# Recommendation Kitchen knife for ~$2000



## Mike1994 (Nov 11, 2020)

Hello knife friends,

I am a passionate cook and a few months ago I bought my first japanese hand forged knife for $350. I love this knife, it's made of white steel #2. i don't really need another one but somehow the thought of getting a better knife in the price range of about $2000 just won't go out of my head. 

Are there people here who have experience with knives in this price range compared to Japanese knives between $300-500?

Can you feel the better sharpness / durability of the blade or are there rather small differences?

Do you buy such an expensive knife because you prefer to collect them, admire the beauty etc. or is it mainly about cutting qualities that are noticeably better?

Recommendations for knives/knife manufacturers in this price range are welcome!

Thank you for your help. I am very curious about the answers.


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## ExistentialHero (Nov 11, 2020)

Look, there's plenty of knives to drop $2k on if you're so inclined, but if you just bought your first handmade knife you're not gonna get much marginal value out of jumping straight into the collector-grade stuff. The extra money doesn't generally buy more performance; instead, it's buying fancy or exotic materials or techniques, interesting provenance, and/or celebrity smiths.

If you have some money to burn and you're excited about the hobby of collecting high-end kitchen knives, I'd suggest checking out the BST and grabbing a few blades that catch your eye. Explore the options and learn what you like--lengths, grinds, handle types, edge profiles, steels, and finishes all make a difference in how the knife performs, and the only way to find out what you like is to try out some knives. You can buy and sell a lot of nice knives with a $2k cash pool, and work your way towards a collection of a few pieces you really love--or, if you like, a single $2k unicorn, once you figure out which one you want


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## JayS20 (Nov 11, 2020)

I would say up to 500€, there might be small impovements, over that it becomes quite marginal. This price leads you into Customs and scarcity value. Take a look at Shigefusa and Kato, there was a time you could get them for 500 bucks, now they are way over 1000. It's up to you if you follow the hype, want something special or pure craftsmanship.
Then we also have Honyaki knives which are quite expensive. Are they that much better than monsteel knives that the price difference is justified, imo hell no. People buy it for the style and maybe cratsmanship, which I think is overrated with Honyakis but they often times have better fit and finish but quite lack some great distal taper. 
Since you are from Germany , you also have to calculate additionally 30% on top of your purchse if you are buying from outside of Europe. 
For Custom knives you need to be able to know and understand what you want and what the maker is capable of to really get something out of it.
Great makers in the higher price category knives are Jannis Scholz/Xerxes and Marco Guldimann. They are both great craftsmen and strive for perfection. Xerxes doesn't do Customs but has a sale usually every month, had one on Sunday and Marco only does Customs and really thoroughly works on your knife with you.
Alle verfügbaren Messer 





Küchenmesser - Messerschmiede Guldimann


Die Messerschmiede von Marco Guldimann befindet sich in Zürich und zeichnet sich durch hochwertige, handgemachte Küchenmesser aus.




dasmesser.ch


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## Ruso (Nov 11, 2020)

It’s quite a rare request. I would love to see more people to chime in. 2K range is seldom directly discussed here.


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## M1k3 (Nov 11, 2020)

First off, how do you maintain sharpness with your current knife? A $2k knife will still need to be sharpened.


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## tcmx3 (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> Hello knife friends,
> 
> I am a passionate cook and a few months ago I bought my first japanese hand forged knife for $350. I love this knife, it's made of white steel #2. i don't really need another one but somehow the thought of getting a better knife in the price range of about $2000 just won't go out of my head.
> 
> ...



I responded to a few points in bold in the quote you'll need to hit expand to see.

As far as recommendations go, to be honest I'm with the other folks. If you've only ever had the one nice Japanese knife, are you certain you even know what you're looking for? these things are personal. I would maybe feel a bit different if you had already identified something and had some idea of what you wanted and were looking for input to see if reality = your expectation.

that being said if I were looking to spend big $$$ on a knife I'd wait for another round of custom handled Mizuno aogami honyakis to pop up. but then, I have a ton of knives and I just got a different Mizuno and really like it so I have some idea of why I would like it.


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## Migraine (Nov 11, 2020)

My advice, which has basically already been said, is don't spend $2k on a knife until/unless you know why you're spending $2k on THAT knife.


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## ian (Nov 11, 2020)

I have some amazing knives you can buy for $2k, if you're looking to spend some money. Not all of them are Shuns, even.

Edit: This is halfway serious, actually, in the sense that from your OP it sounds like the price is what's important to you, not the knife. If you want to feel like you've spent a lot of money (which is a legit feeling... I'm not knocking it), and you have money to burn, go ahead and buy something for $2k. Just don't expect much of a performance increase. Everyone else above has indicated very well what the difference between $500 and $2k knives are.


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## JDC (Nov 11, 2020)

This: David Lisch 196mm gyuto
or this: Andrea Lisch 8.5” feathered chef’s


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## ModRQC (Nov 11, 2020)

If you up your budget a bit, say 50K, you could get something that's under discussion and some controversy right now. Art, they say...


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## Ruso (Nov 11, 2020)

JDC said:


> This: David Lisch 196mm gyuto
> or this: Andrea Lisch 8.5” feathered chef’s



Thank you for actually responding to the OP question with good examples.


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## Migraine (Nov 11, 2020)

Ruso said:


> Thank you for actually responding to the OP question with good examples.



I think everyone else who responded was trying to do them a service, to be fair.


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## ian (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> Are there people here who have experience with knives in this price range compared to Japanese knives between $300-500?
> 
> Can you feel the better sharpness / durability of the blade or are there rather small differences?
> 
> Do you buy such an expensive knife because you prefer to collect them, admire the beauty etc. or is it mainly about cutting qualities that are noticeably better?



Not just doing them a service, answering their specific questions...

GL, OP! It’s great that you‘re into the hobby. If you have the money, do whatever makes you happy. Those Lisch knives are beautiful, or you could go buy a Japanese honyaki.


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## Furminati (Nov 11, 2020)

In that price range, you’re paying for names/scarcity over a serious performance boost .I’ve learned that through buying. Unfortunately, I’ve also learned the hard way,I’m not in the right tax bracket for 2k onion choppers haha. But, if I had disposable income I’d go for Haburn, Mert, Rader, Devin, or Burke. I think Maumasi has crept past the 2k mark, but look great too. I’m not familiar the upper echelons of the Japanese knives, but I’m sure it’s much of the same in regards to paying for demand of name


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## Furminati (Nov 11, 2020)

Sorry, one more point. All knives get dull and need maintenance. So if you’re not comfortable with that. It might be something to factor in paying to send out for any sharpening/thinning/mishaps


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## Mike1994 (Nov 11, 2020)

Hello Guys,

I am very thankful for your answers. The reason I was considering buying a knife for 2k is that I love to cook since I am 8 years old (now 26) and I love knives. I have some knives already, but the handmade Japanese knife is the first one in that Price Range.

To be honest, I was not thinking rationally and wanted to get the best knife out there. Of course I know that there is no such knife. However, I think you guys are right, I should get some knives in the price range between $300-500 to try out some different steels and forms to find out what I like.

I own a Shigherio Gyuto white steel #2 and the knife seems perfect. 

What are knives do you prefer in this price Range? And what kind of steel?


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## Mike1994 (Nov 11, 2020)

Regarding sharpening: I am learning whetstone sharpening for some years now, and have whetstones up to 8000#. Normally I use a leather strop with 7000/12,000# polishing paste to keep my knives sharp.


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## alterwisser (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> What are knives do you prefer in this price Range? And what kind of steel?



I would be much more precise with that question.

You will get a million different answers, maybe as many snarky comments as a throw in haha!

think about what you like (size, grind, how tall, stainless vs carbon, Honyaki, San Mai, Damascus, western vs wa handle and so on...)

that would help a lot (you and us actually).


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## M1k3 (Nov 11, 2020)

There's lots. Watanabe, Yoshikane, Mizuno, Takada, Y. Tanaka, Mazaki on and on...

Also keep an eye on the BST section. Can find some deals on knives to try out at less than retail price.


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## Mike1994 (Nov 11, 2020)

What does bst means?


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## Slim278 (Nov 11, 2020)

You can have a custom made with custom handle for <half your budget. This is a @HSC /// Knives with @Dave Martell handle.

You should figure out your preferences before investing too much.


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## alterwisser (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> What does bst means?



buySellTrade


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## ian (Nov 11, 2020)

Why don’t you buy that Tanaka Kyuzo in BST to try something different? If you have a big budget and actually want to figure out what kind of knife suits you best for kitchen use, just buy like 6 of the well recommended knives on the forum immediately and see which ones stick.


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## DitmasPork (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> Hello Guys,
> 
> I am very thankful for your answers. The reason I was considering buying a knife for 2k is that I love to cook since I am 8 years old (now 26) and I love knives. I have some knives already, but the handmade Japanese knife is the first one in that Price Range.
> 
> ...



In all seriousness. Call Jon at Japanese Knife Imports. Tell him you'll wire him 2k USD for him to hook you up—he'll probably chat with you to get a sense of what's in your wheelhouse and appropriate for whatever your objectives are.


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## Byphy (Nov 11, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> First off, how do you maintain sharpness with your current knife? A $2k knife will still need to be sharpened.


A $2K knife will never need sharpening bc a $2K knife will never be used


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## DitmasPork (Nov 11, 2020)

Byphy said:


> A $2K knife will never need sharpening bc a $2K knife will never be used


Depends on the owner. I know cooks who own knives in the +1.5k range that used them in pro kitchens.

It's like buying a Strad and never playing it.


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## Elliot (Nov 11, 2020)

As someone who actually uses multiple knives in that price range, a couple notes. I will preface with agreeing with all the people who called out being able to mantain and care for it, but I won't go further. It's a factor.

1. With regard to pure performance, the law of diminishing returns is a big deal in knives. For cutting, I don't know that there's much better than a Kochi from JKI at any price. So, for the sake of the exercise, we'll keep "good performance" a requirement, but you must understand that it won't cut 5x better than any of the very popular knives in the $300-$500 bracket.

2. As you get to that price range, a lot of it is going to be about collectability/rareness and aesthetics. Solid examples might be a Tsukasa Hinoura River Jump gyuto. It's, in my opinion, the most beautiful Japanese knife on the market, in addition to being a fine performer. You can also look at rarities like a western-handled Shigefusa. Mine is definitely a bit thinner than any wa-handled Shig I have had, so it's actually a better performer. Ashi honyaki comes to mind as well, but closer to $4k.

3. One thing about the ones I specifically called out above is rarity. Would be hard pressed to find either at the moment. For a currently available Japanese knife in that price range, there are two I would consider. I am not sure of exact prices on these, but they're both lovely knives. Fortunate to have and use each and they are both gorgeous, relevant in terms of the romance of using a knife made by a master and, most importantly, cut like a mf.
a. The James, Togashi Blue 1 mizu-honyaki from KNS
b. Gesshin Ittetsu White 2 honyaki from JKI

4. Lastly, at this price point, you can go custom from some of the better Western makers out there. With some, it's hard to catch one for sale and they don't take customs, but, here are the ones I personally can vouch for being of the highest quality.
- Halcyon Forge - makes lovely damascus knives that can get up there in price
- Yanick Puig - Does a dammy clad with wrought that's absolutely to die for and perhaps my current favorite knife
- Rob @ The Nine - NOWHERE near your price point, but top flight stuff.
- Tobias H - Does some great dammy
- David Lisch - My favorite Western dammy knife. His wife Andrea is a KILLER as well. I am fortunate to have knives from each of them.
- Evan A. - GREAT GREAT honyaki
- Xerxes - Subscribe to his newsletter. Does occasionally take customs as well.
- Jean-Jose Tritz - Will make you something truly bespoke and the absolute best experience in a custom I have ever had. Attention to details is at another level.

I would also say Raquin, Isasmedjian and a few others make great knives, but nowhere near the sort of price bracket you're talking about.

I AM 100% sure I missed some stuff. I have too many knives. Well, a lot. Too many? No such thing.


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## Matt Zilliox (Nov 11, 2020)

Mert Tansu.

Done


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## Moooza (Nov 11, 2020)

Why stop at only $2k?


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## tchan001 (Nov 11, 2020)

Maybe that's his budget for a unicorn or a few great knives.
If you have a much higher budget, you can always consider an original Kramer.


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## WildBoar (Nov 11, 2020)

Dave Martell in 52100 or stainless, with a nice koa handle. Killer blade, nice looks, done for under $650.


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## Bolek (Nov 12, 2020)

Make a custom order for a set of two same knives one laser and one workhorse.


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## jonnachang (Nov 12, 2020)

Mert Tansu or Alexander Bazes.


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## tchan001 (Nov 12, 2020)

If you spend a lot of money on one knife, spend it on something everyone wants to buy as soon as they see it on BST if it is reasonably priced.
I'd buy a 240mm gyuto from Kippington, Dalman, Raquin, or Yanick.
You can't go wrong with those knives on this forum. If you don't like it, someone is always willing to take it off your hands if it is reasonably priced and not abused.


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## btbyrd (Nov 12, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> Can you feel the better sharpness / durability of the blade



No.



Mike1994 said:


> Do you buy such an expensive knife because you prefer to collect them, admire the beauty etc.



Yes.



Mike1994 said:


> Or is it mainly about cutting qualities that are noticeably better?



No.



Mike1994 said:


> the thought of getting a better knife in the price range of about $2000 just won't go out of my head.



At this price point, the money isn't paying for cutting performance, edge retention, heat treatment, or anything functional. It's about aesthetics, rare materials, labor costs, scarcity, or the cult of personality surrounding the maker. As Elliot notes in his excellent post above, there are knives in the $300 range that cut as good as (or better than) anything else on the market. This isn't to say that expensive knives don't perform well, or that certain makers don't offer unique grinds or profiles that are worth paying a premium to try. But by and large, these knives will just be different and not necessarily better. If you love your $350 knife and have $2000 to spend on knives, I'd agree with those who say that it's probably a better idea to try out a handful of other knives in the $250-600 range to get a taste of different grinds/profiles/steel types. This will give you a chance to form some informed preferences on the basis of personal experience. If you've only used one quality gyuto, it'll be difficult to appreciate what's great (and what might be not-so-great) about a much more expensive knife. And personally, I'd rather have 5-6 less expensive gyutos than a single $2000 unicorn.


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## tchan001 (Nov 12, 2020)

Some people here just want a Denka.
TFTFTFTFTF.


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## DitmasPork (Nov 12, 2020)

If you really have 2k earmarked for a knife splurge, that's a wonderful position to be in. Options galore—going all-in for a knife or spending it on several, doesn't matter, both valid approaches, it's your money. For some, there's excitement in being able to spend significantly more than what others can afford—like going to a starred restaurant every so often to flex the wallet.

If I had to spend 2k right now, probably go for a flush—Takada no Hamono gyuto, nakiri, petty and sujihiki. A set from one of my fave makers, power in numbers.


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## panda (Nov 12, 2020)

Matt Zilliox said:


> Mert Tansu.
> 
> Done


like the one with the cladding at the tip all the way to edge instead of core steel..


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## Ruso (Nov 12, 2020)

It just occurred to me CM were not mentioned in a longe time (at least 2 days). How about 2 Chelsea Miller 1 Cut Brooklyn and you might have some change left for a Frappuccino...


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## Matt Zilliox (Nov 12, 2020)

jonnachang said:


> Mert Tansu or Alexander Bazes.


nice choices


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## tchan001 (Nov 12, 2020)

Ruso said:


> It just occurred to me CM were not mentioned in a longe time (at least 2 days). How about 2 Chelsea Miller 1 Cut Brooklyn and you might have some change left for a Frappuccino...


If that's how you like to spend your money, go ahead. But for myself, no thanks.


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## Matt Zilliox (Nov 12, 2020)

panda said:


> like the one with the cladding at the tip all the way to edge instead of core steel..


interesting, do you like any western makers?


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## inferno (Nov 12, 2020)

for 2 grand maybe you could order a tamahagane damascus honyaki. that would be cool.


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## Nemo (Nov 12, 2020)

Moooza said:


> Why stop at only $2k?


I was thinking "why stop at only one knife"?


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## Nemo (Nov 12, 2020)

In all seriousness, though, it sounds like you are asking a version of the "which is the best knife?" question.

There is no perfect knife. Knives vary in their grind, profile, grind, steel, grind, heat treatment, grind, blade finish, grind, fit and finish, grind, handle construction, grind and taper.

Did I mention that the difference in grind imparts a big difference to the performance of the knife?

So if you buy a $2k laser and consider your knife buying over, you will miss out on the joys of using a thicker workhorse grind. And vice versa.

If you buy a $2k white mizu honyaki and leave it there, you will never get to enjoy sharpenng a Sanjo SKD-12, let alone appreciating the significant distal taper in some of the Sanjo knives.

If you are looking for great performance (rather than fancy blade and handle finishes, rarity or other intangibles), there many knives in the 3-400 USD range. I personally love the execution of tradeff between food release and thinness in Gesshin Gengetsu. There are many other knives to consider in this price range. Watoyama, Yoshikane and Wakui are just a few examples.

There are many Western Makers who make some great performers. Kippington makes some highly performing knives, most with an extreme taper. Many with innovative grinds. I also have knives from Mert Tansu (known for making excellent workhorses), Tristone (with his double convex grind and exotic stainless steels) and Dalman (known for S-grinds), all of which perform very well. There are of course many other capable Western makers.


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## Runner_up (Nov 12, 2020)

tchan001 said:


> Some people here just want a Denka.
> TFTFTFTFTF.



My 275mm denka gyuto has been going to work with me this past week. It exceeds all expectations. I could happily use this knife for the rest of my life and sell my other gyutos.

I won't do that, of course. But, ya know.. I could..


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## chefcomesback (Nov 12, 2020)

For the cladding BS experts out there claiming there is no core on the knife I had on my website, there is core all the way , one side has closer to the edge , carry on


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## Corradobrit1 (Nov 12, 2020)

Runner_up said:


> My 275mm denka gyuto has been going to work with me this past week. It exceeds all expectations. I could happily use this knife for the rest of my life and sell my other gyutos.
> 
> I won't do that, of course. But, ya know.. I could..


Feel exactly the same way


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## captaincaed (Nov 12, 2020)

If you have cash to spend, the BST forum is a good place to play. Buy and sell to learn what you REALLY like. Set aside a couple hundred of that as "tuition" costs to cover shipping and resale losses. By the end you'll know your own preferences, and you'll likely have enough left offer to buy a dream knife. As has been mentioned, many absolute dream knives are half your budget.

To put it another way, would you want to marry the first model you met along the way without understanding the quirks and issues that come along with being a model, or try dating the crazy punker, the hippie, the one you don't speak the same language as, and accumulate fun stories along the way? If your answer really is "marry the first", then more power, follow that instinct and don't apologize.


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## Southpaw (Nov 13, 2020)

U gotta try more makers to figure out what YOU want.
Jumping to 2000 I doubt is the right move, but I guess look for a honyaki


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## ref (Nov 13, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> Regarding sharpening: I am learning whetstone sharpening for some years now, and have whetstones up to 8000#. Normally I use a leather strop with 7000/12,000# polishing paste to keep my knives sharp.



As harsh as this sounds, the fact you're using 12,000 grit stones and polishing pastes on kitchen knives means you probably need to learn more about sharpening, and there's no point spending anywhere near that much money if your skills are not up to scratch


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## ian (Nov 13, 2020)

ref said:


> As harsh as this sounds, the fact you're using 12,000 grit stones and polishing pastes on kitchen knives means you probably need to learn more about sharpening, and there's no point spending anywhere near that much money if your skills are not up to scratch



I disagree, actually. Sharpening skills are necessary if you want a knife that performs well. So, there's no point in buying a $300 knife (as opposed to a Shun) unless you want to work on your sharpening skills, or or you want to send it out to be sharpened frequently. However, you don't buy a $2k knife for the performance, so who cares what your sharpening skills are. At least, you don't have to have better sharpening skills to own a $2k knife than a $300 knife.


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

One quick counterpoint regarding all the comments related to sharpening. So, I am by no means an expert sharpener like Forty, J, Kev or any of the other dudes in the community, but I can certainly maintain my stuff. 

That being said, when you're looking at knives in this price bracket, ESPECIALLY if you end up with a honyaki, it would not be odd for one to not do the sharpening themselves anyway. Since aesthetics play as much a role as anything else when you're at this price, we could easily see a user wanting to send out the River Jump to restore a beautiful kasumi or send out the honyaki to see if a serious polisher could bring out some banding/restore a mirror finish. I would not have the patience to hand sand back to mirror at all. Rather pay someone. 

Now, this is not to say being able to keep something sharp is an unnecessary skill. NOT AT ALL. But, it's not a prerequisite in an environment where there are people that can do the work for the OP and, not to be rude, but if he is willing to spend this kind of cash on a knife, it stands to reason that he could afford to have someone else do the grunt work of maintaining it. To each their own.


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## ref (Nov 13, 2020)

ian said:


> I disagree, actually. Sharpening skills are necessary if you want a knife that performs well. So, there's no point in buying a $300 knife (as opposed to a Shun) unless you want to work on your sharpening skills, or or you want to send it out to be sharpened frequently. However, you don't buy a $2k knife for the performance, so who cares what your sharpening skills are. At least, you don't have to have better sharpening skills to own a $2k knife than a $300 knife.



I may have been misunderstood, my point was that before diving in to buying more knives of _any _value, after purchasing an expensive knife, I think it's worthwhile to focus on sharpening first, because (imo) it gives you a quicker route to learn more about knives, steel, geometry and maintenance, and eventually lets you appreciate more expensive knives. That said, as Elliot said above, I don't think it's totally necessary to learn the skill, but I think it _is _necessary to do a lot of research and reading to learn about knives in another manner just so you aren't burning money unnecessarily


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## panda (Nov 13, 2020)

ian said:


> I disagree, actually. Sharpening skills are necessary if you want a knife that performs well. So, there's no point in buying a $300 knife (as opposed to a Shun) unless you want to work on your sharpening skills, or or you want to send it out to be sharpened frequently. However, you don't buy a $2k knife for the performance, so who cares what your sharpening skills are. At least, you don't have to have better sharpening skills to own a $2k knife than a $300 knife.


exactly, people don't buy Ferrari's because they're a good driver.


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## RockyBasel (Nov 13, 2020)

Get a Shig Kitaeji, 240 mm Western

And if you can get it for 2 K, it will be money well spent


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

RockyBasel said:


> Get a Shig Kitaeji, 240 mm Western
> 
> And if you can get it for 2 K, it will be money well spent



Wishful thinking, man. You would struggle to get a 210 kasumi for that, unfortunately.


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## RockyBasel (Nov 13, 2020)

Elliot said:


> Wishful thinking, man. You would struggle to get a 210 kasumi for that, unfortunately.


Kasumi you can get for sure - I got the JNS 240 and 270 Kasumi and both were below 2K

Knifewear has a 270 Kasumi on sale in 3 days - that’s below 2K as well


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

RockyBasel said:


> Kasumi you can get for sure - I got the JNS 240 and 270 Kasumi and both were below 2K
> 
> Knifewear has a 270 Kasumi on sale in 3 days - that’s below 2K as well



Western?!


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## RockyBasel (Nov 13, 2020)

Elliot said:


> Western?!


Wa 

You are right, western much more expensive


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

RockyBasel said:


> Wa
> 
> You are right, western much more expensive



Phew. Got my blood pressure up thinking I had to buy a damn knife


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## cheflivengood (Nov 13, 2020)

halcyon forge will look and cut like a $2000 knife, should be worth double


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

cheflivengood said:


> halcyon forge will look and cut like a $2000 knife, should be worth double



Potato 2024.


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## cheflivengood (Nov 13, 2020)

Elliot said:


> Potato 2024.


I don't get it


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

cheflivengood said:


> I don't get it



Joe Joe likes to call himself potato. I would vote for him for president. A bloody hero.


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## tchan001 (Nov 13, 2020)

If you want to buy an expensive knife that's almost a sure bet to go up in value, it would be a Kato kikuryu 240mm gyuto if you can ever find one for sale. Kato is not getting any younger and he no longer produces such knives. I doubt you will easily find one for $2,000 though.


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## Horsemover (Nov 13, 2020)

RockyBasel said:


> Get a Shig Kitaeji, 240 mm Western
> 
> And if you can get it for 2 K, it will be money well spent



How about a 210 kasumi?


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## tchan001 (Nov 13, 2020)

Let's look at this from another perspective. If you were to sell a knife to raise 2k in funds and expect that people on BST would be interested in buying such a knife at 2k, which knife would you offer?


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

tchan001 said:


> Let's look at this from another perspective. If you were to sell a knife to raise 2k in funds and expect that people on BST would be interested in buying such a knife at 2k, which knife would you offer?



Funny enough, somewhere in BST is a listing I have for right around this price for a Tatsuo Ikeda honyaki santoku. So again, rarity a major factor.


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## tchan001 (Nov 13, 2020)

Selling at 2k and having people want to grab it right away is very different from having something selling for that amount buried amongst other listings.


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## tcmx3 (Nov 13, 2020)

tchan001 said:


> Let's look at this from another perspective. If you were to sell a knife to raise 2k in funds and expect that people on BST would be interested in buying such a knife at 2k, which knife would you offer?



One that I wouldnt be using, or if I were using it, one that originally cost ~3k, or one that requires winning a lottery.

I dont think that's a good criteria for the OP, he seemed to want to use the knife and was willing to pay for the best. If you're looking for an investment SPY beats knives every time.

More generally: this thread is starting to diverge HARD from what is useful for the OP, who seems like a good dude, and has come back and said he is going to go down the route of getting a few nice but not end-game knives. It would be nice, for him, if we could get back to that.

So I'll not be a hypocrite and make a few suggestions for what knives I would personally look to acquire to fill out my drawer and work towards that end-game and survey the field, mostly in the order I would go for:

A nice 'laser' style knife, I would maybe look for a Tanaka R2 wa, Gesshin stainless, I mean Konosuke made a name for themselves doing this sort of thing, or Kochi with machi for something slightly different
A thicker, 'workhorse' style knife, like Watanabe or Toyama
An American maker, I like Tsourkan but apparently theyre hard to get these days, so maybe Shi-han (which is next on my personal list)
Something in a REALLY hard steel, Aogami Super from Ikeda or ZDP-189
Something really pointy, like a Mas KS or Miz KS
A honyaki


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## damiano (Nov 13, 2020)

tcmx3 said:


> One that I wouldnt be using, or if I were using it, one that originally cost ~3k, or one that requires winning a lottery.
> 
> I dont think that's a good criteria for the OP, he seemed to want to use the knife and was willing to pay for the best. If you're looking for an investment SPY beats knives every time.
> 
> ...


What he says - it's somewhat the direction I've been taking since becoming (more) interested in Japanese knives. Plus I'd suggest looking into different knife shapes, e.g. sujihiki, deba, petty, cleaver. 

I'm active on another (cookware) forum, and there a retired New York chef who used to work in European 3* Michelin restaurants always mentions how they used Victorinox in service, and that he would rather spend the money on expensive ingredients.


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## AFKitchenknivesguy (Nov 13, 2020)

Interesting perspectives...I said before, how much money you have, or make, plays a major role in how you perceive worth.


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## o_in_nyc (Nov 13, 2020)

If you want to cultivate a passion you need to feed it well... Good example is if you want to learn electric guitar, go out and get a Fender, a Gibson or something you can't wait to use. Similarly, I suggest you go out and get a knife you're just jonezing to cut with. There's a universe of knives in that $ range. Figure out how much function you need vs. art and what types of metal-art expressions get your culinary juices flowing. With the budget you have in mind, I'd immediately suggest an intimate perusal of EatingTools.com. Abe runs the premier website for high end, he gets new stuff all the time and he's a super friendly guy willing to give you advice if you need it. You just missed a Salem Straub but he currently has a number of stellar all around guytos/chefs which is what I think you're going for. If you are as much of a "passionate chef" as you say, a serious knife (or two!) will really enhance your cooking experience. Treat yourself a little - yolo.


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## alterwisser (Nov 13, 2020)

I would definitely focus on European market if buyer is from Europe.

The import cost for a European or Australian knife are just nuts.

I’d actually split it between two knives:

1 Dalman or Smide
1 Kamon

Done


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## captaincaed (Nov 13, 2020)

cheflivengood said:


> halcyon forge will look and cut like a $2000 knife, should be worth double


How does his work compare to Mareko? I've heard good things about Joe's work from people I trust, but I'm also working on my WA makers drawer.


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## tchan001 (Nov 13, 2020)

WA has so many great makers. You are so lucky.


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## Elliot (Nov 13, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> How does his work compare to Mareko? I've heard good things about Joe's work from people I trust, but I'm also working on my WA makers drawer.



fwiw; I have three from Joe Joe and he’s among the best in my drawer.
As a fellow Washingtonian, also have both David and Andrea Lisch and Haburn on the way. Had a Rader, but traded for something super special. Will have another Rader no doubt.
Mareko isn’t really on my radar, though that’s more a combination of price and aesthetic. No doubt he makes a fine blade.


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## captaincaed (Nov 14, 2020)

Cool thanks. It'll need to wait until after school, but I'll starting to keep an eye out. 
Hope you are digging the local talent as well


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## tchan001 (Nov 14, 2020)

If I had to stick with local makers and spend 2k, that would a lot of cleavers from CCK and Leung Tim. lol


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## o_in_nyc (Nov 14, 2020)

I agree with someone on this thread (ChefLivengood?) who mentioned Joe Schrum/Halcyon Forge. His pieces are gorgeous, artistic, extremely collectible, fall into your range, and he just posted 3 on his website: Store — Halcyon Forge


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## Byphy (Nov 14, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> ..I should get some knives in the price range between $300-500 to try out some different steels and forms to find out what I like.
> 
> I own a Shigherio Gyuto white steel #2 and the knife seems perfect.
> 
> What are knives do you prefer in this price Range? And what kind of steel?


I’m guessing you mightve checked out of this thread already but since you know you like the specs on your Shigehiro, might be fun to try something the opposite of what you have like a laser? A stainless Ashi maybe. But if you wanna hit the $300-$500 price range, get a Suisin IH. Love the yew handles


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## T85 (Nov 14, 2020)

I would get a Murray Carter! Those were the knives that started my journey into custom knives. They a lot less than 2k for regular knives ,or if you really want drop the cash then go for the master smith versions.


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## Boynutman (Nov 15, 2020)

How about glancing through this, so much gorgeous stuff in here.






Show your newest knife buy


Would like to see everyone's latest knife buy to the knife collection and also why did you get it whats good about it. I got myself my first laser wa gyuto from M.R stil waiting for it thou. Its 270mm and is made of AEB-L steel witch i really like working with. The handle is a custom wa...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


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## Mike1994 (Nov 17, 2020)

I am so thankful for this discussion you had going on here! I learned some new things and will definitely check the knives mentioned here. If you want to continue this discussion with further suggestions, feel free to do that 

I‘m thinking about getting a petty since I don’t have a good one. Any recommendations?


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## RockyBasel (Nov 17, 2020)

That’s a big leap! From 2K to petty - but I think the Wat Pro KU petty is pretty amazing, I also have the stainless clad blue petty by Toyama - pretty darn good too


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## tchan001 (Nov 17, 2020)

2k for a petty sound like the western Kato kikuryu someone had or perhaps that is still not enough. Whoops that was 3k.


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## Elliot (Nov 17, 2020)

Mike1994 said:


> I am so thankful for this discussion you had going on here! I learned some new things and will definitely check the knives mentioned here. If you want to continue this discussion with further suggestions, feel free to do that
> 
> I‘m thinking about getting a petty since I don’t have a good one. Any recommendations?



Definitely a shift, but not a bad one. To really ascertain an appropriate choice, may I ask what you imagine using said petty for? I like most of my knives on the thinner side, but definitely my petty, as it's typically trimming some fat off of meat, cutting fruit, etc. As such, it ain't pricey, but I think a Kochi from JKI or an Ashi Ginga is a good way to look. That being said, if you imagine a different use case, I could see that shifting maybe.


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## cheflivengood (Nov 22, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> How does his work compare to Mareko? I've heard good things about Joe's work from people I trust, but I'm also working on my WA makers drawer.


Cuts Better, not by much. That being said I've never had a mareko that wasn't huge or thick as I requested. pound for pound $ for $ joes knives are up at the top of western makers


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## captaincaed (Nov 22, 2020)

cheflivengood said:


> Cuts Better, not by much. That being said I've never had a mareko that wasn't huge or thick as I requested. pound for pound $ for $ joes knives are up at the top of western makers


Thanks very much. Always nice to read your experiences. Yeah that Maumasi is a beast. It's so well proportioned you don't really notice until reading the specs.


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## Gregmega (Nov 22, 2020)

Elliot said:


> Wishful thinking, man. You would struggle to get a 210 kasumi for that, unfortunately.


Lmk when you see one. Need it to ‘tie the room together’ thx besos


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