Does a workhorse-esque non-KU/non-Nashiji (ie polished) stainless clad gyuto exist?

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Apologies, I have a stainless clad watanabe 180 and assumed he went up in lengths. I'm stumped as well.
 
I don't know, my stainless clad Kochi is pretty thick at the spine. The kurouchi isn't what you're after, and it's thinner behind the edge, but I'd allllmost put it in that category. Certainly enough to dispell the idea that the pre-laminate doesn't come thick enough.

Right, so it's definitely the latter - I'm the freak
 
Apologies, I have a stainless clad watanabe 180 and assumed he went up in lengths. I'm stumped as well.

I have just sent him an email, we shall hopefully find out shortly
 
James mentioned somewhere that he's expecting a new batch of Tanaka knives in January if I remember correctly. But not even he knows exactly when or what's coming.

You'll better be on your stalking A game if you want to get one. Last time the Ginsans were OOS in a few hours and there were quite a few to go around. The SS clad B2 knives lasted about two days.

Although I think it might be closer to a robust middleweight than a workhorse. I have no experience with it, but James mentioned it being close to the originals. Maybe anyone who has one would chime in if the SS B2 Tanaka is a workhorse or a middleweight? Either way I want one too!

Eagerly watching this space.

Would love for someone to chime in about their weight
 
Never held any of them, but from reading posts, I got the impression that the B2 clad grid was similar to the damascus, which sounded like a middleweight. I think that the ginsanko was a thinner grind. James, can you comment?
 
I have the 270mm Tanaka SS/B2. Specs match those on the K&S website. ~270g. It feels beefy but it's very thin just behind the edge. It's a great cutter.
 
Never held any of them, but from reading posts, I got the impression that the B2 clad grid was similar to the damascus, which sounded like a middleweight. I think that the ginsanko was a thinner grind. James, can you comment?

The new ginsan migaki is a very thin knife...the older ginsan nashiji was beefier/heavier with wide bevels. Only one I've not tried is the stainless clad blue 2 but it's on my list.
 
I have the 270mm Tanaka SS/B2. Specs match those on the K&S website. ~270g. It feels beefy but it's very thin just behind the edge. It's a great cutter.

wow, 270g. I think its all about heavy ebony handle.
 
I have no idea how much extra the ebony handle weighs. It's still blade heavy when holding in a pinch grip.

The grind is nice and convex on the right hand side. I really like how it performs.
 
So Shinichi got back to me, however I think I had not explained what I was after properly. His reply was a quote for an iron clad gyuto.

I wrote back to him to clarify, hopefully he will come back to me soon.
 
So Shinichi got back to me, however I think I had not explained what I was after properly. His reply was a quote for an iron clad gyuto.

I wrote back to him to clarify, hopefully he will come back to me soon.

My guess is, that was his way of explaining to you what your options were.:) His command of the English language is actually pretty good.
 
I have the Migaki 240 gyuto and yes it's thin. I've had the Tanaka VG10 240 damascus and that certainly is a middleweight. I also have the B2 damascus nakiri which has about the same spine thickness with the VG10 240 gyuto.

But looking at the specs, the B2 KU gyuto and the B2 damascus gyuto are both heavier and thicker then VG10 version. So those B2 gyutos would seem to be in the workhorse region? If the Tanaka SS B2 240 is similar to those, then it could maybe considered a workhorse?
 
I believe the ku and the dammy blue 2 have similar geometry with the ku being a bit thicker behind the edge than the dammy...I've not tried the VG10 but have to imagine it would have the same grind as the dammy blue 2...as much as I despise stainless I'm still looking for a knife that cuts as well as the blue 2 damascus without the insane reactivity.
 
... I'm still looking for a knife that cuts as well as the blue 2 damascus without the insane reactivity.
Have to agree wholeheartedly. I have a Blue #2 Damascus santoku - quite possibly the best cutting ability for dollars spent ratio I've ever come across. But the reactivity is off the charts. Not my words but I believe someone once posted along the lines of, "starts reacting if I even think about cutting an onion".
 
Hmmm...

Tanaka B2 KU 240 gyuto
231 g
spine at the heel 2.8 mm
spine at the middle 2.1 mm

Tanaka B2 damascus 240 gyuto
226 g
spine at the heel 3.8 mm
spine at the middle 2.8 mm

Tanaka VG10 damascus 240 gyuto
155 g
spine at the heel 2.2 mm
spine at the middle 1.8 mm

The B2 dammy and KU specs are from K&S and the VG10 is from my old knife which had the ho wood / plastic ferrule handle that of sets the weight comparison a little.

Looking at the specs alone the B2 dammy would seem a little hefty with the spine thickness of 3.2/2.8mm IMO, but I've never actually held one so I have no idea how that translates to real life feel and use?

The only reason I don't own that B2 damascus is the crazy reactivity my B2 damascus nakiri has. It is simply a sublime cutter. I've mostly come to terms with the reactivity and just accepted the not so beautiful brown colour to be part of the blade. It is what it is.

But the SS clad version does fix that for sure. Does anyone know if the spine thickness and weight is closer to the VG10 damascus or the B2 damascus? I'll get one regardless, but for the OP one would probably be sturdy enough and the other certainly would not?
 
The blue 2 dammy I had was nowhere near 3.8 at the heel...I'll measure my next one when it arrives...I'm taking one more stab at the reactivity.
 
I have 240 b2 Dammy and it is 2,8 at the heel and 2 in the middle. Weight 205g, but mine with light plastic ferrule handle
 
Update:

Shinichi got back to me, looks like it's a no go:
hBAl28Bl.jpg



On the Tanakas, we really need James to chime in and clarify it for us...
 
I'm sure there are perfectly good reasons i am unaware of but what exactly causes the deep impact not to fit the bill?
 
But forgive me if i am way off, i don't exactly know what nashiji means. I saw the word first on the teryasu fujiwara website. He has three types of knives but doesn't really explain the difference, cheapest he calls nashiji.
 
Like a pear skin. Kinda like a hammered finish but with fewer hammer marks. Food release supposedly improved over kasumi or migaki. I've never used one so can't comment on the food release.
 
I'm sure there are perfectly good reasons i am unaware of but what exactly causes the deep impact not to fit the bill?

The OP here, I was keen on a Wa handle, which unfortunately rules the deep impact out.

The Eden knife does not have a polished surface, which again is not what I was after.

Seems like there are not a whole load of choices.

I wish Watanabe did this, his is the one I liked the most from the suggestions.

Happy to see if anyone had anything else in mind
 
Custom? What's the budget?

I thought about custom, but I think I'd rather stick with off the shelf *** stuff for now and leave the custom job to later.
 
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