So, Why Do I Need a Santuko?

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 12-04-2012, 01:00 PM

I want one, but will I actually use one enough to justify buying it? My understanding is that Santuko literally means "three virtues" in that it evolved as a combination of classic Japanese knife shapes so is a all-purpose knife.

As a general rule, my experience with multil-purpose anythings is that they make compromises to the originals so it is usually better to have the originals.

My primary chopping knives, which I am very happy with by the way, are an old 8" J.A. Henckels Pro S Chef and a Dexter 8" Chinese Cleaver. I also have an old, stamped Chicago Cutlery 8" Chef which I use a surprising amount since I got my EdgePro Apex sharpener and put a good a very good edge on it.

deguerre · 12-04-2012, 01:18 PM

I love mine. It's not an expensive one either but I find myself reaching for it more often than my chef's knife.

AussieTitch · 12-04-2012, 01:42 PM

Do the scollaps in the knives actually stop Vegetables from sticking.
I have been pondering if I need one myself.
Cheers.
Titch

deguerre · 12-04-2012, 01:46 PM

Still get some sticking. For me though it's the way the knife fits and the angle of the blade. I love it for slicing tomatoes and onions especially and can easily get a 1/16" thin slice. I also prefer it for chopping leafy fresh herbs too.

dick28540 · 12-04-2012, 01:58 PM

i bought a 5-6" knife at walmart and i love it very sharp..
re: sharpener i also got a "LANSKY UNIVERSAL" SHARPENER
easy to use and fun,, works very well.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 12-04-2012, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deguerre

I love mine. It's not an expensive one either but I find myself reaching for it more often than my chef's knife.

Which one do you have? I am seriously considering a $31 Victorinox 7" fibrox
granton Santoku as a trial run. I like my Victorinox 12" granton slicer.

Untraceable · 12-04-2012, 02:03 PM

I swear by mine. I only use my chefs knife if my Santuko is dirty or Im cutting through chicken wings

deguerre · 12-04-2012, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeSmellsLikeSmoke

Which one do you have? I am seriously considering a $31 Victorinox 7" fibrox
granton Santoku as a trial run. I like my Victorinox 12" granton slicer.

It's a Cuisinart I got at Bed Bath and Beyond.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/prod...92&KSKU=116896&

It was a steal, and apparently still is. Bought it on a whim. 20 bucks.

On edit - posted the link for the 5" - got the 7" - fixed the link.

Gnaws on Pigs · 12-04-2012, 02:41 PM

Since I bought one, I hardly ever pick up another knife in the kitchen.

chicagokp · 12-04-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deguerre

Still get some sticking. For me though it's the way the knife fits and the angle of the blade. I love it for slicing tomatoes and onions especially and can easily get a 1/16" thin slice. I also prefer it for chopping leafy fresh herbs too.

+1. I use mine all the time. More than my chef. It's a henkels and wasn't very expensive. The bevel angle on the blade makes it easy to work with. I do stay away from most proteins with it.

Shooter1 · 12-04-2012, 03:13 PM

I wasn't sure I needed one but I wanted one. The wife bought me a Wusthof about 3 or 4 years ago and I use it way more than I ever thought I would. Feels great in the hand, well balanced.

Pigs on Fire · 12-04-2012, 03:15 PM

You don't.

An 8" Victorinox Chef's knife for $27 at Amazon will do whatever you want. Including stay sharp as a razor.

Smoking Westy · 12-04-2012, 03:29 PM

I've been thinking about getting another Santoku for myself. We have a Henckels Four Star II Santoku that my wife absolutely loves and is probably the most used knife by her.

Knives are a true weakness of mine in addition to smoked meat (they do go well together) and my favorite company just realeased to new run of their Santoku -
http://www.dlttrading.com/bark-river-santoku-s35vn.html. I've been looking for a reason to cave.

They are not cheap however, but I can say that after the first use, you soon forgot about the price!

ManakooraMan · 12-04-2012, 04:21 PM

I wanted to like using one, but its mostly good for chopping vegetables. It's too small for slice meat and too thin for hacking. If you want a Japanese knife type would suggest getting a deba. Deba is the infinite-toku.

Dr_KY · 12-04-2012, 04:31 PM

I'm not sold on the idea completely yet. Recently I've been revisiting my 26 cm chef knife in general duty and gave two carving knives a run at thanksgiving.

12-04-2012, 01:00 PM	#1
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	So, Why Do I Need a Santuko? I want one, but will I actually use one enough to justify buying it? My understanding is that Santuko literally means "three virtues" in that it evolved as a combination of classic Japanese knife shapes so is a all-purpose knife. As a general rule, my experience with multil-purpose anythings is that they make compromises to the originals so it is usually better to have the originals. My primary chopping knives, which I am very happy with by the way, are an old 8" J.A. Henckels Pro S Chef and a Dexter 8" Chinese Cleaver. I also have an old, stamped Chicago Cutlery 8" Chef which I use a surprising amount since I got my EdgePro Apex sharpener and put a good a very good edge on it. __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-73, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle Last edited by HeSmellsLikeSmoke; 12-04-2012 at 01:32 PM..

12-04-2012, 01:18 PM	#2
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I love mine. It's not an expensive one either but I find myself reaching for it more often than my chef's knife. __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

12-04-2012, 01:46 PM	#4
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Still get some sticking. For me though it's the way the knife fits and the angle of the blade. I love it for slicing tomatoes and onions especially and can easily get a 1/16" thin slice. I also prefer it for chopping leafy fresh herbs too. __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

12-04-2012, 01:58 PM	#5
dick28540 Found some matches. Join Date: 07-18-09 Location: jacksonville nc Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	knife info i bought a 5-6" knife at walmart and i love it very sharp.. re: sharpener i also got a "LANSKY UNIVERSAL" SHARPENER easy to use and fun,, works very well.

12-04-2012, 02:41 PM	#9
Gnaws on Pigs is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-22-10 Location: Smoky Mountains, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Since I bought one, I hardly ever pick up another knife in the kitchen. __________________ ...Half a yard full of crap to cook on like everybody else... Slow-to-average-speed GRAY Wal-Mart thermometer Just a hungry hillbilly lookin for a dead critter to cook Four Zeros in one throwdown, baby!

12-04-2012, 01:42 PM	#3
AussieTitch is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 11-17-12 Location: South East Victoria Australia Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Do the scollaps in the knives actually stop Vegetables from sticking. I have been pondering if I need one myself. Cheers. Titch

12-04-2012, 02:03 PM	#7
Untraceable is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-19-11 Location: mn Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I swear by mine. I only use my chefs knife if my Santuko is dirty or Im cutting through chicken wings

12-04-2012, 03:13 PM	#11
Shooter1 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-19-10 Location: Lutz, Florida Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I wasn't sure I needed one but I wanted one. The wife bought me a Wusthof about 3 or 4 years ago and I use it way more than I ever thought I would. Feels great in the hand, well balanced. __________________ 18.5 WSM 18.5 Jack Daniels OTS Weber Genesis

12-04-2012, 03:15 PM	#12
Pigs on Fire Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-20-10 Location: Marietta, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You don't. An 8" Victorinox Chef's knife for $27 at Amazon will do whatever you want. Including stay sharp as a razor.

12-04-2012, 03:29 PM	#13
Smoking Westy Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-10-12 Location: Bloomington, IL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've been thinking about getting another Santoku for myself. We have a Henckels Four Star II Santoku that my wife absolutely loves and is probably the most used knife by her. Knives are a true weakness of mine in addition to smoked meat (they do go well together) and my favorite company just realeased to new run of their Santoku - http://www.dlttrading.com/bark-river-santoku-s35vn.html. I've been looking for a reason to cave. They are not cheap however, but I can say that after the first use, you soon forgot about the price! __________________ WSM 22.5", One-Touch 22.5", Redhead 18.5" Smoke Joe Silver, Q200, "Mr. T"

12-04-2012, 04:21 PM	#14
ManakooraMan Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 11-21-12 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I wanted to like using one, but its mostly good for chopping vegetables. It's too small for slice meat and too thin for hacking. If you want a Japanese knife type would suggest getting a deba. Deba is the infinite-toku.

12-04-2012, 04:31 PM	#15
Dr_KY Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-15-07 Location: England Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm not sold on the idea completely yet. Recently I've been revisiting my 26 cm chef knife in general duty and gave two carving knives a run at thanksgiving. __________________ www.drsweetsmoke.com Slappin that bass like some delerious funky preist!!! UDS, Half Pint (Mini UDS), Weber, ProQ 20, Kegrilla 250 gallon cooker- 'The Meat Beast!!' British BBQ Championships Grand Champion 2008 ~~~~ British BBQ Society - Southern Championship Grand Champions 2009