Watanabe for lefties, 270?

Any lefties out there wanna chime in on Watanabe (/toyama)?

Was thinking about getting a new 270 for work. The only 270 I have now is a kurosaki AS. If I could get what I want it'd be a munetoshi but Maksim told me that smith doesn't make blades over 240

Considering giving watanabe/toyama a shot again. I sold em both a while ago but the toyama outperformed the watanabe but I think that was more luck o the draw. Both were slightly righty-bias (even though shinichi told me he picked a lefty-bias/neutral one for me :/ ). This is why I'm on the fence, I think they were both great knives but just average-good for a lefty. My righty friends thought the food release was excellent.

Also open to other suggestions because a wat/toy 270 would be a lot of blade to keep dry/clean at work.

Maybe a wakui? I have the 240 and it is righty bias but still a helluva performer, just hate that f%^%$ing handle and still haven't made a new one for it :/ (anyone have a 270 they wanna trade for a 240?? I can throw in cash/knives/stones!)

Itinomonn might work in this instance
My 270mm on the left. Maybe you can also ask Maksim to pick out a more neutral one

Just sold my 270 itinomonn a couple months ago. Great knife, still not exactly sure why I sold it. Didn't click with me i guess. Chef who has it now raves about it.

Perhaps Badgertooth's new Ginsan 270 beast. If you find out how to get one, let me know!

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php?t=7655

I am also a lefty who owns toyama 270. Mine is between 70/30 to 80/20 righty biased throughout the blade and does steer. When I ordered my 270, I also ordered the lefty toyama deba and mentioned that I was the lefty via email. If I use my 270 with my right hand, food release is fantastic. I guess it is what it is. I just thin down the left side in the future.

If a knife is a laser like takamura r2 red hadle, it does not matter. when a knife is thick like the toyama 270, it really matters.

foody518 said:

Itinomonn might work in this instance
My 270mm on the left. Maybe you can also ask Maksim to pick out a more neutral one

Click to expand...

I think Cashn is selling one on BST, so perhaps worth a try? They are very thin behind the edge but with a medium spine, so perhaps the thinness will work for lefty use. It is a D shaped handle so it might need to be sanded down.

For heavier weight, Toyama/Watanabe are great. My Toyama was professionally thinned by Mert Tansu so there is no right bias. I also got a custom ovalised handle so my lefty friends love it too.

I would let you try it but I'm in London UK so a bit out of the way.

I am a lefty - have and love the Wakui 270. Mine was from Bernal, and they sell the 270 with octagonal ho handle (better for us lefties). And it sells cheap because of that handle (I think about $50 less than the ebony D).

I am not a pro chef...just a home user. But this is a knife I keep reaching for regularly no matter how many others come in the door. Specifically re food release, I don't think the Wakui is especially good or bad in comparison to my other knives. About average I'd say.

I like the 270 so much that I ordered the 240 Wakui from Bernal, and they are going to flip the ebony D handle around for me to face lefty before shipping. Not a perfect fix, but better (and they kindly offered to do that for free for me).

Never used a Wat or Toy.

Cheers,
Blair

BlueSteel said:

I am a lefty - have and love the Wakui 270. Mine was from Bernal, and they sell the 270 with octagonal ho handle (better for us lefties). And it sells cheap because of that handle (I think about $50 less than the ebony D).

I am not a pro chef...just a home user. But this is a knife I keep reaching for regularly no matter how many others come in the door. Specifically re food release, I don't think the Wakui is especially good or bad in comparison to my other knives. About average I'd say.

I like the 270 so much that I ordered the 240 Wakui from Bernal, and they are going to flip the ebony D handle around for me to face lefty before shipping. Not a perfect fix, but better (and they kindly offered to do that for free for me).

Never used a Wat or Toy.

Cheers,
Blair

Click to expand...

Look what I found http://epicedge.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1654&cat=Wakui,+Toshihiro&catidex1=72

That cheap price doesn't include kkf discount either

Wat will charge like $15 to make knife for left handed user. Maxim told me that he has at least kiritsuke Toyama gyutos in stock that are suitable for a lefty hope that helps.

labor of love said:

Look what I found http://epicedge.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1654&cat=Wakui,+Toshihiro&catidex1=72

Click to expand...

Yes - I saw that just after I ordered my 240 from Bernal, but in any case I had another item I was ordering from Bernal at the same time and the combination of the 2 items got me free shipping in the US.

But good point that Epicurian Edge is now a good source for Wakui too - if you want ho handles and if you don't want a 270 (they don't seem to have the 270).

Cheers,
Blair

This maybe another option: western handled TF in 270. It is a little expensive at ¥45,000 before tax. It is stainless clad white 1 but difficult to know how much weight and right bias it has.

http://tsubaya.co.jp/?pid=107802156

I own two T-F's and have owned more in the past, all righty-bias, some more than others. Had a really nice 270 he custom made me but sold it due to its righty bias.

Ah damn.

Well Zetium has a 240mm lefty Watanabe.. good luck it was lefty because the right handed version of Zoze looked identical so no confusion today when comparing them!

a lefty Watanabe was nearly zero euros more expensive than a right one.. just turn the handle 180 degrees.. so quiet easy
so why make anything complicated all the time ?..