PART 1
Let’s start with the Yoshi, and base ourselves on my review of the Santoku of the very same line back in October 2020:
Yoshikane Tsuchime Santoku
We had a score of 8.5/10 for the Santoku with my old review system. This year I introduced a new review formula with the Toyama, and intend to keep true to it.
Yoshikane Tsuchime 210mm
Same box, had given the average score, would still stand here but not part of the score anymore.
Handle: 0.5/1
Here what mostly kills this handle is being too bulky, which doesn’t combine very well with the blade being on the narrow side: knuckle clearance is really sparse. Balance walks the fine line of being too forward to suit the knife but still acceptable. If it wasn’t that in use I didn’t find any problem with either my knuckles or the balance, this was aiming for bottom marks real quick.
Blade: 0.5/1
It seems not all Yoshikane are made the same: here I have a well-rounded spine, but somewhat botched smoothing of the choil, indeed left rather rough out of it. Average marks where the Santoku had earned full mark – and still would in the new formula.
Finish: 0.5/1
There again, not all Yoshikane are made the same: I admit, as I did back with the Santoku, that it is a rather cheap finish. However, when perfect like on the Santoku, there’s really not much to say against it, where even aesthetically it remains rather pleasing, but this time I find ugly scratches here and there from grinding; nothing really disturbing but the fragile equilibrium to satisfaction is lost – average marks.
Performance: 2/2
Grind and geometry are excellent: these are the things that work tremendously well for any Yoshikane. I myself am not so inclined towards a long flat spot on a 200-210mm blade anymore, but it has definite advantages and the Yoshikane still sports a nice balance of flatness and curve to tip. Profile does not count towards the score in the new review formula.
Overall Score: 3.5/5
*****
Konosuke HD2 210mm
I like this box and it would have earned full scores with the old formula: simple neat looks, impressively rigid and sturdy, friction fit is very tight, the box fits the knife length to a T, and the carton sheath for the blade fits snugly on the plateau, the handle just as snugly fits in its depression – nothing moves.
+
Handle: 1/1
Beautifully done Ho handle. Balance is nice and I like the machi a lot, AND the machi gap as it suits the short blade length well and has that bit more style out of it. Ultimately, I wouldn’t dislike a handle 20 grams heavier that would about make balance neutral while giving more body to a knife I find rather a bit light, but where I am a sucker for plain looks this Ho got on my very best side. Terrible pun, I know.
Blade: 0.5/1
Narrowly missing full marks, where the spine is well rounded and the choil luxuriously smoothed from the right side while eased enough in the center– but then, I remarked it wasn’t smoothed at all coming from the left side, pretty angular and somewhat sharp there. Too lightweight and overall smooth finished to be any cause of stress, but shameful for a geometry that’s just about perfectly symmetrical: lefties welcome, but just not as comprehensively.
Finish: 0.5/1
Hairline finish, pretty well done while not as finely as my former Sukenari for example, but close enough. Fingerprint/scratches magnet as always, but I quite like nice hairline finishes for their simplicity and easy maintenance – even where they will obviously never warrant full marks.
Performance: 1.5/2
The Konosuke sure fares better than average: doesn’t stick, nice travel, rather pleasant food release due to a moderate but stringent convexity. It does carry however that slight friction where it cuts, felt in about any produce that has a certain density. Not unpleasantly so ultimately, provides for additional feedback more than hindrance to the cut, but still. Being a very lightweight knife isn’t exactly helping, where you do have to impart a certain additional momentum at times: not much will of its own. For a nimble tool with great cutting abilities and control it’s excellent. Where ultimate performance is concerned however I found better abilities with either great convex or thin and high enough wide bevels, where most produces feel like cutting through dense air. As great as the Kono is, and as subjective as this may be, for the price I think my score reflects it for what it is. I still think it’s a killer knife as a quick prepper you can let aside without much of a worry – which is exactly why I decided it was a keeper vs. Takada/Y. Tanaka, despite the latter being so much better for a similar price: iron cladded W#2 was too far remote of this kind of serviceability I think suits a shorter knife best.
Overall Score: 3.5/5
Let’s start with the Yoshi, and base ourselves on my review of the Santoku of the very same line back in October 2020:
Yoshikane Tsuchime Santoku
We had a score of 8.5/10 for the Santoku with my old review system. This year I introduced a new review formula with the Toyama, and intend to keep true to it.
Yoshikane Tsuchime 210mm
MAKER | Yoshikane (Sold: BST) |
TYPE & LENGTH | Gyuto 210mm |
FINISH & STEEL | Tsuchime SKD-12 |
WEIGHT / BALANCE | 140g / +25 |
HANDLE MATERIAL | Ho Wood & Buffalo Horn |
| |
TOTAL LENGTH | 355 |
BLADE LENGTH | 227 |
EDGE LENGTH | 214 |
| |
HEIGHT AT HEEL | 47 |
HEIGHT AT MID BLADE | 38 |
HEIGHT 35mm TO TIP | 25 |
| |
SPINE THICKNESS | (4.1mm out of handle) |
HEEL | 3.9 |
MID BLADE | 2 |
35mm TO TIP | 1.7 |
10mm TO TIP | 0.7 |
| |
THICKNESS OVER THE EDGE | @ 10/5/1mm |
HEEL + 10mm | 1.1 / 0.5 / < 0.1 |
MID BLADE | 0.9 / 0.5 / < 0.1 |
35mm TO TIP | 0.8 / 0.4 / < 0.1 |
TIP | 0.7 / 0.4 / < 0.1 |
Same box, had given the average score, would still stand here but not part of the score anymore.
Handle: 0.5/1
Here what mostly kills this handle is being too bulky, which doesn’t combine very well with the blade being on the narrow side: knuckle clearance is really sparse. Balance walks the fine line of being too forward to suit the knife but still acceptable. If it wasn’t that in use I didn’t find any problem with either my knuckles or the balance, this was aiming for bottom marks real quick.
Blade: 0.5/1
It seems not all Yoshikane are made the same: here I have a well-rounded spine, but somewhat botched smoothing of the choil, indeed left rather rough out of it. Average marks where the Santoku had earned full mark – and still would in the new formula.
Finish: 0.5/1
There again, not all Yoshikane are made the same: I admit, as I did back with the Santoku, that it is a rather cheap finish. However, when perfect like on the Santoku, there’s really not much to say against it, where even aesthetically it remains rather pleasing, but this time I find ugly scratches here and there from grinding; nothing really disturbing but the fragile equilibrium to satisfaction is lost – average marks.
Performance: 2/2
Grind and geometry are excellent: these are the things that work tremendously well for any Yoshikane. I myself am not so inclined towards a long flat spot on a 200-210mm blade anymore, but it has definite advantages and the Yoshikane still sports a nice balance of flatness and curve to tip. Profile does not count towards the score in the new review formula.
Overall Score: 3.5/5
*****
Konosuke HD2 210mm
MAKER | Konosuke (From BST: Traded) |
TYPE & LENGTH | Gyuto 210mm |
FINISH & STEEL | Hairline "HD2" (Taller) |
WEIGHT / BALANCE | 122g / +15 |
HANDLE MATERIAL | Ho Wood & Buffalo Horn |
| |
TOTAL LENGTH | 356 |
BLADE LENGTH | 213 |
EDGE LENGTH | 199 |
| |
HEIGHT AT HEEL | 49 |
HEIGHT AT MID BLADE | 38 |
HEIGHT 35mm TO TIP | 24 |
| |
SPINE | THICKNESS |
HEEL | 2.7 |
MID BLADE | 2 |
35mm TO TIP | 1.6 |
10mm TO TIP | 0.8 |
| |
THICKNESS OVER THE EDGE | @ 10/5/1mm |
HEEL + 10mm | 0.9 / 0.6 / < 0.1 |
MID BLADE | 0.9 / 0.6 / < 0.1 |
35mm TO TIP | 0.9 / 0.5 / < 0.1 |
TIP | 0.9 / 0.6 / < 0.1 |
I like this box and it would have earned full scores with the old formula: simple neat looks, impressively rigid and sturdy, friction fit is very tight, the box fits the knife length to a T, and the carton sheath for the blade fits snugly on the plateau, the handle just as snugly fits in its depression – nothing moves.
Handle: 1/1
Beautifully done Ho handle. Balance is nice and I like the machi a lot, AND the machi gap as it suits the short blade length well and has that bit more style out of it. Ultimately, I wouldn’t dislike a handle 20 grams heavier that would about make balance neutral while giving more body to a knife I find rather a bit light, but where I am a sucker for plain looks this Ho got on my very best side. Terrible pun, I know.
Blade: 0.5/1
Narrowly missing full marks, where the spine is well rounded and the choil luxuriously smoothed from the right side while eased enough in the center– but then, I remarked it wasn’t smoothed at all coming from the left side, pretty angular and somewhat sharp there. Too lightweight and overall smooth finished to be any cause of stress, but shameful for a geometry that’s just about perfectly symmetrical: lefties welcome, but just not as comprehensively.
Finish: 0.5/1
Hairline finish, pretty well done while not as finely as my former Sukenari for example, but close enough. Fingerprint/scratches magnet as always, but I quite like nice hairline finishes for their simplicity and easy maintenance – even where they will obviously never warrant full marks.
Performance: 1.5/2
The Konosuke sure fares better than average: doesn’t stick, nice travel, rather pleasant food release due to a moderate but stringent convexity. It does carry however that slight friction where it cuts, felt in about any produce that has a certain density. Not unpleasantly so ultimately, provides for additional feedback more than hindrance to the cut, but still. Being a very lightweight knife isn’t exactly helping, where you do have to impart a certain additional momentum at times: not much will of its own. For a nimble tool with great cutting abilities and control it’s excellent. Where ultimate performance is concerned however I found better abilities with either great convex or thin and high enough wide bevels, where most produces feel like cutting through dense air. As great as the Kono is, and as subjective as this may be, for the price I think my score reflects it for what it is. I still think it’s a killer knife as a quick prepper you can let aside without much of a worry – which is exactly why I decided it was a keeper vs. Takada/Y. Tanaka, despite the latter being so much better for a similar price: iron cladded W#2 was too far remote of this kind of serviceability I think suits a shorter knife best.
Overall Score: 3.5/5
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