OK. Here ya go. I've been using this knife for what, maybe 2 weeks now? this is what I have noticed compared to the cheap chefs knives I was using before.
It's friggin sharp. And light. Those were my first two thoughts when I started using it. I got used to it an like the way it feels.
Potatoes REALLY stick to it. Terribly. I can no longer slice a halved potato one way, spin it ninety degrees and slice back through it. Or onions for that matter. When you make a slice, the sliced piece lifts right back up with the knife, stuck to the blade. I don't know if that is a property of the thinner blade not "wedging" or giving itself some clearance space, or the blade material itself, because when I used the side of the blade tonight to smash some garlic cloves, I really had to do some scraping with my fingers to get the garlic "residue" off of the blade's side.
Some things it slices right through, and some things I have to use a little force. Could it be dull this quickly? I don't think so, or otherwise it would feel dull on everything, wouldn't it? Jalapenos it cuts right through, bell peppers right through, tomatoes right through, but carrots..... unless I am using a light chopping action to dice them, it takes a little pushing compared to my cheapos. Other things too, that I can't put my finger on right now. And I have tried different strokes, slicing motions, sawing motions.... things that were the norm with my other knives and I didn't notice any difference moving from one food to another, but I don't understand why this knife works so well on some foods and mediocre at best on others. Maybe I was expecting too much.
...
Anyway. That's my observations with this Tojiro DP. And I have "nicked" myself twice, which isn't that bad I guess. Nothing a little super glue didn't fix right up. Once with the point when opening a package of meat and once with the back corner of the blade while I was working the food with my left hand (I'm right handed) and I let my right thumb brush against the corner of the blade.
The issue of food sticking to the side of the blade, esp. potatoes, happens when you have a sharp knife. It means you are actually making a clean cut, not bashing your way through the food.
On the issue of having to use more pressure on dense foods like carrots that's a function of blade weight. A heavier blade like a Sabatier will go through denser foods with less effort, but there are trade offs for using a thicker heavier blade, so each to his own.
However from what you've written about trying different blade actions I'd really recommend learning the "rocking" motion. Here are a few pointers that helped me when I learned how to use a knife properly.
1) The tip remains on the board at all times.
2) The wrist of your knife hand goes in a circle.
3) The blade should be moving much further laterally than vertically - at a microscopic level the edge of your knife is a saw, so to get the best out of it use it as a saw not an axe.
4) The cutting stroke motion is very similar to shooting pool, so make sure that you stand so that your arm can make nice smooth strokes. It doesn't hurt to use a pool stance when cutting. Stand facing 90 degrees away from the bench, then twist at the hips to face your work surface. Have your back foot parallel to your bench and your front foot facing directly at the bench and in the same direction you are cutting.
5) Practice practice practice using the biggest dullest knife you have until the motion becomes natural. I used a honing steel to practice getting the motion right.
6) Your guide hand is there to guide the blade, not to grab the food you're cutting. The blade should never leave the index finger of your guide hand. My biggest mistake was to chase my guide hand with the knife, and I donated a fair amount of blood to the cause until I learned that lesson
PS I never want to see that you're using the good kitchen knife to open containers ever again. You have el cheapos handy so use them for opening boxes and plastics. Cardboard and plastic will dull your knives very quickly.