Aogami Gyuto Recommendations

[volta87]

Hi all. I’ve got a

- Custom O1 170mm Gyuto
- Nakagawa Silver #3 Cleaver
- Ashi Hamono White #2

, and I would like to add a Blue (Super, #1 or #2) 240mm Gyuto to my collection.

This knife will be my daily driver. Beef, Chicken, Onion, Carrots, Herbs etc. No bone or hard veg like Swede/Turnips.

I’d like something really quite special around the £400/600 range that is in stock or will be in stock.

I’d like a new knife and not a pre owned for this particular knife.

Can anyone suggest anything that may meet my needs?

Many thanks

 

[Qapla']

, and I would like to add a Blue (Super, #1 or #2) 240mm Gyuto to my collection.

I’d like something really quite special around the £400/600 range that is in stock or will be in stock.

Something like this?

https://www.knothandcrafted.com/product/226mm-san-mai-gyuto

This knife will be my daily driver. Beef, Chicken, Onion, Carrots, Herbs etc. No bone or hard veg like Swede/Turnips.

What characterizes Swedish turnips?

 

[volta87]

Konosuke SKD

This could sway me too. But I’ve unintentionally got it into it head that white and blue is the best steel. Wrongly I’m sure.

 

[Jovidah]

What characterizes Swedish turnips?

Utterly unappealing flavor.

 

[Jovidah]

As to the OP's question... it would help if you have more 'preferences' to narrow down the selection than just steel type. So... weight / grind / height / balance , etc.

 

[blokey]

Something like this?

https://www.knothandcrafted.com/product/226mm-san-mai-gyuto


What characterizes Swedish turnips?

@Knot Handcrafted is absolutely excellent, probably gonna save you a lot of headache importing too

 

[rickbern]

These mizuno tanrenjo are classic Japanese blue steel knives. I don’t think they get mentioned as often as they should. You can upgrade the handle if that’s your preference

https://japanesechefsknife.com/prod...es?stamped_r_id=127839773&variant=33656538830

https://japanesechefsknife.com/prod...-wa-gyuto-with-shinogi-210mm-to-270mm-3-sizes

 

[rickbern]

Hi all. I’ve got a

- Custom O1 170mm Gyuto
- Nakagawa Silver #3 Cleaver
- Ashi Hamono White #2

, and I would like to add a Blue (Super, #1 or #2) 240mm Gyuto to my collection.

This knife will be my daily driver. Beef, Chicken, Onion, Carrots, Herbs etc. No bone or hard veg like Swede/Turnips.

I’d like something really quite special around the £400/600 range that is in stock or will be in stock.

I’d like a new knife and not a pre owned for this particular knife.

Can anyone suggest anything that may meet my needs?

Many thanks

In American English Swedes are called rutabagas. @volta87 don’t be afraid of using even the thinnest gyuto on hard vegetables. Bones are a different story but turnips and squash won’t damage these knives as long as you don’t twist the blade. And despite the snarky comment, like lots of vegetables they’re delicious if you cook them properly

https://www.wnyc.org/story/recipe-alice-waterss-rutabaga-and-parsnip-gratin/

 

[Just a DK]

any of the hatsukokoro (yoake, komorebi, shinkiro) are great in the price range.

Not sure if toyama’s still exist at that price range in europe. Im sure quite a few ss clads will turn up if you want to try bst.

 

[MrHiggins]

I'll put in a strong vote for Toyama. His Blue 2 is one of my absolute favorites. Tough as nails and sharpens like a dream.

 

[shobudonnie]

https://miuraknives.com/japanese-kn...ze-24cm-id4678-63735-japanese-knife-kage.html

 

[MrHiggins]

Maybe this post should be moved to the Unpopular Opinions thread, but I'm not a fan of Blue 1 (at least in the versions I've tried). It's just too prone to chipping. I've always had to create a fairly large microbevels to avoid chips.

Others seem to love it, so maybe it's just unique to me.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Definitely look into @Knot Handcrafted and @Jaeger here on the forum (not sure of his business name).

I've had one knife from Michael Knot and it was very nice. He will be the maker of my next custom as well.

EDIT: Sorry, I should've clarified, I don't know that either of these gentlemen can do Aogami but they can do other equally awesome steels.

 

[captaincaed]

I’m going to vote against newer Mizunos. Around 2017 they made good knives, but my last two had uninspired grinds and poor finish. Pictures from other members here make me think it’s gotten even worse. I have sold all my Mizunos. Don’t hold their value well either. I also can’t recommend Hinoura - chunky grind.

I’ll second Toyama or Watanabe. If you look around a bit you can sometimes find a Fujiwara Denka in that price range, and I enjoy mine quite a bit. I’ve also been happy with Sukenari, although a quick glance around makes me think they’ve stopped making the aogami line.

 

[Barmoley]

Maybe this post should be moved to the Unpopular Opinions thread, but I'm not a fan of Blue 1 (at least in the versions I've tried). It's just too prone to chipping. I've always had to create a fairly large microbevels to avoid chips.

Others seem to love it, so maybe it's just unique to me.

My guess is you got a bad one. At the reported hardness of something like Toyama ~65 hrc, blue 2 has pretty low toughness which is similar to blue 1 at the same. Mizuno blue 1 on their KS version is very good as an example. No chipping or anything. Could also be geometry of your particular knife, many new toyamas microchip originally since they have very thin edge from the maker.

 

[SharpestToolintheShed]

In American English Swedes are called rutabagas. @volta87 don’t be afraid of using even the thinnest gyuto on hard vegetables. Bones are a different story but turnips and squash won’t damage these knives as long as you don’t twist the blade. And despite the snarky comment, like lots of vegetables they’re delicious if you cook them properly

https://www.wnyc.org/story/recipe-alice-waterss-rutabaga-and-parsnip-gratin/

I made some Neeps the other day. It was utterly delicious.

Back to knives. Pray to the kitchen gods and see if you can find a Takeda NAS
https://knifewear.com/cdn/shop/products/takeda-2-1_5000x.jpg?v=1578705932

 

[jacobwilder5]

Tetsujin blue #2 is worth checking out. Great all around performer that can usually be found in stock. The grinds on them are

 

[Simply]

Maybe this post should be moved to the Unpopular Opinions thread, but I'm not a fan of Blue 1 (at least in the versions I've tried). It's just too prone to chipping. I've always had to create a fairly large microbevels to avoid chips.

Others seem to love it, so maybe it's just unique to me.

Probably comes down to the smith like most other things. Have a TxK extra height that I’ve used at least a couple days a week for the past 6-7 months and haven’t had a single chip, and it’s thinnnnnn.

Have had a similar experience with other kyuzos, good steel that’s buttery to put a quick edge on around 3k

 

[jedy617]

My guess is you got a bad one. At the reported hardness of something like Toyama ~65 hrc, blue 2 has pretty low toughness which is similar to blue 1 at the same. Mizuno blue 1 on their KS version is very good as an example. No chipping or anything. Could also be geometry of your particular knife, many new toyamas microchip originally since they have very thin edge from the maker.

Yeah at high hardness, I mean all the hitachi papers should be reasonably close in terms of toughness, besides maybe like aogami super and shiro 3 at the extreme? It's not like AEBL vs VG10 or something. I have chipped AS once, after I changed the angle a bit, never had a problem with it even though it's the least tough.

 

[rickbern]

I’m going to vote against newer Mizunos. Around 2017 they made good knives, but my last two had uninspired grinds and poor finish. Pictures from other members here make me think it’s gotten even worse. I have sold all my Mizunos. Don’t hold their value well either. I also can’t recommend Hinoura - chunky grind.

I’ll second Toyama or Watanabe. If you look around a bit you can sometimes find a Fujiwara Denka in that price range, and I enjoy mine quite a bit. I’ve also been happy with Sukenari, although a quick glance around makes me think they’ve stopped making the aogami line.

Ahh, I have an older one

 

[Yoshi]

I'll suggest a Shindo. I've got a 210mm gyuto shipped to the UK for just about £100. Apparently tokushu will be getting a shipment of 240mm soon.

Very good HT, with a thin s grind. Cuts like a laser with the food release of a mid weight workhorse. No chipping issue, and sharpens extremely easily.

 

[romanjanos]

Check out this Tetsujin Mist 240mm kiritsuke by Nahito Myojin. I saw it in the shop and it's absolutely stunning.

https://www.chefsarmoury.com/produc...itsuke-with-saya?_pos=32&_sid=f92034cc0&_ss=r

Or budget one: Nigara Aogami Super 240 Kiritsuke. It's an excellent knife for the price, and Nigara's heat treatment is pretty solid.

https://www.knivesandstones.com.au/...i-tsuchime-finished-k-tip-gyuto-210-240-270mm

 

[volta87]

I'll put in a strong vote for Toyama. His Blue 2 is one of my absolute favorites. Tough as nails and sharpens like a dream.

Any link to this?

 

[romanjanos]

Any link to this?

https://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/toyama-noborikoi/

 

[gentiscid]

Kohetsu Blue 2

 

[romanjanos]

You can also buy a knife directly from Fujiwara. They’re great at communicating and you can tell them what you want (tall, wide, etc.).

https://www.teruyasu.net/products/japanese_knife_gyuto_denka_jstyle.html

 

[rickbern]

Utterly unappealing flavor.

Jovidah, just read a review of this book, gonna buy it

https://www.amazon.com/Misunderstood-Vegetables-Sunchokes-Rutabaga-Eggplant/dp/1682688038

 

[Jovidah]

But most of those vegetables mentioned or shown there are fine. Romanesco is probably my favorite cabbage (can't eat it anymore but that's another matter). Brussel sprouts same story; they're great. Jerusalem artichokes, awesome, parsnips awesome.
For me though, rutabagas were really one of those few 'forgotten vegetables' that deserved to be forgotten...
I guess we just have different tastes.

 

[aporigine]

... Brussel sprouts same story; they're great.

[your worst words here!]

 

[JASinIL2006]

You can also buy a knife directly from Fujiwara. They’re great at communicating and you can tell them what you want (tall, wide, etc.).

https://www.teruyasu.net/products/japanese_knife_gyuto_denka_jstyle.html

This is not a bad recommendation, if the OP is really sold on trying Aogami. Fujiwara's Aogami super is pretty damn good. My Denka gyuto is the closest thing I have to a daily driver. And the price is within OP's range...