Some anxious newbie

[Benuser]

http://postimg.org/image/qy993gjdr/full/
Agree on most points, but the fingerguard on the Herder is neither big nor fat.

 

[Jovidah]

Any bolster is big and fat compared to a Japanese knife heel without one. I always find them incredibly annoying both when sharpening and when cutting. But that's just my opinion...
It's really a shame because I generally like Robert Herder and if it didn't have that bolster I might have actually bought that knife...

 

[endautrestermes]

Ordering from CKTG isn't really a viable option for you since you're in Europe. First, the shipping costs would be too high and second, (probably for that reason) he doesn't even ship to Europe. Either way, anything you buy from a US vendor would become a whole lot better.
Cannot really comment much about the knife but it's usually described as 'you get what you pay for'. Very reactive cladding, crappy fit & finish and considered a bit of a hobby project.

So like Benuser said; after adding in shipping and VAT you'll end up at a far higher price tag for which you can get better options. I'm not sure I'd recommend the Herder 1922 though. Personally I'd be really annoyed by the fact that it has a big fat bolster.
You're really rather on the lower end of the budget where there aren't a whole lot of 'great' options...and you've already heard most of the low budget ones.
Weren't you the one who had a friend who goes to Japan soon? Because if you could buy in Japan that'd be a whole lot cheaper.

Exactly, the link was more for examplary purpose. Assuming I'd buy it in Japan, it would still be poor value, presumably (?). However the regular Tojiro DP is much better quality.

Sorry if I ask again, it's just hard for me to imagine how a company can mess up with one and do great with the other at the same price point.

(I think I posted the above on my other thread in Knife section / was somehow moved by admin / sorry if in the wrong section)

 

[Jovidah]

To put it in really simple terms... the Tojiro DP is an assembly line knife that doesn't take much more to make than turning on the machine and putting a blank of metal in it. The carbon ITK is sort of handmade so actually requires a person to pick up a hammer and beat things. The added cost of that person means that person has to have a really low wage and very ltitle time to still be able to offer that knife at the same price point.

 

[Cookiemonster]

OK I just decided to put my Zwilling Pro's on sale. Anyway, the meat slicer was not the most needed, and I already had a utility Wusthof. So all I needed really is a quality chef. Since I got this Zwilling set on a flash sale on Amazon for 100EUR, I'm confident to sell it quick (maybe on a profit).

I think I'll get a Tojiro DP Chef 8" and the King 1000/6000 for a start, seems like a nice value beginner's kit.
(unless anyone advises me for another Chef knife that is on a budget and easy to start learning sharpening it, as I heard this one might be chipping easily)

Anyway, you guys are awful :biggrin:

I'd get the Fujiwara FKM gyuto, it's a little bit thicker (2.2mm vs 1.8 on the Tojiro), a little bit more forgiving, a little bit easier to sharpen and a little bit better fit and finish (the handle on the Fujiwara is imho a lot better than the blocky Tojiro). VG10 can be a hustle to sharpen for a beginner. I've had them both and while the Tojiro has better steel and better edge retention, I still gave the Tojiro away to a friend and kept the Fujiwara as a backup knife. King stones dish super easily, I would look at the Bester Combination 1000/6000 from fine-tools.com