# What 3-4 knives do you use the most?



## dafox (Dec 28, 2020)

What 3 or 4 knives do you use the most?

For me:
Takamura R2 150 petty for fruit
Gengetsu semistainless 210 gyuto for fritatas
Akifusa srs15 210 gyuto for salsa
CCK carbon 1303 vegy cleaver for stir frys


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## Hz_zzzzzz (Dec 28, 2020)

1. Whatever the new knife recently received.

2. 240 Watanabe SS clad blue 2 for comparison with the new knife or whenever no new knife. (kato wh might see some use in this role).

3. 170 Takamura Santoku for fruit and quick tasks.

4. A cheap bone cleaver for chicken/duck bone and ribs.


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## Nemo (Dec 28, 2020)

Whatever I've sharpened most recently or whatever is newly arrived.

When I get the time, I will sharpen a knife similar to a new arrival so that I can compare.


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## timebard (Dec 28, 2020)

Tanaka ginsan 150 petty - for fruit, garlic, ginger, and random one-off tasks. Also my better half's weapon of choice for tomatoes.

Munetoshi 165 petty - for quick prep jobs, e.g. small amounts of a couple veggies for an omelette or single-serving pasta, fried rice, etc. Or cutting up hot dogs as puppy training treats 

Yoshikane SKD 210 gyuto - best cutter in my collection and probably the most used by volume of product. If it was like 2-3mm taller, a touch less flat, and a little less chippy I'd say it's perfect.

Vnox chef knife - for everything that I don't want to use nice knives for... but mostly avocados.


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## nwshull (Dec 28, 2020)

Seems to vary by meal.

For dinner I have my high performance rotation gyuto- typically either my customized TF Nashiji or Tanaka Tsubaya. Probably will start working my new Kagekiyo B1 into that rotation.

I have my lunch knife, that's typically my Yoshida Hamono Tsubaya 210 mm k-tip gyuto, that handles most small tasks that don't require a lot of grace. Can take a call and not have to worry about it oxidizing.

For breakfast use my Z Kramer Damascus 150 mm utility knife.

After that probably the beater 8 inch wusthof for tasks I'm scared of chips with.


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## ian (Dec 28, 2020)

dafox said:


> What 3 or 4 knives do you use the most?
> 
> For me:
> Takamura R2 150 petty for fruit
> ...



You must eat a lot of frittatas. If you were a mid 20th century Bond girl sex stereotype, your name would be Alotta Frittata.


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## JimMaple98 (Dec 28, 2020)

Right now my most used knives are my JNS Mazaki 240, has been my prep beast processing everything from having to chiffonade chillies and herbs, to breaking down butternut squash (not out of choice, it was the only knife on hand at the time). Been going strong, has survived with just a touch up once a week on my green koshiji.

Next up is my trusty old Masakane 210 SK gyuto, ugly ***** but she holds her own up against other chefs who scrape it across plastic boards and cut on the stainless steel counter, gets sharpened every day before work as a result. If someone I know won’t look after my knife, asks to borrow a knife, this is what I hand them. Ripper knife for $90 AUD.

Hitohira Kikuchiyo Yohei Ginsan 200mm gyuto, this a a great little knife, generally the one I have out for a weekend service in the case of the hurried job. She still looks sexy for now and I really jive with this steel, another knife from this blacksmith will be soon in the collection I hope.

Sakai Jikko R2 135mm Petty, fun little knife. Was one of my first *** knives and is still going pretty damn strong, even after dealing with some hefty chips from misuse. She has been thinned and sharpened a fair bit but looks good with a polish.

other than these my most used is probably my Makoto SG2 240 gyuto, but I haven’t touched that in a while as I have been craving more carbon steel workhorses as of late.


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## ian (Dec 28, 2020)

Here's a real answer to the question. The 4 knives I use the most change constantly since I buy and sell like I'm a drug dealer. But currently:

1. Dalman 220 western honyaki for general purpose whatever.

2. Tanaka ginsan 150 petty for small stuff.

3. CCK 1303 for choppy choppy and most non-Japanese asian meals.

4. Tojiro $20 bread knife, since I bake bread twice a week now.

Honorable mention: Shun 90mm paring, Wat 240 suji, noname carbon funayuki for the occasional specific small tasks, slicing, and chicken, respectively.

From left to right:


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## Illyria (Dec 29, 2020)

Shihan 230mm W2 gyuto
Watanabe 180mm pro nakiri
Shig 150mm petty
Harner 100mm parer

Definitely my most used and favorite knives.


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## alterwisser (Dec 29, 2020)

1) Tanaka Ginsan

2) Cheap Herder Parer

3) Smide Cleaver

4) Hot Flavour of the month knife, currently a Kamon after it came back from a Spa trip to Austria


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## YumYumSauce (Dec 30, 2020)

In no order of usage: 
Cck cleaver
Gesshin Ginga 150mm stainless petty
Gengetsu 240 mm semi stainless gyuto
Gesshin Uraku 240 mm white #2

Happened to take this earlier today. Just a quick touch up day.


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## damiano (Dec 30, 2020)

1. Robert Herder carbon paring knife (from opening up plastic packages and DHL boxes to slicing small pieces of cheese and onions, this knife is always lying around on my countertop)

2. Sugimoto carbon 4030 vegetable cleaver (this is my main chef's knife)

3. Munetoshi 165mm petty (for quick slicing and cutting jobs e.g. when doing a small meal)

4. One of my beaters for tougher jobs (either Kiwi cleaver, Munetoshi butcher, or F. Dick butcher)

(5.) Bonus points for my new Mac Professional bread knife!


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## RDalman (Dec 30, 2020)

Last couple weeks I think actually these. 




But in the kitchen these


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## Jovidah (Dec 30, 2020)

Did that Nakiri actually start its life as a nakiri, or is that what's left of a gyuto after too many tipping accidents? 
The fillet knife looks great!


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## RDalman (Dec 30, 2020)

Jovidah said:


> Did that Nakiri actually start its life as a nakiri, or is that what's left of a gyuto after too many tipping accidents?
> The fillet knife looks great!


Haha yes it's 240 gyuto remains. I finished it for the gf to have something better than her old detipped superlaser to grab. But she thinks it's too heavy, I like it though.


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## Jovidah (Dec 30, 2020)

And I thought my girlfriend was high maintenance... Pffft.


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## NO ChoP! (Jan 1, 2021)

A 240mm gyuto. One of 14, rotated at whim.

180mm aogami Zakuri petty. So pointy. Works well with meat fab like tenderloin.

150mm Mazaki KU petty. Very thin edge and tip. Used a bunch for supremes and thin sliced tomato.

180mm Kaeru gyuto. This sits on my board through service frequently; I'm relegated to expo mostly these days, but I do a ton of garnish work. 

Honorable mentions:

Tojiro bread
Vintage Mac ultra thin petty 
Yoshikane 270mm suji
Wakui 105mm petty/parer


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## Matt Zilliox (Jan 1, 2021)

The nine 240mm
Bazes 225mm
Metal monkey 180mm
Heldqvist 265mm

Probably in that order


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## shinyunggyun (Jan 1, 2021)

Sukenari super x yanagi, yoshikazu tanaka white #2 gyuto, yoshikazu tanaka white #1 gyuto, mizuno blue #1 gyuto


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## Tnaquin35 (Jan 1, 2021)

dafox said:


> What 3 or 4 knives do you use the most?
> 
> For me:
> Takamura R2 150 petty for fruit
> ...


Miyabi Kaizen 210 Chef's knife
Mercer Genesis Chef's Knife (for heavier work)
Masutani Vg-5 Nakiri 
Harukaze 270 Sujihiki


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## jacko9 (Jan 1, 2021)

Konosuke Fujiyama B#2 210 Gyuto
Konosuke Fujiyama B#2 FT 240 Gyuto
T-F Nashiji 150 Petty
Kato WH 210 Gyuto

Like others have mentioned this group varies a lot but the first two are pretty constant.


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## Konig9402 (Jan 1, 2021)

Masamoto KS gyuto 240mm
Chinese carbon steel caidao


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## IsoJ (Jan 1, 2021)

1. Sakai Kikumori 260 gyutohiki
2. Pallares 110mm "petty"
3. Couple of the latest knife buys
4. Rotate all the gyutos pretty evenly


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## WildBoar (Jan 1, 2021)

FINALLY a thread that is worth responding to!

Let's see know, which 304 knives do I use the most?

DT ss ITK gyuto
DT ss ITK gyuto
DT ITK petty
Ealy petty
Carter suji
Harner suji
Martell suji
HHH paring
Harner paring
Ealy petty
Martell utility
Takeda utility
Marko honosuki
Harner line knife
HHH filet
...

...what do you mean it's supposed to be 3 or 4, and not 304?!? Isn't this KKF????

[cartman]Screw you guys, I'm going home.[/cartman]


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## vxd (Jan 1, 2021)

TF Denka 210
Carter Muteki 240
Carter petty 165


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## Lpn562 (Jan 1, 2021)

Mazaki 180 gyuto
Munetoshi 240
Shihan 210
Ebuchi 240


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## James (Jan 1, 2021)

Yoshikane sld damascus 240 gyuto
Markin 390 petty
Tojiro 240 western deba


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## Doffen (Jan 2, 2021)

Most used:
Toyama nakiri 210mm. 
Shun Classic 95mm.


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## Etsoh (Jan 2, 2021)

Maboroshi 195 gyuto
Mizuno tanrenjo 150 petty
Takeda NAS 240 suji
And recently a 210mm Fujiyama FM wh2 that I got in a trade here that's proving to be a great trade on my end so far lol. 
I'm into the short boys


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## DitmasPork (Jan 2, 2021)

I switch up knives often, typically favoring newer ones. Here're 4 that I love, use regularly, and have in my kitchen [I only keep a handful of knives in the kitchen at any given time].

130 Shihan, petty; 180 Yanick, nakiri; 225 Raquin, gyuto; 270 Maz, suji.


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## JayGee (Jan 2, 2021)

Hiromoto Honyaki 240 Gyuto
Takamura R2 210 Gyuto
Masamoto KK Nakiri 180
Aritsugu 150 AS petty


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## deanb (Jan 2, 2021)

Bob Kramer (real) 9” Chef’s knife
240 mm Sukenari ZDP-189 Damascus gyuto
270 mm Suisin Inox Honyaki gyuto
4” Zwilling Kramer Essential paring knife


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## slickmamba (Jan 2, 2021)

toyama 240mm gyuto
Wat 180mm nakiri
some cheap 180mm deba
tojiro bread knife


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## Vdark (Jan 2, 2021)

DitmasPork said:


> I switch up knives often, typically favoring newer ones. Here're 4 that I love, use regularly, and have in my kitchen [I only keep a handful of knives in the kitchen at any given time].
> 
> 130 Shihan, petty; 180 Yanick, nakiri; 225 Raquin, gyuto; 270 Maz, suji.
> 
> ...



JAW Knife roll?


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## Juna (Jan 31, 2021)

240mm honyaki from kip
210mm yoshikazu Ikeda Mizu Honyaki gyuto
135mm yoshikazu ikeda honyaki petty
120mm konosuke hd2 petty


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## Colorado_cutter (Feb 1, 2021)

225 mm Ashi Hamono white #2 slicer cleaver
207 mm Shibazi F-208-2 cleaver
150 mm Tanaka VG-10 wa petty


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## Pointless1 (Feb 1, 2021)

165 Kintaro W2 Santoku that is too good for a cheapo 
210 Anryu B2 hammered
7.5 inch fibrox 

have others bigger and smaller but these are the ones I tend to grab


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## Ruso (Feb 1, 2021)

Markin 240 Gyuto in m390
Markin 150 petty in m390
Kono HD2 240
Takeda NAS 210 or Tanaka Blue 2 195

Also anything new will take the top spot for a bit.


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## captaincaed (Feb 1, 2021)

Rotating 240 Usually a Yoshi
Ryusen 180 HAP40
Ryusen 135 R2 petty 
Bazes 175 funayuki

165 nakirhahahaha no just kidding no square knives in my kitchen


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## JaVa (Feb 1, 2021)

At work:
1. Itinomonn 240 SemiSS gyuto.
2. Tanaka Nashiji 240 gyuto (Both B2 and Ginsan)
3. Tanaka Migaki 240 laser gyuto (Both B2 and Ginsan)
4. Yoshikane Tsuchime SKD 240 gyuto

At Home:
1. Tanaka VG10 Damascus 190 gyuto
2. Tanaka VG10 Damascus 150 petty
3 Takamura R2 Migaki 210 gyuto
4. Wakui White2 Hairline 240 gyuto

Yeah I kinda cheated. I guess that's 10 in total, but there you go.


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## LostHighway (Feb 1, 2021)

Top three at the moment:
186 HSC/// Z-Wear gyuto
219 Shibata Kashima R2 gyuto
nondescript bread knife
Fourth most used is much more variable, maybe my 227 Isasmedjan 1.2519 gyuto but it could be anyone of half a dozen knives.


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## ampersandcetera (Feb 1, 2021)

Work:
180 Mazaki kasumi white#2 bunka for most veg prep
240 Yoshikane Tsuchime SKD gyuto for slicing, portioning, and finer tasks (chives, chiff, etc)
Kiwi nakiri on the line just for avocados

Home:
270 K-Sab slicer
Tojiro bread knife
CCK 1103


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## da_mich* (Feb 1, 2021)

Sugimoto - Chinese Cleaver No.6
Wüsthof - Classic Ikon 23cm
Cuda - Fillet Knife
Herder - K3 Carbon Knife (I use this knife more then all other knives together)


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## Matus (Feb 1, 2021)

In order:

BloodRoot custom cheese/salami knife
180 stainless clad Toyama nakiri
210 Munetoshi Honyaki
240 Kato Workhorse

Honorable mentions

Blazen 110 R2 paring knife
Yoshikane 150 SLD petty
(Both have handles by Dave)

(crappy photo with kitchen lights)


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## panda (Feb 2, 2021)

miz ks is all I use. the other knives don't get enough board time to be considered part of rotation


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## Martyn (Feb 2, 2021)

great thread. I'll pile on --
270 Masamoto KS deba mostly for fish and raw meat (and yeah that's helluva knife)




240 Y. Tanaka Blue 1 dammy gyuto for veggies mostly;
210 Y. Tanaka Blue 1 dammy gyuto for fruit;




270 Masamoto blue steel honyaki yanagi for sashimi and sushi. 




Bought a bunch of new knives during the past few months - so the rotation could change soon lol


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## captaincaed (Feb 2, 2021)

panda said:


> miz ks is all I use. the other knives don't get enough board time to be considered part of rotation


Did you go for the one without the fake-o shinogi?


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## stevessf (Feb 2, 2021)

OK. Good question. So I thought about it and . . .

Town Cutler 215mm 52100 gyuto
MAC MSK 65 170 mm Santoku 
Yamaguchi 125mm White #2 Usu Deba 

Lots of miles on these babies as you can see.





to


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## panda (Feb 2, 2021)

captaincaed said:


> Did you go for the one without the fake-o shinogi?


of course


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## AT5760 (Feb 2, 2021)

240 B2 S. Tanaka gyuto
180 Maz ku nakiri
165 Tosa bunka


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## AT5760 (Feb 2, 2021)

@Matus that Blazen paring knife is sexy!


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## ModRQC (Feb 2, 2021)

210 Shi.Han 52100

Anything else to date is but a satellite to this one. I still use them a lot, but couldn't pick top ones otherwise.


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## Matus (Feb 2, 2021)

AT5760 said:


> @Matus that Blazen paring knife is sexy!



One of the very few higher end pairing knives out there. Dave’s handle is very different from the original and makes the knife even better.


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## DavidPF (Feb 4, 2021)

ampersandcetera said:


> Kiwi nakiri on the line just for avocados


What's with avocados? More than one person has said this type of thing.


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## Duukt (Feb 4, 2021)

DavidPF said:


> What's with avocados? More than one person has said this type of thing.


The most popular way to remove the avocado pit is a big no-no for japanese knives. You have to embed the knife into the pit a few mm and then twist.


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## DavidPF (Feb 4, 2021)

Makes sense now - thanks


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## big_adventure (Feb 4, 2021)

240mm FRKZ by Sukenari ZDP-189 K-tip
165mm Yu Kurosaki Senko R2/SG2 Bunka
165mm Moritaka AS Nakiri
Crappy old ruined 6 inch ceramic IKEA garbage (for opening packages, breaking down boxes, etc.)


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## gcsquared (Feb 4, 2021)

Because my mother-in-law is staying with us for a couple months, my most used knives are whatever I feel comfortable to let her to use, which are:
- Blazen 150mm petty
- Glestain 150mm petty
- Konosuke 210mm western gyuto

Just right before my MIL moved in, my most used knives are:
- Dalman 210mm AEB-L gyuto, S grind
- Raquin 170mm nakiri
- Kato 180mm petty


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## Receiver52 (Feb 4, 2021)

Have 7 knives on each side of the stove on magnetic racks. Pretty much use them all.

Most? Probably

Raquin 200 Gyuto
Takeda 180 Funayuki
Wat 180 Nakiri
Denka 210 Gyuto 

Not counting various paring and petty knives


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## panda (Feb 5, 2021)

Duukt said:


> The most popular way to remove the avocado pit is a big no-no for japanese knives. You have to embed the knife into the pit a few mm and then twist.


this is a myth, I've used every one of my Japanese knives for this without issue.


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## F-Flash (Feb 5, 2021)

Itinomon petty 150 ss
Mazaki 210 gyuto white #2
Mizuno Honyaki 240 gyuto white #2


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## DavidPF (Feb 5, 2021)

panda said:


> this is a myth, I've used every one of my Japanese knives for this without issue.


I could imagine heel vs tip making a difference.


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## Jason183 (Feb 5, 2021)

Duukt said:


> The most popular way to remove the avocado pit is a big no-no for japanese knives. You have to embed the knife into the pit a few mm and then twist.


Or just simply picked out the pit with your hand instead of whacking your J-knife into the pit , just an extra horizontal cut that splits avocado into 4 pieces will make your cutting experience easier


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## Duukt (Feb 5, 2021)

Jason183 said:


> Or just simply picked out the pit with your hand instead of whacking your J-knife into the pit , just an extra horizontal cut that splits avocado into 4 pieces will make your cutting experience easier


Yeah I'm not risking it when I have a $13 Mercer within reach!


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## kingdingelling (Feb 5, 2021)

WundererAmEisen 250 gyuto
Heldqvist 240 gyuto
Hitohira Tanaka x Kyuzo 240 gyuto
mmm_1294 paring knife


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## Iggy (Feb 5, 2021)

Judging from the last 3-6 month, I would say...

Heiji 180 KU Carbon Nakiri
The9 150 Aogami Wrough Iron Petty
JJT 240 Workhorse Gyuto


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## KO88 (Feb 5, 2021)

I m tryin to use all my knives so I change a lot so I bolt the ones I tend to use more...
1) almost always have one of my larger gyutos on board - last were Kato WH 240 and Evan 260 honyaki and *Toyama 270 CC*
2) as boning knife for chicken etc. *Toyama hankotsu*
3) for stirfry *Takeda Cleave*r or Toyama CC nakiri - hopefully soon will add more rectangual stuff
4) for cutting smaller protein and petit work *Bloodroot 6.5* or Kato WH 210 petty/suji (sometimes Toyama Mikomuno 135)


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## Kgp (Feb 5, 2021)

Harner line knife
Harner parer
Taylor Edgington gyuto


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## adrianopedro (Feb 5, 2021)

Gesshin Heiji 240mm Gyoto
Mazaki Kasumi Gyoto 220mm White#2
Shibata Kotetsu R2 Bunka


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## thebradleycrew (Feb 5, 2021)

TF Denka Wa handled 240mm gyuto
Shi.Han 52100 KU 180mm gyuto
Kato 240mm WH gyuto
Shi.Han 52100 150mm paring
EDIT: I use these the most right now - rotation will move around every couple months. However, this set works really well for me


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## tcmx3 (Feb 5, 2021)

1. whatever gyuto is in rotation. current is Mutsumi Hinoura 210 hammered, last was Mazaki, before that Miz KS, Tsourkan 250, etc. etc.
2. mercer bread knife
3. ancient k-sab I use for frozen / pizza / etc
4. shun 3.5" parer


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## Koop (Feb 5, 2021)

1. JKI Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan 135mm petty (TF)
2. Misono Swedish steel boning (honesuki) - a chicken/week for yakitori
3. Kintaro 210mm Gyuto
4. JCK Natures Blue Moon kiritsuki/sujihiki 240mm

Bear in mind, this is a new endeavor for me. I'm trying to get my post count up


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