Please talk me out of buying this knife

So, I must be crazy asking KKF to talk me out of buying a knife :scratchhead:, but I came across this crazy handled Konosuke HD from Tosho here: https://toshoknifearts.com/shop/knives/linen-micarta-handle-konosuke-hd2-gyuto-240mm

And I am just so torn. On the one hand, for that kind of coin ($520 USD, converted from CAD), I could get multiple production knives, or even a custom from a forum maker (I think... I could have my prices all wrong). Or, you know, not spend that money. :lol2: It's also not some like, suped up version of the HD2 blade - as far as I can tell it's the regular HD2 with a Konosuke-made custom handle.

On the other hand, I can't deny the appeal that that handle holds for me, and I have really taken to lasers since getting my Gesshin Ginga, and being semi-stainless it would be a good bridge for me between stainless and carbon (and of course I've read so many good things about Konosuke). I have already decided that my next knife purchase, whenever it happens, will be a knife with a really really nice handle - I do enjoy the Ginga western handle, but I want a handle I *love*. (I was planning on a Hattori FH of some kind.) But this seems so damn nice... but it also seems like just a godawful value. Horrible bang for my buck.

What do you guys make of it?

LoL I keep eyeballing it too but I just can't bring myself to spend that much on a knife that isn't customized by me in some way. It's a beauty though.

ETA: you can buy a regular 240 and get it rehandled for less just so you know

It is a gorgeous knife, but I think you will be spending almost as much for the handle as you would the knife. I've got one with the standard pakka wood handle in 240 and even though I prefer wa handles, I really like the feel of the standard yo that Kono makes. I've never had the opportunity to actually hold one of the Konos with the custom handle but it does look nice!

Do you pinch grip? From pictures this handle doesn't looks like it would be comfortable with pinch grip… I may be wrong of course.
As an option, you can ask Dave Martell to make a new handle for your Ginga…

icanhaschzbrgr said:

Do you pinch grip? From pictures this handle doesn't looks like it would be comfortable with pinch grip… I may be wrong of course.
As an option, you can ask Dave Martell to make a new handle for your Ginga…

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I do pinch grip, and that's what I thought at first too, but I reconsidered when they insisted in the description that it was comfortable in any grip. (Whether or not that's actually true, :dontknow: , but I have read about some people's experiences with similar style contoured handles and they said it was comfortable to pinch grip, so I suppose it is possible)

That's a good point, I forgot about rehandling...

Keep I mind that a custom knife or handle could take a really long time.

Of course, then you'd have to get the matching petty. It's a slippery slope...

You are out of luck mate. Pull the trigger, press the button, do the right thing - > buy it

I hadn't been to that website before but the $40 postage for a simple boning knife I liked quickly convinced me I didn't need it that bad.

" If you like it and you want it and you can afford it, you should buy it" I used to try to embarrass friends and customers with that line. Often backfired. Doesn't much work for me either. If you want to play with a few different knives to try to get it out of your system, I'm in southern Ct

icanhaschzbrgr said:

Do you pinch grip? From pictures this handle doesn't looks like it would be comfortable with pinch grip…

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Exactly my first thought as I saw the handle. I think this kind of style would better fit hunting/outdoor knife rather than a kitchen knife.

Adirondack said:

Of course, then you'd have to get the matching petty. It's a slippery slope...

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Luckily for me they're out of the petty...

Ruso said:

You are out of luck mate. Pull the trigger, press the button, do the right thing - > buy it

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Haha you guys are a bad influence!

Noodle Soup said:

I hadn't been to that website before but the $40 postage for a simple boning knife I liked quickly convinced me I didn't need it that bad.

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Just did the shipping quote, and DAMN! Yeah that does change things. That's a pretty brutal shipping charge. Pickup's free though, so Canadians, have at it.

Matus said:

Exactly my first thought as I saw the handle. I think this kind of style would better fit hunting/outdoor knife rather than a kitchen knife.

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Hmmm yeah that might be true, haven't handled any with this kind of handle before so it's hard for me to say.

Maybe one of these days I'll custom order one of these from Jon: http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com...5mm-white-2-sujihiki-with-micarta-handle.html (a Gyuto though, but with the same style handle) Seems like the same kind of handle but with a much more reasonable shape (and I think it might still end up being less expensive than this one from Tosho :rofl2

Soooo in conclusion, I will not be getting this knife. Thanks guys!

Noodle Soup said:

I hadn't been to that website before but the $40 postage for a simple boning knife I liked quickly convinced me I didn't need it that bad.

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Welcome to USA<->Canada shipping Us Canadians, have to bite the bullet every time we want to buy something from the US.
It is cheaper to ship from Japan and sometimes even faster, things of life :-/

Exactly on your Japanese point. So I won't buy the knife from Canada. Who is the real looser then? I guess I haven't shipped any knives to Canada lately so I don't know what the U.S. charge would be.

If Mrmnms is offering you the opportunity to try some of his wares, I highly suggest that you PM him. If it wasn't for him I am sure that I would probably not be on the "boards" any more, nore would I have a fraction of the knife knowledge that I have accumulated over the last couple of years.

Besides all that...... He is one of the coolest, nicest people that I have ever met in my 56 years, period.

Mike, I didn't forget about your sausage, I just lost the use of the grinder/stuffer.

Noodle Soup said:

I hadn't been to that website before but the $40 postage for a simple boning knife I liked quickly convinced me I didn't need it that bad.

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It's Express Mail shipping (like EMS from Japanese Chef Knife). Two days to my doorstep in the US (at least in my experience).

Note that Koki (JCK) subsidizes his shipping, otherwise it would be pretty much the same price as Tosho Knife Arts charges.

Also note that the prices are in Canadian currency. The exchange rate (today it's .92) means that the effective price is lower than the listed price. In the case of the subject knife, the actual cost including shipping is a few dollars less than the listed price.

Yeah, international shipping is expensive. Send something to Australia sometime if you want a real shocker.

Or send something from Australia to USA , lot worse


Sent from my iPhone using Kitchen Knife Forum

Noodle Soup said:

Exactly on your Japanese point. So I won't buy the knife from Canada. Who is the real looser then? I guess I haven't shipped any knives to Canada lately so I don't know what the U.S. charge would be.

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I am not sure if there are looser or winners in this case. Depending on how you spin the bottle post service (USPS/Canada Post) might be the biggest impacted party.

Also, do not forget that this knives are made in Japan, hence they are not part of NAFTA agreement. You will be paying taxes on the cost of the item + possible brokerage fees.
Because of all the above, I rarely buy in US anymore unless the vendor agrees to First-Class Package (limited tracking) and "fake" the real cost of the item. I understand that many businesses are not willing take this risks, rightfully.

I wasn't going to bring it up because I actually did almost buy the knife but for something made of "Swedish Stainless" I think it is a bit over priced. Around $50 would be more like it and higher than most of the professional grade boning knives from Switzerland, Germany and the U.S. There is nothing magical about a stock removal blade in a plain western style handle, even if it was made in Japan. Having them add another $40 for a total of around $175 Canadian was just a little too much of an extravagance for me. $50 plus $40 shipping and I might have taken the bait. That would still be a pretty expensive boning knife.

wisew said:

I do pinch grip, and that's what I thought at first too, but I reconsidered when they insisted in the description that it was comfortable in any grip. (Whether or not that's actually true, :dontknow: , but I have read about some people's experiences with similar style contoured handles and they said it was comfortable to pinch grip, so I suppose it is possible)

That's a good point, I forgot about rehandling...

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I would be very careful in believing others hype about how a special design handle performs. I can give two examples the older Cutco handles were very shaped & said to be superior. Not at all only one holding position & impossible to pinch grip.

Another is the Ken Onion chef knife, goes on about how comfortable & natural so you can cut hours with out getting fatigued. To me it is very uncomfortable. My big mits like Wa Handles.

If you're in the US do you have to pay customs on knives purchased from Canada? I've never bought a high ticket item from up north before. I know I got hit with duty and brokerage fees when I bought my Itinomonn, which I wasn't expecting and the bill arrived a month after the fact.

um, what a silly thread, just don't buy it.

Again for the record, I am not buying the knife. You may now ignore this thread.

Erilyn75 said:

If you're in the US do you have to pay customs on knives purchased from Canada? I've never bought a high ticket item from up north before. I know I got hit with duty and brokerage fees when I bought my Itinomonn, which I wasn't expecting and the bill arrived a month after the fact.

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Erilyn, you pay the taxes or not depending on where the item was made not purchased from.
For example, if you buy a jug of Maple Syrup made in Canada it will a part of NAFTA agreement and tax exempt.
But if you buy a Knife made in Japan, you will have to pay appropriate taxes on the customs. Since US and Japan have no NAFTA like agreement.

Just remember when you buy overseas, what matters is "Made in" stamp.

Ruso said:

Erilyn, you pay the taxes or not depending on where the item was made not purchased from.
For example, if you buy a jug of Maple Syrup made in Canada it will a part of NAFTA agreement and tax exempt.
But if you buy a Knife made in Japan, you will have to pay appropriate taxes on the customs. Since US and Japan have no NAFTA like agreement.

Just remember when you buy overseas, what matters is "Made in" stamp.

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Anything to suck money from you I guess :curse:

Not as bad as Europe where you pay heaps of taxes and import levies when stuff is from outside the EU. Its about a 30% premium over the original item price.

Personally, I would do a custom knife at that price. The only exception would be a Shigefusa.

Does that PRS in your icon belong to you?

Ruso said:

Erilyn, you pay the taxes or not depending on where the item was made not purchased from.
For example, if you buy a jug of Maple Syrup made in Canada it will a part of NAFTA agreement and tax exempt.
But if you buy a Knife made in Japan, you will have to pay appropriate taxes on the customs. Since US and Japan have no NAFTA like agreement.

Just remember when you buy overseas, what matters is "Made in" stamp.

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I don't know the fine details of our customs laws but paying duty on packages shipped from out of the country has never been my experience. I have received two different boxes of cleavers direct from China in the last three weeks without a duty charge of any kind. One came DHL and the other USPS Express today.

tkern said:

Does that PRS in your icon belong to you?

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Not that one - I haven't been able to take a good enough picture of my PRS. I've been trying to find a pic online that looks close enough to the one I actually have (but that one's still pretty sexy). (Also, nice to see another guitar fanatic around here :doublethumbsup