Kaeru!

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Any reports on performance, profile or preferences?

Hows the handle and how's it handle?

I've got a 210 arriving today. It will be my first new knife in a while.

Maxim has impeccable taste in knives. Expectations are high.
 
Just got it. Striking profile, nothing like I've seen before.

The tip and belly are akin to the KS but the heel has more height. Very flat profile. I only chopped up a carrot and onion but liked it.

The tip doesn't have the same slender flatness of say a Dalman or Kono ginsan, but I think thats the case because the height of the tip section is quite low and they need to put some strength in there someplace.

It moved through product nicely, all be it some stiction due to the sandblasted faux-wide bevel.

Has a very nice hand feel. Spine or choil isn't polished but isn't too sharp either. Part of the Kanji was imprinted beyond the spine and kinda deformed it.

Handle and mount are solid. I really like fat necks on my knives where the mache is hidden in the handle.

I think it is a good pro-style knife. Lots to like, isn't trying to be everything and moves through food nicely.

Overall it will cut.
 
brainsausage said:
I’m still bummed out that itonomonn is no longer in production. They were my go to recommendation for a decently priced performer to peoples that were new to proper chef knives. Hopefully these fill that gap.
Click to expand...

I got one of the last Itinomonns in 240. I would love to make a comparison to Kaeru, but do not have the funds now. They seem to be quite different
 
i like fat necks on the tang also because i find it much more comfortable to hold, not many people talk about that but there is quite a lot of variation on that part among different knives.

how is the cutting performance? any similarities to other knives youve tried? and what does the steel feel like on stones?
 
Cutting Performance. Smooth and solid, no tricks, very easy to cut strait through hard veg without steering or wedging. Reminded me of my Shigs

Panda, I totally agree about necks. All of my knives longer than 180 have hidden machi, It give more heft to that area.

I don't think it was sharpened yet cause it had no edge whatsoever. I just stropped it on 1200 paper to give it some bite. Felt a lot like the Genetsu but haven't put it to the stones yet.

Very attractive glad I will add.
 
mucho what size did you get?

[edit: was a 210mm per earlier post]
 
I got the 210. I quickly sharpened it on the JKI Diamond 1/6K diamond stones and lightly polished and finished the edge on Tomae Suita.

Remaining edge was refined but aggressive.

Each to their own but I cares about aesthetics, even if its look is ugly, eh. Let me say the sample I have has an outstanding level of FF. In fact, quite a looker. We'll see what it looks like after the first thinning and refinishing?

Its like a Sakai profile and tip, is taller in the heel with less belly transition. It's a unique shape. Tip is slightly raised and there whole design has a swept up look and feel.

Its nimble yet weighted enough to inspire confidence in the hand. Welter weight? Not Laser.

The steel feels like my semi-Gengetsu in hand and on stones with the same sharpening progression. Core steels is a touch slippery and hard HRC but very easy to sharpen semi-stainless.

I think this knife is going to have a following in the bang for buck for Pro's and homers.
 
I just got the 240 myself, cut a few items, no strong opinion yet beyond the in-hand feel. Above average D handle for being so simple. Aesthetics are nice - I dont mind the aesthetics of the wide bevel - very curious to see how it looks after a sharpening or three however. The knife feels balanced, surprisingly nimble. As Mucho noted, eased spine and choil, expected levels of fit and finish for the dollar. Definitely curious to see how it handles post-sharpening. I ran through some large carrots with this and my Dalman used for every other cut. Didn't get the same wow factor of falling through food as I have had with wide bevels, e.g. Kochi. But it is also out of the box and I havent touched the stones. I think this will be a great family knife - one I wont freak out if my wife cuts and leaves out for a few hours unattended. I also emphasized that this should be a durable edge, which further upped the wife acceptance factor. I also love the profile - will see how it slays onions post-sharpening. Time will tell but for the dollar, so far very impressed.
 
Got my 240 yesterday too. Used it to cook dinner out of the box. Was sharp enough to cut potatoes, cucumbers and cabbage well, but not sharp enough for tomatoes. Food release is average at best, people who prefer food release won't like it. Food release is worse than itinomonn 240 I had, but better than some of the true lasers. The knife feels like a light middle weight, balance is pretty neutral and the knife feels nimble. The handle on mine is better than the usual, entry level ho d handle. Mine is nicer than the itinomonn had and better than the one on toyama. Fit and finish is nice at this price level, no sharp corners anywhere, choil and spine eased slightly. My blade is exactly 240x50. The steel doesn't seem to be very reactive, but I didn't cut anything very corrosive, just a few tomatoes, before I gave up, seems to be less reactive than gengetsu ss, won't know for sure until I cut some onions, etc. All in all a good buy, maybe very good, given the price. Time will tell, depending on how sharpening and retention go.
 
DanDan said:
:lol2:

When I first saw the video I thought that piece of food on it was a GIANT chip
Click to expand...


Haha me too... She is looking fine though.
 
I've been deliberately rough with it and still shaving sharp. The 210 would be a line cooks dream. Nimble fast tip, used to mince some shallots to death. Heel just blasted through the chop cuts, then I intentionally wacked the board a few times, just to push the edge beyond normal use. No chips, dips, rolls in the edge. Ans where the edge didn't hit the board that much (tip/belly), was still sticky sharp.

I'd say HT is dialed in very well. FWIW, This knife must be from a very well established/experienced/high production maker. The HT and Its a lot of knife for $130.
 
Todd, wish you would’ve posted that yesterday. I would’ve helped you out, I have a 240mm on the way. Maybe pick up the petty? We haven’t heard anything about it yet and it looks sweet.
 
I’m thinking of adding that petty just to have another. One of the most fun knives I’ve used on a while and at this price point feel free to play rough with it. Edge retention is amazing in my sample.
 
I'm honestly not trying to create hype. Their not perfect or even close, but fun yes. Just diced up some tomatoes for breakfast on my stainless steel counter. Granted I went light, but still. Kaeri just laughed at it. Next trick will be clearing some brush from the side yard, then maybe even a little lawn edging. And I'm just getting started. HA
 
It is a cool idea I think to pair together pretty tough steel with what appears to be a nimble pointy tip. Normally Id likely chip and repair this kind of tip periodically from working in a chaotic kitchen.
 
I have Yoshikazu Ikeda W2 and I'm tired of edge retention, reactive cladding and all that wiping. Was going to go for AS blade but after reading this tread I think I need this kind of tool. Just pulled trigger on 240 and can't wait to try it!
 
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