Takeda 240 Gyuto Passaround

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bkdc

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Based on the feedback, the Takeda 240 will go around. This is going to be limited to a passaround in the USA unless there is high interest from multiple people abroad (as of yet, there is not). Also, this is not a rare knife so hopefully the overseas folks have neighbors with a Takeda.

Rules
1) You should be a regular poster here
2) Package it properly and get it to the next person. Insure for $300
3) You may sharpen the knife if you know what you're doing. Based on the edge retention of Takeda's Aogami Super, I doubt it will need more than some stropping. Try not to reset the primary bevel unless there is some horrible chip. When the passaround it done, I plan on reprofiling the knife to make it look more like a tall Japanese gyuto. The profile on my particular specimen is not ideal, but hey... that's what I get for asking for an extra-tall. It ended up with a fat belly.
4) Even if I'm going to reprofile this, please use it on rubber (Sani-tuff) or wood. Do NOT chop on polyboard/plastic
5) Post on this thread when you receive the knife to keep us up to date as to where it is
6) Keep it for one week and pass it on.

So far, the interested parties are:

Pleue - Portland, OR
Cclin - Carlsbad, CA
Don Nguyen - AZ
Bkultra - Chicago, IL
Stereo.pete - Chicago, IL
Dardeau - New Orleans, LA
Labor of love - location unknown
Chinacats - location unknown


I'm sending it to the West coast to have it makes its way back East. Any more interested parties can post here.
 
I'd like to check it out in San Diego, CA. Although I couldn't use it at work since you won't allow plastic board use. Still be worth it to me. I love my takeda petty.. I'd like to see how the gyuto feels.
 
Thanks for the opportunity to try this one out. PM the details once they are figured out.
 
Sounds fun, looking forward to it, though I'll have to keep it at home since we have poly boards at work.
 
Ill retract my entry. I barely get the chance to cook at home. The shipping wouldn't be worth the trial week for me. I'd really like to use the knife in a work environment and I wouldn't want to abuse your baby like that. I understand how it goes, I love my takeda so much I don't think I could ever allow a stranger to take mine from me!

Sorry for wasting the time,

Brad
 
So far, we have in order:

Pleue - Portland, OR
Cclin - Carlsbad, CA
Don Nguyen - AZ
Justin0505 - Minneapolis, MN
Bkultra - Chicago, IL
Stereo.pete - Chicago, IL
Zwiefel - Arkansas
Labor of love - Baton Rouge, LA
Dardeau - New Orleans, LA
Chinacats - Greensboro, NC


I'll extend the period to 10 days of keepage (roughly).

When you're ready to pass the knife on, just get the mailing address from the next participant on the list. Post here when you receive the knife. Although reviews aren't mandatory, let me know what you think of the gyuto.

Here we go....
 
Brad, I thought you were retracting your entry!

Anyone who hasn't messaged me with his mailing address, please do so, so I can compile a complete mailing list.

Pleue - Portland, OR
Cclin - Carlsbad, CA
Don Nguyen - AZ
Justin0505 - Minneapolis, MN
Bkultra - Chicago, IL
Stereo.pete - Chicago, IL
Zwiefel - Arkansas
Labor of love - Baton Rouge, LA
Dardeau - New Orleans, LA
Chinacats - Greensboro, NC
toddnmd - Rockville, MD
 
Oh yeah that sucks. I forgot I couldn't use this one on the board at work. I'm bummed!
 
Bkultra, you lucky dog, no shipping for you. We just need to find somewhere to meet up and pass the knife in person.
 
Yes it's started. The knife should be in Oregon right now
 
Hey!
Yup the passaround has started and it's been in my house now for about a week. I will try to get it sent out to the next guy this afternoon before service. Overall impressions: I've always suspected that there is just 'something' about takedas that the pictures and reviews cannot accurately describe. Getting a chance to use this knife has definitely confirmed this for me and I one day would love to own a takeda. That said, there were a few things that held me back from loving this knife. First, the positives. The steel is badass. I have a sneaking suspicion it would sing coming off my synth aoto, but I didn't sharpen it. The bevel on this guy is steep, crazy steep, far steeper than I sharpen at normally though interesting to note. Food release is great with the finish. The fit and finish on this knife is endearing, meaning that it is what it is and I love it for it. The handle is simple, elegant, and fits fantastically for the knife. Coupled with the kurouchi and the epoxy blob, it comes together in a package that's kind of hard to explain but easy to love, like you can see the knife maker's priorities and respect him more for it if that makes sense. The knife is incredibly well crafted and done well, but not prettied up I guess you could say. You could make a food analogy here like grilled fish on the beach vs. sousvide/sear and wonderfully plated but I don't have it in me to tie it all together and make it eloquent.

The not so positives. This knife is the type of knife that just begs to be used and because of our damn poly boards at work, I couldn't really put it through the paces at work and thus didn't get a full impression of the knife regarding retention etc.. No ones fault obviously, I'm still amazed at the trust folks have with such beautiful knives so I appreciate whole heartedly the opportunity. The main thing that turned me off was the profile of the knife. There is no flat or almost flat spot on the knife. Obviously it comes down to personal preference, but I'm not a huge fan of the profile as it stands. The main problem for me was that the heel of the knife curves up noticeably, giving it a floating feeling when push cutting, not in a terrible way like a shun chef's knife, but in a disconcerting way nonetheless. It rocked really well, but I don't rock a ton except when doing green onions/herbs (it feels more like a push and draw motion though than a full rock). I liked the height of the knife and suspect that the disconnect felt was more from the profil than the height. 240 I'm coming to realize just isn't my thing, I missed the extra length of a 270. All in all, I loved it, would definitely buy a takeda, but would probably for my needs/wants get a line knife or cleaver or bunka. Thanks again for the generosity.
 
I think the particular specimen being passed around is a 'bad profile' specimen, and there are Takeda gyutos with far better profiles. Which is why I mentioned that I will be reprofiling the knife after this passaround is done. It'll take some hours and a lot of elbow grease. My 210 Takeda has an excellent profile and doesn't have the curved heel.
 
I received the knife today....it cames with OK working condition edge. After quick Gesshin 6k touch up & few strops on 1 Micron Diamond balsa wood, the knife wake up with screaming sharp edge! Thanks bkdc for the opportunity to try this one out!!
 
Got the knife from Charles. Boy, you weren't kidding. That edge is pretty wild.

Really interesting grind on this one - I will have to play around with it a little.
 
This has been an interesting knife to try out. The grind is very, very different than what I am used to, so that was really enlightening. I've never really used a workhorse like this, so there were a lot of new things to me. It's very blade heavy, but didn't feel awkward at all.

I'll have pictures up soon and it'll be on its way. Thanks for the opportunity!
 
Alright. This has been a very cool knife to learn about.

Again, it's a very new type of knife I'm not familiar with; I don't often use workhorses like this. The grind is great for stickage, but wedges quite a bit. I'm sure my technique is not suitable for it, but any potato pieces over 1.5" in height would wedge and split, rather than cut. Anything under that height was pure joy to cut.

Like others have also said, the handle is somewhat small, but it was alright to me. There's a big glob of glue to seal up the front, and I'm a little curious how that got that glob to look so uniform.

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The knife showed up safe and sound, but I was headed out the door after work and haven't got a chance to play with it yet. I should have more time this weekend. Whoever's next on the list, PM me your addy.
 
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