Okubo v. Shindo

[henkle]

I know questions like this are hard to address given the number of variables between steels and types of knives, but I'm wondering, given that Okubo and Shindo seem to be the new go-tos for less expensive, rustic, but well-made blades, are there any things that you might point out that are significant differences between the two smiths? in other words, if I owned a knife by one of the two makers would a knife by the other maker be redundant? For example, both make an blue #2 nakiri. Any thoughts?

 

[SwampDonkey]

This feels like bait lol.

Long story short: super different, not redundant in the slightest, and 2 of my favorite makers. I've had a Shindo 220 gyuto, nakiri, a tall nakiri, and a bunka. Also have Okubo 180 big nakiri and 250 gyuto.

Kyohei Shindo knives are thick spined, particularly at the pinch, with very aggressive distal taper, particularly on the gyuto or bunka. They're all extremely thin behind the edge, and he does a hammered S-grind that helps with food release. Nice steel, pleasant to sharpen and retains its tooth for quite a while, but even when dull it's a geometry cutter due to how thin BTE. Choil photos show below. They're not super heavy knives, with a bead blasted kasumi and dark KU with lacquer. Even without lacquer, they're not particularly reactive.

Okubo is on the other side of the spectrum from a grind perspective. Thicc convex that does not look good from a choil shot but cuts very well. Superb food release, minimal distal taper, no lacquer on a thick scaley KU. They're heavy, forward balanced, particularly because the handle is super light. My Okubo 180x63 nakiri is 234 g. Excellent steel, no lacquer, delightful to sharpen, stiff. Just a true workhorse that will keep you happy. There's a little more curve to a standard Okubo nakiri than a standard Shindo, but the Shindo tall nakiri is the most curvy so...idk. They all are nice, they cut very differently, get both, be joyous. Feel free to ask any specifics.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Also the cladding is fairly soft on a Shindo. Some gyutos or bunka can come with a little bend but are very easy to straighten, especially because of the taper. Okubos are stiffer in my experience

 

[tostadas]

Opposite ends of performance spectrum.

Okubo is thick convex grind, solid workhorse feel

Kyohei Shindo is extremely thin concave grind. It has thick spine out of the handle, but tapers down very quickly. Also the cladding on the Shindo is crazy reactive.

 

[Rideon66]

I can't compare because I don't have a Shindo, but looking at the Choil shot and grind I would say they are very different. The Okubo large custom Kajiya Takenoko Nakiri/Cleaver is just a joy of a work horse to use. The Okubo are a stiff blade. I know he water quenches not sure if Shino does or not. The Okubo steel rings like a bell.

 

[pitted_soul]

I have the Okubo Santoku and the Shindo gyuto and bunka. Okubo-san grinds one of the best convex grinds out there. It's a real pleasure. I think they both cut way better than they have any right to. @SwampDonkey summed it up best but I wanted to praise Okubo san's grind some more. They are really both great. I was so surprised when I cut with the Shindo the first time, how well it cut. But the Okubo's grind might be the best value grind out there.

 

[henkle]

This feels like bait lol.

Long story short: super different, not redundant in the slightest, and 2 of my favorite makers. I've had a Shindo 220 gyuto, nakiri, a tall nakiri, and a bunka. Also have Okubo 180 big nakiri and 250 gyuto. Both are 2 of my favorite makers.

Kyohei Shindo knives are thick spined, particularly at the pinch, with very aggressive distal taper, particularly on the gyuto or bunka. They're all extremely thin behind the edge, and he does a hammered S-grind that helps with food release. Nice steel, pleasant to sharpen and retains its tooth for quite a while, but even when dull it's a geometry cutter due to how thin BTE. Choil photos show below. They're not super heavy knives, with a bead blasted kasumi and dark KU with lacquer. Even without lacquer, they're not particularly reactive.

View attachment 298433

View attachment 298431
View attachment 298434


Okubo is on the other side of the spectrum from a grind perspective. Thicc convex that does not look good from a choil shot but cuts very well. Superb food release, minimal distal taper, no lacquer on a thick scaley KU. They're heavy, forward balanced, particularly because the handle is super light. My Okubo 180x63 nakiri is 234 g. Excellent steel, no lacquer, delightful to sharpen, stiff. Just a true workhorse that will keep you happy. There's a little more curve to a standard Okubo nakiri than a standard Shindo, but the Shindo tall nakiri is the most curvy so...idk. They all are nice, they cut very differently, get both, be joyous. Feel free to ask any specifics.

View attachment 298436View attachment 298437View attachment 298438

Wow, thanks for your in-depth and thoughtful reply. Cheers!

 

[Seemore]

This feels like bait lol.

Long story short: super different, not redundant in the slightest, and 2 of my favorite makers. I've had a Shindo 220 gyuto, nakiri, a tall nakiri, and a bunka. Also have Okubo 180 big nakiri and 250 gyuto.

Kyohei Shindo knives are thick spined, particularly at the pinch, with very aggressive distal taper, particularly on the gyuto or bunka. They're all extremely thin behind the edge, and he does a hammered S-grind that helps with food release. Nice steel, pleasant to sharpen and retains its tooth for quite a while, but even when dull it's a geometry cutter due to how thin BTE. Choil photos show below. They're not super heavy knives, with a bead blasted kasumi and dark KU with lacquer. Even without lacquer, they're not particularly reactive.







Okubo is on the other side of the spectrum from a grind perspective. Thicc convex that does not look good from a choil shot but cuts very well. Superb food release, minimal distal taper, no lacquer on a thick scaley KU. They're heavy, forward balanced, particularly because the handle is super light. My Okubo 180x63 nakiri is 234 g. Excellent steel, no lacquer, delightful to sharpen, stiff. Just a true workhorse that will keep you happy. There's a little more curve to a standard Okubo nakiri than a standard Shindo, but the Shindo tall nakiri is the most curvy so...idk. They all are nice, they cut very differently, get both, be joyous. Feel free to ask any specifics.

View attachment 298438

Off-subject, and I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what’s this knife on your line-up?

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Off-subject, and I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what’s this knife on your line-up?
View attachment 299152

Pretty sure it's this one:

https://knifejapan.com/okahide-hamono-sabaki-bocho-140mm/

 

[SwampDonkey]

Off-subject, and I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what’s this knife on your line-up?
View attachment 299152

HHC is right, it's the Okahide sabaki. It's replaced all my western butcher knives and doubles as a thicc petty. Thick spine, stiff, and enough meat behind the edge it can knick bones and go through chicken joints without any issue. Okahide puts a great edge on it too, edge lasted a very long time.

 

[Seemore]

Right up my alley - thanks.

 

[Strozzi]

X2 on the Okahide sabaki. I think it was @SwampDonkey who originally recommended it to me in the KnifeJapan thread. It excels at boning and trimming as well as filleting fish. One of my best knife purchases to date.