Santoku Knife

[Oldtime1611]

That's what so many people do not understand is that you don't need to spend a lot on a knife, unless of course you are a Chef and you need high quality steel that holds up to the riggers of all day use.

[redbuzzardbass]

Hattori, great knife, no scallops. You can get a 7" Santoku for about $140, not ultra cheap, but not real expensive either for the high quality knife.

[bluefoxicy]

@redbuzzardbass Kai Wasabi for $35.

[metaspherz]

Those scallops or dimples don't always work stopping food sticking to the knife. As in your video the only food not sticking was the carrot slices. The minced and diced pieces stuck fairly well.

[metaspherz]

So, what is it? Three virtues or three uses? Translations into English can be confusing with all the different meanings. Santoku: Three Sisters....Hope, Faith and Charity....hmmmmm.....

[madblenderx3]

@MisterBaz1 三徳 Three primary virtues or "three good things"

[Gunsmith420]

i got this knife for 6$ good knife

[ChefTips]

@Gunsmith420

That's a great price!

[Gunsmith420]

@ChefTips yeah its on sale at budk

[ChefTips]

@Gunsmith420 Is that $60 or $6?

[Gunsmith420]

@ChefTips 6$ no lie :) i already ordered it

[ChefTips]

@Gunsmith420 Hmmm. Might be a cheapie brand. I would be wary of any knife that costs $6. What brand is it?

[Gunsmith420]

@ChefTips santoku its the knife in the video its a special sale on budk

[ChefTips]

@Gunsmith420 Hey, I just checked it out. The one you purchased is a cheap non-brand knife. My knife is a J.A. Henckles professional knife, which sells for around $70-$100.

[Gunsmith420]

@ChefTips ah oh well it was 6 $ lol so hopefully its decent ill let you know how it does when i receive it lol

[bobbyleemiller]

@ChefTips I love my Henkles knives. A chef friend of mine recommended them and it has been the best buy I've made. These knives just slide through carrots and celery, which I always had problems with. I'm not a Chef, just a wannabe. LOL But at 50 years old, I figure if I tried to be a real chef like you guys, I would forget everything. LOL Great vids, Jason. I truly enjoy them.

[ChefTips]

@bobbyleemiller

Thanks for the nice comment and watching the videos!

BTW, It's never too late. I had people in my culinary school who were in there early 50's...

Cheers!

[mikeymike3232]

another thing he likes about the knife is that he gets paid to talk about it...

[ChefTips]

@mikeymike3232 Actually I don't. This is my own personal knife.

[mikeymike3232]

@ChefTips just breaking your balls man lol

[ChefTips]

@mikeymike3232

Ha haa! No worries!

[longdongkong1]

The scallops are used for less friction when cutting through something like starchy potatoes as well.  I have a MAC 8 in chef knife with scallops (grantons as they call it) and food sticks to it all the time at work. I believe single bevel knives are designed to reduce stick

[klined]

FYI the scallops are a western addition to the design. The Japanese made knives never have scallops.

[ChefTips]

@klined Interesting. Thanks!

[Cthulhu1254]

@klined Never say never. Shun makes them with the hollow edge. Yes, it's a Western adaptation, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a genuine Japanese blade.

[julieshere]

Obviously a Cutco Santoku knife would be your best option.

If you live in the Los Angeles area you should contact me if you're interested in purchasing a knife like this one.

[RebelWrestler45]

@julieshere Obviously a Cutco Santoku knife would not be your best option. They use cut rate materials, grinding, and finishing processes. Partial hollow grinds are not good for kitchen use, 440A is cheap mediocre steel, and the 'thermo resin" handles are cheap injection molded plastic. Don't fall into Cutco's deceitful marketing hype.

[WhiteMasterHand]

So that's what those pocket does

[Xen1aserman]

You smile far too much for a normal person, but thanks for the videos dude.

[ChefTips]

@Xen1aserman

Maybe the normal person should smile more?

[Xen1aserman]

@ChefTips That's a good point you make.

[ChefTips]

@Xen1aserman

Haha! Thanks!

[nboukaram]

@ChefTips if they remember to smile at all :)

[Dano78229]

lol i have one of those electric pepper shaker. but gotta make sure not to keep it on to long

[rkmugen]

I really can't put my santoku knife down... it is just a pleasure to use it, that I've pretty much thrown out most of my older knive sets (except for the cleaver and my skinning knife)

[tremain113]

I heard Cutco has the best Santoku knife, but that it's really expensive. Is this true?

[RebelWrestler45]

@tremain113 Heck no. Take it from a person who has sold thousands of dollars worth of Cutco; their knives use mediocre steel, and are way overpriced. First of all, for kitchen knives a full flat grind is a must, you don't want a cheap concave grind like Cutco uses. Also, look for high carbon stainless steel with an HRC of 60 or better; Cutco's 440A steel has an HRC of around 55, and cannot hold an edge well at all. Your best bet is Shun, check out their Classic series.

[irefulvendettas]

@RebelWrestler45

Hey, so my best friend is a chef.

And I wanted to surprise him with a great knife for his birthday.

I thought Cutco would be an excellent choice, but when I asked him questions about knives he was less than impressed with theirs.

Thanks for the tip for Shun!

When his birthday comes around, that'll be perfect.

[GlennTheRussian]

Great knife, First kitchen knife i ever bought and i still have it. Got it for about 60 bucks.

[dboyz511]

If your not careful with this knife, you could possibly lose a finger. I almost did, cut to the bones in a instinct with it.

[ChefTips]

@dboyz511

You have to be careful with all knives.

[foodlovingpig]

@dboyz511 I have a little tip for not cutting your fingers off. Don't stick them under the blade. At least that's what works for me.

[ChefTips]

@foodlovingpig

LOL!  Good point!

[bahady30]

I got myself a Sabatier 2 Lions International Santoku from high carbon-stainless steel X 45 Cr Mo V 15 . It's made in Asia but who cares . It'snot expensive , 30 euro's, and well balanced and rasor sharp.

[bahady30]

I've got myself a sabatier 2 lions International Santoku from german high carbon-stainless steel ( formula X 45 Cr Mo V 15 ) for 30 euro's. Oke these series are made in Asia ( Cheaper then the French ) but it's a good well balanced Santoku. You find them on the internet. Thanks fot the good video

[ChefTips]

@bahady30

Thanks for sharing that!

[HigherPlanes]

Masamoto honyaki wa-gyuto

[nsklepowich]

OMG i want that Chefs outfit!

[mingalabaa]

Is there a way to sharpen it when it gets dull.

[ChefTips]

@mingalabaa

Yes, we usually will straighten the blade with a steel once a day. I only sharpen on a stone when needed.

[razzp25]

a whetstone

[ChefTips]

@razzp25

Yes.

[liarsclub75]

I have a full set of good knives, but I use the santoku the most. It was a great investment. I use Mundial brand knives.

[ChefTips]

@liarsclub75

Thanks for sharing!

[JoeHell67]

Hi,

i agree, i have 4 Santoku knives in diff. sizes and brands and bought em in a store where i could pick em up

and even try em out on cutting veggies there.

I like them very much but i also like my regular chef knives, think it depends on your personal taste...

Please don't go for cheap knives, they won't keep an edge and working with them will be a pain in the neck!

HQ Knives will cost some money but they will last you a lifetime!

Thank you...err..sorry...domo arigato ;-)

Joe from Germany

[razzp25]

if you have big hands would santoku knifes be a good buy??? Cause I have read somewhere that people with small hands often prefer santoku knifes and i have big hands:(

[ChefTips]

It doesn't matter what size your hands are. These are great knives. Cheers, Jason

[Aliceinsexland]

thank you so much for this video! i will absolutely have to buy one of those.

btw,i think it's really nice that you answer every single comment (:

[ChefTips]

Thanks! Hope you enjoy your new knife. You'll use it for everything. It's a really smart investment. Cheers, Jason

[wtrdogg20]

Not all Santoku knifes have those things above the edge (suposely to avoid what you are cutting from sticking to the knife). Actually the original Santoku knife doesnt have them.

[ChefTips]

@wtrdogg20

You are right wtrdogg20.

[uncleluck]

If you get the best tools for the job you will never be sorry, and it will be money well spent. That said, do yourself a favor and get German made F. Dick knives. There is no equal.

[ChefTips]

@uncleluck

I have never used this brand. I looked them up, and Amazon has a nice looking F.Dick 7" santoku knife for $77.00 right now. Next time I am in my favorite cutlery store, I will try them out. Thanks for commenting.

[MisterBaz1]

Technically Santoku doesn't mean 3 uses. Its literal translation is 3 virtues.

[0MrENigma0]

Practically speaking... a knife is not morally pure or good. So, virtue can be applied to the function or use (power/application/capacity). A word can "mean" something beyond the literal translation. :-)

[kenfo0]

you should explain what you mean by "medium priced".

[ChefTips]

Not the cheapest and not the most expensive.

[drakio99]

50-100 dollars

[oseldor]

We use knives like that at my restaurant school!

They really cut like a dream!

Btw, we used you recepie for spaghetti sauce in school... It was ok, right? :)

[ChefTips]

Hi! Yes, it's totally OK to use our recipes! I want people to enjoy them, and hopefully it makes the cooking process easier. Thanks so much for the kind words. Cheers, Jason

[yahoo91234]

Im not sure if u posted this, but can u make a video on how to sharpen a knife?

[ChefTips]

Check out my videos. I have a couple of them. One using the sharpening stone and one with a knife steel. Cheers, Jason

[dspunhealed]

just bought one.  love it. paid about 39 for it

[ChefTips]

Great! Enjoy! Jason

[dspunhealed]

its pretty sharp already. would you recommend sharpening it anyway?

[ChefTips]

I don't think you need to sharpen it until you feel it's becoming dull. Take care, Jason

[Fascinated24]

Nice CHEF :D

[ChefTips]

Thank you!

[thibaulthalpern]

I would agree that most chefs and cooks I've seen on TV or YouTube don't have good knife skills, but the chef here on this video does it properly. He holds the knife correctly, the finger tips are tucked in and the knife is guided in part by the straight edge of the fingers. He's got good skills.

[ChefTips]

Thanks! I appreciate your kind feedback. Cheers, Jason

[dudrhkd7]

make a video about cooking crayfish!!!!!

yummm crayfish

[ChefTips]

Sounds like a great one! We'll add it to our request list. Thanks so much! Jason

[risquecat]

I heard the Santofu knives are great, but are they used for cutting everything? I heard the you have to use different knives for different purpose, like cutting bone on a meat, or just cutting meat you have to use a different knife, different knives for cutting veggies, fruits, or fish. True?

[ChefTips]

They are basically designed to dice, slice, and mince. They work great for general food prep in the kitchen. Yes, you are right, there are a number of knives out there designed for specific uses. I plan on making videos that feature different kitchen knives. Thanks for your question.

[thibaulthalpern]

I don't speak on the authority of a professional chef but as someone who cooks and learnt from his mum :) In the typical Chinese home kitchen, we primarily use a big cleaver knife--one heavier one for meats and one lighter one for vegetables. The heavier one is useful for meats because the weight of the knife helps to cut through flesh and chop through bones.

[Bruins90210]

Shun is the best but never use a steel on them,I learned the hard way,use a water stone...

[ChefTips]

Good tip! We use our water stone all the time. Cheers, Jason

[chefgav1]

Got the UX-10 and Hiromoto Aogami super series Excellent fit and finish And super sharp.

[ChefTips]

Sounds great! Jason

[crumbinator]

I'm looking at the non-granton Misono UX-10. This looks like the best reasonably priced, high quality Santoku out there.

[ChefTips]

I have read good things about that knife. Thanks for your comment.

[jewelgem12]

I love how this vid is getting so many enthusiastic comments (that I'm not sure are real or not), but the other one by expert village is getting beat on so much.

Lol, i can't cook, so I wouldn't need a knife. Interesting stuff, though.

[ChefTips]

Thanks for the comment. Not sure what expert village is all about.

[mrbeligos]

expert village dosent know either...

[ChefTips]

Too funny! I agree!

[sugarkang]

Doh! I wish I had seen this video before I bought my crappy supermarket knife.

[ChefTips]

LOL! Go return it and get a good one. I promise you won't regret it!

Cheers! Jason

[kelvz7]

Hey thanks for all the incredibly detailed and helpful vids! Personally, which knife brand would you personally recommend? I'm a student so Shun knives'd be quite pricey for me. Thanks.

[ChefTips]

The one I use at home is the J.A. Henckles 31120-18 7 inch no stain. I have seen it priced between 70 and 100 dollars. It's a great knife for the home kitchen. But like I said in the video, It's best to go out and shop around to get a feel for what you like. Some other good quality brands are, Wusthof, Sabatier, Global, Kershaw, Chicago Cutlery, and Dexter Russell.

[kelvz7]

Thanks for your comment! I have a J.A. Henckles Chef's Knife but was thinking about getting a Santoku for it's flexibility. Thanks!

[Byrnzi360]

If you have a moment, perhaps you can enlighten me? What is your opinion of knives that have black or ceramic blades? I've noticed they are becoming pretty common in some of the places I go into and am not sure whether or not there are any drawbacks to them or not. I always thought steel was superior...

[ChefTips]

Hi. I have never used either of those types of knives, so I can't offer an opinion on them. One thing I can say is that they are expensive. I personally like a blade that is made of high carbon-stainless steel. Knives made of this work great for the home cook.

[allgoo19]

The name Santoku comes from three useful parts of the knife. 1)point, 2)edge, 3)heel

What makes Santoku more useful(at least to some) than Chef's.

1)edge goes all the way to the heel: tough material like small bones can be cut easier using the heel.

2)edge is straighter: easier to cut long material without rolling motion, just using up & down motion generally better for vegetables.

[lablover8]

shun santokus are best. those "scallops" are called hallowed edges

[ChefTips]

Thanks for your input lablover8!

[preno911DW]

More commonly denoted as Grantons but we get the point

[IDIEININIIS]

Nice introduction for the beginner at home chef.

Also great answers to the questions in the comments.

[ChefTips]

Thanks for commenting. I am glad I can help out.

Jason

[aragorn123sg]

Yeah I also hate it when foods like potatoes stick to my knife also. Thanks for the tip as I'm in the market for a new knife

[ChefTips]

Thanks for commenting!

[ironchopsticks]

i bought a cheap santoku by victorinox. i found it for 20 bucks but it retails for 40. i havent gotten it in the mail yet but it got good reviews for the price.

[ChefTips]

Victorinox makes a decent product. That was smart of you to read up on the reviews. Thanks for commenting!

Jason

[verocity]

Same knife as I got JA Henckels with a black satin handle, very sharp when you run your finger along the blade it makes a nice sound 'tzzzzchink'

[ATsarnas]

how much does that cost?

[ChefTips]

Hi. I think I paid about seventy dollars for the one I use in the video. That was about the best price I found for this knife.

[kelseroo1]

what brand would you recommend?

[ChefTips]

The one I use at home is the J.A. Henckles 31120-18 7 inch no stain. I have seen it priced between 70 and 100 dollars. It's a great knife for the home kitchen. But like I said in the video, It's best to go out and shop around to get a feel for what you like. Some other good quality brands are, Wusthof, Sabatier, Global, Kershaw, Chicago Cutlery, and Dexter Russell. Hope this helps.

[moonblink]

my mom had a knife once. she had it for years. she used it for everything. she had it so long that the handle broke. but she still used it. it was broken down to the one rivet holding the plastic together. she still used it! i don't know whatever happened to that knife. hmm

maybe i'll buy her santoku knife for christmas. and i'll tell her all the things you said in this video, and take credit for being so smart ;)

[ChefTips]

Thanks for the comment moonblink! Get your mom a new knife for Christmas, you'll be glad you did! But most important, give your mom a hug! I lost my mom 14 years ago. She was great in the kitchen and was my inspiration...

[jami3r00]

Another great video. Keep it up. I recently got something very similar to this but the Santoku one looks quite interesting.

[ChefTips]

Thanks for the comment. The santoku knife really is great knife to have in the home kitchen.

[DustinHsiao]

Wow. This is an interesting and educational video. I always wondered why those Asian (now I know they're called santoku knifes) have a scalloped edge.

Cool.

Cheers Jason,

Dustin

[ChefTips]

Hi Dustin. Glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks for commenting!

Cheers!