# Masamoto ka series



## whirlwynds (Apr 10, 2021)

I am wondering if anyone can tell me more about the masamoto ka series. I can’t find much information or many retailers carrying it online. It seems everyone is obsessed with KS


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## xxxclx (Apr 10, 2021)

I have a KA santoku. It's one of my earliest japanese knives. What do you want to know?


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## whirlwynds (Apr 10, 2021)

xxxclx said:


> I have a KA santoku. It's one of my earliest japanese knives. What do you want to know?


How do you like it? Why is everyone so obsessed with the KS series? Also how is the maintenance and sharpening on this knife?


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## xxxclx (Apr 10, 2021)

whirlwynds said:


> How do you like it? Why is everyone so obsessed with the KS series? Also how is the maintenance and sharpening on this knife?



I wasn't very impressed with it. I bought it in 2015 wanting to get a decent Japanese knife to try out but I pretty much shelved it after a couple of uses and went back to my Global and Messermeister. I don't like the profile. The fit and finish is consistent but meh (rough spine and choil). The knife is not that thin behind the edge, compared to other knives I have at similar price point. You can buy a better knife for the price.

As I see it, KA is a smaller line with only one double-bevel santoku easily available via JCK, the rest are single-bevel. Whereas KS has the far more popular gyutos suitable for enthusiasts kitchen use. The KS is nicely made and well respected. The obsession seems to have waned and moved on to smaller makers.

The sharpening experience with the KA is actually very pleasurable. The steel raises a burr and removes burr easily, as one would expect with decent carbon steel. I use the KA as a practice knife for experimenting with natural stones and kasumi finishing.

Here's a comparison with a similarly priced knife that I vastly prefer in daily use. 

Masamoto KA santoku

Kochi K-Tip santoku


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## whirlwynds (Apr 10, 2021)

Wow. Very beefy compared to that other one!


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## madmotts (Apr 10, 2021)

Omg. That is pig of santoku... sorry I meant “beefy”. That’s like a double bevel deba(is that a thing?).

Honestly no harm meant- thanks for sharing.


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## GBT-Splint (Apr 10, 2021)

madmotts said:


> Omg. That is pig of santoku... sorry I meant “beefy”. That’s like a double bevel deba(is that a thing?).
> 
> Honestly no harm meant- thanks for sharing.


Aye a double bevel deba is a thing, hate them.


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## whirlwynds (Apr 21, 2021)

xxxclx said:


> The sharpening experience with the KA is actually very pleasurable. The steel raises a burr and removes burr easily, as one would expect with decent carbon steel. I use the KA as a practice knife for experimenting with natural stones and kasumi finishing.


what stones do you use to raise the kasumi? any photos?


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