The finish on the ginsanko is definitely more utilitarian than the damascus line though
As for edge retention GWalkaa... for home use, which is all I have experience with, both are good. Sharpening the blue is a little quicker and nicer, but Tanaka's VG10 is okay. No real problems with it.
Both are good, with just a slight difference in feel that probably comes down to personal preference.
Len
How does the grind compare between the blue and VG10? My friend has a blue and loves it but he's not sure if he is up for the care required with carbon steel, so he was looking at the VG10. BTW anyone know of a source for the VG10 knife with a wa handle?Originally Posted by echerub
It's true, the knives are definitely not same-knife-different-steel deals and if you look at the kurouchi versus damascus lines (and, I suppose the regular kasumi/clad line) they are also different.
I actually like the way the 240 VG10 gyuto feels better than the 240 blue. There's a slight difference in balance that makes the VG10 one feel just a bit more nimble for me.
Unfortunately there's no way to get a sense of these differences looking online without any prior experience with them.
With regards to reactivity, no issues with the food, but yes, I think the cladding itself turns color pretty quickly. Had my wife worried about the damascus santoku after the cladding developed orangey patina on it right in front of her eyes. I checked it out and it wasn't rust, just something in one of the veggies she was prepping that gave it that color.
In comparison to some other knives' cladding, the reactivity is okay. No food discoloration from what I've seen - but if patina on your knife itself isn't your thing, you might go nuts polishing the Tanaka every time you use it
~Brandon
stainless version is thick but thin where it counts, pushes food out of the way as you cut. blue version is much thinner and tends to squeeze itself through the cuts instead of bulldozing. stainless edge retention is better, but the blue is a lot easier to sharpen. the 240 stainless profile i dislike, however 270 is wonderful. i have only the 210 in blue so cant comment on the profile.
i like the grind on the stainless better, but prefer the steel of the blue. there is a KU blue version coming out in 240 length which i am told has similar grind to the stainless. i would get one if 270 was available.
panda when you say stainless do you mean VG10 or ginsanko? The VG10 looks the same as the blue in the pics, ginsanko is obviously different.
~Brandon
sorry, ginsanko. it's actually very carbon-like in quality. havent tried vg10 and honestly have no interest in it.
FWIW, I just received a 240mm in both the Ginsanko and Blue. I am a novice at home cook, but so far like both. The blue is definitely fit and finished nicer, but that may be because I opted for the ebony handle upgrade, not sure if they pick the nicer finished blanks when they put on the nicer handle? But, it is much better.
Carbon in the top shot, ginsanko in the 2nd shot(sorry about the bad quality shots, it is from my Galaxy Note)
Deliberately used the blue tonight for garlic - hey, it's in the current rotation to be used- very slight discoloration on the edges of some slices, but only 2 or 3 of em. No special attention needed for the cladding.
Len
Agree w panda about the chippiness of the Gin, it is like WS#1 at a high temper. Altho he said VG, I guess not much dif despite the name.. here's VG-10 composition; its very close to Ginsanko. So then its all cosmetic preference.
I am working on a microbevel angle preference now, with some tests and corresponding large chips that would probably scare some people haha. I will soon be setting up my Gin3 Tanaka Santoku, and will include some sharpening shots. Preliminary opinion is that 22 degree microbevel is ideal
Overall tho, love the temper and edge it will take. Surprising sharpness. For me I'd prefer this Ginsanko over blue all the way up to the level of either super White (Fujiwara) or a super blue steel, or possibly R2 or SKD or something like that. I think you're on the right track until you enter the $300 range.
Altho the Tanakas look kinda clunky in the shots, surprisingly so, they're really thin behind the edge and perform great so far for me. Best cutting knife I've had by far
i use my blue 2 tanaka gyuto in a pro enviroment and what i can say is when i first got it, it felt like **** after i thinned it and rounded the choil and then sanded the handle a bit it feels great for the price it gets scary sharp with minimal effort but the edge retention only lasts maybe 3-4 12-16 hour shifts in a pro enviroment
Well after taking in all the comments i think all three options would meet my needs but i would definitely opt for the ebony handle.
As one posts mentions the superior 'Super blue' after a very quick search has anyone ever come across this before?
http://www.paulsfinest.com/Moritaka-...bon-Steel.html
Thanks
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