The Cooks' Den » Santoku Knives http://www.thecooksden.com Cooking Tools - Gear for Cooks and Chefs Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:49:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Wusthof Culinar Santoku Knife | Stainless Steel 7 Inch Granton Edge http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-culinar-santoku-knife-stainless-steel-7-inch-granton-edge/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-culinar-santoku-knife-stainless-steel-7-inch-granton-edge/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:43:55 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4635 Wusthof Culinar Santoku Knife This Japanese style slicing knife from Wusthof of Solingen, Germany, incorporates some good features from both styles. Much better than a typical chef's knife for slicing vegetables and making other fine cuts, the Wusthof version is not a complete concession to Japanese ideas.

Wusthof retains the forged construction that's a trademark of that company, with one piece blade, bolster and rat tail tang handle. The steel in this blade is the same as in the rest of Wusthof's knives, designed for tough edges that don't chip and are easily sharpened. The resulting cutting edge has a thicker bevel than the usual Japanese version but is more durable. If kept razor sharp it will do excellent work.

The multiple hollows of the granton grind reduce friction as the blade cuts. Slices of food usually fall away from the blade rather than stacking up and rolling away. If you are used to the curved edge of a chef's knife you may find the santoku a little strange at first, but many of the habits left over from that other style work equally well with this straighter blade.

The satin finish stainless steel handle is accurately fitted against the bolster and held securely in place by a stainless steel rivet embossed with the Wusthof Trident, making this a fine knife for presentation as well as prep.

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Wusthof Culinar 7 Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife NEW Wusthof Culinar 7 Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife NEW
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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-culinar-santoku-knife-stainless-steel-7-inch-granton-edge/feed/ 1 Chroma Haiku Santoku Knife | Japanese Stainless Steel Cutlery 8 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/chroma-haiku-santoku-knife-japanese-stainless-steel-cutlery-8-inch/ http://www.thecooksden.com/chroma-haiku-santoku-knife-japanese-stainless-steel-cutlery-8-inch/#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 00:19:19 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4833 Chroma Haiku Santoku Knife Believe it or not, there was a time when even the best knives were made in this pattern and people were happy with them. Today it's possible to pick apart the details and complain that the metal ferrule over wooden handle may conceal a gap where moisture can collect, or that the rat tail tang is not so strong as a full tang with slab handle pattern. A good knife is still a good knife.

Modern processes are often not fundamentally better than old processes, and the old pattern represented by this Haiku Chef Knife is not lesser in quality. It is a pattern left behind by modern construction methods, because some procedures are more efficiently done by machines than by hands. You will not find, in this knife, the multiple hollows of the modern granton style that most of us now think is the mark of a good santoku--but a hundred years ago, a good chef wouldn't have thought that was necessary.

In the Haiku Chef Knife you do get the best of modern steel, and you'll need to take the same precautions as with other high end Japanese knives. To maintain the fine edge, use a sharpening stone rather than a honing steel, or risk damaging the blade. Be careful of chopping or cutting hard materials like bone or frozen food, because this hard steel can chip. The same qualities that make this Santoku an excellent slicing knife also make it vulnerable to twisting and bending stresses. Use it as the makers intended.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/chroma-haiku-santoku-knife-japanese-stainless-steel-cutlery-8-inch/feed/ 0 Henckels Twin Cuisine Santoku Knife | Solingen Stainless Steel Full Tang Granton 5 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/henckels-twin-cuisine-santoku-knife-solingen-stainless-steel-full-tang-granton-5-inch/ http://www.thecooksden.com/henckels-twin-cuisine-santoku-knife-solingen-stainless-steel-full-tang-granton-5-inch/#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:17:54 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4479 Henckels Twin Cuisine Santoku Knife With some concessions to competitive design--and new ideas of their own--Henckels brings us a patented new TWIN Cuisine 5" Santoku. This hollow ground pattern has been a standard tool in Asian kitchens but is relatively new here in the West. The Santoku design is a direct competitor of the familiar Cook's Knife of European traditions. Although more limited in use, the Santoku is better at a few important things.

Commonly made today from a stamped blank of stainless steel, this version of Santoku is forged using Henckels advanced technology and Old World ideas. Instead of the heavy blade and full width bolster of the Cook's Knife pattern, this knife has a blade nearly as thin as the modern stamped knives, but with a one piece forged build that includes a narrow bolster and a unique, patented handle tang. The horizontal tang and end cap are permanently bonded to polypropylene handle slabs without rivets. The look is stylish and striking as well as comfortable and practical.

The thin hollow ground blade cuts with less friction than a comparable chef's or cook's knife--the multiple hollows, or granton, break the contact between food slices and blade, allowing pieces to fall away easily. The extra width keeps knuckles off the work surface, and the narrow bolster allows full use of the entire cutting edge.

Henckels uses Solingen stainless steel in this series, well respected for edge retention and stain resistance. Another advantage of this tough alloy is easy sharpening--although it will not hold an edge as long as harder steel, it will not chip and can be easily maintained with a honing steel. Always wash and dry by hand to protect edge and finish.

It's part of the same set as the Henckels Twin Cuisine serrated utility knife.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/henckels-twin-cuisine-santoku-knife-solingen-stainless-steel-full-tang-granton-5-inch/feed/ 1 Wusthof Gourmet Santoku Knife | Kitchen 7 Inch Granton Stainless Full Tang Cutlery http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-gourmet-santoku-knife-kitchen-7-inch-granton-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-gourmet-santoku-knife-kitchen-7-inch-granton-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/#comments Sat, 11 Apr 2009 05:01:40 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4035 Wusthof Gourmet Santoku Knife Wusthof's Gourmet product line, with thinner stamped steel blades of high quality Solingen stainless alloy, yields versatile knives that are light weight and well balanced, as is this 7" Gourmet Santoku. Without the heft of the heavier forged products for which Wusthof is best known, this Santoku retains many of the best features.

Rather than having a solid forged bolster, the front section of the handle dips low enough to provide excellent finger protection without getting in the way of either slicing or sharpening. Multiple hollow grinds on both sides of the blade reduce friction during cutting and provide slight air pockets that let slices of food fall away from the steel.

This Santoku is flexible yet sturdy, and you should be able to use it for many of the lighter tasks a chef's knife would perform, with higher efficiency and less fatigue. The steel in this blade is tough, but tempered soft enough that it won't chip. That makes the knife serviceable for many tasks Western chefs will do by habit, but if honed too thin the edge will tend to roll. Wusthof knives are built to carry a less acute bevel than Japanese blades, so don't overdo it when you restore the edge.

Honing with a sharpening steel before use is as much as this knife should usually require, so long as it isn't used for heavy chopping. The triple riveted slab handle and the stain free blade are dishwasher safe, but should be washed and dried by hand to extend the lifetime of finish and edge.

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WUSTHOF SANTOKU SLICER 7 17 CM SECONDS RRP $75 WUSTHOF SANTOKU SLICER 7 17 CM SECONDS RRP $75
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New In Box Wusthof 4976 Ikon Santoku Hollow Edge Knife 7 Blackwood New In Box Wusthof 4976 Ikon Santoku Hollow Edge Knife 7 Blackwood
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Wusthof Ikon 7 Santoku Knife 4177 Wusthof Ikon 7 Santoku Knife 4177
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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-gourmet-santoku-knife-kitchen-7-inch-granton-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/feed/ 0 J.A. Henckels Twin Signature Asian Set | Kitchen 2 Piece Stainless Full Tang Cutlery http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-asian-set-kitchen-2-piece-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/ http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-asian-set-kitchen-2-piece-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:23:09 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4028 J.A. Henckels Twin Signature Asian Set Henckels of Solingen, Germany, now produces a lighter streamlined counterpart to its usual forged steel builds - the Twin Signature Asian Set features hollow ground blades of stamped high quality German stainless steel that rival the versatility of traditional Japanese santoku knives.

This two knife set includes a 3" hollow ground paring knife and a 7" hollow ground Santoku style slicing knife. Thinner blades without the heavy bolsters of Henckels' older patterns allow better control when slicing or peeling and make sharpening the full cutting edge a simple task.

The granton hollows create air pockets between the blade and the work, lessening friction and allowing sliced food to slip easily away without so much stacking as on the old flat ground knives. The hollows also reduce cutting friction, easing the load on wrists and hands.

Ergonomic handles give users a comfortable and secure grip and lessen overall fatigue due to repetitive chores. The riveted slab handle construction is gap free and sanitary, easily cleaned either by hand or in the dishwasher. For best results a quick hand wash and dry is recommended.

Sharpening is simple - unlike some harder Japanese blades, these German rivals are easily touched up with a sharpening steel. Hand honed at the factory, the edge can be reground as needed, either with home sharpening systems or a flat stone.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-asian-set-kitchen-2-piece-stainless-full-tang-cutlery/feed/ 1 Wusthof Grand Prix 2 Santoku Knife Block Set | Kitchen Solingen Stainless Cutlery 8515 http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-2-santoku-knife-block-set-kitchen-solingen-stainless-cutlery-8515/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-2-santoku-knife-block-set-kitchen-solingen-stainless-cutlery-8515/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:42:40 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=3591 Wusthof Grand Prix 2 Santoku KnifeAlthough this is a high quality starter set, to say that these three Wusthof knives plus a sharpening steel and kitchen shears will handle all the work of the average kitchen is not accurate. You will need more, and the storage block does have room for them.

In this set you have a good start, unless you eat meat. The santoku is designed for slicing vegetables, and even though this forged steel santoku is stronger than most, it is not the general purpose workhorse knife that the old Chef's or cook's knife pattern is. Wusthof grinds the multiple hollows of this Santoku's granton very close to the edge, as well, and this does make the blade less capable of heavy work like chopping through small bones or frozen food. The width of the Santoku blade will also get in the way if you try the Santoku on cooked meats.

The serrated edge bread knife can double as a carving knife, but it isn't right for separating joints of meat or dividing hard squash, or in general the tough jobs that require stiff blades, thick edges, and leverage. If you buy this set you should certainly shop around for a good carving knife, chef's knife, and boning or utility knife to fill it out.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-grand-prix-2-santoku-knife-block-set-kitchen-solingen-stainless-cutlery-8515/feed/ 0 J.A. Henckels Twin Signature Santoku | Japanese Kitchen Stainless 7 Inch Granton Edge http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-santoku-japanese-kitchen-stainless-7-inch-granton-edge/ http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-santoku-japanese-kitchen-stainless-7-inch-granton-edge/#comments Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:44:55 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=3512 J.A. Henckels Twin Signature Santoku The real improvements you'll see in this 7" Santoku from J. A. Henckels have more to do with the thinner steel than the multiple hollow grind of the blade. The benefits are still genuine when you compare this vegetable slicing knife to the older chef's knife patterns.

The Western style chef's knife is a general purpose prep knife used for nearly everything in the kitchen, but the Japanese Santoku is designed especially for accurate and thin slicing of vegetables. With a straighter edge and a granton hollow grind, the Santoku can do this lighter work with less fatigue and give better results.

This thinner stamped steel blade, carefully taper ground and laser tested to assure uniform quality, is also ice hardened in a special tempering process, giving it higher tensile strength and good edge holding ability. Sharpening with a honing steel should be all the upkeep it needs. The uplifted design of the ergonomic handle reduces stress on the wrist as well.

The hollow grind is supposed to release food slices from the blade, ending the stacking and rolling problems that keep interrupting fast work--in practice I've not seen much of that. There is some improvement, but it's not perfect. In other ways the Santoku really is better than the old Western cook's knives. If you don't have one, you need one.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/ja-henckels-twin-signature-santoku-japanese-kitchen-stainless-7-inch-granton-edge/feed/ 0 Kyocera Revolution Professional Chef’s Knife | Kitchen White Ceramic 7 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/kyocera-revolution-professional-chefs-knife-kitchen-white-ceramic-7-inch/ http://www.thecooksden.com/kyocera-revolution-professional-chefs-knife-kitchen-white-ceramic-7-inch/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:51:28 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=3486 Kyocera Revolution Professional Chef'sThis 7" Chef's knife from Kyocera's Revolution series adds both length and depth to the zirconium oxide ceramic blade. Closer to the usual dimensions of a good santoku or chef's knife, this version offers users better knuckle clearance and enough cutting edge for larger work.

The cutting ability of ceramic blades is nothing but exceptional. The initial edge is sharper than the razor edge of most good steel knives, and does not dull in the same way or at the same rate. Used properly, this knife will hold a sharp edge up to ten times longer than the best steel counterparts.

The fine edge will eventually dull through micro chipping rather than rounding, as steel will do. Even with noticeable chips the blade remains functional, and may stay in good condition for more than a year before you'd need to send it to the factory for refurbishing. It can't be resharpened at home, however.

You'll need your old steel backup knives for some work--neither edge nor blade of this rust free, acid resistant, non stick knife can stand sideways stress. A straight sliding cut in line with the blade is the only approved action--twisting, chopping or prying will void the five year limited warranty against breakage. Dropping the blade on a hard surface may chip or break the blade, so be careful. Bone is especially damaging to this knife's edge, so choose another steel knife for carving meats.

If this sounds like a lot of restrictions to follow, just try slicing with it. This blade is so efficient and sharp that it hardly requires pressure behind it. What it does, it does very well.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/kyocera-revolution-professional-chefs-knife-kitchen-white-ceramic-7-inch/feed/ 0 Global Cutlery Cromova 18 Santoku | Japanese Kitchen Knife | Stainless Steel 5 1/4 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/global-cutlery-cromova-18-santoku-japanese-kitchen-knife-stainless-steel-5-14-inch/ http://www.thecooksden.com/global-cutlery-cromova-18-santoku-japanese-kitchen-knife-stainless-steel-5-14-inch/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:07:56 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=3539 Global Cutlery Cromova 18 Santoku I like forged steel knives--I always find it hard to admit that stamped steel blades can actually outperform the older patterns for some applications, and the Santoku pattern is one of those. Dependent on light weight, thin steel, and streamlined designs, the Santoku is a perfect example of a good stamped steel application. So it's nice when I see a high end forged steel Santoku that meets all those special standards. The Global 5 1/4" Santoku restores my faith in hammer and steel.

The Cromova 18 stainless steel in this knife is harder than most western forged knives, with a thinner blade and more acutely beveled edge as well. The edge is tempered hard enough to chip if used on hard surfaces, bone or frozen food, so this is a specialized knife, not a general purpose workhorse. It finds plenty of application in the average kitchen, anyway, effortlessly slicing through vegetables and meats without distortion of the food. Efficiency of cut also decreases fatigue in the wrist, with those benefits helped along by the uplifted ergonomic handle and the large finger notch at the blade base. Multiple hollows ground in the blade decrease friction, and the hollow handle is filled with just enough sand to balance the weight of the knife blade--in a stressful job where ounces do count, those are important features.

Some adjustments will have to made if this is the first Global knife you've purchased. You will need a different sharpening method, because using a sharpening steel on this knife may damage the edge. Flat water stones or special grinding systems are available. Many new owners also suggest stocking more vegetables than usual, because the ordinary work becomes fun once again, and you may run out.

You can also find this santoku as part of a 3-piece knife set.

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Global 5 1 4 inch Santoku Chefs Knife NEW Global 5 1 4 inch Santoku Chefs Knife NEW
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Global 7 inch Santoku Chefs Knife NEW Global 7 inch Santoku Chefs Knife NEW
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Global 3 Piece Santoku Knife Set NEW Global 3 Piece Santoku Knife Set NEW
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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/global-cutlery-cromova-18-santoku-japanese-kitchen-knife-stainless-steel-5-14-inch/feed/ 1 Wusthof Classic White Santoku | Kitchen Cutlery | 5 Inch Full Tang Stainless Steel http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-classic-white-santoku-kitchen-cutlery-5-inch-full-tang-stainless-steel/ http://www.thecooksden.com/wusthof-classic-white-santoku-kitchen-cutlery-5-inch-full-tang-stainless-steel/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:15:49 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4052 Wusthof Classic White Santoku A very good looking but rather small forged slicing knife, the Wusthof 5" Classic White Santoku has the usual high quality Wusthof features but with a striking ivory white composite handle. Other aspects of the build are dependable rather than unusual. Wusthof's forged pattern Santoku's are a little heavier than stamped versions but not unwieldy. The strong blades with forged bolsters and full tang riveted handles have the familiar multiple hollows of the traditional Japanese Chef's knife, with just a touch of Western strength added.

These knives are honed at the Wusthof factory, but particular chefs will find adjusting the bevel grind to their own specifications a rather simple procedure, since Solingen steel both holds an edge well and sharpens easily. Bolsters add some strength to the blades but are small enough to be out of the way when cutting.

The hollow grind pattern, or granton, forms air pockets between the food and the surface of the blade, reducing friction as the knife slides through the cut and usually preventing sliced food from stacking up on the back of the blade. Vegetables can be cut in narrower sections without distorting, important both for quick cooking and final appearance.

This Wusthof knife requires very little maintenance. A quick hand wash and dry is recommended after use, and the edge can be touched up easily with a sharpening steel.

Here's another set to consider:  the Henckels Twin Signature Asian Cutlery knives.

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WUSTHOF SANTOKU SLICER 7 17 CM SECONDS RRP $75 WUSTHOF SANTOKU SLICER 7 17 CM SECONDS RRP $75
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New In Box Wusthof 4976 Ikon Santoku Hollow Edge Knife 7 Blackwood New In Box Wusthof 4976 Ikon Santoku Hollow Edge Knife 7 Blackwood
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Wusthof Ikon 7 Santoku Knife 4177 Wusthof Ikon 7 Santoku Knife 4177
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