Steampunk
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2014
- Messages
- 380
- Reaction score
- 881
LOCATION
What country are you in? - USA
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)? Gyuto, middleweight.
Are you right or left handed? Righty
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle? Wa, preferably.
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in? 225-240mm.
Do you require a stainless knife? No, I would prefer carbon; ideally with stainless cladding, but thats not a deal breaker providing the cladding isnt crazily reactive. I might go semi-stainless if it is excellent, but it would have to sharpen like carbon.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? - $250-ish
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment? - Home
What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for? Vegetables, fruit, occasionally portioning boneless proteins, etc.
What knife, if any, are you replacing? 210mm Hiromoto AS Gyuto.
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? - Pinch
What cutting motions do you primarily use? Push, pull, and chop; I do not rock.
What improvements do you want from your current knife?
I simply want a larger, and thusly more capable carbon gyuto than I already own. Something that is thicker at the spine, but is ground thinly at the edge and at the tip for precise work, and is middling in weight (Neither super thick, that will get stuck in hard sweet potatoes, or so thin that it is flimsy.) Preferably with a near continuous distal taper, although this is not mandatory providing the spine thickness does not hamper the nimbleness of the knife. I also prefer a fairly consistent grind for easy thinning. It neednt be beastly (Im not looking to chop down trees, and my technique is fairly delicate.), but I am not interested in a 2mm thick at the heel laser, either. I prefer a flatter profile with less belly, and some flat spot at the heel as I chop herbs, and am not a rocker.
Better aesthetics? Anything goes.
Comfort? No plastic ferrule WA handles, but anything else goes.
Ease of Use? Good, middle of the road performance with resistance to wedging and food release. I abhor wedging, though, so if I had to I would trade a knives food release performance for the ability to cut a dense apple or a big carrot without cracking. I dont like low-grinds on thick, wide bevels, as a result. I enjoy sharpening, but anything carbon is fun, so no worries there.
Edge Retention? An area that I am firm on is hardness; I want something in the 62-65hrc range. I like the edge stability that brings, and how harder steels sharpen. I prefer Aogami, but will also accept Shirogami or V2 providing it isnt <61hrc. Maybe SKD semi-stainless if it is heat treated well, and carbon-like in sharpness potential.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.) End grain maple.
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) - Yes
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) No.
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I think I covered most everything Ive narrowed it down to a few, and would like some thoughts from users. 1-2 arent in stock right now, but I can wait; Im not in a major rush, just looking for my next blade.
240mm Wakui Kasumi Stainless Clad Shirogami #2 Wa-Gyuto
240mm Itinomonn Kasumi V2 Wa-Gyuto (From JNS, when they are back in stock.)
240mm Kochi Kurouchi Carbon-Clad V2 Wa-Gyuto (From JKI)
240mm Kurosaki Kurouchi Aogami Super Wa-Gyuto (From Knives & Stones)
240mm Masakage Koishi Aogami Super Wa-Gyuto
240mm Yoshikane Tsuschime SKD Wa-Gyuto
The Kurosaki and Masakage worry me, a bit, as I have seen some wonky cladding lines that go down to the edge in photos, but otherwise I love Aogami Super so they made the list. I also got a very effusive suggestion for the Yoshikane, recently, but am skeptical since it is not carbon, and also on the resistance to wedging/distal taper.
The Wakui, I am not sure on the HRC of Some sources say 60-61, others say 62-63, so thats my only concern with this. I wouldn't want a Shirogami #2 gyuto with any less edge retention or edge stability than my Masakage Yuki, at 62hrc.
Thank you for your time Id love to hear some thoughts. If you have any additional ideas that sound like theyd meet my criteria, then feel free to voice them. Even iron/mild steel clad knives, providing they demonstrate low-moderate reactivity.
- Steampunk
What country are you in? - USA
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)? Gyuto, middleweight.
Are you right or left handed? Righty
Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle? Wa, preferably.
What length of knife (blade) are you interested in? 225-240mm.
Do you require a stainless knife? No, I would prefer carbon; ideally with stainless cladding, but thats not a deal breaker providing the cladding isnt crazily reactive. I might go semi-stainless if it is excellent, but it would have to sharpen like carbon.
What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife? - $250-ish
KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment? - Home
What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for? Vegetables, fruit, occasionally portioning boneless proteins, etc.
What knife, if any, are you replacing? 210mm Hiromoto AS Gyuto.
Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? - Pinch
What cutting motions do you primarily use? Push, pull, and chop; I do not rock.
What improvements do you want from your current knife?
I simply want a larger, and thusly more capable carbon gyuto than I already own. Something that is thicker at the spine, but is ground thinly at the edge and at the tip for precise work, and is middling in weight (Neither super thick, that will get stuck in hard sweet potatoes, or so thin that it is flimsy.) Preferably with a near continuous distal taper, although this is not mandatory providing the spine thickness does not hamper the nimbleness of the knife. I also prefer a fairly consistent grind for easy thinning. It neednt be beastly (Im not looking to chop down trees, and my technique is fairly delicate.), but I am not interested in a 2mm thick at the heel laser, either. I prefer a flatter profile with less belly, and some flat spot at the heel as I chop herbs, and am not a rocker.
Better aesthetics? Anything goes.
Comfort? No plastic ferrule WA handles, but anything else goes.
Ease of Use? Good, middle of the road performance with resistance to wedging and food release. I abhor wedging, though, so if I had to I would trade a knives food release performance for the ability to cut a dense apple or a big carrot without cracking. I dont like low-grinds on thick, wide bevels, as a result. I enjoy sharpening, but anything carbon is fun, so no worries there.
Edge Retention? An area that I am firm on is hardness; I want something in the 62-65hrc range. I like the edge stability that brings, and how harder steels sharpen. I prefer Aogami, but will also accept Shirogami or V2 providing it isnt <61hrc. Maybe SKD semi-stainless if it is heat treated well, and carbon-like in sharpness potential.
KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.) End grain maple.
Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.) - Yes
If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.) No.
SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
I think I covered most everything Ive narrowed it down to a few, and would like some thoughts from users. 1-2 arent in stock right now, but I can wait; Im not in a major rush, just looking for my next blade.
240mm Wakui Kasumi Stainless Clad Shirogami #2 Wa-Gyuto
240mm Itinomonn Kasumi V2 Wa-Gyuto (From JNS, when they are back in stock.)
240mm Kochi Kurouchi Carbon-Clad V2 Wa-Gyuto (From JKI)
240mm Kurosaki Kurouchi Aogami Super Wa-Gyuto (From Knives & Stones)
240mm Masakage Koishi Aogami Super Wa-Gyuto
240mm Yoshikane Tsuschime SKD Wa-Gyuto
The Kurosaki and Masakage worry me, a bit, as I have seen some wonky cladding lines that go down to the edge in photos, but otherwise I love Aogami Super so they made the list. I also got a very effusive suggestion for the Yoshikane, recently, but am skeptical since it is not carbon, and also on the resistance to wedging/distal taper.
The Wakui, I am not sure on the HRC of Some sources say 60-61, others say 62-63, so thats my only concern with this. I wouldn't want a Shirogami #2 gyuto with any less edge retention or edge stability than my Masakage Yuki, at 62hrc.
Thank you for your time Id love to hear some thoughts. If you have any additional ideas that sound like theyd meet my criteria, then feel free to voice them. Even iron/mild steel clad knives, providing they demonstrate low-moderate reactivity.
- Steampunk
