You don’t need a dozen knives to get the job done.
You can accomplish so much with just two really good knives. Read on to learn about these 5 two-knife sets and see which might be the right fit for you.
1. First High Carbon Knives Set 🔰
High carbon steel offers the benefit of higher performance and a longer lasting edge. Unlike stainless steel knives, high carbon steel knives can rust if left with moisture on the blade. This makes high carbon knives higher maintenance and understandably less appealing to many chefs.
If you’ve ever thought of dipping your toes into high carbon steel but feel to nervous about making an expensive mistake, look no further the Seisuke Blue No.2 Nashiji series. You’ll rarely find knives with such a good balance and feel, made with a high carbon steel at such an affordable price. The rough, nashiji finish on the blades gives the knives a rustic look and helps with food release.
Santoku and nakiri knives are the traditional Japanese home chef styles. Their compact, tall blades make for great picks in smaller kitchens without losing the functionality of the average chef’s knife. Especially for those who find themselves chopping vegetables on a daily basis, you will love having a santoku and nakiri on the job.
2. Lightweight Daily Drivers Set 🚐
When you are preparing dinner on a daily basis, whether for yourself or your family, it can be grueling work. How easy would it be to put everything back in the fridge and call out for pizza? Sure it would be easy, but so much less satisfying and so much more expensive.
Cooking at the end of the day shouldn’t be a daunting task. With the gyuto and nakiri from Shigeki Tanaka’s Majiro series, this chore becomes a breeze. Made with Silver Steel No.3, these knives are not prone to rusting making them low maintenance as well as long lasting. This steel type is relatively fragile, so don’t try cracking any walnuts with them, but you won’t need to be overly fussy either.
The handles are made from layers of maple, cherry, and walnut wood. Not only is this construction beautiful, but practical making the knives feel as light as feathers compared to your average kitchen knife. Use the gyuto to slice meat and typical food prep tasks and the nakiri to take care of the bulk of vegetable chopping.
3. Meat Lover’s Set 🥩
Iseya I-Series Sujihiki & Small Santoku (save $16.35)
Summer may be over, but barbecue season never ends! From pork chops to ribeye to kebabs and even corn on the cob, there are so many ways to grill. Having appropriate, sharp knives helps preserve the flavor and texture of the food.
No matter what protein you find yourself cooking, a slicing knife is your friend. That’s where the I-Series Sujihiki comes in. The long, thin blade allows you to cut clean slices in just one or two passes. So much more flavorful and less painstaking than sawing through with a toothy, serrated blade. For the more intricate and garnish work, the small santoku is a godsend. Able to get into small crevices and chop with ease, you don’t need to fumble with a chef’s knife or do twice as much work with a tiny paring knife.
4. New To Japanese Knives Set 🔪
Know someone who is looking to get into Japanese knives? Maybe they’ve complained to you that they love to cook but their knives are… not good. Give them the benefit of Japanese steel without intimidating or overwhelming them.
The G-series by Iseya is a great introduction to the world of Japanese knives with a familiar feel. Heavier than most other Japanese knives but lighter than German knives, they feel comfortable and easy to use. They boast a superior sharpness without being too high maintenance.
These two G-series knives in particular, santoku and petty, are extremely practical knives to have in any knife set. Santoku are a like compact chef’s knives with an excellent chopping edge. Petty knives are the ultimate utility knife, able to do all the small tasks that the average chef’s knife would be too bulky to perform.
5. The Craftsmen Set 🔥
Yu Kurosaki Fujin Birch Burl Bunka & Yoshimi Kato R2/SG2 Damascus Petty
Now, if you’ve read this far it’s either because you’re a thorough reader (and we appreciate that, thank you!) or because you want to see the fancy knives. Here you have it. In honor of our recent Craftsmen Tour, check out this awesome bunka and petty set from blacksmith’s Yu Kurosaki & Yoshimi Kato. Both knives are made from the high speed, high performance R2/SG2 powdered stainless steel. Excellent edge quality and long lasting sharpness all without rusting.
From Yu Kurosaki is his Fujin God of Wind series with the distinct diagonal hammer marks. What makes this one really special is the gorgeous birch burl handle with those deep swirling patterns in the wood grain. This is one of his limited edition handles, so don’t expect this knife to be around long.
To go with Kurosaki's all-purpose bunka is a petty-utility knife from Yoshimi Kato. One of his classic series, this petty features a handle made of Honduras rosewood and a blade made with Kato's hypnotic Damascus steel. It’s no wonder Kato has been affectionately nicknamed, The Damascus King.
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