Recently a customer asked our Director Mr Jay Patel to recommend a knife for under £200,
and so he wrote a quick blog with his suggestions.
Remember our stocks move rapidly, so the blog was true in Oct 2022.
Hope this helps… if you need any questions answered, just message jpa@jckl.co.uk and we will try and answer all questions.
Number 1: Yasuo Black 170mm Santoku Knife £149
Initial sharpness – Out of box
8 out of 10. Exceptionally smooth with a level of sharpness expected from a knife of this thinness.
Capacity to hold the sharpness
7.5 out of 10. The core of VG10. In domestic use with minor stropping every few days, polishing on a 3000+ grit stone every few weeks holds the sharpness for between 3 and 6 months before needing full sharpening.
Ease of sharpening
8.5 out of 10. With a central core of VG10.With 16 Layers of soft steel on either side of the core (Total 33 Layers) results in a very thin layer of the super hard VG10 Layer making normal sharpening very easy. Even a neglected or infrequently maintained knife requires extraordinarily little work to restore to full sharpness because of the thinness of the blade, the soft outer layers can be ground with the minimum of effort.
Ergonomics
8 out of 10. A light knife with balanced slightly forward to make a comfortable ‘pinch grip’. The traditional octagonal handle is comfortable for long periods of heavy use.
Aesthetic
9 out of 10. The beautiful look of a Black Damascus blade smoothly inserted into a black octagonal handle with a distinctive red collar is a stunning example of the Japanese aesthetic.
TOTAL 41 out of 50
Number 2: Tomohiro 180mm Gyuto Knife £199
Initial sharpness – Out of box
8.5 out of 10. Exceptionally smooth with a level of sharpness expected from a knife of this thinness.
Capacity to hold the sharpness
8.5 out of 10. The core of VG10. In domestic use with minor stropping every few days, polishing on a 3000+ grit stone every few weeks holds the sharpness for between 6 and 9 months before needing full sharpening.
Ease of sharpening
9 out of 10. With a central core of VG10.With 16 Layers of soft steel on either side of the core (Total 33 Layers) this super thin blade has a very thin layer of the super hard VG10 Layer making normal sharpening very easy. Even a neglected or infrequently maintained knife requires extraordinarily little work to restore to full sharpness because of the thinness of the blade, the soft outer layers can be ground with the minimum of effort.
Ergonomics
9 out of 10. A light knife with perfect balance. The smooth rounded oval shape with a garlic crushing butt cap is hugely popular with chefs who need to employ the knife for long periods.
Aesthetic
9 out of 10. The beautiful Polished Damascus called Suminigashi is reminiscent of the pattern created on soft sand by gentle waves. The highly polished red hard wood handle reflects care paid to create one of our most popular knives.
TOTAL 46 out of 50
Number 3: AUS 45 Layer 170mm Santoku Knife £184
Initial sharpness – Out of box
9 out of 10. Exceptionally smooth with a level of sharpness expected from a knife of this thinness.
Capacity to hold the sharpness
8 out of 10. The core of AUS10 is also extremely tough. In domestic use with minor stropping every few days, polishing on a 3000+ grit stone every few weeks holds the sharpness for between 6 and 9 months before needing full sharpening.
Ease of sharpening
9 out of 10. With a central core of AUS10. With 22 Layers of soft steel on either side of the core (Total 45 Layers) this super thin blade has a very thin layer of the super hard AUS10 Layer making normal sharpening very easy. Even a neglected or infrequently maintained knife requires extraordinarily little work to restore to full sharpness because of the thinness of the blade, the soft outer layers can be ground with the minimum of effort.
Ergonomics
9 out of 10. A knife of perfect balance with a classic Western feel but everything you expect from the highest quality of a European blade. Very popular with cooks who use the knife for long periods and used to using a traditional Western handle shape.
Aesthetic
8.5 out of 10. The beautiful Polished Damascus called Typhoon reflects the wild wind patterns of a tropical storm.
TOTAL 43.5 out of 50
Gyuto / Chefs Knife