One wa-gyuto to rule them all

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hello,

i am currently searching for a wa-gyuto. although i generally prefer western handles, i would like to try (and own) one single (at least this is what i am telling myself right now) wa-gyuto.

i am a hobby chef, so no professional environment, simply someone who enjoys working with high quality food and knives, cooking for 2 most of the time. my western collection is already complete, including the following knives:
165mm yaxell ran santoku
190mm hiromoto as santoku
210mm wuesthof dreizack classic
210mm hattori kd gyuto
270mm konosuke hd gyuto

all are double-bevelled, semi-stainless or stainless. size-wise i clearly prefer either 240 or 210, 270 is definitely something that i don't use much to be honest.

i am not afraid of using a carbon blade, but haven't tried one yet. patina is something i have just recently started to like - but now i do! also, i haven't yet sharpened a single-bevelled knife, meaning i have no experience with that. but i am willing to learn, if necessary.

i know there are several nice blacksmiths out there who do great or even fantastic knives, some for reasonable money, some for higher prices and some are very desirable but definitely nothing i would want to spend (my budget is under 1,000 US$... if it's even under 500 US$, fine. but if there's something worth spending a little more, why not? i have 2 re-handle jobs in my mind for 2 of my western knives, so...).

from my research so far, mostly here in this forum but also some other sites, i found the following brands very interesting:
heiji
masamoto
mizuno tanrenjo
shigefusa
singatirin
watanabe
yoshihide
yoshihiro
yoshikane

those are quite many, i know, and it shows that i have no idea where to go...

damascus pattern is something nice, but nothing that has to be. no hammer-finish or similar. no black blades. clads are fine. and honyaki also is something that has recently caught my attraction. i know that honyaki is nothing cheap, but there are affordable honyaki knives out there (singatirin, or even watanabe). i generally prefer something handmade, maybe some smaller blacksmiths, family-run maybe, over bigger companies with mass-production. but from the above, none is "big", is it?

so, that is quite confusing and quite much information, i know. but from what i have written, is there anything that you can recommend?
 
check out JKI's stuff as well. his selections are great value for the money afaik. =D
 
I don't think you can go wrong with any of those options, I really like shigefusa, but it can be tricky getting one, and i would also add yoshiaki fujiwara ( Kato) and Gesshin Hide to your list. My kato is my best performing gyuto.
 
Mario or Marko custom only way to go if you want the best performance at a great price.
 
For me, that knife comes from Mr. Devin Thomas. My 250, san mai has had the number one spot in my block for well over a year. But...you really can't go wrong with any of the above listed options.
 
You're forgetting Tilman Leder (Rottman). Considering the OP's location, it's the best option, IMHO.

Haven't had an opportunity to try his knives so I can't recommend however I'd love to try one.

On the other hand it'd be very hard to beat Marko or Mario, I have even used some DT and I prefer their knives over his.
 
You're forgetting Tilman Leder (Rottman). Considering the OP's location, it's the best option, IMHO.

I agree with Rick. Tilman is a great option for those in Europe, his prices and waiting list are very reasonable.

You can't really go wrong with any of them. It's like a whos who of knife making
 
I have heard a lot of great things about Marko's knives. i would love to get one myself one day :)
 
DSC01714.jpg
 
I contacted him through here rrlover I think is his user name.

Both are amazing makers but different altogether. I couldn't choose just one... Money well spent though
 
I would go with with a kato (never used one but the reviews have been outstanding) or a shigefusa, or a custom maker. I don't think marko can be beaten for price versus quality but be prepared for a lengthy wait. I'm not saying there aren't other great makers out there, there are, but if I was looking for a great gyuto I'd go for one of his.
 
I'm funny, in that I like knives that cut like nobody's business, and are pretty, but still seem like they're made to be beaten up on. Do I have on wa-gyuto to rule them all? Heck no! But I do have my favorite knives. :)
 
hello guys,

thank you very much for your numerous replies! i know that buying a knife has a lot to do with personal preferences, shape, style, grip, cutting motion, and so on. i have not yet thought about a gyuto made by a custom maker but the more i think about it, the more i like the idea, even though i thought i had a clear preference for a japanese-made blade. but why not try something new?

somehow i wonder why i have recommended to others to go for a custom maker instead of buying a stock knife, but have never considered that for me. :scratchhead:

i have heard of basically most of the makers you guys listed in your posts, except tilman leder / rottman. does he have a website? or should i contact him through this forum? can i find a picture gallery somewhere?
 
i would like to add one more thing regarding blade thickness: i would consider my current blades rather thin. would it then make sense to get myself a thicker wa-gyuto such as the heiji (this is thicker, isn't it?)? but then on the other hand, isn't one of the advantages of wa-gyutos over western handles the weight save?

from the japanese gyutos i really like either heiji or watanabe, most likely the honyaki-version. from the custom makers i am quite drawn to marko tsourkan's knives...
 
One emphatic vote for the Masamoto KS. The profile is second to none and the geometry, weight, F&F, etc. are all way up there. Definitely get the Honyaki if you can afford it. It's my dream knife.
 
I'm really into the KS I got used, from a fellow member and would consider it one of the nicest pure work knives I've used. It's not flashy, but it sure is sharp, light and nicely ground. However, I've been thinking about this a bit and the DT ITK is up there along with the Davis gyuto that went around, anything by Pierre or Butch, and I have very high expectations for the gyuto I have waiting for me, made by my friend Tslil Censor.

This is so subjective, I don't think that even I could settle on my gyuto to rule them all.
 
Masamotos are indeed slim. On the other extreme, I have a Yoshikane 270 hammered with a monstrous D-handle: 28.5 x 21.5 mm at the ferrule.
 
Guess everyones pick would be different. Could I pick one knife? Yes, but I dont actually own it ;)

If you look for honyaki, you have to accept what comes with the territory. Either you will like it, or you will sell the knife.
Wouldnt blame the producer for it.

I dont like knives with the tip soooo very bendable that feels "soft" and cheap, but some here are claiming edge stability is more important than sharpness... Make your own mind, OP.
Some would say that on the top of the game the sharpness is same and functionality very similar.
I tried just a few knives but it was enough. Long story short, you want great "taste of the edge" take japanese, you want all else [stability, retention blah blah] cause of "compromise" take anyone else.
 
On the other extreme, I have a Yoshikane 270 hammered with a monstrous D-handle: 28.5 x 21.5 mm at the ferrule.

You ain't lying! The 270 Yoshikane I used to own had the largest wa handle I've ever seen...it was a monster.

Compared to a 'regular' sized octagon wa handle
k3ona.jpg


And it easily dwarfed the d-shaped on my 240 Yosh
518xl2.jpg
 
If you look for honyaki, you have to accept what comes with the territory. Either you will like it, or you will sell the knife.
Wouldnt blame the producer for it.

I dont like knives with the tip soooo very bendable that feels "soft" and cheap, but some here are claiming edge stability is more important than sharpness... Make your own mind, OP.
Some would say that on the top of the game the sharpness is same and functionality very similar.
thanx a lot for sharing your thoughts! i find that quite interesting. also, one of the producers in my list does offer honyaki but doesn't recommend honyaki for utility knives... i'll probably save the extra cash and get myself a custom handle - or a custom knife! :biggrin:

currently, i'd go for a 240mm wa-gyuto from one of these makers:
- watanabe (blue steel #2)
- heiji (sweden steel)
- marko tsourkan (52100)
- masamoto ks

deciding is a tough job!!!
 
one of the producers in my list does offer honyaki but doesn't recommend honyaki for utility knives...

No wonder ;) I think you could take it, just accept what is it.

Either of these should satisfy you in the basic meaning.

The question is, what do you really like in a knife? Most sharpness, most edge retention? Most reactivity? Most looks?
 
Bah... If you cherish handmade and under 1000$ is your budget, I'd go with a custom. Many good makers hre in the forums, I'm personally interested in Will Catcheside and his full billet-to-knife custom process but there are many excellent professionals to choos from.
 
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