Takeda thinning - my first major thinning project.

[Danzo]

I picked up this Takeda a while back here on the forums. I don’t remember who I got it from, and I don’t intend to put them on blast, but it was posted as a thinned knife. “Cuts like a laser with the release of a workhorse”. Sure thing I’ll snag it. Needless to say it was far from anything useable.

Here is the bevel, you can see how clunky it is.

This is a top down on the tip, you can see the bevel, it’s essentially like that the whole way, a choil shot (which I didn’t get) looked like this.

Last owners attempt at thinning was really just unnecessarily removing some good KU. It goes up quite a bit further on the left side than the right. That’s okay though

First things first I wanted to lower the tip of the knife, make it look more like a raquin gyuto than a big santoku.

Pic after grinding, next to TX

Next some major thinning. Big shoutout to @rogue108. He sent me a brand new 220 stone for free! What a guy! Thanks a million. Finish at 220, this was the only progress photo I got. I must say I was pretty happy it this point, I figured it would stay consistent and it would keep the contrast...

Here it is finished. My progression was rogue’s 220, naniwa 600, shapton 1000, naniwa 3000, and the only jnat I have yaginoshima asagi.

Quite a bit higher on the left side, but I’m a righty so it’s a little thinner in the left, more pronounced shoulder on the right.

I have no idea about finishes, or what stones do what. These are merely the stones i use to sharpen, I’m very happy with the results I get from these stones for working knives, but maybe they are not the right ones for pretty finishes, or maybe I’m just not that good yet. But the grind is now thin, and very usable.

Thanks guys. As always any feedback is appreciated.

 

[panda]

With takeda youre going to need like 5 more thinning sessions, the cladding is a real pita, lol. You'll notice it cuts drastically different after each session. First time it will cut ok, second time will cut worse, third time a little better, and back n forth.

 

[Ivang]

How's the food release now?

 

[Danzo]

I’ll update when I have something to cut. Last couple days have been what Seattle has called snowpocalypse 2019. Basically 6 inches of snow and the whole place shuts down.

 

[labor of love]

The first step to thinning takeda:
Send to Jon.

 

[milkbaby]

Nice job, looks much improved!

I remember seeing a video of Takeda sharpening with his "stones on a stick". His technique basically showed him sharpening the bevel as a zero grind scandi. As received, it looks like yours was sharpened multiple times like a typical kitchen knife with a small edge bevel, ignoring the scandi grind bevel.

 

[Danzo]

Confirmed. I got a video of potatoes and carrots but I can’t seem to upload. If anyone can help please do.

Cuts pretty well. Release is quite good. Slightly wedge and cracky on carrots and potatoes but nothing too bad. Release is excellent

 

[Danzo]

The only way I figured out how to post a vid. Release is excellent. Cuts are pretty smooth too.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt2TG6thplQ/?hl=en

Ignore my goofy fingernails

 

[Midsummer]

Saw the video. I had to thin mine too; but I now find it a very enjoyable knife to use. Cheers..

 

[Dendrobatez]

Takedas are the worst to work on, even with a belt sander and good belts it takes 4x longer to get results compared to most other knives I've worked on. They're supposed to be a scandi grind but both of the ones I have were just too fat behind the edge

 

[madelinez]

Hmm yeah I agree that it looks like the original owner didn't maintain the out of the box zero-grind correctly. I've never seen a Takeda choil shot look that bad before. They still don't come with the taller primary bevels most gyutos have, but I kind of view them as a specialty knife. They have 10/10 food release and work really well on things like onions, tomatoes, cucumbers. They really don't perform well for a lot of tasks though.

 

[labor of love]

I actually don’t think they’re very good for onions. But my old takeda suji was the best tomato cutter I’ve ever used.

 

[madelinez]

I actually don’t think they’re very good for onions. But my old takeda suji was the best tomato cutter I’ve ever used.

I've got a nakiri and after lessening the tip's shoulders (about 1cm of length) it beats all my other knives for onions. I keep the rest of the knife as is to maintain food release.

 

[Danzo]

After much consideration I’ve decided to seek out professional help. I live in Seattle, not too far from EE, Dan said he’d work on this for me. I’ll post more progress stuff when I get it back from him. Plus he’s going to put in a nice flat spot