Misono Blade Flex

[HansCaravan]

I've had my eye on the Misono Carbon 240mm gyuto for a while. Having read numerous threads on this site and ChefTalk there seems to be a consensus that the Masahiro VC is a better buy in terms of performance, but I already have a Sakai Kikumori with a more traditional gyuto blade profile and harder steel, so I'm not interested in discussing the merits and demerits of alternatives. I do have one concern about the Misono, however:

There's a video on YouTube where some goober reviews a 210mm version and I was surprised how much flex the blade had. Was it just him, or do these lack stiffness? JCK lists 2.5mm spine thickness for the 240, so I would assume that is enough steel to keep it sturdy. Can anyone who has one of these speak about the spine stiffness or flex? Having cut my teeth with German knives I have grown to liking a stiff spine and don't enjoy using something that has a whippy, floppy sort of feel.

Thx, HC

 

[Walla]

The 270. Misono dragon I have (for over 10 years of restaurant use and still going strong) does have a bit of flex to it. I would not describe it as in anyway floppy. Infact I didn't even consider it untill reading this. I know what you mean by coming from the world of stiff European knives... I've used them for many years in restaurant kitchens before switching about 15 years ago...

It holds up wonderfully...it is still in the rotation of work knives 12+ years later.

I'm trying to come up with a comparison to give you an idea about how flexible it is...

So here we go...

When compared to an average bread knife... maybe about 1/16 of the flex

Compared to a vintage carbon Sabatier just the tiniest bit more flex.

Compared to an old Henkels 5* 10 inch more flex (the Henkels was a rock... forgot how stiff it was)

Compared to the usual restaurant rental knife...the ubiquitous plastic handled beater...a bit more...but less than I expected had expected...

I don't recall really noticing the flex with these two exceptions...once halving a particularly hard butternut squash...and a second time slicing smoked salmon when there wasn't anything more appropriate to slice it with...and then the flex really worked... I've sliced smoked salmon with it several times since...it really does a good job of it...

So yes it's got flex...but not overly in my opinion...

Hope it helps with your decision making...any specific questions... don't hesitate to ask...

Take care

Jeff

 

[HansCaravan]

Your home experimentation does give me a good idea what to expect, Walla. Thank you! Truth be told, both my MAC Pro and Kikumori have a *little* blade flex, but they are stiff enough as a whole that I don't notice while using them to prep dinner. And yes, I have Zwillings, Messermeisters, a Windmühlenmesser 1922, which are all extremely rigid. And then there's my 10" Kramer... which is like wielding machete . On the opposite end of the spectrum is my Yaxell. I hate that knife with a passion because of how much movement it has when cutting cabbage or sweet potatoes. It's only good as a meat slicer IMO.

The Misono is a beauty. Apparently good f&f to boot. I just wanted to make sure my eyes weren't making all of the decisions. Hasn't worked well with women for me so why make the same mistakes with knives.

HC

 

[Benuser]

The 240 does have a little flex, but nothing worth to be mentioned. Not the kind of flex you may encounter with a long suji, or people may find uncomfortable when sharpening. Please be aware that with Japanese makers the 210 and 240 are totally different animals. Not just 3cm added as you may encounter with the great German makers. The 240 is heavier, wider, has a much more pronounced convexed right face and resulting food release.