watanabe 240 gyuto

[Robert]

I like to buy this one but I have some concern ; I do a lot of onion cutting , vertical and horizontal slices before final cutting.
I read that the watanabe is heavy ,is the tip fine enough to do this kind of work?

 

[Krakorak]

As far as I know, the tips in Watanabe gyutos are relatively thick, I had one for some time (check photo here: http://rhamphorhynchus.rajce.idnes.cz/Watanabe_Pro_kurouchi_180_mm_gyuto/#DSCN7770.jpg) and there are certainly better knives for cutting onions...

 

[Krakorak]

But if you would order one custom from him, you might ask him to grind the tip thinner for you, Shinichi is a really kind man...

 

[daveb]

His Pro Nakiri would be ideal for onions. And tomatoes. And other veg. You could ask for a similar thickness in a Gyuto or just go for the Nakiri.

 

[khashy]

His Pro Nakiri would be ideal for onions. And tomatoes. And other veg. You could ask for a similar thickness in a Gyuto or just go for the Nakiri.

Plus the Nakiri looks so god damn gorgeous

 

[Jkts]

But if you would order one custom from him, you might ask him to grind the tip thinner for you, Shinichi is a really kind man...

That's a good idea. He makes knives thinner on request. Also tell him what you how you will use it and how much use it will get. He could create a knife that perfectly suits your needs.

 

[krx927]

I have his 240 gyuto completely standard. The first time I was cutting an onion just these vertical and horizontal slices amazed me to the max. My eyes just popped out like in a cartoon

The knife was just falling through the onion in a way I never experienced before. I immediately started to check the tip and I discovered that it is really really thin, just like the rest of the knife immediately behind the edge.

No worries what so every with this aspect of the knife :doublethumbsup:

Just one more comment: his keyaki octagonal handle is worth every penny and I strongly recommend it.

 

[chinacats]

I always thought the tip on the Wat was much thinner proportionately than the rest of the blade, but as stated above it matches the rest of the blades thinness behind the edge.

 

[daveb]

I want Wat.

 

[aboynamedsuita]

I think the one Krakorak was referring to is Kurouchi (?), sounds like the standard ones aren't an issue. I should be able to report on the 240 honyaki if I can ever get the time to put my handle put on.

 

[daddy yo yo]

I think the one Krakorak was referring to is Kurouchi (?), sounds like the standard ones aren't an issue. I should be able to report on the 240 honyaki if I can ever get the time to put my handle put on.

Do you have a 240 Watanabe Honyaki? Can you post pictures, please? Is it standard geometry or did you have any custom features made?

 

[aboynamedsuita]

Do you have a 240 Watanabe Honyaki? Can you post pictures, please? Is it standard geometry or did you have any custom features made?

Yes, I got in early/mid 2015 but have been making custom handle arrangements since then. In the end I decided to go with knives&stones ebony nickel-silver and horn (here is rough fitted picture)

This picture may show the profile better (maybe)

The only thing I asked for was engraving in the left side since it'll match the single bevels


EDIT

Also this is from a post I made earlier:

PM received, the 270 I ordered (was out of stock) kept getting delayed so I asked koki to cancel since by then I already have Watanabe honyaki

I did have the 240 version and liked it, but sold it as I wanted the 270 (which didn't work out in the end). It had a flatter profile than Watanabe (iirc) and also not quite as tall.

If memory serves this is the 240 choil shot

Watanabe honyaki will add 110% (ie 2.1 time the cost) of the regular gyuto listed here http://www.kitchen-knife.jp/pro/pro.htm
The review at zknives (http://www.zknives.com/knives/kitchen/ktknv/watanabe/watanabehkgy270.shtml) really captured my interest in Watanabe knives.

I polished the grind marks out of the choil on mine too. Here's a before/after of my gyuto and suji

I also paid 50% more for mirror polish. You don't really see the hamon unless the lighting is correct, but you can use fingerstones or etch. Also the hamon is more of a straight line.

OOTB mirror

OOTB mirror with lighting to see hamon

Uchigumori figgerstone by me

Etched by JKI

 

[aboynamedsuita]

BTW the choil shot in my quoted post is Sukenari (I think)

 

[inzite]

BTW the choil shot in my quoted post is Sukenari (I think)

lovely stuff as always my friend!

 

[Krassi]

Holy Karate! those are beautys!

 

[krx927]

Real beauties!

 

[Robert]

Ok I will send mr Watanabe a mail for a more refined tip, most of the time I just order from his professional line without comments.(I have already 5 knifes made by him)

 

[Sharpchef]

I recently tested @bennyprofane `s 270mm Watanabe Gyuto and it was one of the best onion cutters i had in my hand so far!

You just have to give them a Microbevel, then this are superb knifes!

Greets Sebastian.

 

[bennyprofane]

Yes, on my Kasumi 270 the tip doesn't look as thin when looking on it from the top but it's actually very thin near the edge and just falls through onions.

The Wat is really my favourite knife so far and edge retention is amazing.

 

[aboynamedsuita]

lovely stuff as always my friend!

Holy Karate! those are beautys!

Real beauties!

Wait until you see the single bevels, that's what the two extra handles are for

The 330 honyaki kensaki yanagi is getting the ebony with double spacer and black horn (to match the other honyakis) and the 300 Kintaro-ame sakimaru takobiki is getting the gidgee with double spacer and streaked horn. I have to square up at the emoto/machi and do a bit more work (including uchigumori finish) so don't have them ready yet. Kinda surprised as I've had the yanagi since early 2015 but was delayed with handles, then contacted James at Knives & Stones and we worked something out very quickly.