Hitohira Tanaka vs Konosuke FM

[Southpaw]

Anybody have both these knives? Or have owned both at some point? If so can u speak to their differences?

I’m really curious about f&f cuz Konosuke is legendary for how polished their spine and choil are, but I own a Hitohira Togashi and it’s easily the smoothest spine and choil on my magnet.

lastly would u pick one over the other, and if so why?

 

[Mikeadunne]

I have both.

I prefer the konosuke for mostly sentimental reasons. The fit and finish on both is superb and actually the handle on my Tanaka Kyuzo is “cleaner” than my kono. I have my hitohira Tanaka on bst right now basically because they are so similar and I had the kono first and am more attached to it.

 

[syinx]

The Tanaka Kambei feels just as spectacular F&F as my Fujiyama. For me, it really showcased how the Fujiyama is less the knife line, and more the spirit of the collaborative duo of Tanaka and Morihiro

 

[nwshull]

Flak incoming.

 

[friz]

I owned Hitohira Togashi wide bevel, Hitohira Tanaka Kyuzo wide bevel, I handled but never used Tanaka Kambei wide bevel, and I own Konosuke Fujiyama wide bevel. All gyutos.
Togashi, for some reason doesn't cut as well as Kyuzo and Konosuke.
Kambei, I handled the damascus version and it feels too light, even though is balanced, I didn't feel like handling a knife.
Kyuzo and Fujiyama cut both great, I think the satin finish on the kyuzo (and togashi) are not excellent (but are very good), I prefer the finish of a fujiyama there.
I have seen and handled the kurouchi of kyuzo and I don't like the finish at all, scratchy on the kurouchi? I have never seen and handled a kuoruchi by fujiyama for comparison.
Spine and choil of all the knives I mentioned are great, is matter of taste. No complaints there.

 

[hagepandemanden]

I have both.

I prefer the konosuke for mostly sentimental reasons. The fit and finish on both is superb and actually the handle on my Tanaka Kyuzo is “cleaner” than my kono. I have my hitohira Tanaka on bst right now basically because they are so similar and I had the kono first and am more attached to it.

still selling?

 

[Mikeadunne]

still selling?

Long gone. But I’d bet if you put a wtb ad up you’d get some kind of offer.

 

[josemartinlopez]

I own both and thought the (new) FM is great but nothing mythical about it. I like the Hitohira Tanaka Yohei, Takada suiboku, thin light knives along these lines...

 

[Knivperson]

@shinyunggyun tried a lot of Tanakas.

 

[WaTFTanaki]

I own both and thought the (new) FM is great but nothing mythical about it. I like the Hitohira Tanaka Yohei, Takada suiboku, thin light knives along these lines...

Same: I just got a kikumori Tanaka 240 ground by Morihiro. It’s superb but in A vs B testing with the 240 Yohei…. Well the Yohei wins for cutting ease and pleasure. I guess I am just a Tanaka plus Takada guy.

 

[WiriWiri]

FWiW I marginally prefer the cutting feel on my (new, Myojin) FM, but the Yohei Tanaka is very close, FIt and finish is a bit more polished and smoother on the Yohei if anything. Realistically the differences are small enough between some of the ranges to mean that it’s likely to come down to individual blades and personal tastes as much as anything.

The only morihiro I own is a bit more chunky and traditional in with its pronounced wide bevel appearance - and I’ve found Kyuzo felt a little closer to the Morihiro approach than the newer FMs and Takeda types (albeit based on a sample of one Tanaka Kyuzo in shop)

 

[Hz_zzzzzz]

Same: I just got a kikumori Tanaka 240 ground by Morihiro. It’s superb but in A vs B testing with the 240 Yohei…. Well the Yohei wins for cutting ease and pleasure. I guess I am just a Tanaka plus Takada guy.

I'm not surprised as I've had kagekiyo (morihiro) and FMs (myojin) and I didn't feel the magic of kagekiyo either. It's great but I think myojin grind is at least as good if not better. Convex grind is just superior to slightly concave wide bevel IMHO.

 

[superworrier]

I found the FM to cut much easier than the Takada Suiboku I had, but the Suiboku was definitely more convex and finished very well, but the tip sucked and the back side stuck to everything. The converse is that the food release was of course, much better.

 

[shinyunggyun]

There is nothing mythical about any gyuto made by y. Tanaka. They all range from good to great. Hence, the smith that nobody praises to be one of the greatest of all time, but the one that nobody can live without.

 

[superworrier]

People do fixate a lot on having a Y Tanaka Gyuto but probably don’t realize that the sharpener makes a bigger difference to OOTB performance