masamoto VG and ST, hidden gems?

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ive read more than a couple of times that people get nastalgic over these knives...id like to hear more about users experience with them....korin is having a 15% off sale right now which makes masamotos a much better value. profiles,handles, sharpening, retention, were these just average stainless, or hidden jems?
http://japanesechefsknife.com/MASAMOTO.html#Masamoto
 
The steel is good but not great, however sharpens pretty easy for a stainless although deburring is not quite a cinch. It requires a honing rod instead of strop, im guessing the grain size is kinda large. The geometry is above average and has nice taper, especially the tip, very nimble. Kinda looks bullnose but just enough pointiness for precise work. The profile is where its magic lies. I wish I could get this profile in a thicker blade with high hardness carbon steel and a more convex asymmetric grind. If it were my only gyuto I wouldn't mind, the action feels so right while using one.
 
The only thing I've read about the ST is that it's inferior to the VG-5, despite being more expensive.
 
Machi gaps are so hideous. But these blades seem to be really cherished. I'd like to try one out.
 
yeah the latest one i bought new from cktg came with pom handle, blech! would definitely look for an old one with pakka handle. when i put up a wanted ad nobody wanted to let go of theirs! one of the only few times i didn't find success on b/s/t
 
i had bought a vg petty a while back, couldn't get into that plastic handle, the knife performed fine, but nothing to write home about. i replaced it with a gesshin ginga shortly thereafter.
 
Got a 210 VG for the prep/porter/whoever at work to use sharpened it for them 4 weeks ago left it to their devices. Picked it up quickly a day or two ago and still had a decent edge and these ladies aint honing, stropping or possessing serious knife skills. Lighter than you would think, F&F was fine, nothing to give an award to. Wouldnt care to have one in my rotation though I used to use a 150 VG Petty as a Line Knife on a short board station and loved it for that. The newer ones have some writing on the backside of the blade stating stainless something or other that is a bit of an eyesore. The 15% of at Korin right now takes a decent chunk off of the Suisin Wa Pettys (180/210) solid pick up in the low 200s
 
I've got a custom-handled 210mm VG that you can borrow for a while if you like. It's a bit thick behind the edge due to poor sharpening for several years (mostly before I found KKF), so it'd need a bit of thinning to restore it to like new (on my list of projects).
 
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