Tanaka blue #2 gyuto

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Timthebeaver

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The recent thread about the Aoki blue mono knife got me thinking about Tanaka's blue steel damascus gyuto. I have the petty (which I think is great), and just noticed that metalmaster has updated his site and has everything in stock again. My question is does anyone have this gyuto? At $150 for the 240 and a claimed weight of 150 grams i am sorely tempted. Interestingly the petty is $78 (same knife has recently been picked up by a well-known US retailer and is listed at $140).
 
It is Takeshi's web site metalmaster-ww, or you can get it via his bay under Japanese-tools-metalmaster store name.
 
My experience with Tanaka's damascus knives can be summed up thusly: great cutters, look good, crappy/cheap handles. I'm actually quite tempted to pick up another one if my current rehandle projects go nicely. Not that I need another knife.... >.<
 
Yeah the 240 for $150 and the nakiri for $90 both seem like great deals to me. Are those handles octogon? It's hard for me to tell in the photo.
 
I happen to think my Tanaka gyutos - one in VG10, one in blue 2 - are really great for the $. I'd consider them the best bang & enjoyment for the dollar I've gotten.

I think they're really nicely made overall. They feel good in the hand, nice geometry, steel sharpens up really nicely. $150 in our world for a good knife is a helluva nice price. I say go for it. I got my Tanaka blue 240 from the metalmaster site as well.
 
Yeah the 240 for $150 and the nakiri for $90 both seem like great deals to me. Are those handles octogon? It's hard for me to tell in the photo.

The 240 gyuto's octagon. I didn't expect that when I received the knife cuz I didn't even notice it in the photo.
 
Thanks for reminding me about takeshi's store. Just picked up a smallish Nakayama Karasu on the cheap.
 
i have a 210mm gyuto in blue 2 from tanaka and what i can say is its pretty reactive and it holds a very keen edge the f&f were mediocre so i burnt and polished the handle and eased the choil and spine and them i thinned it and now it cuts really really well and is a great carbon steel knife to have in busy kitchens
 
The Tanaka 240 blue/damascus is probably the best bang for the buck knife for a <$200 new purchase.
 
Been using my 210 Tanaka in blue 2 for about a week and I'm impressed with the value. The grind/geometry seems real good. Thin-ish but not a laser. Slides through food pretty darn well. With the extra weight over my Ginga it seems to be a better chopper, especially when just using the tip. I'm sort of torn, I really like my Ginga, and I think for slicing it is still better, but not by much, the extra weight of the Tanaka really helps it go through food with any sort of chopping motion. I do not like the Tanaka's profile though, I like flat-ish and somewhat parallel to the handle, the Tanaka is just a curve up up and away. Put some Sam Maloof poly/oil finish on the handle. I think for $130 this is a great intro Japanese knives, once I learn everything I like about it, it will definitely end up in a friend's hands.

Makes me wonder what combines the effortless slicing of the Ginga with some weight? A Shig is getting tempting...
 
I have had mine about a month or so and have really been enjoying it. Sharpens easily and just a lot of fun. It doesn't have the best food release that's my only complaint
 
are there any sharpening and/or grinding techniques to improve food release? that's pretty important to me. and i'm thinking of doing the hot vinegar etching process to form a full fledged patina. don't much care for the damascus, would prefer monosteel or a simple cladding like the ginsanko series.
 
I love my Tanaka 105 blue, gets scary sharp and hold the edge for ever.
 
Good morning, sorry to reply on this tread; the question really should go on the sharpening section but I don't have permission yet.

I recently bought a tanaka 240 gyuto kurouchi blue steel; and I have a doubt sharpening it.

tanaka-kurouchi-gyuto-240mm-66.png


https://www.This Site Not Allowed Here.com.com/takugy24.html

When I received it i did a few stropping passes on my 3000 grit suehiro with around 10 degrees angle and it cuts fine. But I've seen in some youtube videos that seems like they sharpen all the non blacked area, similarly to a skandi knife and now I'm not sure about the angle. Usually I rest my index finder of the hand that's holding the knife extended and centered on the spine and I use this half of a finger touching the stone like an angle guide to keep a consistent angle

I defend myself at freehand sharpening. I shave with straight razors so I have a few water stones, mainly suehiros and naniwa superstones. And I keep my low end knifes fairly sharp (ikea and arcos petty knifes, a henckels pollux set...). This tanaka is my first good knife.
 
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