Yoshiaki Fujiwara-Kato 240mm review

[heirkb]

Wow just noticed the razors. Tons of Japanese blades, a Puma (?)...nice!

 

[mainaman]

Wow just noticed the razors. Tons of Japanese blades, a Puma (?)...nice!

There are 2 Pumas actually both mine, a bunch of Japanese blades and a few western ones that I am working on for someone.

 

[chinacats]

There you go

Together with Kato petty

Not sure if it is me, the photos or actually the profile, but it does look 'different.'

 

[markenki]

Not sure if it is me, the photos or actually the profile, but it does look 'different.'

Different from?

 

[mainaman]

Different from?

+1

 

[mpukas]

There you go

Thanks for the pics.

Yeah, I agree w/ the above post - not sure if it's the pic, but it does look "different". Different from what? Different from most all other Japanese knives I've owned and looked at. Yours being a 240, and bieniek's beign a 270 (I think) yours does look a bit pudgy in the pics. Not that that's a bad thing, just an observation.

I'm also not convinced of the thick knives. My Heiji is a good cutter, but not as good as my Yusuke KS clone, which has a better convex grind and is 1/2 as fat. The Heiji is not really convex - it's got wide hamaguri bevels, but the blade face above the bevels is dead flat. Sticktion + wedging. Do these Kato's have a convex face above the bevel?

Nice razors, btw. I have no idea what's what in there, but it's intriguing!!!

 

[mainaman]

Thanks for the pics.

Yeah, I agree w/ the above post - not sure if it's the pic, but it does look "different". Different from what? Different from most all other Japanese knives I've owned and looked at.

I can agree it somehow looks different it also cuts a lot better than anything I have tried so far.

I'm also not convinced of the thick knives. My Heiji is a good cutter, but not as good as my Yusuke KS clone, which has a better convex grind and is 1/2 as fat. The Heiji is not really convex - it's got wide hamaguri bevels, but the blade face above the bevels is dead flat. Sticktion + wedging. Do these Kato's have a convex face above the bevel?

no flats on the sides of this knife, again you gotta try it to understand what we mean by it cuts like nothing else I have tried. There is no wedging that I have experienced yet, apples, potatoes, squash no wedging. The steel is just really good, very hard and holds edge teally long, unlike any other knife I have owned.

 

[wsfarrell]

My Kato 240 arrived yesterday. I tested it on some large carrots against a 240 Shigefusa, Konosuke HD, and Devin Thomas ITK. I was really really really skeptical that a knife this thick would outcut a Shig, but it did. Not by much, though: If the Kato is 100, the Shigefusa is 97.5, the Kono 93 and the DT 91. Those numbers are totally subjective, and will change as I cut more stuff, but I'm impressed.

Sighting along the blade profile from the heel, it looks exceedingly thin near the edge, almost hollow ground, though I'm not experienced enough to be sure. Maybe Maxim has some clues as to how these are produced?

 

[Von blewitt]

My Kato 240 arrived yesterday. I tested it on some large carrots against a 240 Shigefusa, Konosuke HD, and Devin Thomas ITK. I was really really really skeptical that a knife this thick would outcut a Shig, but it did. Not by much, though: If the Kato is 100, the Shigefusa is 97.5, the Kono 93 and the DT 91. Those numbers are totally subjective, and will change as I cut more stuff, but I'm impressed.

Sighting along the blade profile from the heel, it looks exceedingly thin near the edge, almost hollow ground, though I'm not experienced enough to be sure. Maybe Maxim has some clues as to how these are produced?

I've had my 270 kato gyuto for about a month, and yesterday received the 240 shig I bought from the BST section. I must say that although they cut differently I find it hard to separate them. The kato glides through food more easily but I feel like the shig offers more feedback. I'm glad to have both!

 

[mainaman]

I've had my 270 kato gyuto for about a month, and yesterday received the 240 shig I bought from the BST section. I must say that although they cut differently I find it hard to separate them. The kato glides through food more easily but I feel like the shig offers more feedback. I'm glad to have both!

Max told me the Kato are more hand made than Shigefusa.

 

[bieniek]

but I feel like the shig offers more feedback.

funny you say that cause for me its other way around
I feel like the shig is a little "not present" when cutting

 

[maxim]

When skepticism pass it will be very different knife 😄
Kato grind is very convex from the spine to the edge

My Kato 240 arrived yesterday. I tested it on some large carrots against a 240 Shigefusa, Konosuke HD, and Devin Thomas ITK. I was really really really skeptical that a knife this thick would outcut a Shig, but it did. Not by much, though: If the Kato is 100, the Shigefusa is 97.5, the Kono 93 and the DT 91. Those numbers are totally subjective, and will change as I cut more stuff, but I'm impressed.

Sighting along the blade profile from the heel, it looks exceedingly thin near the edge, almost hollow ground, though I'm not experienced enough to be sure. Maybe Maxim has some clues as to how these are produced?

 

[mainaman]

funny you say that cause for me its other way around
I feel like the shig is a little "not present" when cutting

same for me, no way Shigefusa offers more feedback , but to each their own.