# Finally! My first Japanese knives



## MadMel (May 3, 2011)

Fujiwara FKM 120mm Petty









Hiromoto AS 240mm gyuto

That's it.. For now lol.

Planning in the works (in order of importance):

Western style boning
Sujihiki
#5000 or higher finishing stone prolly Naniwa SS/Chosera as its the only one I can find in Singapore
210mm gyoto for home use
Nakiri

pref stainless or clad especially the Suji and Boning cos will be using on the line. the other 2 can be carbon or stainless as they are mainly for home use. Any Suggestions are greatly appreciated but keep it below USD180 per knife lol.


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## Lefty (May 3, 2011)

Very nice! You're going to love them - welcome to the club!


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## MadMel (May 3, 2011)

Thanks  they going with me to work next week. hope they can stand up to the 'abuse' of a pro kitchen lol


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## Lefty (May 3, 2011)

I'd put money on it!
How was the f and f of the Fuji?


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## Citizen Snips (May 3, 2011)

i wouldn't worry about the hiromoto. my wife and i have been using one daily in high volume fine dining restaurants for over 2 years and the thing is still doing just fine. i would imagine a few more years out of that guy. its beastly

enjoy your new knives. one of the best feelings in the world is when your new cutlery comes and the anticipation of opening those boxes to see your new stuff inside!!


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## Cadillac J (May 3, 2011)

MadMel said:


> Thanks  they going with me to work next week. hope they can stand up to the 'abuse' of a pro kitchen lol


 
Did you put an edge on them already?


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## MadMel (May 3, 2011)

Lefty: F&F on the Fuji is great. I have heard stories of it not being done well and so on, but mine came as well made as a non-custom handle can be.
Snips: Thanks for the input!! Any recommendations for a boning and a suji? Or prolly what are u using at work?
Cad: Nope, they have not touched the stone. Going down to my friendly pro sharpener to get them checked out and pick up some pointers


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## Cadillac J (May 3, 2011)

Fujiwara's fit/finish is almost legendary to me for Japanese knives at that price point. I've never heard anyone with a bad experience? Four different knives I've had (2 from each line) and all pretty perfect.

I just asked about the sharpening because I know my Fujis and Hiromoto did not come with a working edge that would last a day in any kitchen.


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## MadMel (May 3, 2011)

Yeah. They'r not really ok out of the box lol. Gotta work on them a little. Does any one have a Kasumi? Looks pretty cool lol, thinking of getting a Kasumi western boning. Any thoughts?


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## Lefty (May 3, 2011)

I think I can't afford one


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## MadMel (May 3, 2011)

LOL!! They'r about SGD250 onwards here too so it's pretty ex. I'm hovering between a Honkotsu, a Wusthof boning/fillet and a victorinox.. Just love the look of the Kasumi lol.


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## bieniek (May 3, 2011)

Citizen Snips said:


> one of the best feelings in the world is when your new cutlery comes and the anticipation of opening those boxes to see your new stuff inside!!


 
What a feeling :happy1:
I will allways remember the pride of my first own real knife. 
Still have it though its more sujihiki now then gyuto:lol2:

Dont buy Wusthoff, if you like the looks, go for Kasumi...the quality is better, the handling much better and the overall feeling is great as well imho 
It is going to be harder to sharpen it, but once you do it, :biggrin2:


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## Lefty (May 3, 2011)

Just curious...why a hankotsu over a honesuki?


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## MadMel (May 3, 2011)

The honkotsu's blade profile is closer to what I'm used to using i.e. a western boning knife. I don't really know how either *** knives will stand up to the rigors of a pro kitchen. The restaurant I work at requires us to do quite a bit of de-boning poultry, trimming meats like lamb racks and prime ribs etc, and also fish as well. So I pretty much would like a 1 knife fits all kinda knife.


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## bieniek (May 3, 2011)

get used to soaking your stones ore often!


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## shankster (May 3, 2011)

MadMel said:


> Yeah. They'r not really ok out of the box lol. Gotta work on them a little. Does any one have a Kasumi? Looks pretty cool lol, thinking of getting a Kasumi western boning. Any thoughts?



I have a Kasumi boner,and I like it a lot.Has a bit of flex to the blade,nice F&F,don't think I'd pay full price for one though(got mine for less than $100.CAN).The one thing I don't like is the way the heel of the blade protrudes.P.I.T.A to sharpen.


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## MadMel (May 3, 2011)

yeah the price on a Kasumi is a real bummer... prolly get myself a victorinox lol. Don't really wanna spend a couple hundred bucks on a knife thats not gonna last me 5 years of quite intensive usage.


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## shankster (May 3, 2011)

Nothing wrong with a Victorinox.I think Tojiro makes a nice western boning knife as well. I also have a Moritaka Honesuki and that thing is a total work horse.


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## Lefty (May 3, 2011)

I'm not saying to go with Misono, necessarily, but here's a thread that discusses the boning knife dilemma a bit more for you:
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php?872-Misono-Hankotsu


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## Citizen Snips (May 3, 2011)

MadMel said:


> Snips: Thanks for the input!! Any recommendations for a boning and a suji? Or prolly what are u using at work?



for a suji, its gonna be some clarification question on what you are looking for in a slicing knife. 
-is it going to be used as an all purpose knife
-are you looking for carbon/stainless
-how long
-wa or yo handle

id start with those questions and go from there. ive used a few suji's and love them. i currently do not own one but if i were to get another knife for my set, it would be a suji. im kinda mad i sold mine but dont have as much use for them nowadays. my yanagi does my slicing 

as far as boning knives go, i dont use them and do not like them. i dont like as much flex in knives as bonings generally provide. i prefer a 150mm wa-petty. i currently use a 150mm grand cheff wa-petty. it has a little give for getting tenderloins out of lamb and goat (etc) but has enough toughness to cut up or de-bone a chicken. i also like the stainless quality and would use it if i had to go back to working the line (fortunately i dont have to do line work anymore). if you have to have something besides a petty i would go for a honesuki. i owned a misono honesuki and although it took quite a bit of work on the stones to get it where i was happy with the bevel, it was a fine choice. i wouldn't recommend a hankotsu because they scare me but they work for a lot of people here. 

my recommendation would be not to spend a bunch of money on the boning or butchering knives because for me, they just dont last long and need to withstand damage. the only exception to that rule is a deba imo.

id be happy to answer any other questions if you have them


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## MikeZ (May 3, 2011)

congrats on your new knife


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## MadMel (May 4, 2011)

Citizen Snips said:


> for a suji, its gonna be some clarification question on what you are looking for in a slicing knife.
> -is it going to be used as an all purpose knife
> -are you looking for carbon/stainless
> -how long
> ...


 
Hmm lets answer the questions first:

1) nope, not an all purpose. Just for slicing cooked meats for presentation
2) Clad carbon or stainless
3) 270mm
4) no preference on the handle

I wouldn't mind a yanagi but not for work lol. So base on the answers, do you have something to recommend?

Is the petty ok for removing the silverskin from tenderloins etc? How about frenching lamb racks and such? can it hold up to line work? How does a deba work in butchering? I'll prolly go for the victorinox/forschener for the boning cos they do need to withstand quite a bit of abuse in the kitchen.


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## Citizen Snips (May 4, 2011)

petty is great for silverskin and basic meat trimming. they are generally pretty thin and can get under fat or silverskin without losing any actual meat. ive used them for tenderloins, ribeye and strip fabrication with no problems as well as chicken and duck. they are a little big for quail but that is what the $6 victorianox knife is for!! also as i mentioned i get a lot of whole pig, lamb and goat and it will hold up to those. i use it to get the tenderloins out, trim loin off the back, make incisions for saw work and general trimming for the animals. for me, a petty is a must have and is better and easier to sharpen than a boning knife.

i can give you a few categories of suggestions on what ive seen, used and read on the forums for sujihiki's

budget:
Fujiwara FKM
Tojiro DP
not as budget:
Ashi Stainless
Sujimoto
wa-sujihiki:
Konosuke Stainless(could also go with HD here
Sakai Takayuki Grand Cheff

if none of these suit you let me know and tell me what you like or dont like about them and i can try to help further.


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## MadMel (May 4, 2011)

The Kono HD looks great!!! A bummer on the shipping costs tho 
My local shop only carries Sugimoto, Masamoto, Kasumi.. I'm gonna go down and give these knives a feel around tho I'm pretty keen on the konosuke HD. Any thoughts on a Shigefusa?


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## Citizen Snips (May 4, 2011)

shigefusa are wonderful knives all around but rather expensive

its one of those where you get what you pay for...in a good way


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## mpukas (May 4, 2011)

shankster said:


> I also have a Moritaka Honesuki and that thing is a total work horse.


 
I've been wondering about the Moritaka Honesuki - it's 50/50 edge bevel, right? Most, if not all "real", honesuki's are single bevel. I suppose that for purposes of breaking down chicken, the Mori is just fine. But are there any other draw backs? For instance, a deba is single bevel, but Moritaka makes a deba w/ 50/50 bevel. As I understand it a deba has a single bevel to efficiently and cleanly fillet a fish along the spine/rib bones.


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## Cadillac J (May 4, 2011)

mpukas said:


> Most, if not all "real", honesuki's are single bevel.



Honesuki are not true single-bevels like a yanagi/deba/usuba with a concave back, etc....they are just very asymmetric, like a 90/10-ish ratio.

If you like the Moritaka styling and need a honesuki, go for it.


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## MadMel (May 5, 2011)

Will a Honesuki do fish?


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## shankster (May 5, 2011)

Cadillac J said:


> Honesuki are not true single-bevels like a yanagi/deba/usuba with a concave back, etc....they are just very asymmetric, like a 90/10-ish ratio.
> 
> If you like the Moritaka styling and need a honesuki, go for it.



Agreed. The guy I buy my knives from says the Moritaka honesuki is more like 80/20 bevel.Performs great on chicken,racks of lamb,tenderloins etc.


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## shankster (May 5, 2011)

MadMel said:


> Will a Honesuki do fish?


 
I think the blade is too short to perform well on fish.That's where a longer, single bevel blade really shines.


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## MadMel (May 6, 2011)

I'll prolly end up getting a honesuki and a deba and a western boning knife... Damn this is getting addictive lol...


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## shankster (May 6, 2011)

Sounds like a good plan.Consider it money well spent for your tools of the trade.


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## Lefty (May 6, 2011)

Between your petty and a honesuki, you should be fine without a western style boning knife. If you just want to get one because you want more knives, then who am I to stop you?


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## MadMel (May 7, 2011)

Hmm that's true haha. What do you guys use for filleting fish? a 150 petty seems a little on the short side for me.


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## Citizen Snips (May 7, 2011)

210mm Konosuke blue 2 mioroshi deba


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## MadMel (May 7, 2011)

Citizen Snips said:


> 210mm Konosuke blue 2 mioroshi deba


 
Gorgeous!! Man that's 2 Konosukes to consider adding to the set, that and a suji. BTW, can that deba double as a 210mm gyuto?


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## Cadillac J (May 7, 2011)

MadMel said:


> can that deba double as a 210mm gyuto?


 
No, a deba is a single-bevel with concave back meant specifically for fish or other butchery...would not work well for all-purpose knife at all.


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## SpikeC (May 7, 2011)

That has to be one of the coolest handles. I just love the way the main body transitions into the bolster.


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## iceman01 (May 7, 2011)

MadMel said:


> Will a Honesuki do fish?


 
It can do fish, I did once just to try how it works. It works like most other knives that are not intended for this purpose but has the advantage or more sturdiness when you want to cut the rib bones off the spine.
Honestly, for me a deba is the ne plus ultra on fish, although, I found that on skrei a narrow western filleting knife can be handy for sum cuts.


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## MadMel (May 8, 2011)

Cadillac J said:


> No, a deba is a single-bevel with concave back meant specifically for fish or other butchery...would not work well for all-purpose knife at all.


 
Hmm I see. Thanks. That's just another excuse for me to get another knife haha


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