What's the deal with Takeda knives?

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labor of love said:
I had takeda make me an “old school takeda” last year.
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Given the title of the thread... I am curious; what about the Takeda magic were you looking for in the custom? Compared to alternative options?

Agree with the historical trend. I might add... as I understand it, Takeda was also a pretty savvy businessman. He "reached out" to the west earlier than many other J-blacksmiths. He made it easy for people to order direct and submit custom orders. That was a relative novelty back then, popularity and reputation followed.... Could be wrong... 🤷‍♂️
 
Luftmensch said:
Given the title of the thread... I am curious; what about the Takeda magic were you looking for in the custom? Compared to alternative options?

Agree with the historical trend. I might add... as I understand it, Takeda was also a pretty savvy businessman. He "reached out" to the west earlier than many other J-blacksmiths. He made it easy for people to order direct and submit custom orders. That was a relative novelty back then, popularity and reputation followed.... Could be wrong... 🤷‍♂️
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You used to be able to order direct from just about every Japanese hamono 10 years ago. In regards to Takeda, you sent an email stating what you wanted and you sent an international money order for 125 bucks and then you got a knife a month or two later. Now it’s all channel level BS with markups 5 times along the way.
 
Chicagohawkie said:
You used to be able to order direct from just about every Japanese hamono 10 years ago. In regards to Takeda, you sent an email stating what you wanted and you sent an international money order for 125 bucks and then you got a knife a month or two later. Now it’s all channel level BS with markups 5 times along the way.
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Whenever I hear people discussing the good old days (and the good old prices), I realize I really missed the boat on that stuff. I'd be sitting pretty with my Wat nakiri and not have a giant hole in my pocket. TF nashiji, too.
 
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Luftmensch said:
Given the title of the thread... I am curious; what about the Takeda magic were you looking for in the custom? Compared to alternative options?

Agree with the historical trend. I might add... as I understand it, Takeda was also a pretty savvy businessman. He "reached out" to the west earlier than many other J-blacksmiths. He made it easy for people to order direct and submit custom orders. That was a relative novelty back then, popularity and reputation followed.... Could be wrong... 🤷‍♂️
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Well that custom actually has a decent profile for starters 😎
250mm x 54mm instead of the classic mini cleaver w mezzaluna profile or sasa which at the time I thought was too narrow. Also taller bevel.
I think I just requested extra tall sasa profile w soft iron.
 
Hassanbensober said:
Big nakiri fan here. If I could find another Takeda AS super nakiri just like the one I bought 6 years ago I would gladly pay more than retail for it. Thinnest grind I’ve ever seen I hope they still make them like that.
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Strong words of support.
labor of love said:
He will do custom knives for the same price as retail. I had takeda make me an “old school takeda” last year.
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Even better!
 
You have to get used to the geometry and you may like it or not, but this buttery AS, easy and undemanding to sharpen (you can sharpen Takada well even on a brick) always makes you smile. As it was said - you must try it !!! (AS - soft iron)
 
labor of love said:
Well that custom actually has a decent profile for starters 😎
250mm x 54mm instead of the classic mini cleaver w mezzaluna profile or sasa which at the time I thought was too narrow. Also taller bevel.
I think I just requested extra tall sasa profile w soft iron.
Click to expand...

That’s a crazy flat profile at the tip. How’d it feel to you? I’m assuming the knife has since moved on.
 



I only have one, an iron clad 240mm Kiritsuke gyuto. I love it. Used frequently in a pro environment. @pgugger is spot on - unparalleled food release out of all my Jknives. I don't think I need to have anymore - but I think if you have a collection of knives from various J-makers then Takeda is definitely worth trying. I certainly won't be selling mine.
 
I kinda dig the new arrowhead profile. Not because its the best, but because its different. It’s nice to pull this knife for tall hard vegetables or onions. It has its appeal to me. Also the steel is well treated; AS Love!
 
I have the Takeda 180 mm Nakiri and ordered direct. I like it, but quality is a bit not where I would like it. Light, fun to use, but I don’t end up reaching for it much - will try it tomorrow night - as a refresh
 
Check this thread out ...

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/like-a-naughty-schoolboy.44589/
I think I have pretty much all of the AS series knives in my collection ... here’s a pic ...

95C8DAC3-6712-4B8C-A36C-EEF0A213AEFB.jpeg


I actually picked up Takeda’s tall nakiri but it’s not in the pic. I don’t know of another line of knives forged the same as Takeda’s. On that basis alone they are worth trying In my opinion. Two of his knives are in my permanent block. These are the knives from my collection that don’t rotate. The knives I reach for when I’m in a hurry or want to get things done. I like them ... you may or may not.
 
Brian Weekley said:
Check this thread out ...

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/like-a-naughty-schoolboy.44589/
I think I have pretty much all of the AS series knives in my collection ... here’s a pic ...

View attachment 95734

I actually picked up Takeda’s tall nakiri but it’s not in the pic. I don’t know of another line of knives forged the same as Takeda’s. On that basis alone they are worth trying In my opinion. Two of his knives are in my permanent block. These are the knives from my collection that don’t rotate. The knives I reach for when I’m in a hurry or want to get things done. I like them ... you may or may not.
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How flat is that bunka? I had a NAS nakiri and sold it as it had too much curve in the profile.
 
milas555 said:
By the way, please give me a short opinion from suji / yanagiba ...
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The sujihiki/Yanigaba is probably my least favourite of all his knives that I own. VERY flexible. Mine came with a slight twist in the blade. Nice to have to complete my collection but I wouldn’t recommend it as a daily user.
 
esoo said:
How flat is that bunka? I had a NAS nakiri and sold it as it had too much curve in the profile.
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Brian Weekley said:
The sujihiki/Yanigaba is probably my least favourite of all his knives that I own. VERY flexible. Mine came with a slight twist in the blade. Nice to have to complete my collection but I wouldn’t recommend it as a daily user.
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My Nakiri came a bit warped - so when you put it flat in the table, it wobbles like a dining table in a restaurant
 
Brian Weekley said:
The sujihiki/Yanigaba is probably my least favourite of all his knives that I own. VERY flexible. Mine came with a slight twist in the blade. Nice to have to complete my collection but I wouldn’t recommend it as a daily user.
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Thanks - I had doubts ... although I like petty, gyuto and nakiri a lot
 
I agree with your list ... especially the petty. It’s in my permanent block and I use it every day. Big enough to be a mini Gyuto and holds an incredibly sharp edge for a very long time. Like all Takeda’s Very easy to touch up or sharpen when the time comes. But knives are a very personal thing and I can see how others may see it differently.
 
milas555 said:
You have to get used to the geometry and you may like it or not, but this buttery AS, easy and undemanding to sharpen (you can sharpen Takada well even on a brick) always makes you smile. As it was said - you must try it !!! (AS - soft iron)
Click to expand...
I totally agree with his steel probably my favorite AS steel. Takedas are without a doubt one of the most unique cutting experiences, as such they are polarizing. If you get a good one though they can blow you away.
 
I'll parrot the previous posters somewhat. If you find an OLD Takeda pay whatever you have to and get it. I don't recommend the newer version...either cladding. Yes, I have both and there's absolutely no comparison.

I assume the reason you seldom find an older Takeda for sale is that folks that have them would never sell them. That thought might be pure justification but I don't think so....
 
I decided to take my Takeda for a spin to make a salad. It performed great on almost everything*, I enjoyed the experience.

*horizontal onion cuts were not that great.
 
I love my bunka. Generous height, great stell, very precise due to low weight. I also find mine performs great for denser vegetables like carrots and potatoes, where the food separation is a big advantage. My only grievance is it has a bit mor (continous) belly than I'd like.
 
Too much flex in the ones I tried. Felt like I could snap them off easily. Otherwise nice knives.
 
Brian Weekley said:
Check this thread out ...

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/like-a-naughty-schoolboy.44589/
I think I have pretty much all of the AS series knives in my collection ... here’s a pic ...

View attachment 95734

I actually picked up Takeda’s tall nakiri but it’s not in the pic. I don’t know of another line of knives forged the same as Takeda’s. On that basis alone they are worth trying In my opinion. Two of his knives are in my permanent block. These are the knives from my collection that don’t rotate. The knives I reach for when I’m in a hurry or want to get things done. I like them ... you may or may not.
Click to expand...
Do you have the mioroshi deba? Do you like it?
 
I do have the mioroshi deba and for as much as I’ve used it I like it a lot. It’s a much thicker and more substantial blade. I don’t know whether it will suit me as a daily user and it hasn’t had a turn in my rotating block where I’ll give it at least two weeks of regular use. I seem to accumulate too many knives that push it out of the way. I picked it up mostly because the AS series Takeda’s are getting so rare and hard to find and I was working to complete my collection of AS Takeda’s. I have nothing against the NAS series Takeda’s but find that they are thicker blades without the character of the AS series blades. Takeda’s knives are truly different than many of the knives produced today. I have three favourites ... the petty, the sasanoha and the kogatana. When I seek to impress and threaten bystanders I drag out my 300 Gyuto or my xxl chinese cleaver. I call the last two my “cabbage killers”. They are the only knives I own that will cause a big head of cabbage to fall to pieces just by taking them out of my knife drawer. The petit is one of the most used knives in my kitchen. It’s light and small and maintains a ridiculously sharp edge. To me, perfect for vege prep. I’m sure the NAS version is equally delightful. The kogatana is also preferred in my kitchen For all those “non food tasks”. From opening vacuum sealed packages to light cardboard it’s perfect. The heat treatment and ability to hold an edge is tops as far as I’m concerned. The Sasanoha is closest to the traditional Gyuto profile while maintaining Takeda’s grind. It may be more attractive to most users who find the depth of Takeda’s gyutos a bit much. Again the NAS series would be perfectly usable for most people. While many might not agree with me I think one of Takeda’s knives deserves a place in most people’s kitchen. They’re different ... and they’re not too expensive. I’ve read that “nothing cuts like a Takeda”. I agree with that ... they’re not necessarily preferred to your normal Japanese fare, but by being different they are worth a try. Who knows ... you might get bit by the Takeda bug like I did.
 
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