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brianlsx

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Good Day All,

I'm Brian from Singapore. I have a few questions to ask, so please pardon me:

1) Besides chuboknives, are there other websites that provide international free shipping/affordable shipping?

2)I'm looking forward to buy a Honesuki online, however there are too many brands to choose from therefore could someone kindly advise please. I'm left handed and do not have a particular preference in handles. My budget is maximum 300USD including shipping if any

I have short-listed a few Honesukis:
Takeda AS 150mm
Sakai Takayuki Grand Chef 150mm
Tojiro DP 150mm
Hattori HD 150mm

Am open to any other brands as it would be my first Honesuki

3) Have read reviews elsewhere and seen a lot of people not favoring the VG-10 for a stainless knife. Why?

4) I have gotten very interested into sharpening, currently I have the Naniwa Superstone 1000/5000/10000/ 800(Chosera), are there other brands that I should look out for and should I progress to a higher grid?

Saw quite a few regarding Shapton stones, but do not know what is it like, could someone please enlighten me?

Thank you all so much for your help!
 
About the shipping, if your seller ships directly from Japan it's usually very affordable as EMS provides good service from there. (For eg 1kg from Tokyo to SG should cost Y1800 and take 2 days - I've checked!) I think JCK ships for free - maybe someone else can chime in - and the Ratuken website has has some free-shipping promos at times, though there are other sources as well. JNS uses DHL and is very fast though from Denmark not Japan, and must have a great deal with DHL because prices are still affordable too. My impression is that US-based sellers focus on their local market and so might not offer comparable deals internationally. JKI didn't even use to ship internationally for a while, but now does again, and I don't know what their rates are like. I know less about other US-based sellers.
 
I've never tried honesuki before, but my advice would be to buy whichever one you like the look of the most. It will probably make the most difference to you when you own it.

When going to buy a really expensive knife I feel like the performance is generally going to be up to par no matter what. The aesthetics of the knife are what you have to deal with every day, so get something that you like to look at and can cherish and take care of.
 
Japanese Chef Knives is probably the best at shipping knives. Fast response to orders placed. Order is usually, shipped same day. All the orders, I've done, have arrived in two to three days. Orders have arrived faster from Japan, then orders placed in the states. All of this for a flat fee of $7.00, even if multiple knives are ordered. Plus they are good at getting knives through customs at minimal cost.

A Honesuki is a specialized knife for breaking down chicken. Much the same way that a Deba is for fish. The Japanese use a method where they nick and cut to literally peel the meat off the bone. The Chinese have a similar method, they do with a cleaver.

Some forum members who have picked up a honesuki, and used it as a western style boning knife, have been disappointed. In the western style, a honesuki doesn't offer any advantage over a western boning knife. There are western style boning knives, made with Japanese steel.

Typically people do not pick up multiple honesukis, the way they do gyutos. So it will be difficult to find comparisons. The Tojiro DP is the standard recommendation, because of price and sturdiness. I picked up a Hattori HD, because I was curious to try something from that line. I've been happy with how the knife performs. Unless your a fan of Takeda's work, his honesuki, is in the price range of a garasuki.

VG-10 doesn't offer any advantages, in general, over other stainless steels. It has a reputation for chipping. On the plus side it sharpens very easily. Maybe easier then white steel. The edge will quickly lose the initial sharpness off the stones. Once it settles down, the edge will stay sharp for a long time.

Naniwa Super Stones have a good reputation and the Chosera are considered to be among the best. It appears you are lacking a coarse grit stone 400 - 500 in your stone line up. This is the stone to set bevels or repair damaged edges. You will only want to use it after, you have a basic understanding of sharpening. They quickly remove metal. A beginner can quickly get in trouble with one.

Sharpening fads come and go. Currently people are sharpening up to 5000 grit, for a toothier edge. A few years ago, it was 10,000 grit. With the exception of a few, most people haven't found an advantage to going over 10,000.

Jay
 
About the shipping, if your seller ships directly from Japan it's usually very affordable as EMS provides good service from there. (For eg 1kg from Tokyo to SG should cost Y1800 and take 2 days - I've checked!) I think JCK ships for free - maybe someone else can chime in - and the Ratuken website has has some free-shipping promos at times, though there are other sources as well. JNS uses DHL and is very fast though from Denmark not Japan, and must have a great deal with DHL because prices are still affordable too. My impression is that US-based sellers focus on their local market and so might not offer comparable deals internationally. JKI didn't even use to ship internationally for a while, but now does again, and I don't know what their rates are like. I know less about other US-based sellers.

Alright, thanks!

I've never tried honesuki before, but my advice would be to buy whichever one you like the look of the most. It will probably make the most difference to you when you own it.

When going to buy a really expensive knife I feel like the performance is generally going to be up to par no matter what. The aesthetics of the knife are what you have to deal with every day, so get something that you like to look at and can cherish and take care of.

Agreed. thanks!

Japanese Chef Knives is probably the best at shipping knives. Fast response to orders placed. Order is usually, shipped same day. All the orders, I've done, have arrived in two to three days. Orders have arrived faster from Japan, then orders placed in the states. All of this for a flat fee of $7.00, even if multiple knives are ordered. Plus they are good at getting knives through customs at minimal cost.

A Honesuki is a specialized knife for breaking down chicken. Much the same way that a Deba is for fish. The Japanese use a method where they nick and cut to literally peel the meat off the bone. The Chinese have a similar method, they do with a cleaver.

Some forum members who have picked up a honesuki, and used it as a western style boning knife, have been disappointed. In the western style, a honesuki doesn't offer any advantage over a western boning knife. There are western style boning knives, made with Japanese steel.

Typically people do not pick up multiple honesukis, the way they do gyutos. So it will be difficult to find comparisons. The Tojiro DP is the standard recommendation, because of price and sturdiness. I picked up a Hattori HD, because I was curious to try something from that line. I've been happy with how the knife performs. Unless your a fan of Takeda's work, his honesuki, is in the price range of a garasuki.

VG-10 doesn't offer any advantages, in general, over other stainless steels. It has a reputation for chipping. On the plus side it sharpens very easily. Maybe easier then white steel. The edge will quickly lose the initial sharpness off the stones. Once it settles down, the edge will stay sharp for a long time.

Naniwa Super Stones have a good reputation and the Chosera are considered to be among the best. It appears you are lacking a coarse grit stone 400 - 500 in your stone line up. This is the stone to set bevels or repair damaged edges. You will only want to use it after, you have a basic understanding of sharpening. They quickly remove metal. A beginner can quickly get in trouble with one.

Sharpening fads come and go. Currently people are sharpening up to 5000 grit, for a toothier edge. A few years ago, it was 10,000 grit. With the exception of a few, most people haven't found an advantage to going over 10,000.

Jay

Thank you for the useful information.

:ntmy:Welcome Brian (to the rabbit hole:wink:)

Thanks!
 
Update on international shipping...Maxim (Japanese Natural Stones) is now offering free international shipping on any orders over 10,000 Norwegian shekels (or is it cockels?...anyway, about $175 U.S. right now). He carries some very nice items. You can find his link in his dedicated forum.
 
Update on international shipping...Maxim (Japanese Natural Stones) is now offering free international shipping on any orders over 10,000 Norwegian shekels (or is it cockels?...anyway, about $175 U.S. right now). He carries some very nice items. You can find his link in his dedicated forum.

Wish he'd had this offer up the previous couple of months! :punish:
 
I hope the OP is aware a left-handed honesuki will require a special ordering.

Brian, if you're interested in a honesuke because of the profile not the grind, Moritaka and Takeda both make a double bevel honesuki. The Moritaka is the cheaper of the two in all meanings of the word, but real nice steel if you get one with a clean grind. I think Jon at Japanese Knife Imports (jbroida) also has a double bevel honesuke but not positive. You can PM him if you're interested.
 
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