Konosuke HD--Blemish or Patina?

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I wanted to ask the forum for their feedback and experience with Konosuke HD knives. I have a 240 HD Kiritsuke and a 210 HD Suji. I've had the knives for about six months. When the first Kiritsuke arrived is had a couple of, lets say round blemishes on the front of the knife. I was unable to remove them with Mothers polish, Flitz or Cape Cod cloths. I didn't think too much about it cause the knife is so amazing both visually and cutting ability. But then after about a month I noticed those marks all over the blade. I contact Mark at CKTG and he promptly put me touch with Mr Kosuke from Honosuke. He requested that I send the knife back to him in Japan. Mark shipped another knife to me immediately. Mr Kosuke confirmed that my knife was defective.

When the second knife arrived, it has a perfectly clean finish, mark free. Last week, a couple of marks starting showing on the new knife. the Suji is still perfectly clean.

Can others comment on their experience with the HD knives. Are yours also showing these little blurry steel marks? Thanks dennis
 
it seems they do this after contact with water mostly. however mine always came off when i polished it with flitz.

On mine it doesn't appear to be anything more than a water stain. Also very hot water and a quick dry will sometimes remove the stains as well.
 
Mine has developed a mottled matte grey patina, with many spots and blotches, including a yellowish patch where I place my thumb. But mine spends A LOT of time in my hand.
 
I should add that these spots have never troubled me at all. The bevel is super shiny and after just over a years very heavy use the knife has lots of character.
 
Mine just gets some sort of spots that are hard to see, they aren't that noticeable to be honest and it doesn't bother me at all
 
Mine is grayer all around than it used to be. I did an acid etch test on one spot over a year ago and the spot is still there. It sounds to me like your gyuto just spends more time wet than your suji. However, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a bad batch out there. I don't think they make these knives in house so I doubt they'd even know if there was.
 
Thanks Guys. A bad batch is what i think it is. But as commented on, it does not effect the performance. But hey I'm a Virgo and spent $300 on a single knife. To some thats par for the course but its still a lot of dough not to have the object in perfect condition. ya know
 
Thanks Guys. A bad batch is what i think it is. But as commented on, it does not effect the performance. But hey I'm a Virgo and spent $300 on a single knife. To some thats par for the course but its still a lot of dough not to have the object in perfect condition. ya know
Whether $300 is par for the course or not, you should still be getting the product, as advertised. Why don't you try using your suji in place of your gyuto for a while and see if you don't get the gray spots. If they both get it, then maybe you can throw out the bad batch theory. If the suji is still pristine-looking after a couple of weeks, you will have pretty much irrefutable evidence of a bad blade.
 
Thanks TK59. I will take your advise but I have had the Suji for two months and have certainly cut a fair amount of citrus. I took a shot of the face but can't figure out how to attach it?
 
Use a service like Picasa, Photobucket etc..... and insert the link in your post via "insert image".
 
My personal experience: I've had a Kono HD 150 petty for six months or so. Use it almost daily, frequently for peeling and sectioning citrus and cutting tomatoes, so lots of acidic contact.

So far, no staining whatever...but I'm pretty good about washing and drying it right after use.
 
I have staining on my HD gyuto. I made a post before because I was surprised that it didn't look like patina (the way it would look on a regular carbon knife), but rather it looked like grey waterspots (like on silverware). Since then they have grown more numerous but they don't bother me. There is also one mark that is a straight line from the edge to the spine...I have no idea what it was but I must have left something nasty stuck to the blade for awhile...
 
There is another possibility that nobody talks about. They could have just sent you a knife with the wrong steel. The first Konosuke I ever bought was supposed to be white #2 and I KNOW it is stainless. Since then, I am aware of at least one other instance where such was the case.
 
sounds like it was a typical carbon reaction alright. did the hd have the hd logo on the blade? ofcourse pics will clear up all this i believe.
 
I don't think it sounds like regular carbon reactivity. OP seems to be describing it as "round spots"....I would think regular carbon reactivity would be described more as large and streaky "smears" (I couldn't think of a better word)
 
sounds like it was a typical carbon reaction alright. did the hd have the hd logo on the blade? ofcourse pics will clear up all this i believe.
You mean "typical KonHD reaction," right? I think what is odd isn't so much the staining, it's that one blade stains a lot more than the other.
 
Is this what you are talking about?

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Mine did what those pics show, more or less. I noticed it happened after going through a bunch of tangerines one day. That was all I used it for that day and it wasn't there before. I just figured that was normal for this steel.
 
hmmm, WOW is that a well used knife. Dude that blade looks like it went through a war {GRIN}

I'm too anal to let my steel get to that patina level. Here is a photo of my spots on the face side.

240kiritip.jpg
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Semi stainless has an ugly water spot-like patina. I say ignore it until it builds and becomes more uniform....
I've been using mine for years and it has all kinds of character, but those first few spots bothered me too.
 
Maybe that since they use a mystery steel they can change this steel whenever they want and you'll never know. Using mystery steels is not only good for keeping trade secrets it's also good for allowing the knife maker the ability to change things up as need be. It could be possible that different gyutos bought at different times have different steels being used which explains some of these knives having different patina appearances.
 
slowtyper, check out the photo I just posted. Are these the same spots you are experiencing?

Hmmm, no...mine look more like hmmm's photos. Not as much patina as hmmm but definitely not small little pinhole dots. The smallest one is about a centimter in diamter and kind of oblong shaped. Might be the same thing except maybe your knife just got "splashed" with citrus juice or something!
 
Good question! I don't remember, myself...
 
I don't think they are lacquered. Both of mine came covered in oil. I'm not so hung up on the spotting, what what can I do? Seems sensless to send it back for another one. Guess it is what it is. Cuts like a mofo so thats good at least.
 
Had my HD suji for over a year and used regularly---looks nothing like hmms pics, much more stainless characteristics than carbon
 
My hd looks pretty much brand new and ive had it for over a year
 
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