JNS Kato Workhorse

[brainsausage]

I did the onion julienne/wipe patina when I first got my Shig last fall. Hacked up about 10 quarts, and the patina set in perfectly. No discoloration/staining after the fact. Nice blue patina. Asked Jon to do a natural stone, Kasumi finish over the winter, and the patina set in even faster with the same technique, and brighter blues.

 

[matt79]

I clean the patina of my knives every night after service.When I do my prep i will leave highly reactive stuff like onions/shallots for last.By the time I get there I have a nice patina already and avoid brown onions etc. .,works with all the knives I have used so far even highly reactive ones such as shigs. I also have a couple of stainless I can use just in case.

 

[Von blewitt]

This is my Shig, my main knife for the last month, I haven't forced any patina or taken any deliberate steps to minimise patina, and I don't baby it, just wipe regularly, no brown no reactivity, the heiji Swedish carbon Gyuto i had was pretty reactive though and it took a brown patina.

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[Sambal]

This is my Shig, my main knife for the last month, I haven't forced any patina or taken any deliberate steps to minimise patina, and I don't baby it, just wipe regularly, no brown no reactivity, the heiji Swedish carbon Gyuto i had was pretty reactive though and it took a brown patina.

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Von B. have you noticed any difference in reactivity between the kasumi and kitaeji Shigs?

My kasumi Shig gyuto was reactive for a while but after a large batch of onions, not just cutting but rubbing the waste ends on the blade as well, it just lost its reactivity altogether. Worked well for me!

 

[matt79]

I havent got a brown patina with my shig or my heiji to be honest .The way your shig looks is pretty much the way all my carbons look after service.Then I clean them with baking soda.Love the cleaning my knives ritual at the end of service means I have survived another day, dont have to deal with any work related crap for the next 12hours and its time for cold beer

 

[ChipB]

This is my Shig, my main knife for the last month, I haven't forced any patina or taken any deliberate steps to minimise patina, and I don't baby it, just wipe regularly, no brown no reactivity, the heiji Swedish carbon Gyuto i had was pretty reactive though and it took a brown patina.

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That's an amazing patina. For the life of me, outside of more esoteric protein forcing, can't get anything other than a champagne color out of the Shig naturally. This reminds me a someone who has been building a natural patina on his Mizuno Hontanren naturally, though he is achieving some seriously striking electric blue. That said, he is working a chicken station on the line, so building a base with fresh protein.

 

[glestain]

If patina is built up, will it still get rust?

 

[chefcomesback]

If patina is built up, will it still get rust?

My experience with Kato workhorse was that it wasn't as reactive as my other carbon knives , if it has patina , if you walk away after cutting something you have some time before you need to grab scotch brite, with my shig and kochi you have seconds. In short yes it will rust , not as fast I have seen from watanabe, kochi or shig


Sent from my iPhone using Kitchen Knife Forum

 

[JBroida]

yes, if not cared for properly

 

[Matus]

Since this topic has not been discussed to death IMO, let me try

I would like to ask whether there is a difference in performance between western and WA Kato. I am asking because there is obviously difference in the thickness of these two versions.

thanks

 

[Andrey V]

My new project in progress
Kato Dragon
The first photo: the difference between Katos: Kikuryu, Dragon, Suji
Two last were the same ( polished)- now I change it into deep gray Kasumi with Uchigumori fingerstones
Will keep on polishing. But the change is already visible 😜😜

 

[Matus]

Having Kato Dragon on loan right now - I am just wondering that once this knife will need thinning (sooner than later I guess given that the blade is not particularly thin behind the edge) - how high up the blade will one have to go - will not the dragon engraving be also affected by the thinning?

@Matt: Please do not worry, I do not intend to learn thinning on your Kato

 

[Andrey V]

Guys, i tried out a rare Kato Yanagi 330 mm...... Till that moment i was pretty sure Shigefusa is better in single bevel. He is a King. But: when i saw that beauty, looking almost like a sword, i though: OMG!!!
Slicing fish or meat was a " brutal" pleasure. Not cutting- but SEPARATION. Scaring.... Buhhhh
Since that time I can't stop thinking of it...
I have a 240 Kato Yanagy, and a bunch of Shigefusa Yanagi from 210 to 300, ink Kitaeji..
But this one.........

 

[Andrey V]

This is that, BTW

 

[orange]

LOL...Andrey, you have a talent of making others, especially me, being intrigued by Katos.
I have a few shig yanagis and wanted to know about a kato yanagi.
Now, I am sure I will have to get a kato yanagi. ^^

 

[chinacats]

Well my first Kato (long overdue) is headed my way. I am looking forward to the Workhorse--240 gyuto. :knife:

 

[Andrey V]

LOL...Andrey, you have a talent of making others, especially me, being intrigued by Katos.
I have a few shig yanagis and wanted to know about a kato yanagi.
Now, I am sure I will have to get a kato yanagi. ^^

😜😜😜👍👍
The main difference in Yanagibas between them is the way you cut/feel.
Shigefusa is very sofisticated, i would say- a golden standard. It makes the job you want him to make, it means it can and does follow your hand.it cuts there , where you want to cut.
Kato make the other job- you have the feeling, the the knife allows you to hold it, sliding through the food with a sense of separation, not cutting it. Much more aggresive. Shigefusa is a perfect tool, Kato is a beast. Not everyone can really like it- Kato needs, like a real hot mighty horse , a real man , knowing what to do with.
Kato will not forgive nothing- false angles, wrong cuts- it can chips, ( Shigefusa as well, btw). But if you know to ride........
O M G!!!!!!!
You get this crazy fun of using it, it cries out to be used, it needs respect, same respect, as Kato-san gave to the . Great tools, especially in Maksim's agreed with Kato-san version. Wild mustangs.
I've got a rare version of Shigefusa Honesuki- WOW- this is the knife which IMHO beats Kato in same version( though the Kato is bigger and has 2 bevels). Just to inform you- I'm not the crazy fan, i know the stuff, that's all. F.ex i took Deba from Shigefusa- and it's great, very fine, very sharp, really classic.
Having tried out so many knives, having over 50 high- end knives in my collection ( to use, btw), i can separate " heaven from hell", i hope 😎. I just see that these 2 greatest Masters make really enjoyable stuff... Which differs from the rest. Again, in my honest opinion...

 

[Andrey V]

Well my first Kato (long overdue) is headed my way. I am looking forward to the Workhorse--240 gyuto. :knife:

240 - is a really nice size for Gyuto from Kato. All his best knives come in this size. Damascus, Kikuryu, Dragon... I have them all, they are fantastic knives. Really different from the other stuff. Quite heavy, but cut like a real Katana. Very aggresive, but without visible aggression- the only right picture i get is the Katana movement- to chance to stop it , no recall. It goes through, that's all. All Kato's knives need and deserve real good care, again like a good sword. Then they serve endless. Kato has a Katana maker's license, that's why his knives are so different. I think so. He makes them as swords, he quenches them as swords, he cools them with same sword movement. That's the style- that's the result.

 

[orange]

😜😜😜👍👍
The main difference in Yanagibas between them is the way you cut/feel.
Shigefusa is very sofisticated, i would say- a golden standard. It makes the job you want him to make, it means it can and does follow your hand.it cuts there , where you want to cut.
Kato make the other job- you have the feeling, the the knife allows you to hold it, sliding through the food with a sense of separation, not cutting it. Much more aggresive. Shigefusa is a perfect tool, Kato is a beast. Not everyone can really like it- Kato needs, like a real hot mighty horse , a real man , knowing what to do with.
Kato will not forgive nothing- false angles, wrong cuts- it can chips, ( Shigefusa as well, btw). But if you know to ride........
O M G!!!!!!!
You get this crazy fun of using it, it cries out to be used, it needs respect, same respect, as Kato-san gave to the . Great tools, especially in Maksim's agreed with Kato-san version. Wild mustangs.
I've got a rare version of Shigefusa Honesuki- WOW- this is the knife which IMHO beats Kato in same version( though the Kato is bigger and has 2 bevels). Just to inform you- I'm not the crazy fan, i know the stuff, that's all. F.ex i took Deba from Shigefusa- and it's great, very fine, very sharp, really classic.
Having tried out so many knives, having over 50 high- end knives in my collection ( to use, btw), i can separate " heaven from hell", i hope 😎. I just see that these 2 greatest Masters make really enjoyable stuff... Which differs from the rest. Again, in my honest opinion...

Thanks a lot again for your elaborate explanation.
A shige's edge ootb is rather delicate. So, I tune it for my taste. Then it becomes beastly robust yet light and nimble. This is good and bad; For me I hope it has a little more weight but it is just me. I can see, for a professional, it's just perfect.
I really look forward to Katos, hopely, in the near future.
I'd like to feel the "separation" ^^

 

[orange]

View attachment 25459
This is that, BTW

Andrey,

look what I found...^^
[video=youtube;CsryFuIXKsk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsryFuIXKsk[/video]

 

[Andrey V]

Andrey,

look what I found...^^
[video=youtube;CsryFuIXKsk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsryFuIXKsk[/video]

That's us last Gathering. That was cool. Next one in 2 days!! Can't wait [emoji41][emoji41]

 

[orange]

That's us last Gathering. That was cool. Next one in 2 days!! Can't wait [emoji41][emoji41]

I envy you guys. Have fun!! :doublethumbsup:
and please post lots of pictures and videos after.

 

[HomeCook]

Getting one of these is as difficult as hitting the lottery. 6am eastern standard the email went out. Half hour later when I read the email all five were sold out. The knife gods aren't happy with me I guess ;(

 

[mark76]

Half an hour? 15 minutes after I got the mail they were gone...

 

[marc4pt0]

Heck, like I said before, I never even Got the dang email

 

[joyless]

I managed to grab one, luckily i had my gmail open when i received the email
Wondeful knife, but it came with slightly damaged handle, obviously Maksim offered to replace the handle. Great service.

 

[marc4pt0]

Good for you, you're going to really enjoy this knife for certain. And if not, let me know, I'll be glad to take it off your hands.

 

[aboynamedsuita]

Looks like someone else will be enjoying it as it is in BST:
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/25025-Kato-240mm-workhorse-looking-for-Kochi-240mm

 

[jacko9]

Very good thread with a lot of the answers that I have been asking in other posts. This helps to narrow down what knife I want to get next and since I have two 240 and one 210 Gyutos the only question I still wonder about is which Kato Workhorse I will get when the opportunity presents itself the 210 or 240?

 

[DamageInc]

Very good thread with a lot of the answers that I have been asking in other posts. This helps to narrow down what knife I want to get next and since I have two 240 and one 210 Gyutos the only question I still wonder about is which Kato Workhorse I will get when the opportunity presents itself the 210 or 240?

I got both. The 210 is thinner at the tip. Better for onions. Both are great knives.