Buying Japanese Knives Online

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Do I assume correctly that you just went with the default handles for all your knives from chefknivestogo, rather than special order?  I like maple, but the chefknivestogo maple handle doesn't do much for me.  I think I would prefer a darker wood.

 

What do you use upon a less heavy duty vegetable, such as a mushroom?

[gfron1]

For the Nikiri - I went stock handle.  For my other knife I did custom with a Russian Kerilian birch - stunning.  I tend toward my short Fujiwara for small dainty things like mushrooms.

[daveb]

J,

 

The Watanbe would be a fne choice, was not aware that he only accepted PP.  Have you emailed about alternatives?

 

An equally strong choice would be an Itinomonn 180 mm Nakiri from Japanese Natural Stones.  Maksim at JNS is an excellent retailer of both J knives and the stones to maintain them.  This knife comes in at about 150 USD, if you purchase another 10 dollars worth it will get shipped free.

(Tried to post link to no avail)

 

The Kato is a great line of knives though they typically run heavier than their counterparts.  I would be concerned about losing the nimbleness that you're buying a Nakiri for.  And it's 2x the price of very good alternatives.

 

I would not touch any of the Numblychuk products.  Not his knives, not his stones, not his tree stump held together with hose clamps that he uses in his Utubes.    "Blue" Steel and "White" Steel are not adjectives for steel - they describe the color of the paper the steel is wrapped in.  They do have different charactoristics (that go quickly over my head)  "Black" steel reminds me of the "special sauce" used on Mickey D's products.

Edited October 6, 2014 by daveb (log)

[daveb]

Just saw the mushroom question.  I recently took on 4 20# cases of shrooms with my Carter Nakiri.  A perfect match.

[rotuts]

personally, Id bite the bullet and go with the watanabe.   then get your credit card out of pp's data base

 

some credit cards offer a free 'random' number that goes to your account for one purchase only.  Id check.

 

if i go w the 2 watanabe's im interested in Id do it that way.

 

also which such fine knives you have to review your sharpening skills

 

for the extra $$ for the second knive, I'm sure an outstanding knive you could get the EdgePro system

 

its stunning and made my Globals sing, literally

 

and I dont work for W nor EP.

 

let us know your decision.

 

my japanese kitchen knives book is on the way via interlibrary loan

 

Im sure it will push me over the Edge.

 

Edited October 6, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[daveb]

An easy answer may be this "one off" custom from Haburn that he posted yesterday.   170 mm.  I've used knives from Ian and his craftsmanship is outstanding. 

 

.

 

http://www.haburnknives.com/store

[rotuts]

the Japanese Kitchen Knives book is very interesting.

 

its not for everyone, but i learned a lot

 

knowing nothing about single bevel knives, it demonstrates the deba for filleting : pp 150

 

proper technique is just the opposite of what I would have thought :  the flat side of the blade is 'up' and the bevel is down.

[daveb]

I've made the asparagus salad recipe (pg 40) several times - usually using more asparagus than called for.  Very nice, clean salad.  Can be made with Nakiri or thin Gyuto.

 

Both the Yanigiba and Deba technique seem counterintuitive until you've done it a couple times.  I've still a long way to go before I could be called proficient but I'm having fun getting there.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

 

It was but a matter of time.

 

Shinichi Watanabe is a pleasure to do business with.  And no PayPal!  I asked Shinichi for a quotation.  I then used google's currency converter and trudged down to the post office for an international money order.  It took about five days for the money order to reach Japan, and another five days for the knife to reach me by express.  I am very pleased.

 

Kintaro-ame.  Knowing my limitations I went with relatively soft stainless steel core.  The handle is enju.

 

The blade feels heavier than I expected and the handle is larger and longer.  All of which are good things.  The cutting edge is mirror finished.  The knife is a delight to hold and I have never handled anything so sharp.  It turns out 180 mm is plenty long for the purpose.

 

From the markings on the enju wood, it appears the knife I received is the exact one pictured on the Watanabe website.

 

I recommend Watanabe highly.

[rotuts]

looks like Im going to have to reconsider those two knives im so keen on.

 

[paulraphael]

On October 6, 2014 at 2:09 PM, rotuts said:

proper technique is just the opposite of what I would have thought :  the flat side of the blade is 'up' and the bevel is down.

 

And every fish is different. Japanese fish butchery is a great hobby for anyone who eats fish 2 or 3 meals a day, loves knives,and has endless free time. The best resource I now is Ittasan's Youtube page.

Edited March 18, 2016 by paulraphael (log)

[daveb]

Beautiful knife.  If memory serves Kintaro-Ame is Watanabe's Damascus?

 

I've a pro line Nakiri from him, stainless clad blue, that is a delight to work with. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

57 minutes ago, daveb said:

Beautiful knife.  If memory serves Kintaro-Ame is Watanabe's Damascus? 

 

Correct.  I tried to show it in the picture but may not have succeeded very well.

 

[daveb]

I had a Kintaro-Ame Yanagiba for awhile (almost to pretty to use).  Jon at Japanese Knife Imports sharpened/polished it for me and took a couple of pics.  He was able to catch the detail that eluded me.

[rotuts]

@daveb   

 

idf liker to hear more about the nikiri ( ? ) on the right

 

dimensions ? web ref ?

 

many thanks

[daveb]

Ahh,  It's a Tadasuna Usaba.  210mm.  Very much a specialized single bevel.  Available from AFrames Tokyo.

 

FWIW here are a couple Nakiri, a 165mm Carter and a 180mm Watanabe.  Carter is a little small for a prep session but fun for onesy, twosy.  Watanabe is like the Energizer bunny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2016 by daveb (log)

[rotuts]

Im extremely keen on a nakiri

 

for me it needs to have 'depth'  as I have a large hand   180mm is fine for length

 

this one :

 

http://www.watanabeblade.com/english/pro/nakkiri.htm

 

maybe Ill get a quote next week and do the postal order thing

Edited March 19, 2016 by rotuts (log)

[gfron1]

I'm not sure why you all keep mentioning the postal order. My curiosity was stoked enough that I just ordered one and I did it through PayPal. I sent him the money yesterday and he said it shipped today expected next weekend.

[rotuts]

some of us do not trust PayPal. There have been significant issues in the past.

 

perhaps not now.  I for one choose not to use them.

 

Ive  ' saved ' on two knives that way.

 

although the Yen is Low, I might breakdown and get one.

 

If I trusted PP, Id probably get three.

 

[ed.: different ones ! ]

 

 

Edited March 19, 2016 by rotuts (log)

[paulraphael]

8 hours ago, daveb said:

Ahh,  It's a Tadasuna Usaba.  210mm.  Very much a specialized single bevel.  Available from AFrames Tokyo.

 

 

 

That's the real deal. I love my Tadatsuna gyuto, but haven't yet graduated to the big-boy knives.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

14 hours ago, rotuts said:

Im extremely keen on a nakiri

 

for me it needs to have 'depth'  as I have a large hand   180mm is fine for length

 

this one :

 

http://www.watanabeblade.com/english/pro/nakkiri.htm

 

maybe Ill get a quote next week and do the postal order thing

 

Mine is deeper and has a longer handle...

 

http://www.kitchen-knife.jp/special/damascuschefknife.htm

 

Now -- as soon as I finish off my mai tai -- I must go enrobe my hand in its cut resistant gauntlet and put Watanabe's nikiri/nikkiri to the test.

 

Ken-cut cabbage.

[daveb]

Coleslaw!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, daveb said:

Coleslaw!

 

Well, yes.  When you are slicing with a Watanabe it is hard to stop.  I ate about half.  The rest is bagged in the refrigerator to become tomorrow's coleslaw!  Or rather tonight's.

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker  

 

do you have an EdgePro ?

 

almost as satisfying as using the knives themselves.

 

P.S. :  yours is indeed a beautiful knife

 

[daveb]

26 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@JoNorvelleWalker  

 

do you have an Edge Pro?

 

 

Pls say no.