K tip heartbreaks

[Just a DK]

Sigh, both my K-tip's (Shibata bunka and Nigara Kiritsuke's) tips have been chipped off less than 6 months in.

Is this common for K-tip's? all of my other gyoto's / santoku are fine. Just curious if they are structurally more fragile and its a known issue or is the user at fault here (wife?)

that being said i'm probably never buying a k-tip anything again.

Fairly new here so please let me know if I'm violating any rules -

 

[Qapla']

Kiritsuke-style points are more fragile than conventional points. They're also lower to the board (which means more likelihood of impact) and have less metal backing them up.

It's a known structural limitation that multiple users here have encountered in the past.

IIRC Shibata bunka's are also especially thin? That could've also posed some of the risk.

 

[jacobwilder5]

Yes, more fragile.

And it’s never your wife’s fault (even if it is).

 

[Benuser]

I guess the k-tip isn't appropriate for general usage. With santokus I sharpen, I rarely see un undamaged tip. It's low and likely to cut into the board with any other technique than push-cutting. Go figure for k-tips.
When slicing, forward or pulling, the tip gets unwanted in contact with the board. The most robust tips I know are the typical gyoto one: a bit lower than a spear point, but still with an upswing. Have a look at the angle that spine and edge make. Together with the presence or absence of an upswing it will tell you whether the tip may survive.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I've had multiple k-tips in the form of bunkas, a gyuto, and currently a Nigara nakiri and, *knock on wood*, I've never tipped one. My gyuto did arrive to me tipped. Sure, the tip might be a little more susceptible than other designs but all the one's I've had were thick enough to not be anything approaching fragile.

I'm pretty conscious of where the tip of knives are going all the time anyway. I don't have a lot of space so it's just kind of natural plus, I don't want to tip and or bend the tip of any of my knives. You also have to be pretty conscious of the angle when rock chopping. A k-tip often can't go as high as other knives before the tip digs into your board.

 

[Delat]

Sigh, both my K-tip's (Shibata bunka and Nigara Kiritsuke's) tips have been chipped off less than 6 months in.

Is this common for K-tip's? all of my other gyoto's / santoku are fine. Just curious if they are structurally more fragile and its a known issue or is the user at fault here (wife?)

that being said i'm probably never buying a k-tip anything again.

Fairly new here so please let me know if I'm violating any rules -

Depends on how you tipped them. I managed to drop my Yoshikane k-tip, which is 100% on me. I’ve never damaged one in use though. If you’re damaging the tip while cutting, then the k-tip profile isn’t for you and you probably need a gyuto with more curve and a higher tip.

My biggest issue is sometimes (rarely) bumping the tip of any knife against the side of the sink while washing. k-tip or not, that’s not a good thing and tends to cause damage.

Anyway to answer your question, yes the tip of a k-tip is more fragile than most gyutos due to the shape. Some gyutos have a very pointy tip though, and are probably just as fragile.

 

[ethompson]

Never had a k tip single bevel that didn’t chip instantly at the tip no matter how careful I was. They’re just super fragile. I kinda hate them for that reason

 

[NotAddictedYet]

First, my condolences.

I haven't chipped my K tip gyutos yet (including a Shibata Bunka) but I have stopped buying kiritsuke style as well. You gotta be careful with how much you lift your hand or it's game over. I don't even rock chop. With regular tips, it's nice to focus on actual cutting and not have to pay so much attention to not break the knife.

I bought K tips cuz I thought they look cool but it doesn't look so cool with a broken off tip, do they

 

[Boynutman]

Could steel type be relevant here? Never tipped a stainless. Did tip carbon steel ones.
Not exactly the same shape, but still.

Enabler says go buy a stainless one...

 

[Jovidah]

Someone bookmark this thread for the next time someone says 'toughness doesn't matter'.

 

[ReiHamono]

The only k-tip I’ve worked on needed geometry improvements, never chipped though.

I think the maker and sharpener are very important here

 

[superworrier]

Someone bookmark this thread for the next time someone says 'toughness doesn't matter'.

Real world toughness is hugely influenced by geometry though. At a certain level of thinness having 2x the toughness won't help when the geometry makes you 10x weaker.