# Blueway's got a new batch of Sakai Yusuke SS



## echerub (Jun 27, 2013)

I know a number of folks here are really keen on these 

Keiichi's got in a new batch of 61HRC flatter-profile Sakai Yusuke SS gyutos. Get 'em while you can! 




When my in-laws come again, I'll have to get one of these guys. Even Kono HD couldn't stand up to their use - I got rust on mine in pretty short order. Actually, even SS might not hold up. I got rust and pitting in the interiors of my pots.

It'll be an excuse for me to pick up something nice in SS at that time anyhow


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## labor of love (Jun 27, 2013)

did you see any 270s? all i could find were 240mm and 210s....


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## franzb69 (Jun 27, 2013)

only saw 240 and 210's as well.


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## echerub (Jun 27, 2013)

Hmm. When I saw them I just saw 240s and 210s as well. Maybe the 270s went already.


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## labor of love (Jun 27, 2013)

atleast some of the new yusukes are finally ready. The situation has become aggravating. Delay after delay after delay...


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## Mucho Bocho (Jun 27, 2013)

They 270's are not finished yet. Keiichi has no deliver date. Expected in August was the infor he gave me on Monday 6/14


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## labor of love (Jun 27, 2013)

i started making inquires around october of last year concerning a 270mm gyuto like this one. In october he said they would be ready in december, in december he said they would be ready in febuary, then april, then sometime this summer, and now august.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jun 27, 2013)

Why don't you spring for a 240,plenty size for most cutting.I like um all Thick & Thin flat profile 61 Hrt


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## Keith Sinclair (Jun 27, 2013)

Look's like someone bought the last thicker spine 240.snooze ya loose


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## Mucho Bocho (Jun 27, 2013)

I've had an order in for the 270 since August 2012. Evidently Yusuke doesn't make the 270 profile very often. They are consieranle more expensive and produced in lower #'s. 



labor of love said:


> i started making inquires around october of last year concerning a 270mm gyuto like this one. In october he said they would be ready in december, in december he said they would be ready in febuary, then april, then sometime this summer, and now august.


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## labor of love (Jun 27, 2013)

what I dislike about this situation isnt the 10 month wait, but being told the knives will be ready next month like 5 times. i also have one on "reserve".


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## Mucho Bocho (Jun 27, 2013)

Its not keiichi's fault (BlueWay). i'm sure you know that. Just like Jon and maxim, I'm sure they've run into supply chain issues. He said that some company made a huge Yusuke purchase. I think it was probably those knives that you pointed out in a propr post labor. Keiichi agrees with your assessment to labor, that these blades did come from the same shop that makes Yusukes. 

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...JCK-line-stainless-WA-Gyutos?highlight=yusuke


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## RWBadley (Jun 27, 2013)

keithsaltydog said:


> Look's like someone bought the last thicker spine 240.snooze ya loose



That would be me. :bliss: I sent a note last month to let me know when they came up again on the e-site; and sure enough... Got the 240 comin'


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## stevenStefano (Jun 27, 2013)

labor of love said:


> did you see any 270s? all i could find were 240mm and 210s....



Did he mention how many (if any) 270s there would be? I'd love one but I don't want to keep waiting with no definite ETA


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## panda (Jun 27, 2013)

thick flat 270 ss sure would be attractive option if it were actually available...


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## labor of love (Jun 27, 2013)

Steven I'm surprised you're interested in these knives, I thought you didn't like your KS. Or was it just the not so great edge retention you didn't like? FYI, masamoto makes a KS in aeb-l for not too much more than these yusukes...I'm thinking bout getting one of those instead


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## stevenStefano (Jun 28, 2013)

labor of love said:


> Steven I'm surprised you're interested in these knives, I thought you didn't like your KS. Or was it just the not so great edge retention you didn't like? FYI, masamoto makes a KS in aeb-l for not too much more than these yusukes...I'm thinking bout getting one of those instead



Yeah I didn't like it but I didn't like the flatness of it and a 270 sort of takes this out of the equation. I also didn't like the edge retention, but again it would hopefully be better with these ones. I didn't know about the AEB-L KS. Where did you hear of them?


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## labor of love (Jun 28, 2013)

Korin. On this forum, actually. She sent me the specs but I already deleted the message.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jun 28, 2013)

RWBadley said:


> That would be me. :bliss: I sent a note last month to let me know when they came up again on the e-site; and sure enough... Got the 240 comin'



Alright let us know how you like it when it comes in!


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## eaglerock (Jun 28, 2013)

I also have 270mm white on order :/


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## labor of love (Jun 28, 2013)

Korin has a 15% off sale in July so now is definitely the time order a masamoto. I'll be getting one....


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## bkultra (Jun 28, 2013)

labor of love said:


> Korin has a 15% off sale in July so now is definitely the time order a masamoto. I'll be getting one....



If you are ordering a AEB-L one please post pictures and as much info about it as you can.


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## labor of love (Jun 28, 2013)

I will


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## V1P (Jun 29, 2013)

Hi everyone, guess who bought the only 240mm ebony handle with buffalo horn spacer and collar from this batch :happymug:

It pays to be OCD and keep checking Ebay every few minutes.

Any chance you guys can direct me where to buy a nice saya for it. A universal one is fine, as long as you know that it fits. Those who have bought a universal saya for it pls kindly chime in.

Thank you.


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## berko (Jun 29, 2013)

i like that ebony handle with the white spacer.


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## stevenStefano (Jun 29, 2013)

V1P said:


> Hi everyone, guess who bought the only 240mm ebony handle with buffalo horn spacer and collar from this batch :happymug:
> 
> It pays to be OCD and keep checking Ebay every few minutes.
> 
> ...



If you ask Keiichi he'll probably get you one for very cheap. Maybe it's too late for you though


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## V1P (Jun 29, 2013)

Yes, it is too late for me. Any idea which universal saya will fit?


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## TheDispossessed (Jun 29, 2013)

my bank account is really happy i caught up with this thread late


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## V1P (Jun 30, 2013)

TheDispossessed said:


> my bank account is really happy i caught up with this thread late


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## tripleq (Jul 2, 2013)

I was just in Japan and made a stop at the SY store in Sakai city. I was surprised to find that the store itself was either very low on stock or completely out of a of many items, particularly gyutos. For those of you waiting and more for those that haven't held a SY yet, rest assured that they are worth the wait. I held and inspected a dizzying array of brands there. When factoring in the price SY are an extremely high value. I asked why the stock was low and I didn't really get a straight answer but I was assured that new stock would arrive in 'several weeks'.


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## bkdc (Jul 7, 2013)

V1P said:


> Hi everyone, guess who bought the only 240mm ebony handle with buffalo horn spacer and collar from this batch :happymug:



That's a good looking handle, but for some reason, I think the ebony wood might add a good ounce or more to the weight of the knife when compared to magnolia/ho wood. I'm taking a keen look at this knife.


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## berko (Jul 7, 2013)

> FYI, masamoto makes a KS in aeb-l



i think this is it.

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/chubonoie/item/tkgca13-3-0193-1501/


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## labor of love (Jul 7, 2013)

Korin is having a sale this month, I can't remember if its 10% or 15%, but after discount you could just go through them instead, the prices are real close if I'm not mistaken.


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## RWBadley (Jul 8, 2013)

Just picked mine up at the Post Office this AM.

Lovely knife. The sound of the steel, even just through the handle as I hold it- makes me want to rush home and start cuttin' stuff up :doublethumbsup:


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## berko (Jul 9, 2013)

did you get any information about the heat treatment on the masamoto aeb-l ?


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## Seb (Jul 9, 2013)

I'm mildly curious as to why Yusuke is reportedly low on stock atm. Could it be because so many retailers have jumped on the bandwagon and ordered big? Or are they running the inventory down for another reason like next big batch coming in.


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## franzb69 (Jul 9, 2013)

> I'm mildly curious as to why Yusuke is reportedly low on stock atm. Could it be because so many retailers have jumped on the bandwagon and ordered big? Or are they running the inventory down for another reason like next big batch coming in.



it would be probably more attributed to the fluctuating exchange rate and they're probably holding on to their stocks til it stabilizes a bit more. but that's just me.


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## labor of love (Jul 10, 2013)

berko said:


> did you get any information about the heat treatment on the masamoto aeb-l ?



ive been in contact with korin about placing an order. i believe the aeb-l is hardened to 60-61.


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## Seb (Jul 10, 2013)

franzb69 said:


> it would be probably more attributed to the fluctuating exchange rate and they're probably holding on to their stocks til it stabilizes a bit more. but that's just me.



I would have thought that the majority of Sakai Yusuke's business is domestic. I wasn't referring to Bluewayjapan the eBay seller.


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## RWBadley (Jul 12, 2013)

I have been using this knife for the last few days. Quite a pleasure... lightweight belies it's strength. A real multi purpose tool. I love the tip and the flatter profile. Nice feel of the handle. The additional blade thickness is a comfort as my usual hamfisted technique doesn't seem to phase it. Sharp and pretty, right ootb. Cuts onions, carrots, tomatoes, salmon; smooshes cloves of garlic for peeling. Love the sound of this steel as it works. Very nice, so far no issues.

Cheers,

RW


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## Mucho Bocho (Jul 12, 2013)

I've got Yusuke fever too. Just picked up a 210 and 240 in Flat stainless 61hr and a 300mm Suij. the other knife is the Special thin white #2


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## mhlee (Jul 12, 2013)

franzb69 said:


> it would be probably more attributed to the fluctuating exchange rate and they're probably holding on to their stocks til it stabilizes a bit more. but that's just me.



Having watched Bluewayjapan's inventory for a few years now, I would say that this is not true as far as Bluewayjapan is concerned.

From what I've seen, if Keiichi has knives, he'll sell them. Even when the yen was super strong against the dollar, which would have been the best time to pull inventory and hold stocks since his profit margin would have been much smaller even with his price increase over the years, he consistently had inventory of most of the knives he carries to this day.


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## Bram (Jul 12, 2013)

tripleq said:


> I was just in Japan and made a stop at the SY store in Sakai ... I asked why the stock was low and I didn't really get a straight answer but I was assured that new stock would arrive in 'several weeks'



I would guess that you were the only blade pilgrim you saw when there. Correct? That could be why - not too many people pop around into the shop/public displays. First, these days Sakai is just a conventional suburban district with little for visitors and, second, partly because of this few people come round and walk into the knife destinations. 

For example, I've been to the Hamono Museum - twice - the only other visitors I saw were tour groups of middle-aged folk, mostly women, doing a mandatory stop in the ground floor for non-knife souvenirs. The knife shop upstairs (big variety of stuff to buy) is basically a sleepy loft, and my impression is if a visitor arrives it'll be one of the highlights of the day.

To reference another thread where seeking out and visiting the makers was discouraged by a rather prominent member, seems to me that there could be a lot more to do in these places. In the Hamono Museum there is no one to talk to to tell you of places to visit, no knife geeks at all. The actual hamono stuff is even hidden up in the upstairs floor. In Sakai or Kyoto, where there are loads of people still involved in the trade, there are no tours or mentions in the tourism lit. In Kyoto you're told to go to Aritsugu in Nishiki and that's it. I wonder but doubt if it's different in Seki or Sanjo.

Blacksmiths and bladesmiths might not be used to or trained to deal with visitors, especially foreign, but seems that more could be done to promote these traditional crafts and industries in Japan. (Lots is done for other industries in contrast.)

Anyway, sorry. My feeling was that there are few visitors to the SY shop, and so stocking the shelves wasn't a priority. I think there's an office in the back, and the paperwork and sales there are probably what the guy there works on. (Met him, he's the owner.)


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## stevenStefano (Jul 12, 2013)

It's kinda annoying that Keiichi has such little stock. I know he took a break a while ago but for a while he was adding a load of new different Sakai Yusukes almost every week. I think their popularity is probably just the reason for the lack of stock, with Konosukes being so expensive now I think the Yusukes are commonly recommended and word has spread


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## Mucho Bocho (Jul 12, 2013)

Keiichi is a preferred Yusuke merchant for sure. They keep him in the supply chain for some reason. Perhaps he has some personal connection--total conjecture. It is true that he only gets a few knives at a time. 

Agreed Mhlee. Keiichi sells the Yusuke lasers he has in stock instantly. I like my Y as much as my Kono's. I wish we could get Y to engrave the Kangi. Y just won't do it. The Kangi on Kono's is so pretty. Reminds me of a Samurai warrior in motion.

Steven, right on. Zwiffel came by with the Masamoto KS 270 to compare to the Yuke W2 240's profiles. They weren't the same, although its hard to compare a 240 and a 270 length blades. The steel felt harder on the board with the KS, I only had it for a few hours with it but there's a reason that knife has a following. It's Bitchen for sure.


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## bkdc (Jul 12, 2013)

Can anyone compare a Yusuke to one of their Konosuke HD's? I know the steel is different, but they're in a similar class in my book. The F&F of Konosuke has been much maligned lately


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## mpukas (Jul 12, 2013)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Steven, right on. Zwiffel came by with the Masamoto KS 270 to compare to the Yuke W2 240's profiles. They weren't the same, although its hard to compare a 240 and a 270 length blades. The steel felt harder on the board with the KS, I only had it for a few hours with it but there's a reason that knife has a following. It's Bitchen for sure.



Completely agree with all of this. I have to get a KS at some point just to have one...


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## labor of love (Jul 12, 2013)

How are the profiles different? In photos the masamoto looks to be a tad flatter to me, is that correct?


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## berko (Jul 12, 2013)

thats what i thought as well. now i want another one.


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## tripleq (Jul 12, 2013)

Bram said:


> I would guess that you were the only blade pilgrim you saw when there. Correct? That could be why - not too many people pop around into the shop/public displays. First, these days Sakai is just a conventional suburban district with little for visitors and, second, partly because of this few people come round and walk into the knife destinations.
> 
> For example, I've been to the Hamono Museum - twice - the only other visitors I saw were tour groups of middle-aged folk, mostly women, doing a mandatory stop in the ground floor for non-knife souvenirs. The knife shop upstairs (big variety of stuff to buy) is basically a sleepy loft, and my impression is if a visitor arrives it'll be one of the highlights of the day.
> L
> ...



Hey. Thanks for the response and no need for sorry. We're here to discuss!!  

Iterestingly enough I wasn't the only blade enthusiast around. I met a few. One gentleman from Italy was carrying at least 4K of blades for himself and his co-workers. Mostly Tads. I believe the shops do a brisk business. Certainly enough to keep brick and mortar locations with fairly high overhead afloat. In the case of SY they have signs and displays in English. I would assume that enough English speakers pass through to justify the expense. 

Yes, the person you met was the owner but he is the owner of the shop. Not the owner of the Sakai Yusuke brand (Coincidentally I beleive his name is Sakai but not as in SY. Different character if memory serves). He's an independent businessman. One has to remember that for the most part the shops are run by individuals and while they specialize in a brand, they are not owned by that brand. The shops don't exist for show. They exist to turn a profit and feed families. The reason why they didn't have a lot of stock is a matter of pure speculation. I brought up the point of the store's stock in response to the fact that online resources are having trouble meeting demand so all things are equal. I don't see any mystery there. Something must be going on higher up in the chain. On a business level I can't see a local representative tolerating a flood of knives shipping to 3rd party suppliers while not having any himself to supply his walk-in clientele. I doubt anyone is going to represent one brand exclusively without having some sort of supply agreement. On a side note, one shop owner indicated that they do fairly well supplying the local market of pros too so were not just talking tourists. COD phone sales are quite common. I actually just processed one myself through a Japanese national. 

I doubt you would find anyone willing to provide you with info on various shops or makers at the museum. Lets call the place what it is. A tourist trap. More of a store than a museum IMO. Even if I'm partially right a partial tourist trap still requires tourists. 

Beyond knives I though Sakai was a nice place with many historical points of interest. Enough for the city to have walking tour markers along the main thoroughfares anyway. I found a lot to see outside the shops and I ate well too. 

As for the rest I'm not sure which post you are referring to so I can only offer this. I've been more than blessed where travel is concerned and as I see it, the more tourism you pour into tradition the worse it gets. I'm a J knife enthusiast and I do my part by buying the products and spreading the word. If I were a blacksmith and I knew my lineage had dried up or my tradition was otherwise dying I'd rather have it die without a bunch of clumsy tourists in my workspace.


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## labor of love (Jul 14, 2013)

as much as i want to pull the trigger on the masamoto aeb L instead, i just feel like im settling for something else when ive really had my eye on these yusukes for a year now. if anybodys interested in the masamoto aeb L, korin decided to start stocking them...and you can get 15% off this month too(korins annual sale). decisions decisions...


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## MowgFace (Jul 14, 2013)

Are the masamoto AEBL wa, western or both?


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## Timthebeaver (Jul 14, 2013)

MowgFace said:


> Are the masamoto AEBL wa, western or both?



Wa.


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## marc4pt0 (Jul 14, 2013)

Are these up on his sight yet? Can't seem to find them yet. ..


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## labor of love (Jul 14, 2013)

marc4pt0 said:


> Are these up on his sight yet? Can't seem to find them yet. ..


visually they should be identical to the white steel masamoto KS.
though korin hasnt stocked them yet, they are going to eventually. im guessing they recently ordered them so im not sure when its going to happen. but, you can use the discount regardless if they are in stock or not. the shipping at this point should take 2 weeks, atleast thats what i was quoted.
BTW ive gotten all my info from korin mari, shes been very helpful. i tend to ask alot of question lol. i recommend anybody thats interested to contact her. im still trying to decide.


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## marc4pt0 (Jul 14, 2013)

Ahhh, very nice. Thanks for the heads up!


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## labor of love (Jul 21, 2013)

270mm lasers are available. Hurry up!


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## marc4pt0 (Jul 21, 2013)

The ones I saw are not the "flat profile". Did they sale that fast? I'm not looking for a 270 per se, but wanted to see one


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## labor of love (Jul 21, 2013)

no, theyre not flat profile. but still, the 270mm size doesnt stay in stock for very long usually.


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## marc4pt0 (Jul 21, 2013)

Got it, and I certainly agree.


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## eaglerock (Jul 21, 2013)

Any information about the new old stock he got for sale now ?


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## stevenStefano (Jul 21, 2013)

eaglerock said:


> Any information about the new old stock he got for sale now ?



They look interesting. Anyone familiar with Genkichi? Some of them are Blue #1 which is interesting and they are actually auctions.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jul 22, 2013)

RWBadley said:


> I have been using this knife for the last few days. Quite a pleasure... lightweight belies it's strength. A real multi purpose tool. I love the tip and the flatter profile. Nice feel of the handle. The additional blade thickness is a comfort as my usual hamfisted technique doesn't seem to phase it. Sharp and pretty, right ootb. Cuts onions, carrots, tomatoes, salmon; smooshes cloves of garlic for peeling. Love the sound of this steel as it works. Very nice, so far no issues.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> RW



Sounds like you have a great knife,enjoy:knife:


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## bkdc (Jul 30, 2013)

There are a few more stainless 240mm Sakai Yusukes on eBay. Extra hard, but not extra thick or flat profile. I rather like the standard profile. Very flat with just the right amount of belly.


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