Advice needed from the STW massive on japanese knives please, re good brands, size, material etc. For a friend to buy as a present for someone.
He'll be along later when he can get on here to check. In the mean time, advise away please 🙂
Knives as a present....bad form, Mrs F!
Superstitions aside, best to let someone [i]feel[/i] a knife as the balance and feel of them are all very different. I couldn't get on with Japanese knives, so have a set of Wusthofs instead.
It's ok if you give them 1p though cos then they ain't a present. Anyhow, like I said, tain't me who's buying.
Kai shun steel and kyocera ceramic, had both for over a year and are used daily and are still really sharp despite never being sharpened.
I use Globals and for me they are fantastic, but some people feel they are a little light. Have had them for over 10 years now and still going strong.
We've also got some Henckels at home which are weightier and very nice to use too, but I do prefer my Globals.
used Global in the restaurant i worked in.
felt fine to me, stayed sharp and were light and grippy.
Global knives all the way.
Had a selection for the past 12 years....perfection at every cut, as long as you keep them 'tuned up' on a proper grinding/waterstone.
Look great on a Global magnetic bar on the wall too!
I have already recommended him globals as that is what we have and I love them.
Racist!
replaced my globals with Henckels, very happy with em.
Most of the pro kitchens i have worked with if they had jap knifes used globals, others to consider Gustaf
I order all my Japanese Chef knives from this site in Japan. Very easy to deal with and comes highly recommended on knife forum. Delivery is fast too. Mine within 7 days.
[url= http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/ ]Japanese Chefs Knife[/url]
Depending on what you use it for I would go for proper carbon steel knives. Like ...
[b]HIROMOTO Professional Chef Knives produced by Mr. Futoshi Nagao[/b]
Gyuto range (because it's rather similar to western style knives)
[url= http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/TenmiJyurakuSeries.html ]Go for Gyuto[/url]
[img] 
[/img]
My favourite is the Chinese Cleaver.
[url= http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/ChineseCleaver.html ]Chinese Cleaver[/url]
Go for blade made from:
1) Carbon Steel (Aogami Super or anything with high carbon).
2) Get some proper sharpening stones like Whetstones or Shapton Glass etc.
3) Choose the one that fits the purpose.
Check the JCK Special Knife set as they are pretty good for value.
[url= http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/JCKSpecialKnifeSet.html ]JCK Special[/url]
Entry stuff:
Fujiwara FKH high carbon series
[url= http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/FKHSeries.html ]Fujiwara[/url]
Anyway, if you like proper Japanese Knives then check JCK out. You will not be disappointed.
🙂
p/s: Japanese knives can be ratger light but extremely sharp.