I have a whole bunch of knives and use them a lot.
Japanese knives - I have 5 or 6 different makes. Really the nicest to use. Light, handles really well, cuts differently - crisply (like w herbs), effortlessly (like cutting the tough skin off a whole parma or iberico ham - this is difficult and risky with a german knife), surprisingly (will cut bread better than a serrated bread knife). Stays sharp for quite a while.
Downside - due to high HRC, will chip on bone, lobster/crab shells, frozen stuff. And the tip can break if u drop it (has happened to me). So you need a different knife for every use vs an all in one. Also the hard steels are not easy to sharpen. You will need an expensive stone and practice or get the expensive jigs - even with a jig it can take a long time to resharpen the knives.
I have japan stainless steel (specialty steels, generally slightly lower hrc than carbon much higher than german), carbon steel wrapped in stainless with just the edge exposed (less maintenance ), and pure carbon steel (deba knife for cutting fish, really sharp, goes through fish bones w just a flick and easy to sharpen).
Kramer carbon tool steel zwillings - Made in japan. In theory can be all in one, i.e. cut chicken bones as well as do fine slicing but i have not tried them on bone. Has a different geometry (very tall knife so u can use the blade as a shovel for diced onions etc), and very ergo handle. Same or better performance than many japan stainless knives. Very sharp but difficult to sharpen. Some really nice details like the top of the knife (choil?) is thick, rounded and polished and really comfortable but tapers to a very thin end for fine slicing.
The KZ carbon steel ones are great to cut with (in a pinch, can even work as a sushi knife) and supposedly almost indistinguishable from his custom carbon steel ones which used to cost $2k (but I believe now go for $4k if you can buy them; his decorative ones will sell for $25k). HOWEVER, rusts much faster than any other carbon steel knife I have. If not wiped even in the middle of a cooking session, they will rust before your eyes and if left with some rust they will pit - they will. The handles are also real wood and will fade with use. I've decided not to baby these knives and just use them.
I also have the stainless meiji damascus kramer zwillings which area good compromise. They are very attractive with comfortable composite wood handle. They are not as sharp as the carbon but good enough.
I have not tried their stainless damascus which costs about 30% more than the carbon steel (same hrc) and meiji line. I also haven't tried their euroline stainless (less expensive) which is stainless, plastic handle, lower HRC.
German knives - wustof, zwilling. Really tough knives, won't chip with small bones, frozen meat - though I've had the logo come off a wustoff handle. I have a set that is 30+ years old surviving heavy use. Many have bolsters (thick steel at handle end of blade) reduces the useful cutting length and makes it difficult to sharpen.
However, in comparison to the japan made knives, just not the same. They never get as sharp, don't stay as sharp. So in my opinion they are riskier cutting pork with skin, air dried hams with skin, pumpkins etc. They are not enjoyable to use on tomatoes and other veggies. They still get use for cutting semifrozen chickens etc.
Good quality american made - Chicago cutlery, haven't tried the modern ones, am sure they've improved. Can get sharper and stay sharper longer than the german knives but more brittle, can snap in two(yes I've snapped).
Cheaper stamped stainless (victorinox, etc) w plastic handles - performs really well can perform better than the wustoffs, sharp at the start especially out of the box, cheap. good starter knives. They will chip against bone though (i have).
French carbon steel - sabatier, etc. looks cool, classic, seasons better than the kramers - doesn't rust as fast, sharpens easily but lower HRC than many japan stainless knives - therefore why bother.
If I were to have only one and care enough to maintain the knife I'd choose the kramer original carbon 8 or 10 inch. If lazy the kramer meiji or spend a bit more for the kramer stainless damascus. I'd need a utility knife as well though for boning, paring etc.
Why so many knives? - pretty serious hobbyist, cook a lot, really use the knives and we have several kitchens. If I like something I'll get a set per kitchen.
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