I prefer thinner/lighter so maybe the Kurosaki is better for meLook at weight and grind specifically to see a bit of what I mean. Also profile to some extent, but that's pretty obvious. Generally Kurosaki makes rather light-midweight concave grind. Hinoura is a mid-heavyweight wide bevel from Sanjo.
I prefer thinner/lighter so maybe the Kurosaki is better for me
Thanks for the great answers and info!
Kurosaki are high finished knives without much soul was my problem. Insipid in use. Format didn't have anything to do with it, although I do appreciate a bit more beef. But any knife that thin cuts well indeed. Good a choice as many if your type. But you can have that same exact feeling and ballpark performance with like 50+ different 100-150$ knives. Not OOTB mind you, Kurosaki are thinner and sharpened better, usually. If you have a particular affection for concave grind, that would be something to add to the + list of many Kurosaki - but not all. With work? About anything can replace it concave or not. That's what I mean by not much soul.
It’s a shame no one actively carry the AS in Canada. It would have been the one. But then again I may not even like it and that w#2 had a sweet deal. Glad for you.
For the records I almost bought a Kuro 240mm AS just the other day because it was so unexpensive. Easy to decide against as I tried one already. Still tempting.
When I ordered 2 different Hinouras, one came with a blade that was slightly misaligned from the handle (I had to return that one). The vendor told me that it was common for those with handles installed directly by the maker because of some asymmetry in the tang.Woo hoo! She's here. She's beautiful - somewhat hammered, really solid looking ku finish, nice lines, comfortably sharp for most kitchen work (though I'll re-edge it soon enough - I prefer sharp), beautifully worked choil and spine. The only odd thing is that the handle is not quite vertically straight to where I imagine the tang to be. But, I'm an inveterate very forward pinch gripper with giant hands, so it's not noticeable in hand. I'm very anxious for tonight's prep.
Your assessment of the performance is very similar to what I experienced as well. Great knifeQuick update: out of the box, it was beautiful on a quick prep. Precise and delicate enough to brunoise shallots and garlic, forceful enough to hammer through leeks and carrots quickly and consistently. The feeling of a well-made tool: instantly comfortable and communicative.
The edge, as stated, was "sharp enough" but both not sharp enough for me and with a couple of flaws you could feel going through paper. Outside of those two slight catches in paper, it was smooth, but it wasn't shaving sharp on arm hair. So, onto the stones for a 1k edge (13-14 deg per side I'd say), deburr polish, polish edge leading on 3k, and boom, effortless arm shaving (I don't have much hair left there). Polish on 6k, slight microbevel (3 strokes) on the left side and strop just for pretty and it's even smoother. Can't wait for a great slice off this weekend.
Short version: the AS Hinoura is amazing, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. The OOB edge was OK at best, so either be ready to resharpen it yourself or have the source resharpen it for you before sending it.
When I ordered 2 different Hinouras, one came with a blade that was slightly misaligned from the handle (I had to return that one). The vendor told me that it was common for those with handles installed directly by the maker because of some asymmetry in the tang.
Your assessment of the performance is very similar to what I experienced as well. Great knife
Alright. Well, for me, I'll monitor it. It's dead straight inline with the blade and perfectly centered horizontally (confirmed with caliper measure just now) it's just that it looks like vertically it's a few degrees lower than where I'd imagine the tang would be. I think that just works with my as-stated ape hands (ring finger to thumb 27cm = 10 2/3rd inches). At worst, a re-handle down the line. I'm too much of a kid in every way but age to return my brand new toy.
Thats exactly what i noticed with my 240. The angle of the spine was a bit lower than I thought it should have been in relation to the handle. It shouldnt have any major issues in actual use, but the aesthetic bothered me.
Probably not. Mine was a White#2, not AS.Oh, hey, I can see how that would be bothering. I noticed it instantly. I'm just, as stated, far to much of a child to let someone else take my toy back.
It would be ironic if I received the exact knife you returned (I doubt it mind...).
all hinouras i have seen have these handles that are pointing down a bit.
on my knives i simply remove the handles and bang the tangs "straight" or heat it with acetylene and bend straight. dont like the bent down handles.
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