Can you "rock" with your santoku knife?

[black chef]

ok, i have to admit...

i bought a few "cheap" santokus to get accustomed to the style of knife, but the one thing i've REALLY noticed is that you can't really "rock" your blade for smooth cutting cause the blade is really straight.

i noticed that the furi knife (rachel ray's) is slightly curved.

can you guys recommend a good "rockable" santoku knife?

 

[GB]

If you want to rock then get a chefs knife, not a santoku. A santoku is not designed to rock, it is designed to slice.

 

[kitchenelf]

When I want to rock I pull out my chef's knife. I don't know any brand names but if you want a santoku that rocks just look for one that.......well.........um........rocks

A chef's knife truly rocks though.

 

[black chef]

If you want to rock then get a chefs knife, not a santoku. A santoku is not designed to rock, it is designed to slice.

thanks for telling me what to do, and BTW, i own a chef's knife.

there are SEVERAL chefs & cooks that can "rock" with santokus; they do so on TV.

rachel does with hers.
ron rainford does with his MAC on "license to grill."
and i've seen giada do it as well.

not as smooth as with a chef's knife, but to the same effect.

i have an 8 & a 10" chef's knife, and i can "rock" with both... i was simply asking if anyone had a santoku they found was easy to rock. so far, it seems as though the only santoku that had "rocking" in mind was the furi used by RR.

 

[GB]

It can be done, but it is not designed that way. Just as you can race with a station wagon, that is not what it was made to do.

The right tool for the right job will serve you well. It can be dangerous to use a tool in a way it was not designed to be used.

 

[BlueCat]

I've noticed that on television too. People use this knife the way they use a chef's knife, and I have always wondered when I see that, what do they have against using a chef's knife? They work wonderfully for that type of cutting.

BC

 

[kitchenelf]

I've noticed that on television too. People use this knife the way they use a chef's knife, and I have always wondered when I see that, what do they have against using a chef's knife? They work wonderfully for that type of cutting.

BC

The reason I use my santoku is because of the MUCH thinner blade. I feel more in control of thin slices of onion, tomatoes, etc. If you look at the top edge of a chef's knife versus a santoku you will see the difference.

black chef, if you'll watch these people you mentioned I bet they are holding the tip to the cutting board. They are basically just slicing. Their knives aren't rocking because the blade is flat. I guess with the Furi you have the best of both worlds, a santoku that rocks some AND has a thin blade.

 

[ironchef]

It's not about the knife, it's about the knife skills. I can take a whole fish (up to 12-15 lbs.) and clean, fillet, and cut into sashimi-type slices with my santoku. I can take a whole chicken and break it down with my santoku. I can finely mince garlic with my santoku. So while there are other knives that may be designed for specific purposes, the most important factor is the knife skills of the individual.

 

[black chef]

It's not about the knife, it's about the knife skills. I can take a whole fish (up to 12-15 lbs.) and clean, fillet, and cut into sashimi-type slices with my santoku. I can take a whole chicken and break it down with my santoku. I can finely mince garlic with my santoku. So while there are other knives that may be designed for specific purposes, the most important factor is the knife skills of the individual.

true.

so what santoku do you recommend?

 

[GB]

Knives are like shoes. You need to find one that fits you. What is a good knife for you will be a poor one for someone else. You really need to go to a store and handle them to see which fits.

 

[kitchenelf]

Knives are like shoes. You need to find one that fits you. What is a good knife for you will be a poor one for someone else. You really need to go to a store and handle them to see which fits.

Yep, a friend came over and brought his knife and I decided to use his for awhile. It made my hand VERY tired. The handle was waaaaaaaay to big for me to hold for very long and the weight was all wrong. It's the first knife EVER I didn't like!

 

[ironchef]

true.

so what santoku do you recommend?

Knives are like shoes. You need to find one that fits you. What is a good knife for you will be a poor one for someone else. You really need to go to a store and handle them to see which fits.

Ditto to what GB said. But I thought from another post that you liked the Analon santoku? The majority of my knives are Henckles Pro-S because I like the quality and the feel. The only real exception (for a knife that I use on a regular basis) is my 12" Shun knife which I use to break down fish. Besides feel, any knife you get should have a high-quality blade. You definitely don't want it if doesn't have a full tang and if it made out of stainless steel.

 

[black chef]

Ditto to what GB said. But I thought from another post that you liked the Analon santoku? The majority of my knives are Henckles Pro-S because I like the quality and the feel. The only real exception (for a knife that I use on a regular basis) is my 12" Shun knife which I use to break down fish. Besides feel, any knife you get should have a high-quality blade. You definitely don't want it if doesn't have a full tang and if it made out of stainless steel.

yeah, i like the anolon... just wondering what you recommend since you've gotten to be so versatile with using yours.

btw, it'll be a while before i can afford a knife of THAT caliber/quality.

wow.

 

[ironchef]

yeah, i like the anolon... just wondering what you recommend since you've gotten to be so versatile with using yours.

btw, it'll be a while before i can afford a knife of THAT caliber/quality.

wow.

Yeah, the Shun is my baby, LOL. I don't let anyone else use it but me.

But again, it's not about the knife. I put in many, many hours into cutting, chopping, slicing, etc. so it's due to practice and repetition.

 

[bullseye]

black chef, if you'll watch these people you mentioned I bet they are holding the tip to the cutting board. They are basically just slicing. Their knives aren't rocking because the blade is flat. I guess with the Furi you have the best of both worlds, a santoku that rocks some AND has a thin blade.

IMO, this is exactly right. The Santoku does not rock; it pivots on the tip.

 

[black chef]

thanks for the comments.

i'll run to bed bath & beyond and ask to handle a few more chef's knives now.

...like i need another reason to buy yet ANOTHER knife.

 

[BlueCat]

The reason I use my santoku is because of the MUCH thinner blade. I feel more in control of thin slices of onion, tomatoes, etc. If you look at the top edge of a chef's knife versus a santoku you will see the difference.

black chef, if you'll watch these people you mentioned I bet they are holding the tip to the cutting board. They are basically just slicing. Their knives aren't rocking because the blade is flat. I guess with the Furi you have the best of both worlds, a santoku that rocks some AND has a thin blade.

I didn't mean to sound like I didn't like the santoku knife. I was just agreeing that it's odd to see people using them as a substifute for a chef's knife.

BC

 

[foodstorm]

there are SEVERAL chefs & cooks that can "rock" with santokus; they do so on TV.

rachel does with hers.
ron rainford does with his MAC on "license to grill."
and i've seen giada do it as well.

not as smooth as with a chef's knife, but to the same effect.

i have an 8 & a 10" chef's knife, and i can "rock" with both... i was simply asking if anyone had a santoku they found was easy to rock. so far, it seems as though the only santoku that had "rocking" in mind was the furi used by RR.

RR's Furi gusto grip East/West knife is not a true santoku--Furi doesn't even use that word in their description of the knife on their website Füritechnics. It is a cross between a cook's knife and a [vegetable] chopper, with a curved blade, that is why RR can "rock" with it.

 

[kitchenelf]

I didn't mean to sound like I didn't like the santoku knife. I was just agreeing that it's odd to see people using them as a substifute for a chef's knife.

BC

No problemo here - I just know that that is why I reach for my santoku versus my chef's knife more. I just like the thinner blade. I agree, they have certainly "taken over". I got my first santoku knife 33 years ago from a Japanese lady - she gave me hers and it, of course, came from Japan. There is still the stamp on it of a lady in a kimono. The knife started REALLY showing some wear so I quit using it - I was afraid I would wear it out! The tip broke so it is more rounded at the end instead of square - I think I'll have that fixed. It will be a bit shorter but it will at least have the right shape. I've got to get it back out and see how it compares to the "reproduction". I just went to check it and there is no other writing on it.

 

[expatgirl]

Just a suggestion for all the people who are tuning in and are debating what to buy---if you are going to make a major investment in a knife like a good santuko or chef's ($100 or more for good ones) don't ever buy one without trying it out first---I had done a lot of research on the best Santuko as I already had a Henkels chef's knife that I love, and I wanted a Santuko as well (Christmas gift from DH). So like GB says, it's like buying a pair of shoes---there has to be a good fit. Not everyone's hand sizes and knife skills are the same as others. The soup kitchen where I volunteered at couldn't believe that I was able to dice an onion or tomato in seconds but I've been cooking for 30+ years and I've been watching cooking shows since Julia Child. So the point is when I was looking for a good Santuko I researched the different brands and narrowed it down to Henckels and Wusthof. Then I went to the nearest Williams and Sonoma (there are other high end stores that sell them as well) and tried various brands out in addition to those recommended by the store personnel and
found the one that felt the best in my hand. It turned out to be the Wusthof Classic. They'll even bring you a cutting board if you ask them to. Then you make your mind up. Would you buy a pair of expensive shoes without trying them on and walking in them? Same way with an expensive knife. And believe me after having dealt with cheap knives all my life the ones that I reach first for are the good qualiity ones. Never put them in a dishwasher EVER. And they'll last you and give you great pleasure for a long time.