# Just made my first purchase at JKI



## Nelson_Baboon (Jun 10, 2018)

I haven't even received my items yet: https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...cts/gesshin-kagekiyo-240mm-blue-1-wa-sujihiki and https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...accessories/products/diamond-flattening-plate, but I wanted to comment on Jon's communication and service.

I have found it pretty rare in the world that someone responds in detail to every question/comment etc in an email carefully, and also somewhat uncommon that someone who is running a store blatantly recommends cheaper rather than more expensive items. I'm a rank beginner, yet he composed long emails addressing every aspect of every question that I asked, all of them written quite eloquently, I might add. 

He also took into account my beginner status (especially at sharpening) and recommend a MUCH cheaper knife than I was first considering, and took to explain what exactly might go wrong in my usage and sharpening attempts with this knife, etc. 

Of course, my GAS (don't know if that acronym is used in knife circles - it's used in electronic music forums to mean 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome') led me to buy the knife above (a different type than I was first considering), and likely not the best knife for a beginner....but he was just so patient with me the whole way and actually encouraged questions. 

It seemed like the shipping notice arrived within minutes of my order, and it included a 'touch up' which I had asked about, and he had recommended.


----------



## mc2442 (Jun 11, 2018)

Jon and JKI are always first rate. What made you go with the sujuhiki?


----------



## Nelson_Baboon (Jun 11, 2018)

mc2442 said:


> Jon and JKI are always first rate. What made you go with the sujuhiki?



my reasoning is pretty incoherent at this point....but i have another one and it seems to attack root vegetables (like turnips) much better than my gyutos, I wanted a really good one, and wanted to buy something from JKI. It probably all boils down to how exciting it is at this point to get a new knife and try it out. It also looks like a bit of an easier knife to maintain for a beginner - I was initially looking at one of the blue #1 yanagibas, but Jon warned me about various issues that could arise from my incompetence. And I think that this one will be good for cutting sashimi, which was my original motivation. but yeah - ugh. want new knife. this is cool. ugh.


----------



## daveb (Jun 11, 2018)

Ya done good!


----------



## cheflivengood (Jun 11, 2018)

Just wait for that packaging job :hungry:


----------



## panda (Jun 13, 2018)

surprisingly, it's not very well known secret that suji is great at a lot of cutting tasks not just slicing stuff. i think most never thought to use it for gyuto tasks because it's so long and the lack of knuckle clearance holds them up, they gotta be more imaginative. whole reason i tried is because while i have a slicer out, if i need to cut something else up real quick why even bother swapping out knives if the one im already holding can get it done?

also, jon is one of the best at communicating meaningful answers and not just short and delayed responses like most other businesses.


----------



## Chef Doom (Jun 15, 2018)

Nelson_Baboon said:


> He also took into account my beginner status (especially at sharpening) and recommend a MUCH cheaper knife than I was first considering, and took to explain what exactly might go wrong in my usage and sharpening attempts with this knife, etc.



This is why Jon will never be Bernie Madoff rich. He goes out of his way to help the weak and uneducated.

As Delivery Boy Fry would say..."Just shut up and take my money!"


----------



## labor of love (Jun 15, 2018)

Great choice. Kagekiyo sujis look nice. Maybe one day Ill be able to afford the ginsanko one.


----------



## daveb (Jun 15, 2018)

I'd give Doom's left nut for one of those...


----------



## valgard (Jun 15, 2018)

Kagekiyo suji and 270 gyuto in B1 are a dream set for me.


----------



## Chef Doom (Jun 20, 2018)

daveb said:


> I'd give Doom's left nut for one of those...


It was already sacrificed for Prince concert tickets in 2003.


----------



## daveb (Jun 20, 2018)

Good trade!


----------



## mc2442 (Jun 20, 2018)

Never saw him in concert, I am sure it was a hell of a show.


----------



## Chef Doom (Jun 26, 2018)

The attractive women that are drawn to his shows are more than enough of a reason. I knew his music was hypnotic when a woman said to my friend "Has anyone told you you look like Prince?" That would be like going to a Chinese champion chess player and saying "Has anyone told you you look like a young Arnold Schwarzenegger" [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


----------



## minibatataman (Jun 26, 2018)

Chef Doom said:


> This is why Jon will never be Bernie Madoff rich. He goes out of his way to help the weak and uneducated.
> 
> As Delivery Boy Fry would say..."Just shut up and take my money!"


Because he doesn't charge bucks to send extra pics of his products as well


----------



## JBroida (Jun 26, 2018)

minibatataman said:


> Because he doesn't charge bucks to send extra pics of his products as well



wait... do people normally charge for that kind of thing?


----------



## Wdestate (Jun 26, 2018)

just to hop on this, i been buying knives for a very long time and somehow just recently made my first purchase from JKI as well. Hands down the best service i have ever got from explanations on product, pictures 
and timely shipping, hell even the packaging was above and beyond. I dont even need more gear and i find myself wanting to buy stuff from them solely based on the amazing service...oh yeah the knife is awesome as well!


----------



## minibatataman (Jun 26, 2018)

JBroida said:


> wait... do people normally charge for that kind of thing?


Lol it was thing for a while at a certain vendor's. 20 bucks for pictures of specific samples of knives you're interested in so you get to pick and choose
Considering all the emails and calls I sent to you, had you been charging for services like that the uraku you sent me would've been worth more than a shig by the time it got to Lebanon


----------



## JBroida (Jun 26, 2018)

I know I'm not always the cheapest place to buy things (both as a function of overhead and our pricing philosophy with regard to how we pay the craftsmen we work with), so I always try to make up for that as much as possible with customer service and value-added services.


----------



## Grunt173 (Jun 27, 2018)

And you and the crew do a fine job at that. Thanks


JBroida said:


> I know I'm not always the cheapest place to buy things (both as a function of overhead and our pricing philosophy with regard to how we pay the craftsmen we work with), so I always try to make up for that as much as possible with customer service and value-added services.


----------



## Chef Doom (Jul 4, 2018)

JKI tends to have a strong customer loyalty factor without the gift cards and frequent buyer stamps.


----------

