Takeda Noob PSA: Lacquer

[Pie]

Specifically noobs with brand spanking new Takeda knives. Most, if not all new Takeda come with this heavy coat of lacquer - it comes off in your food, gums up your stones, and can cause some funny patina/corrosion patterns in the core steel. The heavy layer at the spine also visually irritates me.

It can trap these little dust bits and whatever’s floating around the shop at the time, which REALLY irritates me.

For anyone thinking about it, but not sure how it’s going to look, here’s the before and after using acetone and paper towel. You can do a more careful job than me and avoid the marks running parallel to the edge, but this is the gist of what it’ll look like

Before

After

Bonus attributes: even better food release for wet ingredients, less tacky hand feel, and exposes some roughness/inconsistencies in the KU (I prefer these to look a bit beat up or “well loved”). I like seeing just how raw these things are: forged S grind full of hammer marks and lumpiness, big glob of epoxy at the handle, ground only at the bevel and minimal attention paid to aesthetics. A fully functional kitchen tool at its best.

Happy Takeda-ing!

 

[BillHanna]

This may be overkill, but what about a spray bottle, let it soak, then rinse off? Just thinking without knowing.

 

[tostadas]

This may be overkill, but what about a spray bottle, let it soak, then rinse off? Just thinking without knowing.

Acetone dries really fast. It softens up the lacquer, which you will want to quickly wipe off before the acetone dries. Then repeat til it's gone.

 

[gentiscid]

Then repeat til it's gone.

How do u know when its gone how do u tell?

 

[tostadas]

How do u know when its gone how do u tell?

You can see it. It's like a layer of film. When you wipe using a clean rag with acetone and dont see any more come off, then it's gone.

 

[Pie]

This may be overkill, but what about a spray bottle, let it soak, then rinse off? Just thinking without knowing.

This likely is a better idea than my ****storm of paper towels and trying to keep the acetone off my hands. The KU isn’t fragile per se, but I’d probably be a little judicious with the solvent exposure.

How do u know when its gone how do u tell?

Shiny vs not shiny. The raw KU is a matte finish. You can tell on the core steel by how it patinas, or when you put it on stones you’ll feel it and see little rubbery used eraser bits coming off.

 

[Wagnum]

The number of times I've seen people worried their brand new Takeda is chipping because the lacquer on the edge is flaking is higher than I expected. Thanks for this, let's hope it helps

 

[Heckel7302]

Right there with you, brother. First thing I did was take the lacquer off. I will never understand why he even puts it on stainless cladding in the first place.

Here’s a vid of mine with lacquer off. Mine has a few streaks also, but I think they are in the KU. I went after it pretty good with acetone and makeup remover pads. I’m pretty sure I got it all, though it took a while, some spots are THICK.



and some photos with lacquer

The look is definitely different without. With the finish is a much blacker black. Without it’s a little grayer, but I think that’s typical with KU on stainless.

And lacquerless pics for comparison to above

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

To me, this is just another example of function over form. Buy the steel, shape and profile not the slab-side look.

 

[Pie]

Right there with you, brother. First thing I did was take the lacquer off. I will never understand why he even puts it on stainless cladding in the first place.

Here’s a vid of mine with lacquer off. Mine has a few streaks also, but I think they are in the KU. I went after it pretty good with acetone and makeup remover pads. I’m pretty sure I got it all, though it took a while, some spots are THICK.



and some photos with lacquer

View attachment 169134View attachment 169136

The look is definitely different without. With the finish is a much blacker black. Without it’s a little grayer, but I think that’s typical with KU on stainless.

And lacquerless pics for comparison to above
View attachment 169137View attachment 169138

Looks pretty clean to me! I assume it’s on there to prevent scratches etc but I agree it doesn’t seem all that necessary.

It also just occurred to me that sometimes his NAS KU comes out different.. the bunka looks almost like an AS without the patchiness, but the other 2 are smooth and more even.

 

[Justinv]

I agree that this shouldn’t be necessary. Lacquer makes no sense to me.

 

[Jovidah]

Just watch out with the acetone on knives that have a painted kanji. I've washed some off before...

 

[PineWood]

Mine still have the lacquer on. Should I remove it? I mean the lacquer is food safe right? Or is it something the customer is expected to do and it is just meant as a protection for transport/storage

 

[Pie]

Mine still have the lacquer on. Should I remove it? I mean the lacquer is food safe right? Or is it something the customer is expected to do and it is just meant as a protection for transport/storage

Tbh I would remove, unless it’s a collectors piece. I like to touch edges up unnecessarily so taking off the lacquer is close to the first thing I do. I’m unsure of food safeness, but I’d assume it’s not - most solvent based things aren’t.

Ive read it’s just meant as protection during shipping, although and can’t confirm or deny it.

The only potentially unfortunate thing is the appearance will change change irreversibly. For me this is good. For some, maybe not .