I have a garbage cheap Ekco “sandwich” knife with the utility blade shape! Oh man, I love that knife! I guard it so the kids don’t wreck it! Cheap knife, cheap steel, but I love the thinness? And shape! Similiar but smaller than the Shun heneske!!? You’re about to put me on a real upgrade!
If you were to upgrade to the Shun honesuki, it's an awesome option and the price is on point. The truth is, you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a really great knife that'll last forever. This is Brandon from the video - I've had my Shun for over a decade, and my wife has probably put it in the dishwasher a few dozen times, and it's still in solid shape, lol. I just had it professionally sharpened because I broke the tip, and now it's as good as new. I highly recommend it!
@@helloyu6270, it's an awesome board, for sure. It's not ideal for everyday lunch prep, but it's great for more intensive dinners, brunches, large get-togethers, etc. Also, it makes a great charcuterie board! If you have a large sink, it's easy to clean, but near impossible if you have a traditional double bay sink setup. The 12x18 size is much more manageable for everyday prep. What kind of board do you have now?
Traditionally the honesuki is a single bevel knife. This makes a significant difference in handedness (must select right or left handed) and blade steering. There will also be different sharpening requirements. Some (maybe Tojiro DP) are 50/50, others 70/30 - it’s important to know what you’re getting 👍
A good thing is that no one tells us that we can only use one knife from here on out. I have looked at Japanese utility knives to expand my " toolbox" But I just can't see the need. If I have to break down a fish or chicken, My Deba does a fine job of it and it will even cut through the odd bone if i miss a joint. For chopping things I ore often than not leave the European chef knife on the wall and pick the Chinese vegetable cleaver instead. I have a paring knife for the finer things and my two hunting knives and a deboning knife take care of the deer I butcher. On rare occasion, my yanagiba gets a workout slicing fish or meat and thats all I need to be honest. I think it would just collect dust
I recently moved into an apartment w a small kitchen. Im thinking of one santoku and one utility knife. I dont break down full pieces of protein often.
If you are going to have multiple knives, it seems a bit silly and arbitrary to choose all from just one category. On the other hand if you could have just one single knife, which category of knives would you choose from, and which specific knife within that category would it be?
@@fordhouse8b let me clarify - my intent wasn’t to say only get multiple utility/prep knives. Instead, it was to demonstrate that if you could only pick one knife to rule them all (my inner lord of the rings nerd coming out) that a utility knife could be it given how versatile they can be, depending on its shape of course. Any utility or prep knife with knuckle clearance at the cutting board, could be used to prep nearly any meal!
@@cutleryandmore Yes, I did get that any prep knife with knuckle clearance COULD be the one, but did you arrive at an answer to the question in the headline? Which one of the several knives that meet that criteria is the best?
@@fordhouse8b it’s a tough one to answer - BUT - the honesuki style is probably the most versatile of all the ones I showed here. No flex, but can still fillet a fish or break down a chicken. Can tap, push, even rock chop and mince.
@@cutleryandmore Thanks for answering! Your experience mirrors my own experience I had about 20 years ago, when I purchased a couple of Calphalon Katana knives, one a chef knife and the other honesuki style knife. The knives were a bit on the heavy side for Japanese style knives, but very sharp and with odd-shaped, but very comfortable handles. The core steel was unfortunately very chippy, but still, that little honesuki was awesome, with all the benefits you outline. If you are not familiar with the Calphalon Katana line of knives (long since discontinued), I think I saw Adam Ragusea use one in his early videos, which is the only place I have ever come across them in any media. I recently purchased a K Sabatier six inch chef knife for this type of work. I really enjoy the traditional Sabatier style of small knife, specifically because it gives a bit of knuckle clearance (not as much as a honesuki, I suspect), but also because it has a full bolster, which for me makes it more useful for in-the-hand work, as without a sharp heel I never poke myself with it. I have a four inch K Sabatier paring knife, which I also like for that reason, and also because I much prefer a longish paring knife. Probably from getting accustomed to four inch Victorinox paring knives when I first started out working in a kitchen. Another knife I have had my eyes on is the Zvilling Rocking Santuko, which I see you have on sale for a really good price right now. Very tempting! Or the Misono Swedish carbon honesuki, since I two of my most used knives are from that line, and they are great.
@@fordhouse8b Brandon from the video here, I'm not familiar with that Calphalon series but the first knife I ever bought was a Calphalon santoku. I think I got it at Wegmans for $30 lol - it did the trick for what I was cooking at that time being out on my own for the first time. K Sabatier knives are great. I have one of their 8" chef's knives with the full bolster. I don't prefer full bolsters, but this knife feels good because the blade is so thin and light for the length. The rocking santoku is nice for some tasks, more slicing than anything, or tip work. For the length, I prefer a honesuki because there is more surface contact with the cutting board, so you can do a tap or push chop and cut more product so to speak. However, $49 for the rocking santoku is a steal, so it's a fun knife to have on hand. Seems like you've got a great collection.
I didn't know Damascus steel was fragile! So, it's not advised to scrape carrot peel off with a Damascus steel utility knife?!? I need to look for a video how to care for a Damascus steel knife and how to best sharpen them. Surely not with my cheap sharpener that you run the bkades through that makes that horrible sound.
With any knife that you want to preserve its edge, flip the knife and scrape your ingredients with the spine of the knife against the board. You wont dull or chip the edge this way. And yeah never use those types of sharpeners in good knives. Watch some videos on wetstone sharpening and you’ll never have sharper knives
I have to watch this video with earbuds in the other room… If my knives see/hear you use those blades, mine will suicide themselves into the garbage disposal to stop further abuse!
Chef Brandon rocks! Thanks for the education.
@@SuZieCoyote thank you 🙏 🔪
I have a garbage cheap Ekco “sandwich” knife with the utility blade shape! Oh man, I love that knife! I guard it so the kids don’t wreck it! Cheap knife, cheap steel, but I love the thinness? And shape! Similiar but smaller than the Shun heneske!!? You’re about to put me on a real upgrade!
If you were to upgrade to the Shun honesuki, it's an awesome option and the price is on point. The truth is, you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a really great knife that'll last forever. This is Brandon from the video - I've had my Shun for over a decade, and my wife has probably put it in the dishwasher a few dozen times, and it's still in solid shape, lol. I just had it professionally sharpened because I broke the tip, and now it's as good as new. I highly recommend it!
What cutting board is that?
24" x 18" x 2" Walnut End Grain Cutting Board cutleryandmore.com/products/walnut-end-grain-cutting-board-38401
@@cutleryandmore woah that’s a serious cutting board! Thanks for the reply!
@@helloyu6270, it's an awesome board, for sure. It's not ideal for everyday lunch prep, but it's great for more intensive dinners, brunches, large get-togethers, etc. Also, it makes a great charcuterie board! If you have a large sink, it's easy to clean, but near impossible if you have a traditional double bay sink setup. The 12x18 size is much more manageable for everyday prep. What kind of board do you have now?
It's beautiful, indeed!
Traditionally the honesuki is a single bevel knife. This makes a significant difference in handedness (must select right or left handed) and blade steering. There will also be different sharpening requirements. Some (maybe Tojiro DP) are 50/50, others 70/30 - it’s important to know what you’re getting 👍
A good thing is that no one tells us that we can only use one knife from here on out. I have looked at Japanese utility knives to expand my " toolbox" But I just can't see the need. If I have to break down a fish or chicken, My Deba does a fine job of it and it will even cut through the odd bone if i miss a joint. For chopping things I ore often than not leave the European chef knife on the wall and pick the Chinese vegetable cleaver instead. I have a paring knife for the finer things and my two hunting knives and a deboning knife take care of the deer I butcher. On rare occasion, my yanagiba gets a workout slicing fish or meat and thats all I need to be honest. I think it would just collect dust
I recently moved into an apartment w a small kitchen. Im thinking of one santoku and one utility knife. I dont break down full pieces of protein often.
Great choices.
You were great in arrested development.
hahahahahaha!
If you are going to have multiple knives, it seems a bit silly and arbitrary to choose all from just one category. On the other hand if you could have just one single knife, which category of knives would you choose from, and which specific knife within that category would it be?
@@fordhouse8b let me clarify - my intent wasn’t to say only get multiple utility/prep knives. Instead, it was to demonstrate that if you could only pick one knife to rule them all (my inner lord of the rings nerd coming out) that a utility knife could be it given how versatile they can be, depending on its shape of course. Any utility or prep knife with knuckle clearance at the cutting board, could be used to prep nearly any meal!
@@cutleryandmore Yes, I did get that any prep knife with knuckle clearance COULD be the one, but did you arrive at an answer to the question in the headline? Which one of the several knives that meet that criteria is the best?
@@fordhouse8b it’s a tough one to answer - BUT - the honesuki style is probably the most versatile of all the ones I showed here. No flex, but can still fillet a fish or break down a chicken. Can tap, push, even rock chop and mince.
@@cutleryandmore Thanks for answering! Your experience mirrors my own experience I had about 20 years ago, when I purchased a couple of Calphalon Katana knives, one a chef knife and the other honesuki style knife. The knives were a bit on the heavy side for Japanese style knives, but very sharp and with odd-shaped, but very comfortable handles. The core steel was unfortunately very chippy, but still, that little honesuki was awesome, with all the benefits you outline. If you are not familiar with the Calphalon Katana line of knives (long since discontinued), I think I saw Adam Ragusea use one in his early videos, which is the only place I have ever come across them in any media.
I recently purchased a K Sabatier six inch chef knife for this type of work. I really enjoy the traditional Sabatier style of small knife, specifically because it gives a bit of knuckle clearance (not as much as a honesuki, I suspect), but also because it has a full bolster, which for me makes it more useful for in-the-hand work, as without a sharp heel I never poke myself with it. I have a four inch K Sabatier paring knife, which I also like for that reason, and also because I much prefer a longish paring knife. Probably from getting accustomed to four inch Victorinox paring knives when I first started out working in a kitchen. Another knife I have had my eyes on is the Zvilling Rocking Santuko, which I see you have on sale for a really good price right now. Very tempting! Or the Misono Swedish carbon honesuki, since I two of my most used knives are from that line, and they are great.
@@fordhouse8b Brandon from the video here, I'm not familiar with that Calphalon series but the first knife I ever bought was a Calphalon santoku. I think I got it at Wegmans for $30 lol - it did the trick for what I was cooking at that time being out on my own for the first time.
K Sabatier knives are great. I have one of their 8" chef's knives with the full bolster. I don't prefer full bolsters, but this knife feels good because the blade is so thin and light for the length. The rocking santoku is nice for some tasks, more slicing than anything, or tip work. For the length, I prefer a honesuki because there is more surface contact with the cutting board, so you can do a tap or push chop and cut more product so to speak. However, $49 for the rocking santoku is a steal, so it's a fun knife to have on hand. Seems like you've got a great collection.
That board is ddef not for normal sized kitchens, no? i mean you can't wash it in a normal sink :((
Probably a cloth job. Wood has very good antibacterial properties though, there’s a QI segment on it.
I didn't know Damascus steel was fragile!
So, it's not advised to scrape carrot peel off with a Damascus steel utility knife?!?
I need to look for a video how to care for a Damascus steel knife and how to best sharpen them.
Surely not with my cheap sharpener that you run the bkades through that makes that horrible sound.
With any knife that you want to preserve its edge, flip the knife and scrape your ingredients with the spine of the knife against the board. You wont dull or chip the edge this way. And yeah never use those types of sharpeners in good knives. Watch some videos on wetstone sharpening and you’ll never have sharper knives
I have to watch this video with earbuds in the other room… If my knives see/hear you use those blades, mine will suicide themselves into the garbage disposal to stop further abuse!
you may want to go outside... ;)
"How to ise a knife "......then proceeds to use a knife like a saw.