Tanaka Damascus Blue Steel 240mm Gyuto?

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Everyone's very helpful on the board, so I wanted to contribute in my limited way. Anyone interested in playing with a Tanaka 240mm gyuto? Light and thin, and pretty fun to cut with. However, there's fit and finish issues - choi is rough and the blade is not 100% perfectly straight. The middle is off by ~0.5mm.

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I wouldn't mind trying it out, either.
 
These are worth a try folks. They're fun little knives. If this is a passaround, I highly recommend trying it out if you have no experience with them and can deal with the carbon (they're pretty reactive.)
 
Yep, would like to pass around the Tanaka. Please use it as you would any chef's knife - patina and sharpening are fine. Once you have the knife in your possession, please post on this thread stating that you have it, enjoy for a week, and then pass to the next forum member.

So far it's as follows:

don -> Lefty -> mhenry -> tk59

I'll send to Lefty on Wednesday.

Thanks.
 
Nice, I'm in for sure. Tanakas have always piqued my interest.
Thanks for doing this!
 
Mike: Line is not long at all.

All: don -> [ENROUTE] -> Lefty -> mhenry -> tk59 -> Miles

Though, let me know if mhenry and Miles want to go back to back, since you guys are in Tejas.
 
Sounds good to me. Feel free to move me wherever it's convenient. Thanks! :)
 
I bought two Santokus from Tanaka via 330mate on Ebay (for wife and brother in law). Apart from some rough edges that needed polishing and a sligthly traumatic delivery (they took 87 days to be delivered and arrived in mangled boxes) they are good value.
Wife still uses the knife daily nand it's her favourite.

Anyone interested in a budget alternative which can take some amount of "normal person use" and still want some bling would be smart to jump on this passaround.
 
I also would like to try it. Some Love for your new sub-arctic brethren?
 
I got the knife in the mail (no fees, so WAY TO GO, DON!)
I haven't had a chance to use it, but I took a quick peek and feel of it. First impressions are VERY good! The profile is gorgeous, the Damascus is pretty, and it looks wickedly thin behind the edge!
One thing popped out immediately, however and that is how freakin' sharp the Choil is! You could almost use it to cut on your draw if you wanted to. Other than that, I'm feeling good about this one :)
 
Alright, a quick little note or two from a little bit of use:
Falls through food...unless it's a product that likes to stick to blades (such as carrots, potatoes, yams, etc). For some reason, in my limited experience with the knife, the stiction is the strongest I have ever felt! I was cutting a carrot and when I pulled laterally, away from my "clawed" hand, the carrot stuck so hard to the blade, that both sides of the blade had half a carrot on them, while I was left holding nothing in my hand!
I'm thinking this must be a result of a flat grind from the edge to at least where the damascus starts. Normally, the texture would aid in release, but thus far, it hasn't for me. I'm going to keep trying, because this knife has a lot going for it!
To be continued....
 
Updated order to support our brothers up north, and ease tejas shipment.

don -> Lefty [In Possession] -> VoodooMajik -> tk59 -> mhenry -> Miles
 
You should run your passaround however you see fit. :thumbsup:
 
Thanks for letting me jump in there!

Is it cool if I send it off my first day off after the 30th?
I'm not comfortable enough with my sharpening so it won't touch anything other then my ceramic steel, won't be coming to work.
 
Recieved, Pretty looking blade. I have a few hours of solo work tonight, so I think I may bring it out for that and let yeah know how she does.
 
How was the edge? I'm just curious if it's up to your standards.
 
The edge is pretty damn good, better the I would achieve. I'm still not the most comfortable with my stones though. I put a fresh edge on a Wusthof Grand Prix French knife and it was like night and day. Great for a comparison in steel types (German vs VG 10 Vs White #2 vs Blue #2) Just falls through whatever I put in front of it. Very nice little blade. One of the Sous gave it a run for 5-10 today, Loved the edge and shape but was concerned about the durability during heavy professional use where the handle joins the tang.
 
I'm glad the edge is working out. I'm trying out c-dawg's technique...or rather, a combo of it and some light sectional. I don't think I'm getting quite the same ridiculous sharpness as I used to, but it's close and I feel it'll be better for my knives in the long run. I guess falling through food is a good thing :)
 
I'm unfamiliar with the technique (c-dawgs) is there a link floating around? Practice has gotten me a long way, but not far enough to stone another mans blades.
 
[video=youtube;Duwt8oMZRaA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duwt8oMZRaA&feature=plcp&context=C4baad18VDvjVQa1PpcFPfq5DYPJ1V9tTOTA2-md8vE4IKgRAtvco%3D[/video]

I can't do his method but it's fun to watch.
 
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