Pro Chef Tips.. What Are Japanese Knives & Are They Worth It?

We are talking about Japanese knives today and will discuss many things in this video: types of knives, types of steel, makers, and more!
I will leave a few links below for you to see them and for a few dealers in the US, UK and EU.

🛒KNIVES & SETS TO BUY:🛒

▶MASAMOTO KS Gyuto Chef Knife 24cm:

▶MASAMOTO VG Gyuto Chef Knife 21cm:

▶MASAMOTO SW Gyuto Chef Knife 24cm:

▶MASAMOTO SW Petty Knife 16cm:

▶MASAMOTO KS Yanagiba 24cm:

▶MASAMOTO VG Sujihiki 24cm:

▶MIYABI 5000MCD 8-Inch Chef Knife:

▶MIYABI 5000MCD67 8-inch Chef's Knife:

▶MIYABI 5000MCD 9 Inch Slicer:

▶Global 2-Piece Set Chef Knife / Petty Knife:

🛒SHARPENERS:🛒

▶KING 4 Whetstones Set with base 220/1000/4000/6000 Grits:

▶KING Whetstone Starter Set 1000/6000 Grit:

🛒DEALERS:🛒

Meesterslijpers:
I have bought from them a lot, they are located in Amsterdam,
excellent customer service!

Cutting Edge Knives:
They are located in the UK, a family-run business
and they have excellent customer service!

Chef Knives To Go:
@SteveGPhotography
They have a lot of knife reviews on YT and are very friendly.
Be sure to check them out if you are in the US!

If you are in the EU you will have to pay for VAT when buying from outside.
The standard rate of VAT is 21% Not cheap!

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Timeline:
Gyuto - 00:15
The Petty Knife - 00:59
The Santoku - 01:23
Sujihiki - 01:54
Nakiri - 02:30
Yanagiba - 03:07
Buying Recommendation - 04:13
Bladesmithing - 04:26
Steel Hardness - 05:30
Stainless vs Carbon - 06:17
Handle Types - 08:19
Balance Point - 09:28
Knife Finishes - 09:49
Care and Maintenance - 11:09
Stropping - 11:58
Which knife maker - 12:35
Short Story - 15:29
Where to buy - 16:12
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DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link, I will receive a small commission. This helps to support my channel and allows us to continue making awesome videos like this. Thank you for your support!

[PerfectBite]

Gyuto - 0:15
The Petty Knife - 0:59
The Santoku - 1:23
Sujihiki - 1:54
Nakiri - 2:30
Yanagiba - 3:07
Buying Recomendation - 4:13
Bladesmithing - 4:26
Steel Hardness - 5:30
Stainless vs Carbon - 6:17
Handle Types - 8:19
Balance Point - 9:28
Knife Finishes - 9:49
Care and Maintenance - 11:09
Stropping - 11:58
Which knife maker - 12:35
Short Story - 15:29
Where to buy - 16:12

[robertmarsalis]

You make some very good points I haven’t seen in other videos on Japanese knives, like making sure the blade is tall enough for your hand, I have a Shigeki Tanaka gyuto with a tall blade, much taller than my Wustof, and I absolutely love it.

[TerraHv]

I absolutely love my Nakiri and Santoku. I use them for probably 90% of all my cooking.

[qyark]

A comment I see in a lot of videos about Japanese vs Western knives is about the higher hardness; I think it's worth pointing out that the lower/higher hardness is a deliberate choice by the manufacturer. You can get Western knives with RH in the 60s, and you can Japanese knives with RH in the 50s. There isn't anything unique about the steels from either area, it's just market preference. So if you want an extremely hard Western style knife and are able to find an artisan bladesmith who will work with you, you can get a blade as hard as you like.

[asparagoosagus]

My favorite two knives are my shun Gyuto and my aogami Nakiri. I grew up using my parents' Wustoff knives, and while they are amazing and so much tougher, I just love how much more comfortable and precise my japanese knives feel with a pinch grip and how much sharper they are. I also love how they look - and while that might seem pretty trivial, I always feel that when I like looking at the tools in my hands, I end up using them more often. However, I think if I was a pro instead of a home cook I might prefer knives I wouldnt have to worry about as much

[mbwahaha]

You won't convince my mum that there is a better knife than Ikea's chef knife. She gifted a pair of those to every person she even knew. I got 3 for my birthday...

[jonathont]

I'd love a japanese knife sharpening video - strops and whetstones and the like.

[CowboyFate]

I absolutely love Bob Kramer knives. Traditional Japanese trained knives for maker with more of a western flair. I've had my Bob Kramer Damascus chefs knife for 7 years and never sharpened it. It probably needs a sharpening, but I use it almost every day and the fact it's lasted this long before needing a sharpening is insane

[gavriushka]

I don’t have a very big hand, but it’s pretty wide and thick. So I found that Bob Kramer is easier for me to use, specifically the Carbon 8” Chefs knife. It’s not for everyone, requires lots of maintenance, since it’s high carbon and rusts almost immediately. That said, I have the exactly the same Santoku, birch wood one. Love it as well, especially for veggie cutting.

[TDM]

Another excellent video, you're the real deal, thank you.
As a chef the first time I used a nakiri it blew my mind. If you have to do a mountain of julienne, brunoise or chiffonade they absolutely motor through it.

[nicolasolsen]

Have a kai shu chef knife 20, 5 cm and it was my first knife 🔪 have had it for 6 years now and it’s still amazing, really good quality and brand, also a good balance

[xllvr]

I always love how thorough and yet nuanced you explain things. It's something I find sometimes lacking in the more bombastic regular types of content especially in the food content space (not dissing that just different) and is really enjoyable to hear someone knowledgeable talk about things in an informative yet easy to understand way

[liamobrien]

I would love you to talk about good knife blocks/storage 😂 I have a knife block and it’s a bit of a pain to store them!

[philipmarchand]

Love your class type video, nice voice to do this, relaxing, well articulated and the knowlage of the subject is felt.

[richardgardner]

Thank you for your information of years chefing and knowledge it is really helping me in teaching my family who now are chefing.

[MrKlarthums]

If you're just breaking into home cooking, I would also recommend just getting the chef knife (8" / 20cm). It does over 80% of my tasks without being too heavy. Instead of spending on a second Japanese knife, buy a beater chef knife / santoku (like a low-mid range Meissermeister), serrated bread knife, paring knife, boning knife (flexible or rigid, depending on preference), and whetstones (at least 400 and ~1200 grits). You'll be well prepared for most cutting tasks except slicing cheese from blocks. You can still do that with a chef knife, but it's sketchy and not consistent.

[marekhusar]

Another great video... And how i like how you explain things is just great and Simple to remember... I learn a lot i dont know as cheff... Top💪💪💪

[TaciturnTerror]

This is a great video. I was akways fascinated by Japanese knives and some of my friends convinced me to get one. After a week or two of use. I just found myself going back to my old chef's knife, a Zwilling which i got for 30 euros. Perhaps it's just because my hands and muscle memory have adjusted to that.

[HADESPAYLOAD]

Spot on on the knuckle clearance. The Kramer style I like bet have not found in an artisan other than Kramer which is way outside my price range. I don’t want a mass production Kramer. I have found all sorts of cool oddities. I have a Jikko Nakiri with a sg2 Tanto tip but round tip. My Takeda are laser thin one is large Gyuto which is tall like a cleaver the sasanoha is more or all height bit has flex in its thinness. Finding styles you like and sticking with them is my recommendation. I have many Gyuto and Nakiri but few of other styles. You should also mention workhorse or beater for those items that can damage blades. Also an video on where to spend vs save on a blade. Granted what your doing changes that selection but home cook, line chef and specialty restaurants might be fun videos to watch. Guest chefs of these with a what’s in their bag and why. I own 2 Kurosaki knives early blades of his and have been seeking an Anryu your picks are great for sure.

[mykelevangelista]

This has been very interesting and enlightening. Thank you for this.