New 240mm Gyuto...Mizuno or takagi or masamoto

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G-rat

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So guys...first post here. Long time lurker. Have seriously benefited from this forum and respect you guys' opinions a lot!

I am in the market for a gyuto. I am a long time cleaver user. My current work kit is two petties (1 tadafusa nashiji 130mm in blue #2 and 1 moritaka 150mm Ao Super) I also have a moritaka cleaver.

I love these knives (and hate them some times...grind issues on both Moritakas but get blindingly sharp and for the first two sessions or so after sharpening that sharpness makes up for the grind issues...accordian cuts after that generally...)

So all that aside I want a gyuto. Its time I think. I am debating between three knives but am open to many options. Because of the cleaver love I like a close to dead flat profile. Thus I think the konosuke White gyutos curve to much but would buy a fujiyama series if I bought one. Also because I like a cleaver I amused to holding and using a heavy knife for long periods and prefer a mightier knife. Laserness is not something I am necessarily into but I'm not against it. I just like the weight of the knife to do some of the job.

So the three knives are:
Mizuno Tanrenjo 240 blue dx (clad not honyaki) more than I want to spend but still a sweet knife I might post up the bones for.
Masamoto KS wa gyuto 240 - been liking this one for a while but I want something heftier weight wise...never held one so I'm going simply based on weight listings on JCK.

and looking at two others at JWW
Takagi honyaki 240
Fujiwara Teruyasu 210 nashiji

Are there any opinions on these other two knives. I know fit and finish will be lacking on both. I would love a honyaki knife but don't understand what is so hard to sharpen about them. I like the talk of edge retention on the takagi because I get to sharpen about once every week or two with my schedule and I put my knives through som serious paces at work. I have a years worth of experience caring for carbon in a pro environment so i'm familiar with that.

Let me know your thoughts...also let me know if I'm wrong about the amount of curve on the konosuke but all the pictures look like it and a buddy of mine has one and I just want a dead flat profile with some curve to the tip...

thanks for listening to me ramble any help appreciated as I only have money like this during the summer when I work like 60 hour weeks continually and make some coin to spend on something like this.
 
I think you should go for the Mizuno. Actually looking at getting one myself in the future. Many members here have one so hopefully one of them posts something. I remember reading though that one is made by Mizuno and the other is not, so again hopefully someone who has one could clarify. The Masamoto is a great knife, but like you say it is quite lightweight though it isn't really a laser. Saying that it cuts incredibly well. Watanabe knives are known for being a little bigger and might be worth considering, though the profile isn't super flat
 
I have the 270 Miz, and my love for this knife is probably getting old for a lot of the forum members. Nothing but good things to say about it, and based on your comments on what you are looking for in a gyuto, I say go for it.
 
...also let me know if I'm wrong about the amount of curve on the konosuke but all the pictures look like it and a buddy of mine has one and I just want a dead flat profile with some curve to the tip...
Yes, the Kon gyutos have a little curve all along the entire blade. I would go for the Mizuno, if I were you or I would have Rottman make one for you. I just recieved mine yesterday. It's thinner than you want but then, that's what I asked for. The grind is perfect, the fit and finish is outstanding and not that it's important but it an outstanding cutter.
 
Well its good to see that folks who own the miz still like it after having it for a while. Its the one I really want.

Dreamsignals...I saw that and thought about it. My only complaint was it just looked so long and so straight I worried about the fact that with not much weight above the cutting edge if it would feel like swinging a dead flat suji around all the time. I like the geometry I just feel like it should be taller but then again I'm a cleaver nut.

tk59 thanks for the heads up on the konosuke. Clearly it is a great knife but just not for me.

Any thoughts on fujiwara teruyasu or takagi's gytuos?

I know the takagi is light but it is thick at the spine which I like. Also I have wondered if buying a honyaki at that low of a price is sort of like buying a corvette cuz its the closest thing to a porsche you could afford...make sense...prob not! haha.

Anyways thanks for the info. I think if I don't go for a rusticly finished knife it would be the mizuno. As you can tell though I like kurouchi finishes and hammered surfaces. My other thought was the Yoshikane skd12 hand hammered but thought it too light as well.

I don't know what I want man. But any opinions on fujiwara teruyasu and takagi would be appreciated. I've read all I could on all the forums about both of these knives and makers and still would like to hear a current report from someone who owns either.

thanks,
G
 
From what I hear, the takagi is thick at the shoulders too. If you really want it to be thin at the shoulders, you are going to have to do major work, on a honyaki knife. There is a reason it is cheap for a honyaki knife, which is all the finishing work has not been done to it.

No personal experience, but from what I have read from another forum. Maybe others can chime in.
 
Yeah I like a little thick at the shoulders for sure that is what has attracted me to it. I know its light but I want it to feel hefty in my hand.

so I wouldn't (probably) want to thin that out.

thick shoulders are sexy in my opinion...

G
 
Yeah I like a little thick at the shoulders for sure that is what has attracted me to it. I know its light but I want it to feel hefty in my hand.

so I wouldn't (probably) want to thin that out.

thick shoulders are sexy in my opinion...G

Home cook - Takagi with handle by Stefan on avatar.
Own 240mm Masamoto and Takagi honyaki.
Takagi = 232g, 244mm edge.
Masamoto = 162g, 256mm edge.
Takagi bevel set by Dave when he installed Stefan's handle.
Masamoto otb stock except for slight bevel on right side by me.
Able to get both knives very sharp - this does not happen with some other knives I own.
Enjoy both knives :knight:
 
I have the 270 Miz, and my love for this knife is probably getting old for a lot of the forum members. Nothing but good things to say about it, and based on your comments on what you are looking for in a gyuto, I say go for it.

can't argue with that. love my 270 Miz.
 
From what I hear, the takagi is thick at the shoulders too. If you really want it to be thin at the shoulders, you are going to have to do major work, on a honyaki knife. There is a reason it is cheap for a honyaki knife, which is all the finishing work has not been done to it.

No personal experience, but from what I have read from another forum. Maybe others can chime in.

Absolutely correct, sir. The Takagi is a thick knife which will need some thinning in order to bring out its potential. The steel is tough and will take some time, even with the help of a sander. It's more of a diamond in the rough knife than a fully finished ready to go blade. If you don't mind putting in the work or have a strong desire to work on and tune up a blade, it's a good option for an inexpensive honyaki blade.
 
I'm a big masamoto fan. I have three masamotos and will end up with more in the future.
 
I'm in the same market, but my eye has been drawn to Wantanabe's gyuto, the Miz and the Mas - please let us know what you choose, and how you like it
 
Guys

So if anyone still cares I went ahead with the Mizuno and I got a 270 instead of a 240 after reading that it would be more versatile. The only other 270 I own is a Fujiwara yo handled Suji (Not teruyasu).

Koki at JCK says he will make sure the spine and choil are nicely rounded and that the grind is well done.

I won't post a review or anything because too much has already been said about this knife. But do want to say that I really appreciate everyones input over the years on this knife. I hope my experience with it is as wonderful as others has been. Thanks for the guidance.
 
We care, and expect you to show it off wth some pictures!
Enjoy the new blade!
 
I'd love to see the knife when you get it! I'd like to see what things look like from a consistency of F&F and blade grind, etc.
 
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