You sir, are not my wallet's friend. I really like the blade cutout so the edge is more below your hand. From Bunsen's post, I see Shun has a similar design in stock, for ~$100 less
'... this is by far the sharpest knife I've ever used and the design of the blade makes for such comfortable and precise cutting.' Fine Japanese cutlery, handcrafted in Japan.
shun.kaiusa.com
I'll probably stare at one of these for a few years, then maybe get one.
Any Task. Any Environment. After specializing in ultralight knives for ounce-counting backcountry hunters, we wanted to create a blade with even more versatility. Designed to take on any task a hunter may face, the Stonewall Skinner is truly a do-it-all hunting knife. Perfectly curved for...
www.montanaknifecompany.com
Ok, let's go into the nerdiness a bit.
When you are looking for a knife, there's a lot of things you should consider, but here's two you mentioned, and one you should think about.
Choil: That's the area behind the edge. You want one that's ergonomic, that allows you to get your finger up in there. Pros/cons depending on how you like to hold your knife, but definitely a good choice.
Blade Height: Many chef knives/gyutos are about 50mm tall, but its become trendy to have taller ones, I prefer taller myself. So, taller chef knife. Also known as the "heel."
Belly: This is an important point you should consider. Notice how the MKC has a very pronounced curve(belly)? This is to allow you to make a long rocking motion, using the curve of the blade to do the cutting. Traditional western chef knives in most kitchens, Henckels and Wusthof, are usually designed this way. Not so good for slicing, but great at rocking.
The kiritsuke you showed has a belly, but notice how its a lot less pronounced, is overall flatter in profile? This is more the Japanese and French style, much more suited for a slice forward/backward, taking advantage of the flat surface to make a slicing cut. Determine the way you like to cut to determine which style knife you want.
Now, as to the MKC chef itself. The MKC is a great knife, but its a copycat. This is a ripoff design of a very famous blade. There's a guy in Oregon, Bob Kramer. Pretty much the first celebrity bladesmith in the western world to specialize in kitchen knives, and he has an iconic knife design.
See the same design aesthetics? Western style belly, high blade height, prounounced choil to fit the finger behind, rounded handle with lip at the back to hold hand in. That's the Kramer style. Unfortunately, you're looking at I think a 5 year waiting list and $400 per inch of blade.
However, lots of people copy him. He actually has cheaper, licensed copies, built to very high quality standards, made by Henkels.
Bob Kramer Essential Collection Chefs Knives by Zwilling JA Henckels
www.surlatable.com
They are pricey, but if you want amazing quality and design, imo they are the best for that price point.
www.webstaurantstore.com
