# Good knife for a first time buyer



## ThanasisSam (Aug 31, 2020)

Came from reddit to get more opinions on some knifes

Style: Japanese

Steel: Stainless

Handle: Haven't gotten any other than western style on my hands but i like the idea of a japanese one

Grip: Pinch grip

Length: From 180 to 220mm

Uses: Literally Everything.

Care: Proffesional

Budget: Up to 150 euros ( I am from eu so i need retailers that can ship to me)

I want a knife that can last a lot of time and it's not THAT fragile that i have to be carefull with every little thing (that's why i considered getting a wusthof ikon). What's your thought on these knives when you consider my situation? Also this is my first knife so i am inexperienced in the knife care department (that's why i will go to a proffesional for a while).

Sakai Takayuki 33 layer vg 10 damasus hammered gyoto' 210mm

Yaxell yo-u 69 layer vg 10 damascus gyoto 210mm

Iseya l-series 33 layer vg 10 gyoto 210mm

Tojiro Fujitora DP 3 layered vg10 gyoto 210 mm

Kaeru Kasumi staineless gyoto

ohishi vg-10 gyoto



Any other reccomendations?


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Check out Maxim's website below - he's a great guy to do business with.

https://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/kitchen-knives/


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

I like the Sakai. Nice handle.


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## mrsakitchen (Sep 14, 2020)

I have always wanted to have a collection of beautiful Japanese knives


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Don't go with Damascus or any other kind of decorative cladding. Note that it is indeed cladding: it's just a thin decorative sheet wrapped about the blade core. Under professional use conditions, you will scratch it very quickly and I promise you won't be happy with that.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

You didn't mention what the knife's intended use is going to be? That's an important factor when deciding what knife to buy.

Choosing a knife is an intensely personal decision. Yes, we can point you in the direction of quality knives and give you a synopsis of what different characteristics to look for in the knife depending on its intended use. But, at the end of the day, its you that uses it. So, what may be good for one of us is not necessarily going to be good for you. 

Any one of the knives you have mentioned are good choices. You will do well with any of them. However, I would strongly encourage you to invest in two things along with your knife: a good honing rod and a set of sharpening stones. It doesn't take much to learn how to use either of them and they are essential for anyone who owns a good knives. Having your knives professionally sharpened etc only reduces the life of the knife and many so called "professionals" may not know how to sharpen your good knife, especially if your knife has a specific bevel. 

Also, if your knife skills are not up to par, I would strongly encourage you to improve them before you buy a knife like these. They are incredibly sharp; probably sharper than anything you've worked with before and if your knife skills are not good, these knives can easily send you to the hospital. This is one of those things where the test comes first and the lesson comes after. There's not one of us in this forum that doesn't have the scars on our hands to prove it. 

Good luck.


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