konosuke zdp189 gyuto

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bob

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This is interesting. I recall reading something about zdp189 being a new super steel.

http://www.**************.com/ko24gyzd.html

Would you buy this for 700?

At this price, fit and finish becomes quite important for me and from the picture on CKTG, I can't say I'm very overly impressed. On the other hand I know next to nothing about the steel. Presumably, its made in the typical thin konosuke geometry, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Would anyone be kind enough to buy one and post their thoughts?
 
I don't know about supersteel and that's quite a premium for ZDP-189 considering the old Zwilling Miyabis where made with ZDP-189 and it only cost 200 dollars. ZDP-189 is similar to Cowry-X and SG2 in composition so you are going to get very good where wear resistance but it can be chippy if it is hardened too high.
 
9.5" miyabi 7000MC are selling for 179 bucks now. I might pick one up and try to rehandle it.
 
Thats awesome. You're a self-enabler, and I had nothing to do with it.
 
I think Konosuke has surpassed the point of diminishing returns with that knife. Their white #2 or HD line gives you maximum cutting and edge retention for about 1/3 the price.
 
The Miyabis are clad, the Konosuke is a monosteel knife. The only other place I've seen ZDP monosteel was as an option with Suisin dreamcraft and those who asked for a quote got 4 digit answers.
 
The Miyabis are clad, the Konosuke is a monosteel knife. The only other place I've seen ZDP monosteel was as an option with Suisin dreamcraft and those who asked for a quote got 4 digit answers.

That is interesting but now I wonder about the heat treat. One of you freaks needs to buy one and report back.
 
The Konosuke ZDP monosteel was offered on some Canadian site a few months ago and they had a $ 1000 + price tag on it and stated something like HRC 68 for the first knife but noted that the smith would take the following production 1-2 points down...
 
Oh, I didn't realize it was monosteel. That's definitely sexy...
 
HRC 68 seems freakishly hard to me. Waiting on a review here lol.
 
The Miyabis are clad, the Konosuke is a monosteel knife. The only other place I've seen ZDP monosteel was as an option with Suisin dreamcraft and those who asked for a quote got 4 digit answers.

This was my first thought/response to people who are saying this is expensive. I too remember the link to the Canadian site where the ZDP-189 was $1K+... and hardness of 68, with the maker knocking it down a couple points, etc...

If I'm not mistaken, this is the only stainless powdered mono-steel knife on the market...

This is quite literally my perfect/dream knife (the 270 job) - outside of a custom BB and/or DT. My Yusuke 270 gyuto has quickly become my new favorite go-to knife - I've got no complaints with it. But as always I'm looking/thinking of something better. My dream knife would be D-wa handle (not a fan of octagon), laser, mono steel, powdered stainless and hard - 64+. The only other thing I would do differently on this Konosuke would be the handle option on CaddyJ's new 270 suji (don't care for light ho wood)... :thumbsup:

If I could do it, I would in a heartbeat and have it here tomorrow!!! Alas, it's not in the cards for me right now. :mad3: Maybe if I unloaded about 4 of my other relatively-new knives I could, but too attached to them... :scared1:
 
The Konosuke ZDP monosteel was offered on some Canadian site a few months ago and they had a $ 1000 + price tag on it and stated something like HRC 68 for the first knife but noted that the smith would take the following production 1-2 points down...

This was my first thought/response to people who are saying this is expensive. I too remember the link to the Canadian site where the ZDP-189 was $1K+... and hardness of 68, with the maker knocking it down a couple points, etc...

Tosho Knife Arts

Looks way nicer than the CKTG version too. But I guess you could buy the CKTG version and get it rehandled for about the same price.
 
I like the fact that they knocked down the hardness so the knife isn't prone to chipping. I'm also fairly sure that you can order any Konosuke with any handle that they offer.

I might pick this up with my tax return...
 
Also, the profile is different from the regular Konosuke profile. I have always disliked the looks of the Konosuke profile, like the tip is up too high and it has too much belly. The profile on my Sakai bluewayjapan gyuto is very similar and it has too much belly. But these ZDP Konosukes (The ones from CKTG, not the Tosho Knife Arts version) have a much different profile. Almost more like an Aritsugu A-type.
 
I think I see one of these in my future... Unfortuntaely, not the near future. Just had to pay $6k to do an unplanned shower replacement. That was not good for my knife budget...
 
$6k is a lot of knives and stones. Couldnt you have just run a garden hose through the window?
 
If I'm not mistaken, this is the only stainless powdered mono-steel knife on the market...

Almost every knife Pierre makes fits this description and so does the Richmond Remedy.
 
You can't compare Canadian prices and US prices. Everything costs more in Canada.
 
Also, the profile is different from the regular Konosuke profile. I have always disliked the looks of the Konosuke profile, like the tip is up too high and it has too much belly. The profile on my Sakai bluewayjapan gyuto is very similar and it has too much belly. But these ZDP Konosukes (The ones from CKTG, not the Tosho Knife Arts version) have a much different profile. Almost more like an Aritsugu A-type.

I'm not seeing it the way you descibe - to me CKTG ZDP profile looks the same as the HD - different than pics I see of A-Type on CKTG and other sites. Hard to tell from just pics sometimes... :scratchhead:
 
This is the profile I think of when I hear Konosuke:
chefknivestogo_2156_14368607


This is the ZDP:
chefknivestogo_2160_40004533


They look different to me. Like I said, I havent owned either of these. But the ZDP looks like the edge runs parallel to the spine, where the first one the edge is not and constantly angling up towards the spine. Some HD Konos I looked at appear to be more like the ZDP than the White one. Maybe it is just me.
 
Tosho Knife Arts has good prices for Canadian buyers on a good portion of their selection. I checked out a few items, and in general it works out to be just a bit less than what it would cost to order from the US and ship up here. Of course, there's tax and if you're not in Toronto there's domestic shipping to add on as well.

I'm not sold on the ZDP version of the Konosuke gyuto for myself, but I'm glad the option is out there.
 
65 or 68 seem painfully hard. Does any one have a knife out of ZDP, if so how difficult is something that hard to sharpen? I have always thought my limit to be in the low 60's,, but then again I am relatively new to this.
 
I have a cermax at 66hrc. It's no problem whatsoever to get blazing sharp.
 
65 or 68 seem painfully hard. Does any one have a knife out of ZDP, if so how difficult is something that hard to sharpen? I have always thought my limit to be in the low 60's,, but then again I am relatively new to this.

I have a Spyderco ZDP189 Delica...solid ZDP189 before they started cladding them. I, in my stupider years, decided it needed thinning. I don't know what Spyderco had for a HRC on that knife, but I promise you thinning that 3.5" blade was just about the worst knife adventure I ever had. Essentially I removed the hollow grind to the blade and made it a flat bevel. Cuts like a freaking dream now and is one of two pocket knives I've kept amongst them all. But I wouldn't ever do it again. The most wear resistant steel I've ever encountered. To make a honyaki yanagi (or other single bevel knife) from ZDP189 or Cowry-X and put the HRC up over 62 would be extremely silly IMHO. In a gyuto where you're grinding a much smaller bevel, it's not bad....especially when clad like the KD's are. This knife, if you ever had to thin a lot of it....well, let's just say I'd rather not.
 
oooooooooo it is tempting, but realistically how much is performance going to differ from a standard konosuke?
 
That's what your KMG is for.

I have a Spyderco ZDP189 Delica...solid ZDP189 before they started cladding them. I, in my stupider years, decided it needed thinning. I don't know what Spyderco had for a HRC on that knife, but I promise you thinning that 3.5" blade was just about the worst knife adventure I ever had. Essentially I removed the hollow grind to the blade and made it a flat bevel. Cuts like a freaking dream now and is one of two pocket knives I've kept amongst them all. But I wouldn't ever do it again. The most wear resistant steel I've ever encountered. To make a honyaki yanagi (or other single bevel knife) from ZDP189 or Cowry-X and put the HRC up over 62 would be extremely silly IMHO. In a gyuto where you're grinding a much smaller bevel, it's not bad....especially when clad like the KD's are. This knife, if you ever had to thin a lot of it....well, let's just say I'd rather not.
 
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