Nakiri or Usuba better for me?

How are you sharpening?

You haven't listed a prepping task that really requires an usuba

Some wooden handles should be periodically oiled as well

To me, this thread and the couple of others you've opened sound more like a sharpening problem (dull or too thick), maybe a wrong knife for the task problem, but going down to a 6-7 inch knife doesn't really seem like the optimal choice.

Why not a regular well-ground chefs knife?

Give a call to the guys at Japanese Knife Imports and talk about your prep needs, sharpening, and budget

 

Usubas are thicker than nakiris since they are single bevel - (think stubby yanagiba, or square deba).  I doubt the blue steel is turning the lettuce brown that's usually a reactive cladding issue.  Dull blade might help it along since you would be crushing the fibers and not slicing them cleanly.  How long is the product hanging around after prep?

 

What are you looking to spend - knives and sharpening supplies?

What minimum/maximum length are you needing? (to process the lettuce cleanly in one stroke and also to not hit your knife against the wall/back of sink)

Thick plus pull-through sounds like not the best choice.
 

This guy is less than 5 ounces https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/products/gesshin-stainless-210mm-gyuto

So is the Gesshin Ginga stainless gyuto https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...oducts/gesshin-ginga-210mm-stainless-wa-gyuto

Getting hung up on angles is missing the point of what sharpening does for you - it's not just setting a primary bevel that makes sense for your usage (combination of performance and durability), but it's also sharpening such that you maintain the thinness behind the edge over time by also removing metal above the very edge, among other things.

 

I would *not* recommend going anywhere near blowing $600 on a knife until you can for sure have the sharpening to back up what that stuff deserves (easily and clearly outdo any pull-through, be happy with the cutting performance of your knife and a little scared of your edges, as a start). 

Putting another 50-$100+ on stones plus flattening device, sure

I'd suggest something that

-Isn't a particularly idiosyncratic knife, as the Takeda knives tend to be (profile, height, aesthetic, grind)

-Has useful profile (the tip is usable, you're happy with the flat area, and you can work with the transition from tip to belly to flat), or one you've felt very in tune with previously

-Easier upkeep maybe, this time around (stain resistance and ease of sharpening and thinning over time)

-Is a good value cutter. Maybe pay for performance not looks this time around to ensure you've got a damn good cutter as first priority. As an example, In stainless clad carbon core, Itinomonn V2 knives have this place for me for having excellent cutting performance relative to their price (and the sometimes possibility of getting one on sale/discount).

-Since you're doing lettuce, you could just go laser thin and keep a nice keen edge for super easy clean cuts. Again, have a look at the Ginga https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...oducts/gesshin-ginga-240mm-stainless-wa-gyuto

-The good stuff you can find in the $200-350 range for a 240mm gyuto is probably overkill-good for your prep needs

Yes to continuing to work on the sharpening

Yes to getting a finer grit stone to finish on at some point, lettuce probably doesn't benefit from a more toothy ragged edge

You should really give a call to the guys at Japanese Knife Imports and discuss your needs

 

Sounds like your co-workers are using cheap NSF knives, perhaps something like Fibrox or Wusthof Pro, maybe even the real cheap generics.  Blue 2 will certainly take a better edge than these, along with most knives you find in a typical pro kitchen.

Stainless is better if you cut a lot of acid foods like tomatoes and onions.  If not then stainless clad carbon will be fine. And keep in mind that Blue 2 is less reactive than pure and low-alloy carbons.

That said I believe that what you need is not necessarily a new knife, but to get your Kiritsuke thinned, and for goodness sakes do not use a pull-thru on it afterwards.

Like foody518 said, thick is not good.  You might just send your knife to Jon at JKI for thinning (not super-thin though maybe) and have him recommend a fine stone for you, to go along with a 400 grit and diamond flattening plate.  And make yourself some angle wedges using a protractor and card stock, harden with superglue, this will give you the visual reference you need.  Sharpen to about 10deg/side then microbevel to 20.  A cheap fine stone like the Niniwa 6K would be good to take to work with you for touchups, a few stropping strokes will bring your edge back like new.

That being said something like the Ginga would be a real nice addition for you, carbon or stainless, if you know how not to abuse real thin edges.

 

One problem is that your knife is dull and that's why you're having wrist problems. This is solved by sharpening. No two ways about it, you need to learn to sharpen to get the most out of good knives. Pull through doesn't create and refine a clean bevel so much as rip metal out and leave a very rudimentary edge. On harder steels and thinner edges it is a big problem.

I think in another of your three threads asking about nakiri you said your prep space is limited and your 10" kiritsuke is too long. IMO nakiri is too short for lettuce.

My recommendations are either
- a 210mm gyuto, and btw this is a crazy good price for a nice thin one https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...ecials/products/gesshin-stainless-210mm-gyuto
- chinese cleaver

I use chinese cleavers for almost everything and they have the same flat spot as a 270mm but they are much more compact. It would help in the tight quarters but you need to keep it sharp sharp sharp and learn to let the weight do the work. Once you're used to it, it's very hard to go back to a normal chefs knife shape. The bench scraper and garlic smashing functions can't be beat. And the knuckle clearance mmmm. Suien VC can be found for $160 new or even less used.

 

I figured in your case go stainless this time and get a few more other variables about your preferences nailed down without thinking about reactivity

Free hand. The guides don't know you and your performance and durability needs.

Learn the burr method of sharpening so you have one approach to understanding when you're done.

 

Enjoy the new knife! 

Avoid scraping with the edge side please, unless you want to speed up the time to your next sharpening  

 

If you use it with wet hands you might raise the grain of the knife (it feels hairy)

I like mine on the smoother side so will do a little bit of light sanding then oil if/when that happens. Oil to saturate the wood so that it does that less. But it's all about your preference

 

Honestly, I just try to dry my hand off before picking up the knife. I don't like sanding handles (micromesh or medium - finer grit sandpaper) if I don't need to. And I start oiling the handles from the start so that it has some water resistance. But as I mentioned before - my bias is from liking a smoother handle and not liking inconsistency of spots of smooth and spots where there's been raised grain from moisture absorption. You can leave the wood handle with a raised grain even after oiling it. It's all going to come down to your preference on how you like the feel and if you want to do anything to it

I use board oil or board conditioner - it's basically just food grade mineral oil or mineral oil + beeswax

I'd suggest not leaving the handle wet or absorbing water continuously.

Same treatment as you'd want for a nice wood board

Use with a dry hand and you won't get the raised grains and it's good to go  Jon's knives I've purchased with the magnolia wood handles haven't been as raw and finicky as some others 

 

drug stores carry it out there... its in the laxitive section  (totally serious though)