# Hattori KD Gyuto - where to get?



## daddy yo yo (May 1, 2012)

Hello,

This is my first post. I am from Austria, Europe - we don't have kangaroos in Austria. :lol2: Since 2001, when I first saw a beautiful kitchen knife (in this case it was 3 pieces of Kobayashi Suminagashis: Deba, Usuba, Yanagiba), I always wanted to have such kind of a special knife. But, back then, I was still a student and could only dream of such a beauty. I have finished my studies quite a while ago, and recently I stumbled upon an article about those Kobayashi Suminagashi knives again. My desire for owning a beautiful kitchen knife has come back! :angel2:

I definitely appreciate looking at those Kobayashi Suminagashi knives, or traditional Japanese knives in general. But today I know that I prefer to work with a Western handle. To make a long story short, I have found my dream knife. It is a *HATTORI KD Gyuto*, either *210 or 240mm*. Unfortunately those knives can't be bought anymore, I've heard/read all the stories and rumours about Mr. Hattori and his health situation.

If anyone knows a place where to get one of these beauties, I would be more than happy if you could let me know (PM me, please). I've consulted the familiar shops as EE, JCK, Kin Knives (in the UK), Dick/Dictum (in Germany), I've even contacted two Russian shops in Moscow.  So I guess finding such a knife - if available at all - would be fortune! But I never give up hope...

Thank you for your help!


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## ThEoRy (May 1, 2012)

There were a couple in the BST section at the old forum a few weeks back. But it'll cost you.


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## daddy yo yo (May 1, 2012)

ThEoRy said:


> There were a couple in the BST section at the old forum a few weeks back. But it'll cost you.


please apologize my stupid question, but where would I find this "old forum". and what does BST stand for? :O buy/sell/trade?


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## oivind_dahle (May 1, 2012)

Buy/sell/trade.

Now that you have 2 post it should be visible here. You can post a thread that you want a Hattori KD. It will however cost you, and yes its an ikon of the kitchen knives. However I would like to point out makers like Bill Burke and Devin Thomas for you, I think you will find their work as good or better than Hattori. If its damascus you are looking for, Devin Thomas is the master. My favorite patterns are: Bubblewrap, spirograph, ladder and feather. Both makers are on this forum, and you have a chance to speak with them 

Good Luck in your hunt for your grail 


Here is an example of Bills work:
http://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=89777
http://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=90061

And Devin:
http://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=89773
http://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=89764


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## daddy yo yo (May 1, 2012)

oivind_dahle said:


> Buy/sell/trade.
> 
> Now that you have 2 post it should be visible here. You can post a thread that you want a Hattori KD. It will however cost you, and yes its an ikon of the kitchen knives. However I would like to point out makers like Bill Burke and Devin Thomas for you, I think you will find their work as good or better than Hattori. If its damascus you are looking for, Devin Thomas is the master.


Hello,

thank you for your recommendations. I guess that buying knives is a very personal thing. In the past few weeks I've spent hours and hours in front of my computer reading about knives, searching for pics, and reading reviews. When it comes to esthetics, for me, nothing can beat a KD gyuto. I recently bought a 210mm forum's knife from Hattori (FH-6) and I love it. F&F are just perfect, my "old" Wuesthof Dreizack chef's knife is nothing against it.

I have spotted a few alternative knives which I am interested in, mostly stainless, such as a 240mm forum's knife (another one from Hattori), a 240mm Blazen, Hiromoto AS (for its steel), and Tanaka's 240mm damascus gyuto (offered as "Katsuhiro" at Dick/Dictum in Germany). But somehow I realize that whatever I will buy will just be something that cannot replace this KD gyuto. I know that searching a KD is searching the holy grail or hunting a white buffalo, but hey, I wanna give it a try - I have to!


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## oivind_dahle (May 1, 2012)

Your hunt might end here:
http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/919633/

(hope its ok to link to this as he is new on forums)
However that is the old forum, and its now like google+ (almost empty).
That might be a chance. Tell us about your hunt  (And start a thread here too in b/S/T)


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## stevenStefano (May 1, 2012)

A poster recently said they found 2 KDs in a shop in Japan but that seems to have been a one off and they got lucky. I hope your search has a happy ending


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## TB_London (May 1, 2012)

Good luck on the hunt, they are very nice knives, for the price you could get something pretty special from a custom maker, but understand there'd always be that question in the back of your head.
Good luck


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## a.lber.to (May 1, 2012)

stevenStefano said:


> A poster recently said they found 2 KDs in a shop in Japan but that seems to have been a one off and they got lucky.



I am that poster, and I just came back from Japan with four of them, actually: 150 Petty, 180 Santoku, 210 Guyto and 270 Guyto. While rare, Hattori KDs ARE available in Japan, and I just sent the OP an e-mail telling him where to find a 210 Gyuto available for sale; I also know where they have a 150 Petty and a 180 Santoku available in Tokyo, so PM me if you are interested (to be fair, I will answer these PMs tomorrow, to give him a little lead time to contact the store first, which in one case is the same place as the gyuto).

However, beware that the prices in Japan are not negociable (though you will get some discount if paying cash), and these knives sell for the recommended price shown on Hattori's web site (see here), plus 5% tax. So they will be expensive, much more so than shown on Koki's web site (the 270 Gyuto, for example, sells for 226,800 JPY with tax, which is roughly 2,750 USD! Expect to pay 1,990 USD for the 210 Gyuto, and 1,850 USD for the Santoku).

I brought back other knives from Japan as well, but I will make a separate post with pictures soon...


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## fritze (May 2, 2012)

Hello,

maybe I can help you to find an unused 210mm KD Gyuto. If you are interested you can contact me. I am from Germany and my username there is fritzze).

regards

fritze


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## daddy yo yo (May 2, 2012)

hi fritze,

bin zwar schon dort angemeldet, aber offenbar noch nicht freigeschaltet. kannst du mir hier ne PN schicken?


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## fritze (May 3, 2012)

hallo daddy yo yo,

ich habe wohl noch nicht genügend posts um eine PN verschicken zu können. die freischaltung im messerforum sollte relativ zügig gehen. dann einfach unter community zur mitgliederdliste buchstabe f seite 36 gehen und fritzze eine email senden.

grüße

fritze


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## fritze (May 3, 2012)

hallo daddy yo yo,

I have managed to send you a PN


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## Dave Martell (May 3, 2012)

fritze said:


> hallo daddy yo yo,
> 
> ich habe wohl noch nicht genügend posts um eine PN verschicken zu können. die freischaltung im messerforum sollte relativ zügig gehen. dann einfach unter community zur mitgliederdliste buchstabe f seite 36 gehen und fritzze eine email senden.
> 
> ...




Translation.....


"hello daddy yo yo, 

I could not send away probably yet sufficient posts around pn. de-energizing in the measurer forum should go relatively briskly. then simply under community to member-earthlisted letter the f page 36 go sending and fritzze email. 

greet Fritz"​


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## ThEoRy (May 3, 2012)

Google translate for the win!!!


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## daddy yo yo (May 3, 2012)

sorry guys, we're going back to english now!


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## liquidsteel (Jun 9, 2012)

Hi daddy yo yo,

Im wondering whether you have found. Hattori KD series knives?


Cheerrs


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## vai777 (Jun 15, 2012)

I believe Koki from JCK is getting some in soon....or maybe they are there already....


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## NO ChoP! (Jun 15, 2012)

Where did you hear that Koki was getting KD's? Last I heard, KD's weren't even being produced anymore....

May I suggest a Tanaka R2 or even a Takeshi if one wants a very good PM steel with a great handle....


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## vai777 (Jun 15, 2012)

because I got an email from them...they are being produced and he will be getting some....


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## a.lber.to (Jun 15, 2012)

Interesting! This could explain why I was able to find them in Tokyo...


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## vai777 (Jun 15, 2012)

exactly...I've been on the waiting list for 3 years...


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## vai777 (Jun 15, 2012)

although to be honest I will probably pass...I've had 5 of these things and sold em off everytime....they are cool to look at but frankly..meh...WAY TOOO MUCH MONEY for what they are...


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## RiffRaff (Jun 15, 2012)

Japan Woodworker got in a small stash of his petty knives a month or two ago. When I called to ask about them, I talked to the person there who always seemed to know the inventory, Connie, and she told me that Hattori himself had made them recently, contradicting news that I had been given a year earlier that, I am sad to say, he had incapacitating lung cancer.


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## vai777 (Jun 16, 2012)

RiffRaff said:


> Japan Woodworker got in a small stash of his petty knives a month or two ago. When I called to ask about them, I talked to the person there who always seemed to know the inventory, Connie, and she told me that Hattori himself had made them recently, contradicting news that I had been given a year earlier that, I am sad to say, he had incapacitating lung cancer.



those are the last of the petty knives...his next batch will be the larger KDs and then it will be over....forever...no more made.


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## Crothcipt (Jun 16, 2012)




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## vai777 (Jun 17, 2012)

^ +1


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## James (Jun 17, 2012)

vai777 said:


> those are the last of the petty knives...his next batch will be the larger KDs and then it will be over....forever...no more made.



None of his apprentices are carrying on the line? :sad0:

I've wanted a KD ever since I got into J-knives....mmm I guess I'll have to pick up a used one in the future


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## vai777 (Jun 17, 2012)

I don't think he will allow his apprentices to make the KD's...they will probably end up the way that the Doi Hayate did/will....


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## vai777 (Jun 17, 2012)

Like I said before the KD is a beautiful knfe...very special but the performance is not on par with the looks....and...there is always Mr. Itou...who uses R2 steel....


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## sstarheel (Jul 5, 2012)

a.lber.to said:


> I am that poster, and I just came back from Japan with four of them, actually: 150 Petty, 180 Santoku, 210 Guyto and 270 Guyto. While rare, Hattori KDs ARE available in Japan, and I just sent the OP an e-mail telling him where to find a 210 Gyuto available for sale; I also know where they have a 150 Petty and a 180 Santoku available in Tokyo, so PM me if you are interested (to be fair, I will answer these PMs tomorrow, to give him a little lead time to contact the store first, which in one case is the same place as the gyuto).
> 
> However, beware that the prices in Japan are not negociable (though you will get some discount if paying cash), and these knives sell for the recommended price shown on Hattori's web site (see here), plus 5% tax. So they will be expensive, much more so than shown on Koki's web site (the 270 Gyuto, for example, sells for 226,800 JPY with tax, which is roughly 2,750 USD! Expect to pay 1,990 USD for the 210 Gyuto, and 1,850 USD for the Santoku).
> 
> I brought back other knives from Japan as well, but I will make a separate post with pictures soon...





Alberto,
I have a friend in Japan who will can go to the Knife Shop in Tokyo to get me the Hattori. How can i contact you to get the name of the store?


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## chinacats (Jul 5, 2012)

Welcome to KKF sstarheel!! Good luck in your quest!

And so you know, after a few more posts you will be able to send pm.
Cheers


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## sstarheel (Jul 5, 2012)

chinacats said:


> Welcome to KKF sstarheel!! Good luck in your quest!
> 
> And so you know, after a few more posts you will be able to send pm.
> Cheers



once i gain that ability (PM) how do i do it? 

nice GD quote !


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## sstarheel (Jul 5, 2012)

RiffRaff said:


> Japan Woodworker got in a small stash of his petty knives a month or two ago. When I called to ask about them, I talked to the person there who always seemed to know the inventory, Connie, and she told me that Hattori himself had made them recently, contradicting news that I had been given a year earlier that, I am sad to say, he had incapacitating lung cancer.



i have heard that as well.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Jul 5, 2012)

sstarheel said:


> once i gain that ability (PM) how do i do it?



I think you gain the ability after a handful of posts (perhaps as few as two).

Just click on the member's name, select "private message," and you're off.

Good luck with your search...


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## sstarheel (Jul 5, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> I think you gain the ability after a handful of posts (perhaps as few as two).
> 
> Just click on the member's name, select "private message," and you're off.
> 
> Good luck with your search...




Nice Thanks JBG !!


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## sstarheel (Jul 5, 2012)

a.lber.to said:


> Interesting! This could explain why I was able to find them in Tokyo...



PM just sent


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## a.lber.to (Jul 5, 2012)

Info sent. In the meantime, you can see a pict of the ones I was able to bring back here : 
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/7261-My-magnetic-knife-bar


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## daddy yo yo (Jul 14, 2012)

liquidsteel said:


> Im wondering whether you have found. Hattori KD series knives?


sorry for my late response, i have been away for a while. yes i have found a hattori kd 210mm gyuto in a store in tokyo - with a little help from a friend!  this is probably the most beautiful thing that i have ever had in my hands. oh, and it cuts too! 

from what i have heard from JCK there will be a couple more produced, apparently a last batch of kds. no one knows when those will appear on the market, where, and what price will be asked for. but there is no hope to get one of these as the waiting lists are way too long.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Jul 14, 2012)

daddy yo yo said:


> sorry for my late response, i have been away for a while. yes i have found a hattori kd 210mm gyuto in a store in tokyo - with a little help from a friend!  this is probably the most beautiful thing that i have ever had in my hands. oh, and it cuts too!



Congratulations!

Did the store have others or did you get the last one?

I believe you're obligated to post some pictures of it at this point as well...


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## Crothcipt (Jul 14, 2012)

Gratz Yo yo on the sweet buy. pics are a must.:hungry:


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## daddy yo yo (Jul 15, 2012)

oh yes, i forgot that others are as keen as myself to see pictures of such beauties... unfortunately my posting permissions say, "you may not post attachments".


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## Pensacola Tiger (Jul 15, 2012)

daddy yo yo said:


> oh yes, i forgot that others are as keen as myself to see pictures of such beauties... unfortunately my posting permissions say, "you may not post attachments".



If you want to have the ability to store images on the KKF servers, become a "Site Supporter". Otherwise, you can upload your photos to a hosting service like PhotoBucket or Picasa, and then link to them. 

Rick


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## a.lber.to (Jul 19, 2012)

daddy yo yo said:


> yes i have found a hattori kd 210mm gyuto in a store in tokyo



I am very glad this worked out! I hope you are enjoying using it!!!


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