# ShiHan Knives - has anyone tried one?



## Choppin (May 26, 2017)

Hi all -

I stumbled upon this maker at Bernal's instagram and liked the description and aesthetics (one of the last photos posted is a review of on one of their pettys). Is anyone familiar with these knives? 

I would also like to hear more about the steel (52100). 

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I couldn't find anything in the search function. 

Thanks


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## StonedEdge (May 26, 2017)

I've never seen his stuff in person but it looks really nice IMO. He also makes gardening tools which too, look like really great craftsmanship.

Would love to see some user reviews.


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## foody518 (May 26, 2017)

Ginrei at JKI same maker


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## BlueSteel (May 26, 2017)

Have not tried Shi Han, but also was interested from seeing these on Bernal's site.

I own 2 knives by Marko Tsourkan that are made from 52100. It is a high carbon steel (not stainless) that is used by a good number of US custom makers. I have found it holds a good edge and is relatively easy to sharpen/hone...at least Marko's version is. It is pretty reactive in terms of forming a colorful patina off certain foods, but I have not found it to be prone to rust like some other carbon steels. These are two of my favorite knives (one is a 220 gyuto and the other is a 180 nakiri).

Cheers,
Blair


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## mise_en_place (May 26, 2017)

There's plenty of discussion on 52100 if you use the search function.

As for the maker, says he learned from Hiroshi Ashi of Ashi Hamono, so that's a good sign. I was unaware that the Ginrei that Jon carries are made by the same guy, but that would make sense looking at the knives. 

Can't be **** if Jon carries it, haha. Although, I've used stuff from Ashi and Gesshin Ginga (knives made by Ashi to Jon's specs), and liked the Gesshin gyuto better than the Ashi gyuto for a couple different reasons. Would be interesting to use the Ginrei line next to Shi Han.


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## labor of love (May 26, 2017)

It's on my wish list. I'm like 5 purchases away from grabbing one. Seems like a thin but not too thin blade.


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## Pensacola Tiger (May 26, 2017)

I have an 18 cm wa-gyuto and an 11 cm wa-paring purchased directly from Shehan Prull. Both are monosteel 52100. Fit and finish are outstanding. The finish is hammered kuro uchi, and the spines are nicely rounded.


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## JBroida (May 26, 2017)

labor of love said:


> It's on my wish list. I'm like 5 purchases away from grabbing one. Seems like a thin but not too thin blade.



they have some spine thickness to them In many ways, they kind of remind me of the cross-sectional geometry of kato, but they are a little bit thinner than that. He happens to be a friend that I've known for many years, and I've gone through testing a number of his knives as he moved towards this particular style. I have a couple at home that we use. I like that he doesn't try to push the steel as far as a lot of other custom makers do here Because of the way he goes about his heat treatment, the steel feels more in alignment with what I am used to from Japanese knives. He and I actually met through Ashi-san, as I spend a good chunk of my time in japan with them in that workshop, and try to get back there every year to learn with them.


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## Matus (May 26, 2017)

His knives are definitely on my radar since a while, I am just trying to keep me knife-buying related expenses a bit more reasonable (partially because my knife-making expenses have been soaring this past few months).


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## labor of love (May 26, 2017)

Suddenly I can't pull up the measurements on your site for ginrei 240mm gyuto. Is the weight and spine thickness close to a kochi 240mm gyuto? I understand the grind is way different.


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## jessf (May 26, 2017)

the whole process is done in one shop. Except the handles. They are made in another shop.


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## parbaked (May 26, 2017)

I bought a 135 petty at Bernal last month.
I went in looking for a 150 petty but liked the look and feel of the Shi Han.
i was able to pick one out with a nicely patterned ferrule.
The finish is superb, especially the softening of the spine and choil. 
To my eye his kurouchi is more artful than rustic.
I understand that Jon at JKI had some input on the knives. 
The spine is substantial enough for a petty at 2.5 mm.
The heel is a useful 30mm tall.
It comes with a thoughtful cork lined Kydex blade guard and silk bag.
So far i like the way it cuts anything i throw at it.
It is the perfect tool to slice limes for my gin and tonics.


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## Choppin (May 26, 2017)

Handles are from Sakai according to their website

Jon and labor of love - Bernal's review on the 110mm petty says it's slighty thick at the spine, like Jon said. They even used it for some butchery work. I imagine their other knives follow the same pattern.

Pensacola - do you know the height measurement for the 180 gyuto? What's your impression on the 110mm petty? I'm mostly interested in getting the petty...


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## Pensacola Tiger (May 26, 2017)

Choppin said:


> Pensacola - do you know the height measurement for the 180 gyuto?



47 mm.



> What's your impression on the 110mm petty? I'm mostly interested in getting the petty...



I've had or have several wa-parers - a Takeda, a Yoshikane, a Shigehiro, a Shigeharu, a custom by Mert Tansu - and I have to admit I like the Shihan best of all of them. It's a combination of the blade length, profile, and handle.

Rick


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## Choppin (May 26, 2017)

Pensacola Tiger said:


> 47 mm.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank's. Sounds good enough for me!


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## JBroida (May 26, 2017)

labor of love said:


> Suddenly I can't pull up the measurements on your site for ginrei 240mm gyuto. Is the weight and spine thickness close to a kochi 240mm gyuto? I understand the grind is way different.



fixed the site... sorry about that


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## DanHumphrey (Jul 6, 2017)

I'll give one a go if wifey and I ever get out to Santa Fe for a vacation. Would want to pick it up from the forge. :knife:


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## labor of love (Feb 22, 2018)

Im going to go ahead and bump this thread at the request of a forum member. Ive been using a ginrei 240mm mono gyuto for a couple of monthes and its time I shared my thoughts about it.
Steel: Its the 5th 52100 knife Ive used and it is remarkably easier to sharpen than others. It is pretty tough too(although I think most 52100 is this way). I felt comfortable using more force than I normally might with this knife, but by no means am I suggesting you should try a stress test. The edge isnt delicate (wakui it is not).
At this point Ive converted my entire knife set to mono carbon which for me is a good compromise between ease of maintenance and performance. I havent figured out a strategy for cleaning and staying on top of patina build up, rather I just clean and wipe my blades at the end of the shift. As far as reactivity goes I find it to be very stable, it takes and holds a deep grey patina and doesnt bother me or interfere with my work.
Profile: Id describe it as a continuous curve from heel to tip, theres plenty of blade height too. The tip isnt pointy but doesnt have a watanabe type nose either. 
Grind: theres no visible shoulders, the knife seems to be ground pretty high. Its not in my possession at the moment but Id characterize the feel of cutting with this knife like cutting with power and confidence but without a lot of weight. I cant really think of another knife that Ive used that feels like ginrei. Usually Id associate these characteristics with a thicker heavier knife, but ginrei accomplishes this feeling without sacrificing too much precision.
Other stuff: the bag and cork edge guard that come with the knife are cool. Id prefer an edge guard that covers most of the blade, not just the edge though. Handle quality is very very nice. Id put it next to shig and ittetsu for my ho wood faves. If you like high end ho wood handles you wont be disappointed. The KU hammer marks are a really neat aesthetic. Its not a pattern at all. The KU is really deep and will likely remain on the knife for sometime.
Id recommend this knife to someone that already has a bunch of light thin cutters and is looking to diversify their role with something that cuts with confidence without weighing you down. Everything about the knife is prettier in person. 
Any questions?


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## Jville (Feb 22, 2018)

Glad to hear an actual review on these. Ive seen them before and wondered about them. I was always curious to see if the craftsmanship and performace lived up to the price tag. It seems you feel they do. He definitely seemscto have his own style.


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## Matus (Feb 23, 2018)

LoL, thanks for the feedback


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## Dave Kinogie (Feb 23, 2018)

labor of love said:


> Im going to go ahead and bump this thread at the request of a forum member. Ive been using a ginrei 240mm mono gyuto for a couple of monthes and its time I shared my thoughts about it.
> Steel: Its the 5th 52100 knife Ive used and it is remarkably easier to sharpen than others. It is pretty tough too(although I think most 52100 is this way). I felt comfortable using more force than I normally might with this knife, but by no means am I suggesting you should try a stress test. The edge isnt delicate (wakui it is not).
> At this point Ive converted my entire knife set to mono carbon which for me is a good compromise between ease of maintenance and performance. I havent figured out a strategy for cleaning and staying on top of patina build up, rather I just clean and wipe my blades at the end of the shift. As far as reactivity goes I find it to be very stable, it takes and holds a deep grey patina and doesnt bother me or interfere with my work.
> Profile: Id describe it as a continuous curve from heel to tip, theres plenty of blade height too. The tip isnt pointy but doesnt have a watanabe type nose either.
> ...


Thanks man, much appreciated! 

By any chance have you tried one of his 180's or 210's? 

Also, I know you said it's a continuous curve, but is the belly steep? Or like a very light gradual sweep? I guess more direct question, even with the curve, is there a decent flat spot so to speak on it?


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## labor of love (Feb 23, 2018)

Dave Kinogie said:


> Thanks man, much appreciated!
> 
> By any chance have you tried one of his 180's or 210's?
> 
> Also, I know you said it's a continuous curve, but is the belly steep? Or like a very light gradual sweep? I guess more direct question, even with the curve, is there a decent flat spot so to speak on it?



The 240mm is the only one Ive used. I can take a pic of the flat spot on the cutting board for you eventually.


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## Marcelo Amaral (Feb 23, 2018)

Craig, is yours the JKI version?


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## labor of love (Feb 23, 2018)

Marcelo Amaral said:


> Craig, is yours the JKI version?



Yeah


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## jessf (Feb 24, 2018)

I see scratch patterns that run perpendiclar to the edge. Is that evidence of a lack of hand finish? Whats it like in person?


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## Lazarus (Feb 24, 2018)

I've 2 Ginrei's(same maker) and absolutely love them. I've been staring at that 290 on Jon's site for a bit and lusting.


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## labor of love (Feb 24, 2018)

I dont know if the blade is finished by hand or not but the marks seem consistent and nice too me.


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## labor of love (Feb 24, 2018)

Although according to the site everything is done by him by hand with exception of the handle and bag. Unless broida corrects me Im assuming the vertical marks are similar to the finish that comes with ginga( maybe not the same but in the same ball park)


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## jessf (Feb 24, 2018)

Likely fine grinder marks. Be it belt grinder or stone.


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## comet_sharp (Feb 24, 2018)

Matus said:


> LoL, thanks for the feedback





labor of love said:


> Although according to the site everything is done by him by hand with exception of the handle and bag. Unless broida corrects me Im assuming the vertical marks are similar to the finish that comes with ginga( maybe not the same but in the same ball park)



Looks like a scotch brite or trizact belt finish or scotch brite wheel buffer finish.


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## jessf (Feb 24, 2018)

Yeah so +\- $500 US for a mono steel knife chef, with some kind of belt finish, and a handle made out of house seems bit steep. But the market will support what it will so good on him.


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## labor of love (Feb 24, 2018)

jessf said:


> Yeah so +\- $500 US for a mono steel knife chef, with some kind of belt finish, and a handle made out of house seems bit steep. But the market will support what it will so good on him.



Oddly enough the reasons mentioned is why I was interested in the knife in the first place. I prefer mono steel, yet wanted something nicer than the typical options. Even though I get custom work from time I feel right at home with a high quality ho wood handle. Ootb finish is nothing more than a starting point for me anyway, as I will thin it overtime and do my own thing. One man operations arent cheap, but the benefits are worth it if one can afford it, as the quality control is at the makers fingertips every step of the way. And this particular maker has a prestigious resume.


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## parbaked (Feb 24, 2018)

One explanation for Shi Han's pricing is that he mostly sells through really solid retailers e.g. JKI and Bernal that provide a high level of service to their customers. 
Jon and Josh wouldn't carry the knives if they couldn't make a fair profit.
I have no idea the margins, but Shehan only sees a percentage of what we pay for his knives, unless we purchase directly from him.

It's not really fair to compare those prices to what we pay direct to a maker.


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## Matus (Feb 24, 2018)

jessf said:


> Yeah so +\- $500 US for a mono steel knife chef, with some kind of belt finish, and a handle made out of house seems bit steep. But the market will support what it will so good on him.



Well, that says little about how the knife cuts. People around here have been seen to pay more for rough finished Japanese knives which arguably are produced much more efficiently.

Anyhow. I know that maker worked with Jon no nail the grind and HT and JKI was indeed the first vendor to offer his knives. To me it means that the knife is going to cut well.


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## labor of love (Feb 24, 2018)

parbaked said:


> One explanation for Shi Han's pricing is that he mostly sells through really solid retailers e.g. JKI and Bernal that provide a high level of service to their customers.
> Jon and Josh wouldn't carry the knives if they couldn't make a fair profit.
> I have no idea the margins, but Shehan only sees a percentage of what we pay for his knives, unless we purchase directly from him.
> 
> It's not really fair to compare those prices to what we pay direct to a maker.



These are compelling reasons to buy/not to buy the knife. Its just a matter of whats important to you. One could go the custom route if they choose to and get something cheaper or more expensive or customized. Personally, I liked the smiths work as it was, its even nicer that its available off the shelf.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Feb 24, 2018)

A cynic is 'a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.' 

- Oscar Wilde


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## jessf (Feb 24, 2018)

parbaked said:


> One explanation for Shi Han's pricing is that he mostly sells through really solid retailers e.g. JKI and Bernal that provide a high level of service to their customers.
> Jon and Josh wouldn't carry the knives if they couldn't make a fair profit.
> I have no idea the margins, but Shehan only sees a percentage of what we pay for his knives, unless we purchase directly from him.
> 
> It's not really fair to compare those prices to what we pay direct to a maker.



The prices i saw were from Shi Hans website so Isnt that 100% fair?
http://www.shihanfineknives.com/kurouchi
I haven't looked to see what they sell for elsewhere.


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## labor of love (Feb 24, 2018)

This photo exemplifies the finish for ginrei.
https://instagram.com/p/BYG3JAugJYE/


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## jessf (Feb 24, 2018)

labor of love said:


> This photo exemplifies the finish for ginrei.
> https://instagram.com/p/BYG3JAugJYE/



Thanks for that. I would agree the out of box finish is less important. I just wanted to gauge peoples reaction. I would add that his makers mark being indented into the face means it will last through many thinning scessions. Etched logos unfortunatly run the risk of being rubbed off sooner.


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## parbaked (Feb 24, 2018)

jessf said:


> The prices i saw were from Shi Hans website so Isnt that 100% fair?
> http://www.shihanfineknives.com/kurouchi
> I haven't looked to see what they sell for elsewhere.



Of course it's fair.
My point is that because he chooses to wholesale his knives to other retailers he has to set his retail prices higher than if he only sold directly. Otherwise JKI and Bernal would not carry his knives.
He charges the same as his retailers so he's not undercutting them. As such he makes better margins on knives that he sells direct, and lower margins on the knives he sells through retailers.


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## labor of love (Feb 24, 2018)

parbaked said:


> Of course it's fair.
> My point is that because he chooses to wholesale his knives to other retailers he has to set his retail prices higher than if he only sold directly. Otherwise JKI and Bernal would not carry his knives.
> He charges the same as his retailers so he's not undercutting them. As such he makes better margins on knives that he sells direct, and lower margins on the knives he sells through retailers.



How do you know for sure the prices wouldnt be the same if he did 100% of his own retailing? Retailing takes plenty of time to do. Its work on its own that I imagine would involve a labor costs of sorts. I couldnt imagine waiting tables and cooking at the same time.


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## parbaked (Feb 24, 2018)

True...I'm just saying that when i bought my Shi Han at Bernal cutlery I realized that a substantial percentage of my spend was supporting Josh and his business and not just Shehan and his venture...that's all.


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## chinacats (Feb 24, 2018)

parbaked said:


> True...I'm just saying that when i bought my Shi Han at Bernal cutlery I realized that a substantial percentage of my spend was supporting Josh and his business and not just Shehan and his venture...that's all.



*** did you expect?


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## jessf (Feb 24, 2018)

anyone have the maker's actual name?


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## labor of love (Feb 24, 2018)

He has a complete video bio on his site. Just google shihan.


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## parbaked (Feb 24, 2018)

His name is Shehan Prull.
http://www.localflavormagazine.com/shi-han-fine-knives/


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## jessf (Feb 24, 2018)

labor of love said:


> He has a complete video bio on his site. Just google shihan.



I did and didnt hear it. May have skipped over it in the video.

Thanks Parbaked.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Feb 24, 2018)

labor of love said:


> The 240mm is the only one Ive used. I can take a pic of the flat spot on the cutting board for you eventually.



Here ya' go. The board is a Hi-Soft.


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