# JCK nature lines



## chefanr (Mar 15, 2017)

Good afternoon all.

I'm looking for some feedback on the Japanese Chefs Knives Natures line if anyone has experience with them? They are well priced currently on the JCK website and I'm looking for a 10 inch chef knife as a work horse in my prep kitchen.

I've been using a JCK Fujiwara 10 inch Gyuto as my go to 'dog work' knife for 5 years now. I bought it back in 2015 after a very frustrating experience with the Masamoto HC line. Basically I saved up and order a Masamoto after years of wanting one. The fit and finish on both knives (the first was returned, replaced then the replacement returned for a refund) I got was frankly poor for the price though.

I went for the JCK Fujiwara on recommendation from another chef and it has been a fantastic chef knife for me. I wouldn't argue it's the greatest knife in the world but it's well balanced, has a comfortable handle for a pinch grip and it takes a great edge quickly on a stone. It's also good value.

Many will probably recommend the MAC mighty instead. It's a brilliant knife which I already own. It's currently in a knife roll in a different country though as I've been stranded by COVID-19 for the time being. Rather than get it posted I'm thinking I'll invest in something else as I always like a new knife to try out.

Other popular knives in this area are the Misono Sweden 10inch (AKA dragon) and 8inch (AKA flower). I own both following great advice from this forum a few years back. The Swedens are cracking knives once you get them on a stone given the edge is very rounded out the box. I love both but use them at home these days as I prefer a stainless chef knife over carbon steel at work.


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## benuser (Nov 18, 2010)

I'm familiar with the Deep Impact, AS core with stainless cladding. High hardness without a trace of brittleness, very finely grained. Excellent grinding: good food release but still very thin behind the edge. Put a conservative edge on it and it shows the best edge retention I've ever seen under harsh circumstances, if that matters to you. Asymmetric, even if stated differently.
Haven't tried the 240 though, have the 210. The 240's weight makes me think it's a beast, other users have reported it's still very thin behind the edge. 
Yo-handle is micarta, F&F not spectacular. 
The petty's handle is far to small to my taste.


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## chefanr (Mar 15, 2017)

Thanks for the response, benuser. I think you also gave some great advice a few years back when I was looking at carbon steel knives and ended up with the Misono Sweden.

I was looking at the Deep Impact but JCK are out of stock at the moment, sadly. It's a similar profile to the JCK Fujiwara I mentioned in the opening post. I tend not to mind a heavier chef knife, particularly at 240mm.

In terms of 210mm I was considering the JCK Blue Moon linked below as I'd heard good things from other cooks. I've also heard plenty of good thinks about JCK's Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan Aogami knives but they were sold out as well last I checked.

https://japanesechefsknife.com/coll...s/jck-natures-blue-moon-series-wa-gyuto-210mm

Having big hands I've often had issues with handle size on petty's. Knuckle clearance isn't really an issue as little of the work I do with a petty is actually on the chopping board. Small handles drive me nuts in terms of comfort though. Back in my commis days working in French fine dining, I used to hate turning veg with turning knives because of the tiny handles on them. I ended up getting an old 6inch mac boning knife (incidentally one of the best knives I've ever owned) and using it to turn veg as I found the handle so much more comfortable for high volume prep jobs.


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## benuser (Nov 18, 2010)

Handle size with pettys:
From the left to the right:
Suien VC 240mm gyuto, Misono 440 180mm 'slicer', Deep Impact 150mm petty
The 'slicer' makes a very practical petty!


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## chefanr (Mar 15, 2017)

Thanks benuser. Sorry for the slow response.

Wow that is a tiny handle. The Suien is meant to be a beautiful knife. I was lent a Misono slicer during an early stage by the restaurants sous chef. I couldn't tell you if it was the 440mm but it was a lovely knife. I don't usually take to very light knives but that Misono was a joy to use whilst prepping wafer thin slices of Ox heart.

I've been consistently using a Victorinox Slicer for years now in large part to finding the handle so comfortable. A scalloped salmon slicer style. One of my early investments as a commis and it's done me brilliantly to be fair to it. I used to find it brilliant when working in banqueting for skinning ridiculous volumes of fish.

My filleting knife is still a Victorinox Rosewood as well in fact. I've tried many other filleting knives but have never found one I prefer. I really love Mac knives particularly their boning knives as mentioned so I tried one of their filleting knives and it just has too much flex in the blade for my liking.

Victorinox aren't the best knives by any means but are very good value and last in commercial kitchens. I couldn't go back to one of their chefs knives as I prefer something thinner behind the blade but their paring and tomato knives, pastry knife, slicer and filleting knives are still in my everyday knife roll.


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## chefanr (Mar 15, 2017)

In terms of my OP, I'm trending towards:

https://japanesechefsknife.com/coll...s/jck-natures-blue-moon-series-wa-gyuto-210mm

https://japanesechefsknife.com/coll...a-gyuto-210mm-and-240mm?variant=1477312610328

I've heard good things about both from fellow chefs. I've only ever had one octagon handled chef knife but the Inazuma is edging it largely due to being available at 240mm which is what I've preferred over 210mm for the last few years.


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

Looks pretty good! I haven't tried one but all of JCK's house brand knives I have tried were good. I really love their CarboNext line; stupid name but great steel.


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