Konosuke Blue #2 Honyaki Wa-Gyuto 240mm

This knife is at the top of my wishlist at the moment.
What I saw in a video review was really ticking all the boxes for me.
No stiction, no wedging, cuts like a dream and looks great aswell.
Of all the video reviews of honyakis I have seen this one seemed to perform best to me.
Does anybody used this knife and compared it with other honyakis?
I want to buy only one honyaki and I would like to buy the best performing knife possible.

Personally I wouldn't get all caught up in Honyaki as being superior or better than a clad knife. Before you commit to the Konosuke knife make sure you know the exact dimensions of the knife. If the knife geometry doesn't feel right in your hands it won't matter what kind of method was used to make the blade.

Honyaki generally speaking should be able to take a keener edge and maintain it longer then other knifes. That performance comes with a price, usually Honyaki is a harder knife, which makes it more fragile and prone to chipping, then clad knifes. As Jon at JKI likes to point out, the higher the price of a knife, the more skill it takes to use it, and maintain it.

Rick (Pensacola Tiger) did a series of videos, demonstrating how knifes, from his collection, handled stiction, by cutting up potatoes. Rick is far more knowledgeable about knifes, then I am. I happened to own one of the knifes that had a problem with stiction. My knife so far has had no problem with stiction. I'm don't know if its the grind of the knife or that my potatoes were less sticky then the ones used by Rick. I've seen the same thing happen with knifes used in a pass around. One person has no problem with stiction, while another has to pry the potato pieces off the knife.

Unfortunately best performing knife is a matter of personal taste. Of the gyutos I have, the Tadatsuna feels the most natural. If I were to pick up a Honyaki, I'd want something that was similar in profile to a Tadatsuna. At this point I'd contact a vendor and get there input on available options. Being in the Netherlands, I'd think Maxsim with JNS, would be a good first contact.

Good luck with your search,

Jay

Thanks for your advice!

I also do not think that honyakis are superior I just really loved the video reviews I have seen about it. (I am not sure if i can add a link of the video here)
The problem with figuring out what geometry best suits me is that I do not have the chance to try and see lots of knives here in Holland.
I do like the profile of my Yoshikane SLD gyutos, it seems they have a little bit more hight at the heel.
I did see the videos that Pensacola Tiger made, I love his videos by the way.
I think it is impossible to know weather a knife has stiction or not without trying it in person.
Great advice about contacting Maxim, I will do that but first I hope somebody can tell me something about this Konosuke honyaki.
I hope somebody who has tried this honyaki can say something about stiction/wedging compared to other honyakis.
I think the profile will be okay for me.

Richard, make also sure to contact Jon @ JKI - he has really wast experience with different knives (and also has some honyaki knives available). Until recently Maksim had Singatirin honyaki gyuto in 240mm, but now only 210mm is left available. The price is very tempting though.

I have seen that blue#2 Konosuke Honyaki video too - left me weak in the knees

Hi Matus,
I will contact him, he has a lot of experience indeed. I should ask him for advice.
I do like his Gesshin Hide 240 mm blue #1 MIZU-Honyaki, but the looks of the Konosuke are doing it a little bit more for me.
It also made me weak in my knees, that is the most perfect description:biggrin:
240 mm is my favorite length by the way, 210 mm is just a little to short for me

Just curious, but have you thought about getting a custom instead?

I have not concidered a custom knife yet, maybe later.
At the moment I would like something "standard" till I have more experience and know exactly what I want.

what about this? http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...Sakai-Ichimonji-blue-steel-gyuto-and-JNS-800/
that one looks pretty much same as the konosuke version, except it's not 'honyaki'.

Definitely not honyaki, and when thinning time comes for those tall bevels, boy will you or whoever you send it to be glad.

yeah i'm completely over mono-steel. it took a little bit to get used to the difference in feel with san mai but the ease of thinning is clear and away an advantage i never want to be without. cladded knives all the way for me, they're also lighter another +.

I have always had mono carbons & a 150 Hiromoto petty. However have seen, sharpened, & recommend San Mai knives. I have come around on this, there are some nice San Mai blades out there.

Have had a couple very light mono carbons. Some may say the extra cost of a Honyaki is not worth it, however the skill that it takes to make them, edge retention, & coolness is a plus:bladesmith:

Thanks for the tip about that knife in the BST section. Absolutely a vey nice knife, it does look pretty much the same.
But I would like to try a honyaki knife once. I would like to feel the difference with a cladded knife.
I did not realise thinning would be a lot harder.

The skill to make these knifes is definitely a plus.
Would edge retention of mono steel be notably better than my Yoshikane SLD knives?

Richard78 said:

Thanks for the tip about that knife in the BST section. Absolutely a vey nice knife, it does look pretty much the same.
But I would like to try a honyaki knife once. I would like to feel the difference with a cladded knife.
I did not realise thinning would be a lot harder.

Click to expand...

Not only thinning, but refinishing after thinning will be alot more time consuming

Did you talk to Jon already? It may well be that he has experience with that Kono.

Hi Matus, I have send him an email.
I got an automatic response that there will be a delay and I have to be patient. He is very busy probably more people need his experience:biggrin:

got your e-mail... will get to it soon