# Choosing a Santoku Miyabi vs Shun



## feitan1206

I've been reading a lot of reviews and still cant decide. The 2 knives that have gotten my attention are miyabi's and shun's both arround the same price ~$140. I'm looking for a thin blade, for chopping mainly and cutting sushi rolls.


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## millionsknives

If you're a culinary student, shouldn't you learn to use a gyuto or a chef's knife?


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## vic cardenas

If I were dead set on a Santoku as my main knife (and I wouldn't), and was looking in that price range or lower, I would look at these knives...

http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...n-knives/gesshin-uraku-165mm-skd-santoku.html

http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...s/gonbei-165mm-hammered-damascus-santoku.html

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/masamoto-santoku-knife.html

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/satadahasa18.html

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/tanakasantoku1.html

I chose all stainless knives because I'm assuming that's what you're looking for, with the exception of the last one, the Tanaka Blue #2, which is the knife I would probably pick out of that bunch. Or, if it were stainless that I would need, I'd pick the Gesshin Uraku SKD.

Shun and Miyabi are junk, consider the alternative Japanese knives, which are all usually better performers.


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## feitan1206

Any thoughs on this one? Just got my attention

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/takamura.html

The reason i choose a santoku is because i already own a wusthof chef knife, it does the work, but i find the blade is fat lacking precision.

Gyutos look like an intermediate between a yanagi and a chef knife, seems like it's what i was looking for.


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## millionsknives

That's the kind of knife I like!  A gyuto is a chef's knife with a french profile.  Flatter for better push cutting, worse for rock cutting, but you can still do it.  The knife you linked is a laser: very thin, very light.  I like lasers a lot for chopping vegetables, especially if you want to do thin cuts or a micro brunoise.  It should do well cutting sushi rolls too.  Just don't chop a chicken bone with it.

Even though it is a laser, this knife is clad on both sides with a softer stainless, which should stop it from being too flexible. 

I don't know much about R2 steel, maybe someone else can comment.


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## tweakz

R2 is a nickname sometimes referring to SG2, but can be brand dependent:

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...and-SG-2-steel?p=293910&viewfull=1#post293910

Haven't done much rock chopping with my Gyuto because the part that rocks on the board sinks into the plastic mat too far to be comfortable doing it. I would recommend a gyuto over a santoku. I just see no purpose for santoku.


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## rick alan

For a precision light duty knife this one looks like an excellent choice.  Just keep in mind this knife is very thin behind the edge and SG2 can be chippy.  It is probably not for wacking through things on a plastic board.  You may even hear some pinging if you sharpen it to a steap edge and don't use it carefully on a plastic board, very straight cuts, no twisting.

Rick


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## slurry90

A sharp knife is always the best knife however I Just got a Miyabi 8 inch chef knife. I love it. Just starting my knife collection. If you already have a chef knife , what is the possibility you Will use both of them? For me personally the chef knife is my go to knife. If I could only have 2 things in my knife kit it would be my miyabi chef knife and tongs.


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## lennyd

It seems you have some good recommendations already, and I will add that though I agree there are many better choices than the two in the original post and many are excellent performer's and value it is up to the purchaser when it comes to the final decision

Though I sold my Santuko a while back I did enjoy it for certain jobs, and since it was a Tojiro DP it was also a great value, but over time as things progress etc it just was not being used and I ended up selling it. 

For sushi I would prefer a gyuto, sujihiki, or a yanagiba as I find the longer edge better equipped to create the nice fine cut needed, but that in no way means you can't use a different knife. That said I fully understand why it would not be appropriate to use a heavy and fat Wusthof or Henckel etc add they are just not the best choice. 

To address the previous comment on how well a gyuto can rock chop or cut etc it really isn't designed to work that way, and I personally do not miss that technique one bit, and wouldn't see any reason to go back to it unless I somehow needed a reason to waste time. Yes the gyuto is faster and more precise than any popular western style chefs I had used in the past. 

To get a better grip on that statement search for the numerous information by BDL on glide and guillotine and hoy may find the stuff on pinch grip helpful as well. 

Hope that helps


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