Santoku Suggestion for a newbie

A

AndReese

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Mar 2, 2022
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Hi, I'm new here and have a question about finding a "good" kitchen knife. I have mostly inexpensive knives filling the kitchen, but have a single nice knife (Shun 8" classic chef) that was gifted to me.

I'm a home cook but cook every day, and I'm looking to buy 1 more knife that will be a go-to to supplement the chef knife.
I really like the shape and feel of the santoku, and feel that 7 inches is the perfect balance for me. I end up using my cheap 7" santoku more than any other knife in the kitchen.

I'm looking to spend around $150, give or take. For me, I prefer all stainless just for the low maintenance and convenience, and I'm not a fan of Damascus at all. I feel like i cut mostly softer stuff and don't need a Damascus blade that can hack through 2x4's.
I tend to be a push cutter, but for small things i will use a rocking motion cut.
Ease of sharpening would be preferred, i have sharpened small knives before but I'm not an expert.
Any recommendations are appreciated, and if you need more information please feel free to ask.
 
I'll second that. Most of the Damascus you see in kitchen knives is cladding. I usually buy my knives from japanesechefsknife and chefknivestogo. It would be easier to know what knife and steel to recommend if we know more about how you plan on sharpening the knife.
 
Thank you for the replies
I would prefer to sharpen using something like a Sharpmaker because it's easier for me to hold a consistent angle without hours of practice, but if needed i have a generic double-sided wet stone.

I'm glad I'm not the only one at least questioning the use of Damascus. I see the word cladding and can't help but think of the downsides. On the shun that i own i can see and feel where the layers meet despite the seemingly good quality of the knife, i wonder if it would be better without the layers. It looks fancy but I'm definitely a function-over-form person.

I did notice that Shun offers single-piece blades (their Kanso line) but the handle looks like it could be uncomfortable. I may be willing to give that a try since the price is reasonable and AUS10 seems like a decent steel choice.
 
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AndReese said:
I would prefer to sharpen using something like a Sharpmaker because it's easier for me to hold a consistent angle without hours of practice, but if needed i have a generic double-sided wet stone.
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If you have a Sharpmaker, you should be able to easily sharpen almost any kitchen steel. There are a lot of choices out for for Japanese steels (White, Blue, VG10, etc.) that will all do well for kitchen duty.

AndReese said:
I'm glad I'm not the only one at least questioning the use of Damascus. I see the word cladding and can't help but think of the downsides. On the shun that i own i can see and feel where the layers meet despite the seemingly good quality of the knife, i wonder if it would be better without the layers. It looks fancy but I'm definitely a function-over-form person.
Click to expand...
The cladding is usually done to protect the inner core, which may not be stainless or may be a much better steel than the cladding. There isn't anything wrong with the cladding and it shouldn't affect performance. I have a Shun Taiyo (SG2) and a Takeshi Saji Bunka (R2). Both perform very well and we use them a lot since we do a lot of cooking and prep at home. But if you don't want to pay a premium for the damascus looks, then there are a lot of other choices.

AndReese said:
I did notice that Shun offers single-piece blades (their Kanso line) but the handle looks like it could be uncomfortable. I may be willing to give that a try since the price is reasonable and AUS10 seems like a decent steel choice.
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Nothing wrong with AUS10 steel, but IMO, it's not that special for the price. You'll get a better bang for your buck with something like Japanese Chef Knife's house brand. Take this coming from someone that bought a Shun Taiyo for it's looks.
 
If you want a good quality but affordable santoku, consider the Tojiro DP Santokus. Model # F-500 for the 8" model, # F-503 for the 7". VG-10 stainless steel, so you'll be able to sharpen on your Sharpmaker just fine. Both can be had for under $100 each.

I have a Shun Premier 8" Santoku myself, but I don't use it a lot. I found over time that I prefer a flatter "gyuto" profile for a general chef's knife and a nakiri for some vegetables. Those are my two go-to styles.

The santoku is kind of in-between those, and is certainly a serviceable pattern. It really boils down to personal preference.
 
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I use my Wusthof Santoku Classic more than any other knife. It's indispensable for me in the kitchen. Great weight and balance. Perfect thickness. Easy to sharpen. Not so fancy you're hesitant to use it. Couldn't recommend it more. 20220303_205757.jpg
 
If you like the handle of your shun, then I'd say go buy a shun santoku. I have had a few over the years and they all perform well (currently beating a classic one up :)). Plus, looks a little funky having knives from different brands, that's just my totally irrational opinion lol...

A knife that (in my amateurish hands) performs similarly is the Nakiri. I have a Kaji nakiri but I doubt the classic line performs too different, give that a shot!

I actually think a small pairing knife would go well with your setup!
 
I'm a big fan of JCK's line of knives, I own all of the "Natures Inazumas" - priced great, good edge, easy to sharpen, stainless. They are clad so have a damascus-esque look and traditional handles which I prefer. They are thin so I suggest owning one heavier knife or cleaver. They will impress your guests and not break the bank, most are $100-150ea.

japanesechefsknife.com

JCK Natures Sakura Series HS-2 Wa Santoku 170mm (6.6 inch)

Beautiful JCK Natures Haru-Sakura Series VG-10 Damascus Wa Santoku shins like thunder lightning ! JCK Natures New Damascus Wa Santoku is now Available !
japanesechefsknife.com japanesechefsknife.com

If it's out of stock it will come back quickly IME. I've owned a Inazum Nakiri for 8+ years and is my go-to for many duties in the kitchen, flies through veggies.

​

 
AndReese said:
Hi, I'm new here and have a question about finding a "good" kitchen knife. I have mostly inexpensive knives filling the kitchen, but have a single nice knife (Shun 8" classic chef) that was gifted to me.

I'm a home cook but cook every day, and I'm looking to buy 1 more knife that will be a go-to to supplement the chef knife.
I really like the shape and feel of the santoku, and feel that 7 inches is the perfect balance for me. I end up using my cheap 7" santoku more than any other knife in the kitchen.

I'm looking to spend around $150, give or take. For me, I prefer all stainless just for the low maintenance and convenience, and I'm not a fan of Damascus at all. I feel like i cut mostly softer stuff and don't need a Damascus blade that can hack through 2x4's.
I tend to be a push cutter, but for small things i will use a rocking motion cut.
Ease of sharpening would be preferred, i have sharpened small knives before but I'm not an expert.
Any recommendations are appreciated, and if you need more information please feel free to ask.
Click to expand...
I recently purchased a Kai Seki Magoroku for a friend (not marketed here by Shun, but available either at Amazon or EBAY: https://www.amazon.com/Kai-institut...ocphy=9030966&hvtargid=pla-401523409107&psc=1

She loved it.
 
I have 3 7" santokus from 3 different manufacturers:

Shun Premier
Global
Henckels Int'l Classic

Mine will not be a popular opinion here, more than likely.

While all 3 work very well, the one I find myself using the most is the least expensive: the Henckels, which is made in Spain. I suppose that my hand is just more accustomed to the Western style grip. The Japanese knives are more physically attractive, particularly the Shun, but in terms of performance I have to say that there isn't any significant difference that I've noticed.
 
skoro said:
I have 3 7" santokus from 3 different manufacturers:

Shun Premier
Global
Henckels Int'l Classic

Mine will not be a popular opinion here, more than likely.

While all 3 work very well, the one I find myself using the most is the least expensive: the Henckels, which is made in Spain. I suppose that my hand is just more accustomed to the Western style grip. The Japanese knives are more physically attractive, particularly the Shun, but in terms of performance I have to say that there isn't any significant difference that I've noticed.
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Hi skoro,

Kai in Japan sells many variants on their santoku profile, but the Shun premier version has little or no belly. The blade is very hard (Rockwell 61), but protected by softer cladding. It will stay sharp for a very long time. This type of light, nimble knife is at it's best supporting push cutting--not European rock chopping.

I explained this to my friend before I bought one for her--and she's thrilled. She's become a push cutter with her Kai Seki Magoruku santoku.

Henckels best quality knives are made in Germany for rock choppers--though they try to make them lighter and niftier--even when they ditch the belly on their santokus. I doubt that the one made in Spain will do quite as well as the German ones. The steel in both the Global and the Henckels is quite a bit softer (Rockwell 56-58), so they will not hold an edge nearly as well or as long as the Kai Shun Premier.

That is reflected in the price difference.

I think your review suggests you are a rock chopper. Why did you choose a santoku, then?
 
Dr. Rayeye said:
Hi skoro,

Kai in Japan sells many variants on their santoku profile, but the Shun premier version has little or no belly. The blade is very hard (Rockwell 61), but protected by softer cladding. It will stay sharp for a very long time. This type of light, nimble knife is at it's best supporting push cutting--not European rock chopping.

I explained this to my friend before I bought one for her--and she's thrilled. She's become a push cutter with her Kai Seki Magoruku santoku.

Henckels best quality knives are made in Germany for rock choppers--though they try to make them lighter and niftier--even when they ditch the belly on their santokus. I doubt that the one made in Spain will do quite as well as the German ones. The steel in both the Global and the Henckels is quite a bit softer (Rockwell 56-58), so they will not hold an edge nearly as well or as long as the Kai Shun Premier.

That is reflected in the price difference.

I think your review suggests you are a rock chopper. Why did you choose a santoku, then?
Click to expand...
I'll admit up front that your term, "rock chopper" is new to me, so I can't give you a good response.

I've used all 3 santokus somewhat extensively and agree that the Shun is impressive. But I find myself going to the Henckels most often for dicing onions, carrots, celery, etc.
 
Hi skoro,

One of the reasons that knife selection is so personal is that knives may not be designed for a user's cutting style. Westerners from Europe tend to rock chop, and Japanese tend to push cut.

The Japanese santoku is made for push cutting--that's what the santoku is all about. Henckels is likely to have a loophole for Western choppers--even in a santoku.

Ray
 
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