Best $50 gift knife?

T

the possum

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Jul 31, 2002
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My little sister likes to cook, and I'm thinking about getting her a decent kitchen knife for Christmas. In this case I'm leaning towards stainless steel, and high hardness, with a very thin edge. I'd like to get her something Japanese styled since she has some interest in their culture. Perhaps a traditionally styled Gyuto or Sujihiki with a 7 to 8 inch blade.

Normally I try to budget $50 for our gift exchange, but might be convinced to go just a little higher if needed. Do you guys have any suggestions or recommendations to start looking? I've never researched modern kitchen knives myself since I already have a number of good antiques in my drawer.
 
If it were my sister i would get her a Spyderco K08PBK Santoku.
Not too big, MBS-26 stainless steel, very thin edge (and 0.22 mm behind the edge), and within your budget (in the US)



Sal Glesser had this to say about the steel:

" MBS-26 is a Japanese steel type with a very fine structure and and excellent corrosion resistance.
It is little known because it is a proprietary steel produced by Daido exclusively for Masahiro in Japan.
It is a steel that we have used and tested for 20 years, and it always comes out way ahead of all of the others for a kitchen knife.
This is a steel that the numbers do not tell the whole story.
I once asked the maker how he was able to achieve such exceptional performance from this steel, in that the steel performs far beyond the numbers.
He said that the "secret" was a sophisticated heat treat specification that they adhere to meticulously.
I have seen their heat treating and I must say that is is different than others I've seen.
I really don't think it proper to divulge too much info.

I will say that we have found no other steel that will perform as well very thin.
Edge retention is up there with the exotics, and corrosion resistance second only to 440C and X15TN, neither of which will get as sharp as, or stay sharp as long as MBS-26.
That's why I also went through the hoops necessary to make the folding filet knife with MBS-26.
Which was a difficult project that took years to make happen "
 
Tojiro DP 210mm gyuto. A little above your budget at around $65 shipped.
 
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I second the Tojiro DP, there are a few models to chose from. The 210mm gyuto is my daily kitchen knife along with a petty and they're great
 
There's a Tojiro ITK 210mm gyuto with wa handle and kurouchi finish that runs $60, looks like a traditional j-knife. I don't have one, but believe it is white or shirogami #2 steel which should be easy to sharpen.

I bought a Gekko brand blue or aogami steel bunka off ebay from Japan, they may have an affordable gyuto but can't remember off the top of my head. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the knife I got from them. It was a bit rustic and lacking in fit and finish, but the grind was thin behind the edge and I was able to sharpen it to razor sharp quite easily.
 
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