Best convex grinds in the game?

[Blumbo]

I recently got a Sakai Takayuki Ginsan Damascus Santoku forged by Yamatsuka and sharpened by Hirotsugu Tosa which has a lovely convex grind and have never been more convinced that edge geometry is 90% of the cutting and sharpening experience. What are the best convex ground knives you have worked with?

 

[Tethien]

If it has to be convex then my Kurokaze is probably my favorite I’ve tried, the grind is a little thick but the convex it’s beautifully done with it being pretty thin bte. But my best preforming and honestly favorite knives are knives I’ve thinned myself with flat bevels and slightly more acute angle near the edge. Heads a shoulders above any knife I’ve received stock.

 

[esoo]

Myojin when he is given enough steel to work with. Kono MM is tops from him. SG2 I had was good, but needed to ground thinner. My FM (a 210 white 2) was a nothing blade.

Shihan is deceptively good.

 

[ashy2classy]

Toyama and Myojin are my favorites. I can't get enough of the Tetsujin combo.

 

[ethompson]

@Kippington and my second place isn’t even particularly close

 

[ashy2classy]

@Kippington and my second place isn’t even particularly close

Wish Kipp did different profiles. I used to love the drop-nose tips but my preferences have changed.

 

[tostadas]

Tony Laseur has the best convex I've ever tried.

For Japanese makers, Toyama, Mazaki, and Ikeda are very good. Myojin and Takada also good but they tend to be thinner blades overall so the convexity is less pronounced.

 

[DitmasPork]

Watanabe, Kato, Shig, Takada.

 

[ashy2classy]

Tony Laseur has the best convex I've ever tried.

For Japanese makers, Toyama, Mazaki, and Ikeda are very good. Myojin and Takada also good but they tend to be thinner blades overall so the convexity is less pronounced.

I haven't tried his new stuff, but the convex Tony did on my integral was dope.

 

[M1k3]

Wish Kipp did different profiles. I used to love the drop-nose tips but my preferences have changed.

Get a custom?

 

[blokey]

Kippington, ShiHan, Toyama, Markin

 

[ashy2classy]

Get a custom?

I'll get back to you in 2039

 

[Bensonhai]

#TeamMyojin

 

[dehory]

Kippington, ShiHan, Toyama, Markin

I’d add Bidinger to this list.

 

[timebard]

Kippington, ShiHan, Toyama, Markin

This plus Myojin is a damn good list.

 

[Gavva]

Kipp, Shihan, Toyama,Takada and Myojin

 

[Blumbo]

This plus Myojin is a damn good list.

What Myojin ground knives have good convexity? My Tetsujin is suuuuper thin bordering on flat

 

[sumis]

What Myojin ground knives have good convexity? My Tetsujin is suuuuper thin bordering on flat

kono mm.

.

 

[Gavva]

What Myojin ground knives have good convexity? My Tetsujin is suuuuper thin bordering on flat

Kikuchiyo Izo

 

[SwampDonkey]

In my collection:

1) Munetoshi (there's variance from knife to knife and I've had 2 but my 240 is exceptional)

2) Mazaki

3) Okubo

3)4) Wat Pro

*Spåre TBD

 

[ehhh]

JNS Wakui WH surprised me with how well it cut. Thin BTE, great edge OOTB, plus the weight make it fall through stuff with no effort.
My Shig KU santoku also cuts great OOTB with great food release.
For pure food release, nothing so far has beaten my Tadafusa. It has a convex wide bevel, the shoulder and nashiji finish knock just about everything off.

Wakui WH:

 

[tim huang]

Myojin ，Takada, Ashi

 

[labor of love]

Kato hands down. Old school Yoshikane (pre 2013?) is a distant second.

 

[Nemo]

I'm a bit confused. You seem to be talking about convexity of the whole blade face but you mention that you find that edge geometry is more important. Is that a typo? FWIW, I certainly find that geometry of the whole blade (especially the geometry just behind the edge) has more impact on cutting performance than edge geometry.

There are a number of takes on blade convexity:

1) Thinner knife that packs as much convexity into a small width as possible. For me, Akebono is the archetype of this knife. There are probably others.
2) Middleweight convex. Mizuno Tanrengen Hontanren is a pretty good pick here.
3) Heavy food release convex knives. Watanabe and Toyama ironclad are great examples. Stainless clad are said to be a little thinner. Mert makes a fantastic workhorse grind.
4) Food release knife with convex wide bevels. The hammered versions of Wakui and Yoshikane SKD are great examples.

Interesting but not surprising to see the love for Kippington's convex grind. I have 2 Kips but neither is convex ground (one is a concave laser, one is a hook).

 

[Blumbo]

I'm a bit confused. You seem to be talking about convexity of the whole blade face but you mention that you find that edge geometry is more important. Is that a typo? FWIW, I certainly find that geometry of the whole blade (especially the geometry just behind the edge) has more impact on cutting performance than edge geometry.

There are a number of takes on blade convexity:

1) Thinner knife that packs as much convexity into a small width as possible. For me, Akebono is the archetype of this knife. There are probably others.
2) Middleweight convex. Mizuno Tanrengen Hontanren is a pretty good pick here.
3) Heavy food release convex knives. Watanabe and Toyama ironclad are great examples. Stainless clad are said to be a little thinner. Mert makes a fantastic workhorse grind.
4) Food release knife with convex wide bevels. The hammered versions of Wakui and Yoshikane SKD are great examples.

Interesting but not surprising to see the love for Kippington's convex grind. I have 2 Kips but neither is convex ground (one is a concave laser, one is a hook).

Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the response! My impression was that blades could have convex grinds BTE which is separate but can also be related to convexity of the primary bevel! I might also be hallucinating a little when feeling the profile and edge of my knives haha.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the response! My impression was that blades could have convex grinds BTE which is separate but can also be related to convexity of the primary bevel! I might also be hallucinating a little when feeling the profile and edge of my knives haha.

Your edge bevel is, or should be, very narrow and what little convexity it may have will have minimal impact.

The knife in this picture has a very narrow edge:

I recently got a Sakai Takayuki Ginsan Damascus Santoku forged by Yamatsuka and sharpened by Hirotsugu Tosa which has a lovely convex grind and have never been more convinced that edge geometry is 90% of the cutting and sharpening experience. What are the best convex ground knives you have worked with?

View attachment 281289 View attachment 281290

As @Nemo is saying, the main bevel or primary grind of the knife is what brings 90+% of the cutting experience to the board. Thinness just behind (above) the edge bevel is the most important aspect and then gives way to the remainder of the blade.

Convexity should be thought of as a typically subtle but gradual curve that is wider towards the spine and narrows towards the edge. This convexity can start higher or lower on the blade but it is still part of the primary grind.

I've noticed on KKF some folks consider fairly flat angles as convex.

Whether or not convexity is superior is up to you and the individual and will also depend on how it is executed on the knife. Convexity does not have anything to do with the blade's width though so you can have a very thick knife with convexity that doesn't cut all that well but is very strong. On a very thin knife, the convexity will be very, very subtle and may not impart much benefit.

 

[enrico]

Kippington, Kato, and personally I like Joe at Halcyon Forge convex grinds

 

[shobudonnie]

NAOHITTTO!

x nakagawa

 

[JayS20]

For Japanese it's Watanabe/Toyama, Shig and Wakui for me.
For Western it's Kamon, Kippington, probably ShiHan, Bidinger and also Isasmedjan.

 

[dehory]

Although I don’t have any personal experience with Jannis’s knives (yet), I feel like it’d be remiss of us not to mention Xerxes too.