Has Anyone Tried Out Sakai Ichimonji?

I was hoping to see if anyone has every played with a Sakai Ichimonji White Steel Gyuto? Thinking about picking one eventually to play with/practice improving my sharpening technique on. Price is at a point where if I mess it up then I won't be on suicide/homocide watch and I can practice thinning with a shinogi line before trying it out on the knife I really want to improve. Might be better off trying new techniques on the white Tojiro but I'm scared that at that price point the tojiro is just total junk.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-SA...221?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58934213b5

I'm pretty sure the Tojiro(at least the yanagi) in white has this silly sandpaper raised up line where the shinogi line should be.

Hooray for quality!

I own Ichimonji single-beveled knives. They are solid knives and great for the price. The grind at the heel on my yanagiba is overdone or slightly warped. It doesn't bother me. My deba is fine (it needs a rehandle job), and I have absolutely no complaints about my usuba either.

I'm sure the fit and finish on the Ichimonji will put the Tojiro to shame. My Tojiro shirogami ITK petty is worth less than the 40 dollars I paid for it.

My only comment on that eBay auction is that the profile of the knife is a little weird. There is way too much curvature at the tip.

I owned Ichimonji single-beveled knife. They are solid knives and great for the price.

Apart from details there was nothing wrong with the blades shape or condition, handle was great - really well made.

I sold the knife though.

I got a lefty usuba of this maker and there was a slight bend in it, but for the price it was worth the risk. The knives Keiichi sells are usually pretty good, might not be very popular names but they generally seem to be pretty good

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Sa...013?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b996abbd

I've been eyeing something like this for a while!! 4.9oz for that one vs 7.2oz for the clad one you are looking at.

I have the Special Thin Gyuto 210 in white. Its not perfect but is my favorite knife. Its so thin, definitely a push/pull cutter not a rock chop but this regular version would probably rock fine if you wanted?

Taz575 said:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Sa...013?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b996abbd

I've been eyeing something like this for a while!! 4.9oz for that one vs 7.2oz for the clad one you are looking at.

Click to expand...

I have one of those laying around here somewhere. You can borrow it if you like.

I may take you up on that offer Johnny!! We still got to get together one of these days, too, but I gotta clean my shed first. It looks like a bomb went off in there! Dust, fabric, epoxy, etc all over the place!