do we need nakiris

I have a nakiri from Will atm, the traveler, and its been my only knife in use since i recieved it. If I could afford one, I'd buy 3.

 

Yes, we do need nakiris.

 

Just thought I would post a picture of my two nakiris plus my cleaver (with Fish handle btw). As I am getting more into ferments, I am starting to use them more again. I usually do a straight rotation of knives, and right now, no nakiris are in my main drawer but that is about to change.

I also polished up the cleaver. After my move, I put the knife away and my sous vide set up somehow splashed some water on the blade and I got some rust. It then took some sandpaper to get the rust off, and I went all the way down to 220 grit to make sure it was off and 'all clear', but then after that I just kept working up the grits to make it all nice and shiny

k.

 

I'm interested in that question as well. For which tasks would a Nakiri be better suited than a Santoku with almost no belly?

 

In general, Nakiri has thinner/taller blade and a flatter profile than Santoku or Gyuto from the same maker/ brand. My most flat profile shigefusa kitaeji Santoku only about 60% of the edge is dead flat compare to my Nakiri has about 85~90% flat edge.
In Eastern cooking, many dishes require ingredients have to cut into very fine julienne (silk thin), such as cabbage, tofu, kelp, bean curd, green onion, ginger, daikon radish, homemade noodle etc. Nakiri just makes the job easier. In Western cooking, I have not yet found the needs Nakiri yet from my own limited experience.

 

Wow..... cclin, great explanation. I have five of them & an usuba, absolute vegetable destroyers!

 

Thank you cclin, good explanation. I recently bought a Shigefusa Kurouchi 165mm Wa Santoku, similar curved belly. So once i think i want such knife it might be the choice between Nakiri and Usuba.

 

Once you are trained to use a chukabocho you might scoff at the idea of a nakiri. I had one, hated it, traded my wife for a yanagiba. I was trained for years using only chukabocho ITK but since moving into French style fine dining I have learned to enjoy using a gyuto one day and a chukabocho the next. I find that because of my Chinese training I like a gyuto with a massive flat spot.

 

How can this thread be going on for so long? How is this even a question?

Here is a detailed analysis that should put an end to this nonsense once and for all-

Do we need a nakiri? Of course we need a nakiri.
Why? It's a knife. QED.

 

I had to grave this one up.

When I see people writing about "needing" a knife, I get concerned.
I wouldnt buy yet another knife just because its cool. Or it looks cool.
A 18cm petty would be more versatile choice, just like any other western knock off nakiri is just a concept of how to get people spend more money with a big smile and have thim thinking they really "need" what theyve bought.
You want flat? Usuba will do the job just fine. And youre teqnique will improve.

 

I used to have one by an unknown Japanese maker but never used it and finally gave it away as a present with great success. I did not think I would replace it until I came across one made by Murray Carter. On an impulse I bought it and now I absolutely love it and keep coming up with ways and excuses to use it. It is a joy