damiano,
I’ve lurked and looked at Kitchen Knife Forums for seven years. I’ve seen lots of dialogues . . .
We value the credentials of the “grinders” quite differently.
Other than technology and process, I’m not interested in a knife unless it is a practical tool in my kitchen–for my purposes. I like harder steel knives because they are easier for me to maintain at a high level–but I really strain to justify them with my SEUs.
The Kai Seki Magoroku nakiri I brought back from Japan more than thirty years ago is thin and light, harder than my Wusthof, and still does a great job prepping vegetables–just like my host family did in Japan.
The Xinzuo small cleaver I purchased as an upgrade is slightly sharper, wider, and heavier–a slight improvement IMO. Cost $63–met my SEU. There is a Yaxell that is about the same steel, width, and hammered look that I could have got for about double the price–right at the limit of my SEU. I liked the handle on the Xinzuo better–and I already had one–so I knew what I was getting.
I have only a few softer steel knives
