Thickness for a Santoku?

flatgrinder

flatgrinder

Joined
Dec 20, 2005
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I'm in the process of making a 6" santoku, what stock thickness would you recommend for all around use?

I'm leaning towards the thinner stock (eg. 1/16" or 3/32") -would this be too thin? Or am I better off with 1/8"? :confused:
 
It's only 6" long so keep it thin. My Shun 6" at it's thickest point 1/16"
 
Thin is the key.1/16 would be fine.I use .10 to .12 for my 10" santoku blades,and they are a bit on the heavy side.
 
Stacy, Educate me please. Why do you favor such a thin blade for a Santoku? I have made a few but like the balance of a heavier blade like ..150 or so. Is the thinner steel more traditonal? The factory made ones I have seen and bought a couple have been thin but I thought that was for economics. A thinner blade takes a lot less work to grind and I like that. I just made a French style chef's knife out of .100 stock and will try that out in my own kitchen and see how it works. Phil
 
I make mine from 1/8" stock. Ends up around 0.100-0.110" finished.

7 - 10" blades.

I see no reason to make a wide filet knife. I prefer the heft in the blade. If I got a request from a Sushi chef to make a santoku, then yes, I'd use thinner stock. But as it is...most of my customers use them as "general use" kitchen knives and the heft helps keep the blade on the cutting board.
 
Santoku knives became popular when TV chefs like Rachael Rae used them.Most are used by home cooks who are often women.They prefer a lighter knife,and shorter blade.The main draw of a santoku is the wide blade surface used to pick up the chopped/sliced items.When I make knives for professional chefs,who are mostly men (that's changing) I use thicker steel,because they like a little heft in the knife,and a somewhat longer blade.I made some large knives ,14" blade edges, for a Japanese restaurant a couple of years ago.I thought they were ridiculously heavy,but the owner thought they were just right.They were made in S30V.
An excellent handle material for real user kitchen knives is canvas micarta,I like black and red.Mortise the tang in and use Corby bolts. Indestructible, washable,great grip.
For a short light blade .06 to .10 is a good area,for heavier and longer blades .10 to .15 works.
Stacy
 
i made a santoku with 1/8 to start. after it was said and done it was about.10 and i love the heft of it. the micarta is a great idea( i used stabilized malle burl just for the looks). but having a thinner blade definately has its advantages. i think it's all user preference
 
Mike, I finished the French style Chefs knife and currently using it in the kithen. I made it out of CPM 154, the final thickness at the spine is 0.10 on the nose. Hardness is RC 61 and I flat ground it from the spine right down to nothing at the edge ( 0.006)and sharpened it back. Edge is very thin and the whole blade flexes like a fillet knife. It cuts like a scalpel and my wife who is a chef likes it. It is just to light for me. I think for my taste starting with something like 0.150 and ending with 0. 140 would suit me better, even for a Santoku. I agree its user preference. PHIL
 
i just looked and and the last one i finished and the one thats just about there are between .102 and .109 i have a small chef knife (5.5 inch blade) thats at .085 at the spine
the santokus are cpm154 and the chef knife is from a piece of ats34 i had
 
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