You Guys Convinced Me!!! Now my issue is..... Length. :'-(

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Yes, a newb I am. Started wanting to get a knife block but now I think I know better. I just want to start off with a good Chef's knife that can do "everything."

I'm unfortunately not as (how can I say it).... Large as some of you guys. I'm 5'4"/120lbs and have girly 6" hands on the body of a man (or boy perhaps). So what's a good size knife for me?

I've tried out several knives at the stores and preferred stainless (for ease of maintenance), western chef's blade with a classic japanese "D" handle and a 7"/180mm blade. Unfortunately the knives I liked (Miyabi Birchwood Chefs) only come in 6", 8", or 9". A lot of Santokus are of 7" but I know I won't find the flat belly too appealing. Are there Santoku with a sharper profile? And would you guys ever consider a 6" chef's knife?
Any recommendations? I know Shun makes a knife that fits my needs, but I'd like to find some other more "exotic" brands that I'm not aware of.

Thanks
 
There's no rule for these things. I used to date a tiny 5'2" Chinese woman who loved a 10" wusthof. I have a good friend who s 6'3" with hands to match, who prefers a 6.75" santoku. I have really tiny hands myself, but most knives I've used are fine for my hands. Use whatever knife you are comfortable with that gets the job done.

Chris
 
Handle size/shape and balance are generally more important than blade length for comfort. Personally, my cooking space is limited so I use a small cutting board and anything above 210mm is just kind of unwieldy because of space limitations. You might want to look at the Richmond GT Artifex 210mm Wa-Gyuto. The steel may not be quite as schmancy as some other alternatives, but the blade is done by Fujiwara, who make some exceptional knives, and has a ton of features that are generally found on more expensive knives, like a convex primary grind and a 75/25 asymmetric edge grind. It's pretty affordable and should serve you well.

One note, the handle is octagonal rather than the D shaped handle and I don't know of that will kill it for you.
 
This might work for you,
http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/kitchen-knives-14/kitchen-knives-by-type/gyuto/gesshin-uraku-210mm-stainless-wa-gyuto.html

I've got it's larger cousin, a 240 gyuto in White #2 carbon & it's a great knife.

If you prefer a western profile W/more belly, this is a good option for home use
http://www.messermeister.com/Meridia-Elite-6-Inch-Chefs-Knife/

They also have a 4" chef's knife which is a cool little tool, works really well when breaking down whole chicken's. I've got a set of the Meridian Elite line.
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Thanks guys. I'll look into sacrificing some of my preferences. I just figured that Shun actually doesn't make a 7" chef's knife... Only 6" or 8".

Are there ANY chef's knives out there in 7" with a D handle?
 
Wha size do you use now? if you use say a 5" knife now, an 8" will feel big until youre used to it. I started at 210m (about 8.25") and it felt big at first and then moved up to 240mm (a hair under 9.5"). at first the 240 felt big and clumsy but now i'm very used to it, but going back to a 210 now makes it feel so light and nimble adn when i use a 7" santoku it feels dinky. it's all relative.

that being said i say go close to 210mm or close to 8 inches. If it feels big at first, give it a little time and you'll probably get used to it, especially if you put ina little practice. you may even get to the point where you realize the benefits of a larger knife and want to go even bigger.


edit: i was rereading this thread and thought of those burger king commercials
[video=youtube;C89uOeDL9Gw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C89uOeDL9Gw[/video]
 
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Tojiro makes a nice 7" Gyoto, but the handle style is western. I have medium size hands and like it. I rarely need something longer. The blade is thin and cuts well.
 
Blade length and body size are not related. I'm a short guy and prefer 250 and 270mm gyutos. But, I don't want the tip to be too high -- it would become almost useless to me. So, no German with a high tip, but a French 250 and a Japanese 270mm, with the lowest tip. Both with a forward balance.
 
I vote 240mm gyuto. These are usually fairly light compares to atypical German/French chef's knife. Your size really doesn't matter, the size of your workspace may. A 240mm shouldn't be an issue in a home kitchen. Most gyutos don't have overly large handles. I don't know if the handle size is any different between 210 and 240mm knives. I prefer the extra length. I have never used a 270mm and would like to try one sometime.
 
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