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Yoshikazu Ikeda 210mm W2.
Mid weight gyuto I´d say.
Satiny and quite nice a finish. Couple scratches though and the tip isn´t perfect.
The handle is, let´s put it diplomatic, a project.
The super light-weight ho wood is almost 0.5mm proud.
Still not sure if should torch, sand, oil or just sand and oil.
Might get another handle for the otherwise very nice blade long-term, we´ll see.
(balance is almost 2" forward which might be too much)
 

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I picked up this Gyuto by Bryan Raquin a few months ago but with an influx of knives didn’t get around to using it until today. It’s a classic grind blade with a burnt oak handle. Forged from 145SC steel with a karouchi finish.

Specs are …

Blade length … 278mm
Edge length … 252mm
Depth at heel … 52mm
Thickness measured at spine … 4.57mm at heel, 1.56mm mid blade, 1.48mm 1” from tip
Weight … 180gms

A few pics …

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As luck would have it I was doing up a small rib roast in my Anova Precision oven and put the Raquin to work doing carving duties.

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It’s a very nice knife from a top maker. Though I would be happy to have it in my collection I have several (more than ten) gyutos that will perform in a similar fashion. I’m thinking I’m going to send this Gyuto to BST so that it can find a home where it will get used and appreciated as it deserves.
 

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New or new to me!
- Majime 180 feather grind
- Kamon production v2 .. second time I own one and won't let it go
- Nordquist Designs in MagnaCut
PXL_20221008_061839478.NIGHT.jpg


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Majime choil .. it's a bit work-horse-y

PXL_20221007_192339964.jpg


Nordquist choil .. but that's deceptive, it thins out very quickly and in practice is thinner then Majime

PXL_20221007_211252740.jpg


Kamon choil, as expected .. perfection

PXL_20221007_211203781.jpg
 
Another custom made by a very talented Chinese knife maker XinGuo, he made this in KS profile with M390 steel. I'm usually not a fan of super fancy PM but worth a try. Very good F&F, laser grind smiliar to the original KS, haven't use laser for a while, cutting carrot with it is a braze. He also makes thicker workhorses which i might try later. Pricing wise he's similar to Markin.
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Another custom made by a very talented Chinese knife maker XinGuo, he made this in KS profile with M390 steel. I'm usually not a fan of super fancy PM but worth a try. Very good F&F, laser grind smiliar to the original KS, haven't use laser for a while, cutting carrot with it is a braze. He also makes thicker workhorses which i might try later. Pricing wise he's similar to Markin.
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Very cool. I’m guessing he operates via WeChat. Is there any website/social media showing off his work?
 
Very cool. I’m guessing he operates via WeChat. Is there any website/social media showing off his work?
He's easier to buy than some others, he and his business partner operates mostly on TaoBao, but some stupid regulation thing keep deleting their listing so they also do wechat now. I can't find gallery but here's some of their listing on Taobao.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...95f17HilB62&id=611711874454&scene=taobao_shophttps://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...95f17HilB62&id=611086561601&scene=taobao_shopThey have a bilibili channel showcase knives they sell. (Include many Japanese maker too.)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1f...ck&vd_source=a7a4780ce2068e1e4751c0de74a4ae10https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1L....0&vd_source=a7a4780ce2068e1e4751c0de74a4ae10https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1h....0&vd_source=a7a4780ce2068e1e4751c0de74a4ae10
 
Another custom made by a very talented Chinese knife maker XinGuo, he made this in KS profile with M390 steel. I'm usually not a fan of super fancy PM but worth a try. Very good F&F, laser grind smiliar to the original KS, haven't use laser for a while, cutting carrot with it is a braze. He also makes thicker workhorses which i might try later. Pricing wise he's similar to Markin.
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I have his forged coreless damascus knife that is relatively midweight. It is very good. Stiff spine, gently convex grind, combined with being 0.05 mm thick right above the edge. Cuts really well.

His carbon sanmai damascus knife could be 6mm thick which is his workhorse offering.

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Another custom made by a very talented Chinese knife maker XinGuo, he made this in KS profile with M390 steel. I'm usually not a fan of super fancy PM but worth a try. Very good F&F, laser grind smiliar to the original KS, haven't use laser for a while, cutting carrot with it is a braze. He also makes thicker workhorses which i might try later. Pricing wise he's similar to Markin.
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Wow that's gorgeous. Might need to order one too.
 
He's easier to buy than some others, he and his business partner operates mostly on TaoBao, but some stupid regulation thing keep deleting their listing so they also do wechat now. I can't find gallery but here's some of their listing on Taobao.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...95f17HilB62&id=611711874454&scene=taobao_shophttps://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...95f17HilB62&id=611086561601&scene=taobao_shopThey have a bilibili channel showcase knives they sell. (Include many Japanese maker too.)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1f...ck&vd_source=a7a4780ce2068e1e4751c0de74a4ae10https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1L....0&vd_source=a7a4780ce2068e1e4751c0de74a4ae10https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1h....0&vd_source=a7a4780ce2068e1e4751c0de74a4ae10
Trying to register to taobao now to check out their stuff but it seems impossible, cant get a verification text to send. Any tips?
 
Trying to register to taobao now to check out their stuff but it seems impossible, cant get a verification text to send. Any tips?
Sadly it's just hard for anyone live outside China to register, the store also can't send knives to other countries due to the whole regulation thing, I got mine taken here with a friend. Best way is to contact someone in China and have them help you out.
 
Sadly it's just hard for anyone live outside China to register, the store also can't send knives to other countries due to the whole regulation thing, I got mine taken here with a friend. Best way is to contact someone in China and have them help you out.
ah got it. Wonder if I can at least find a way to browse. I have friends in hong kong and singapore, I wonder if they could order
 
ah got it. Wonder if I can at least find a way to browse. I have friends in hong kong and singapore, I wonder if they could order
I think Hong Kong should be fine but I can't be sure.

Edit: waiting time was originally 3 month, but there seems to be a m390 supply problem so it could be longer, they are trying to get some magnacut now.
 
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Curious how you will like it. I have read some unfavourable reviews about it.
For anyone looking for something like that I can recommend Sheepersbuilt. They are doing a really solid job.
[…regarding the Majime LE]

I did a few test cuts with an onion and it was about as I expected from the measurements. Thick but tolerable on the vertical cuts, and significant wedging in horizontal cuts. Kind of a weird sound with the vertical cuts due to the feather grind.

I started thinning and it’s slow going on my SG220. It measures around 1.1mm @10mm BTE, .9 @5mm, .25 @1mm. I’d like to get those down to about .1 at the bottom to <1mm at the top. I’m currently just working the left side and will probably do the majority of the work there to not affect food release too much on the right side.

Really just viewing it as an expensive project knife that should retain it’s cool factor once I’ve got it tuned up a bit. I don’t even care about food release but just can’t stop myself from buying s-grinds even though they never gel with me. It’s like you keep hoping the next chocolate will have a filling you like.
 
[…regarding the Majime LE]

I did a few test cuts with an onion and it was about as I expected from the measurements. Thick but tolerable on the vertical cuts, and significant wedging in horizontal cuts. Kind of a weird sound with the vertical cuts due to the feather grind.

I started thinning and it’s slow going on my SG220. It measures around 1.1mm @10mm BTE, .9 @5mm, .25 @1mm. I’d like to get those down to about .1 at the bottom to <1mm at the top. I’m currently just working the left side and will probably do the majority of the work there to not affect food release too much on the right side.

Really just viewing it as an expensive project knife that should retain it’s cool factor once I’ve got it tuned up a bit. I don’t even care about food release but just can’t stop myself from buying s-grinds even though they never gel with me. It’s like you keep hoping the next chocolate will have a filling you like.
I’m not convinced working the right side will necessarily affect food release; the amount of metal you need to remove to improve performance is very small (like .1mm) relative to the size of the feathers

In fact, if the milling depth is consistent and not narrower near the bevel (maybe a big if), thinning should preserve the food release properties, unlike an S grind.
 
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240 karys workhorse, thickest he’s done to date from what he told me so I’m continuing my trend of making knife makers create thiccc knives. Handle work is gorgeous, lots of detail work on the pitting to make it look natural. Tip isn’t quite as thin as I like, but it did surprisingly well in removing the root end of an onion and very well in the vertical cuts so can’t complain there.

Not sure of the steel, we’ll see how it patinas in time but the first patina from use was both slow and ugly. 😅

Overall, definitely an impressive piece. It’s the knife that’s gotten the most attention in my collection from the non-knife people due to the distinctive appearance and pretty handle
 

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New or new to me!
- Majime 180 feather grind
- Kamon production v2 .. second time I own one and won't let it go
- Nordquist Designs in MagnaCut
View attachment 202258

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Majime choil .. it's a bit work-horse-y

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Nordquist choil .. but that's deceptive, it thins out very quickly and in practice is thinner then Majime

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Kamon choil, as expected .. perfection

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I have a couple of Nordquist's they get so thin at the tip it amazing how well they perform. Although that Kamon.........
 
I’m not convinced working the right side will necessarily affect food release; the amount of metal you need to remove to improve performance is very small (like .1mm) relative to the size of the feathers

In fact, if the milling depth is consistent and not narrower near the bevel (maybe a big if), thinning should preserve the food release properties, unlike an S grind.
Looks like no since there is also an S. I wonder if how much food release is lost without the S, or if some sort of... waviness in the S instead could preserve the characteristics better over time. Still, I think a miniscule amount of thinning won't make a difference immediately, and will be necessary in the long term anyway.
 
240 karys workhorse, thickest he’s done to date from what he told me so I’m continuing my trend of making knife makers create thiccc knives. Handle work is gorgeous, lots of detail work on the pitting to make it look natural. Tip isn’t quite as thin as I like, but it did surprisingly well in removing the root end of an onion and very well in the vertical cuts so can’t complain there.

Not sure of the steel, we’ll see how it patinas in time but the first patina from use was both slow and ugly. 😅

Overall, definitely an impressive piece. It’s the knife that’s gotten the most attention in my collection from the non-knife people due to the distinctive appearance and pretty handle
I would love to try Karys’ work. His tsuchime Chinese veggie cleavers look particularly alluring to me. Defs wanna hear more about the performance of his knives
 
Once I get a chance to give it a proper test I’ll definitely be posting in the patina thread. It’s definitely a striking knife and at least on the onyon/garlic it did quite well, although the steel seems to patina like dirty old carbon so far
I would love to try Karys’ work. His tsuchime Chinese veggie cleavers look particularly alluring to me. Defs wanna hear more about the performance of his knives

😂
 
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