Since these knives are brand new I haven't needed to use them, but Seattle Knife Sharpening is pretty close to me. They also have a great reputation as far as I have been able to glean.

I am not that good at sharpening as yet and these blades have a 9-12 degree edges, so I don't trust myself to try sharpening them at this point.

Since I still have the Henkels, I will probably practice my sharpening on them. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Nice! Good that you have a good local option. If you ever feel that the cost is racking up too much (though with SG2 blades you might be okay for a good while), just remember that freehanding is an option


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

They say 9-12deg, but that is not anywhere near what you get, which is probably closer to 20+.  SG-2 is rather chippy and there is no way Myabi is going to send these knives out at very acute angles to their mostly knife-clueless customer base.  Anyone who works on the board and has any knowledge of their tools will micro-bevel to 15+ with SG-2.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

You know, I just can't do the single micro-bevel thing.  Since I can remember I had an aversion to asymmetry.  My little Stingray bike came with a stick-shifter mounted on the right side of the backbone tube.  I had to save my ice cream truck money so I could by another shifter to mount on the left.

Well anyways I've tried both ways of doing the MB, and they both seem to do the job equally well. And I know what you're all thinking now, that I unconsciously sabotaged the asymmetrical bevel, cause it should have worked better.  And who knows, that might be the case.  That might be the case.  But if you're asymmetrically challenged like me, take heart in that a symmetrical micro-bevel works way better than none at all.

Hic-up, woops excuse, I'm starting the weekend early.


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

As someone who feels much more confident in the consistency of one side's sharpening than the other (significant strong side/weak side disparity), I'm glad the single sided microbevel works


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## pirendeus (Apr 1, 2016)

I know you said the 8" chefs feels unwieldy...but if you handled a lighter 8"-10" REAL japanese knife, not a generic mass-market miyabi, you might feel very differently. I used to use a heavy 7" as my main work knife, but after i got a quality lighter 10", i cant imagine going back to anything smaller.


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## vlad40 (May 5, 2016)

Pirendeus said:


> I know you said the 8" chefs feels unwieldy...but if you handled a lighter 8"-10" REAL japanese knife, not a generic mass-market miyabi, you might feel very differently. I used to use a heavy 7" as my main work knife, but after i got a quality lighter 10", i cant imagine going back to anything smaller.


I think my post concerning the chef's knife was unclear. Sorry for the confusion. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif The chef's knife I was referring to was my Henkel's Professional S. It is actually 9" (31021-230) and weighs in at 289g.

The Miyabi 9.5" slicer that I am using now weighs in at a much better 196g and feels/cuts light years better than the Henckel's in this rookie home cook's opinion.

I am rapidly learning that the "perfect knife" is a very subjective thing. Which is why there seems to be such a HUGE selection of makers, price points, and designs on the market. I think I've found a REALLY fun hobby (home cooking) to get into. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

I've got a 9.5 inch chefs, true Japanese magnolia wood wa-handle, that weighs in at 143g. It's a cutting machine. I think Pirendeus's suggestion is still valid.


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## vlad40 (May 5, 2016)

Foody518, I agree.  Pirendeus does indeed have a good point and one that I am looking in to.  My I ask what chef's knife you are referring to/using?  Is it carbon or stainless?  How is it for edge retention?  

Pirendeus, what chef's knife are you using?  Carbon/stainless?  Do you use this knife for smaller work also?  

Konosuke HD2 Gyuto?

Should I keep the Henckel's for bone-in cutting like holiday turkey or ham?

Right now the two sites that I have been shopping most are Knives and Stones and The Best Things.  Could you two recommend any others for comparisons and variety?  Thanks!


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

The one I had in mind was my 240mm Ikazuchi from Japanese Knife Imports https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...uchi-240mm-stainless-clad-blue-super-wa-gyuto AS core, stainless cladding. Good edge retention (though I haven't quite put it to the test because I love playing with polishing stones), comfy octagonal handle, and just slips through foods.

But even a deliberately less thin knife like the Gesshin Uraku Stainless is only about an ounce more. Note that these are gyuto's, not slicers, that weigh in at less than the Miyabi you've mentioned at the same length.

Sure, keep your Henckels. No need to banish a knife.

The recent threads in this sub-forum have a good deal of different knife sites and brands and such mentioned.


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