Duukt
Well-Known Member
I'm very hesitant to muck around with a perfectly functional knife. 
Konosuke YS-M or Fujiyama FM White #1 for performance
- Thread starter Knivperson
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DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
Clearly the maker thought the same thing.I'm very hesitant to muck around with a perfectly functional knife.
You'd have pay less for an actual Yoshikane SKD. But the YS-M is sexier.
Too bad we don't know if it's actually made by Yoshikane or the actual steel...
And I tried to get it out of Kosuke-san.
Knivperson
Senior Member
I expect better fit and finish on th Ys-m I ordered today than on the average (or even superior) denka. 
Knivperson
Senior Member
I’d find it worse to somehow learn that they were not by Yoshikane. Total rip off of profile and grind. I’d be even more inclined to pay less for the real thing. And mystery steels are also not something I’m inclined to pay more for compared to knowing the real deal. Perhaps the YS-M steel is better, perhaps even exclusive somehow. But A2 is a tremendously good steel to me. I’d never hesitate to buy Yoshi SKD. Ys-m well happy to let that go by. Because the best it can be is to be a Yoshikane SKD.
Weren't there some smiths at yoshikane who branched out and started doing their own thing? I assume that several of these sanjo gyutos could be by those guys, even if it isn't strictly yoshikane in house. Would explain the similarities too.
The flaw in your logic is that you assume that the Yoshikane is the reference - and you don't know if its the other way around. A smith who trained at Yoshikane could have taken their shape and improved on the grind not being limited by the structure of the Hamono.. It could be Masashi or Nihei (or somebody else).
IMO, Myojin (as sharpener) is caught by this. On the Kono FMs, he has to stick the the "history" of the Fujiyama, which the example I had I thought was a "meh" kind of knife. Free to do what he wanted on the MM, I think he did a much better job.
I think you're thinking of Nihei, who also has a Kono line.
DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
I'm kind of glad @Knivperson already chose his very nice knife before all the kvetching started.
If Uncle Walter in North Dakota makes a knife this good in his barn, it's still a knife this good. And if someone is making copies of great knives that work the same (not just look the same), then I hope they continue to make them.
(If we're going to allege copying, then all gyuto production in Japan must end and the accumulated profits be turned over to the French.)
If Uncle Walter in North Dakota makes a knife this good in his barn, it's still a knife this good. And if someone is making copies of great knives that work the same (not just look the same), then I hope they continue to make them.
(If we're going to allege copying, then all gyuto production in Japan must end and the accumulated profits be turned over to the French.)
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Ok so the guy who’d have trained with Yoshikane would still be using Yoshikane profile and grind. Him having found his own wings don’t justify he should reuse it, and surely I still wouldn’t pay more for the former guy who learned everything there and copies the same exact knife for a brand to sell it at a heftier price. I’d still buy the real thing. And surely Kono wouldn’t sanction this neither - they are not similarities, they are the very same thing where profile and grind is concerned. A bunch of folks on kkf aren’t the only ones that can see that, especially for a knife marketed a Sanjo knife.
No fault in my logic - yours is faltered because you love Konosuke. You should, their knives are well made and they have a plan that any knife is a downright performer ootb. You’d like the YS-M to mean something more exclusive than a finish and possibly a steel.
Edit: likely another steel than SKD. Konosuke have a Sanjo SKD that is also perfectly Yoshikane-ish but with a beautiful handle and finish. If Kono were to publish the YS-M steel and it was something like AEB-L or any steel I consider "better than SKD" I would be all over buying it. Keeping it undisclosed - I'd buy the Kono Sanjo SKD without a second thought if I was after finish (a lot more than the Yoshi Nashijis I find rather ugly), or the cheaper Yoshi Tsuchime if I was after essential - the blade. Which is exactly what I did.
No fault in my logic - yours is faltered because you love Konosuke. You should, their knives are well made and they have a plan that any knife is a downright performer ootb. You’d like the YS-M to mean something more exclusive than a finish and possibly a steel.
Edit: likely another steel than SKD. Konosuke have a Sanjo SKD that is also perfectly Yoshikane-ish but with a beautiful handle and finish. If Kono were to publish the YS-M steel and it was something like AEB-L or any steel I consider "better than SKD" I would be all over buying it. Keeping it undisclosed - I'd buy the Kono Sanjo SKD without a second thought if I was after finish (a lot more than the Yoshi Nashijis I find rather ugly), or the cheaper Yoshi Tsuchime if I was after essential - the blade. Which is exactly what I did.
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Knivperson
Senior Member
Well I can live with a little mystery. Kosuke doesnt seem like a guy who would use non-disclosure to rip people off. Not that that's what youre saying, of course 
. Anyhow I looked at the yoshis as well, and I just preferred this one, so, to me, being a yoshi skd isnt the best it can be.
It's with a khii ebony handle, with a bit lighter in color undisclosed (haha) wooden ferrule. Im excited for it, and it will arrive today.
Hmm I can feel that your guys opinion means something to me, though. I take it as a sign of admiration of your knowledge. Im a young person and this is still one of my first j-knives and I have a lot to learn. Thanks for everything
. Anyhow I looked at the yoshis as well, and I just preferred this one, so, to me, being a yoshi skd isnt the best it can be.It's with a khii ebony handle, with a bit lighter in color undisclosed (haha) wooden ferrule. Im excited for it, and it will arrive today.
Hmm I can feel that your guys opinion means something to me, though. I take it as a sign of admiration of your knowledge. Im a young person and this is still one of my first j-knives and I have a lot to learn. Thanks for everything
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DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
As already pointed out, if there is any dishonesty going on, we have no idea who the culprit(s) may be. There is an endemic lack of disclosure in this business. The ones who you think are "the real deal" may be the impostors, even if you've seen them in person at work.
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Jason183
Senior Member
Should of went for the FM, Yoshikane can wedge on carrots, but liked other said, it’s great mid workhorse.
Knivperson
Senior Member
It's here. Cuts circles in newspaper, push cuts kitchen towel and doesnt wedge carrots. It's got a nice and nimble tip, works for shallots as well. Really positive so far
Pretty sure a lot of currently popular smiths have worked/learned at Yoshikane. I believe I've read that Munetoshi, Wakui, Masashi, Nihei, Heiji's son (who now does all the forging)... have all trained/ worked at Yoshikane.
Seems like a lot of great talent has passed through that forge.
Congrats and she is beautiful wow!
I am just wondering is the spine rounded/crowned or eased at all and how about the choil area? This knife looks like a winner!
I like Konosuke, but I'm not a fanboi that would buy everything. Aside from the one knife I have now, I've sold/traded every Kono that I've had. Admittedly, I do have a longer version of that same knife inbound. But I'd never drop the money on a Kaiju, as I don't see the value in it.
I'd say that Kono are a lot like what Jon/JKI does with his versions of brands - demands higher fit and finish from the smith/sharpeners and that comes at a premium. You know what you are going to get for the most part when you buy a Kono.
I'd take HD2/Kono undisclosed/Aogami anything over AEB-L any day. My experience with AEB-L was "meh". My SLD has been "meh". Haven't tried labeled SKD. But then again, I don't care how a steel feels fresh off the stones. I care about about how long a knife keeps its >80% edge off the stones.
Knivperson
Senior Member
Both are rounded.
It's really thin behind the edge, but you feel its weight as well, it just drops through onions, fx. Nice nimble tip as well.
Mine took a patina as well. It could be SKD as that has a low chromium content, but nothing is for sure.
McMan
Senior Member
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Think of SKD as 'stain less' not 'stainless'. It will patina, just not to the same degree as carbon.
Typical amazing Konosuke finish...looks great. SKD is only a semi stainless steel so it will patina. Slower than high Carbon and to a much lesser extent from my experience.
Again what a beauty and congrats.
This is what roasted peppers did to my YS-M
SKD does patina. In my experience, slowly, and quite beautifully. Don't think it'll be one you need to fret about rust if dried correctly every time. @esoo has got a good patina there, perhaps he can say more than I could. Altogether can't be sure YS-M is SKD though.
This is what roasted peppers did to my YS-M
The Kurouchi looks pretty light on yours, looks more like a YS
That's cause he uses it like he should. Show him your brand new pic @esoo
Yeah I saw his brand new pic, still looks like a YS.
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I agree that my YS-M was pretty light in finish. I bought mine at 20% off so I didn't really mind and around the same time another retailer was selling them on sale due to the a batch that had a light finish.
