# Tadatsuna



## Sarge (Jun 27, 2012)

Anyone know where to find them or if they are still being produced? 

This question was posted over at FF, and I thought I'd throw it up here to see if information concerning the whereabouts of these wonderful knives might be.


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## obtuse (Jun 27, 2012)

Check aframes tokyo


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## markenki (Jun 27, 2012)

obtuse said:


> Check aframes tokyo



+1

210 and 240 gyutos, both INOX and white steel, are in stock. He had a 270 in stock a few days ago, but it now shows it as out of stock.


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## Sarge (Jun 27, 2012)

Yeah I looked there and all gyutos were out of stock the other day guess I just need to check more frequently


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## labor of love (Jun 27, 2012)

im interested in a 270 white gyuto...ill probably just get in touch with aframes and ask for heads up next time theres a restock. theyve been sold out for some time now and that restock sold out pretty fast.


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## markenki (Jun 28, 2012)

Ikkanshi Tadatuna(sic) Wa Gyuto 270mm White Steel Blade is in stock right now.


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## labor of love (Jun 28, 2012)

oh snap!


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## markenki (Jun 28, 2012)

It's still there.


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## malacara (Jun 28, 2012)

I hope everything is ok with them and it´s simply a temporary problem with their website and Tadatsuna knives are still being made as usual. They are amazing knives (well I only have had one but it´s indeed amazing).

You could try to get in touch with Mr. Hideki Miura by email, I suppose He will eventually reply to you. I did when I bought mine and seemed a nice guy to me.

Regards


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## tk59 (Jun 28, 2012)

I like my Tadatsuna but it's not better than a Gesshin Ginga or Suisin.


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## hambone.johnson (Jun 30, 2012)

lol ... a throwback to the brand of the month some time ago, now its kono or whatever you prefer. Aframes has em and in steady suply, Koki is super cool to work with and any name brand you want he can order and have to you in about a month or so. i tend to let the website be more of a "what i can get" situation more than a "what i have around...deal with it", as long as u dont mind a couple weeks for order. he can often work with handle shapes and preferences too.


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## Citizen Snips (Jun 30, 2012)

do you have or have used all three?

i have always heard the comparison of the tad to the suisin IH but not the ginga


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## Rottman (Jun 30, 2012)

Another one for the Tadatsuna-Suisin Sakai-gyuto group is the Konosuke white#2 gyuto, which is pretty much identical to the Tad (I'd guess the Konosuke HD is in the same ballpark).


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## Cutty Sharp (Jun 30, 2012)

Hi all

I actually just visited Tadatsuna (Nagata Hamono) in Sakai on Thurs, 28 June. I had a look in the modest shop/showroom, met Nagata-san, his wife, and daughters, and even his or his wife's mother, who seem to live in the attached house. He also showed me the adjoining workshop where they grind, attach handles and sharpen/polish. I watched him put the finishing touches on a slick mirror-finish usuba. Great visit.

Anyway, the operation is modest, like the front shop, and along with Nagata there were 2 other men - all there would be space for - up to things in the workshop. Nonetheless, I can report that they seemed busy and there certainly seemed to be no stop in business. 

Maybe this thread started because someone noticed the itkichenknife.com site is down? I don't know why, but I got their card when I left and it lists www.hamono21.co.jp as the site address. All in Japanese, but if you know the kanji you'll spot it there.

I hadn't read this thread before my visit and so didn't investigate. Was just there to see what I could see and perhaps buy something. (Budgeting, but very happy to leave with a Shirogami #2 kirouchi nakiri.)

Hope this helps
Kev


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## tk59 (Jun 30, 2012)

Citizen Snips said:


> do you have or have used all three?
> 
> i have always heard the comparison of the tad to the suisin IH but not the ginga


Yup. Between the three (plus the KonHD) the IT has the poorest edge retention. It isn't bad but the others are clearly better. All have nice fit and finish but I'd give the edge to Suisin and Ginga. Suisin has the largest handles, followed by the IT. I like that but it isn't a huge factor. I think the Suisin has the best edge retention but I like the sharpenability of the Ginga best.


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## chinacats (Jun 30, 2012)

Cutty Sharp said:


> Hi all
> 
> I actually just visited Tadatsuna (Nagata Hamono) in Sakai on Thurs, 28 June. I had a look in the modest shop/showroom, met Nagata-san, his wife, and daughters, and even his or his wife's mother, who seem to live in the attached house. He also showed me the adjoining workshop where they grind, attach handles and sharpen/polish. I watched him put the finishing touches on a slick mirror-finish usuba. Great visit.
> 
> ...




Welcome!


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## Citizen Snips (Jun 30, 2012)

tk59 said:


> Yup. Between the three (plus the KonHD) the IT has the poorest edge retention. It isn't bad but the others are clearly better. All have nice fit and finish but I'd give the edge to Suisin and Ginga. Suisin has the largest handles, followed by the IT. I like that but it isn't a huge factor. I think the Suisin has the best edge retention but I like the sharpenability of the Ginga best.



I have not used the Ginga or Tad but thanks for the info. I really like the Suisin IH and I am still enjoying my Kono very much. I just haven't read that the Ginga was comparable to these three as far as their overall profile/geometry/f&f etc


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## labor of love (Jun 30, 2012)

tk59 said:


> Yup. Between the three (plus the KonHD) the IT has the poorest edge retention. It isn't bad but the others are clearly better. All have nice fit and finish but I'd give the edge to Suisin and Ginga. Suisin has the largest handles, followed by the IT. I like that but it isn't a huge factor. I think the Suisin has the best edge retention but I like the sharpenability of the Ginga best.



are you referring to a ginga stainless and a tad white steel?


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## Cutty Sharp (Jun 30, 2012)

chinacats said:


> Welcome!



Thanks!


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## tk59 (Jun 30, 2012)

labor of love said:


> are you referring to a ginga stainless and a tad white steel?


Sorry. I'm comparing the stainless. I've tried a couple of white steel laser knives (not the IT) but frankly, I haven't seen much of a difference between them and the edge retention isn't nearly as good as stainless or semistainless, in my kitchen.


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## Citizen Snips (Jun 30, 2012)

ya for a laser i would go stainless every time

anything more and i would begin to look into carbon


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## chinacats (Jun 30, 2012)

Citizen Snips said:


> ya for a laser i would go stainless every time
> 
> anything more and i would begin to look into carbon



For edge retention or other reasons?


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## Citizen Snips (Jun 30, 2012)

ya, stainless can hold up more and when they are that thin, i dont feel like the sharpness of the carbon affects performance like it would for a thicker knife


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## tk59 (Jun 30, 2012)

For me, I just don't see much of a difference in the sharpness in Ginga vs carbon plus it's stainless so anybody can use it and acid doesn't kill the edge too quickly. Unless you want patina, or ultra easy sharpening, there isn't much reason to go with carbon. I use carbon for fun, mainly. Another cool thing about the Ginga is Jon might be tweaking the profiles on them.


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## rhygin (Jun 30, 2012)

Yeah, I still like the white steel Tadatsuna. At this point the patina is bombproof (literally, I couldn't get it to rust without polishing the face) and it's just so easy to sharpen to near perfection. The only downside of these lasers is that they are so fun, they don't last that long. Mine is at some funky middle ground between being a gyuto and a suji.


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## Vertigo (Jun 30, 2012)

tk59 said:


> Another cool thing about the Ginga is Jon might be tweaking the profiles on them.


PLZ HURRAY JON.


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## cookinstuff (Jun 30, 2012)

I have the Inox Tadatsuna Gyuto, and a suji, my friend at work has a couple Gingas (not a gyuto though), I have used Kono HD's, kono whites, like TK said, the IT just doesn't last. It gets sharp as all hell, I have only sharpened the Tadatsunas out of the listed knives. They sharpen real well, and fast for stainless knives, but it doesn't last for an hour, not polyboard friendly at all, I still use mine every day, but there is better options. IT, Suisin, Gesshin Ginga, Konosuke, all of these knives fit and finish are ridiculous for wa style knives, I haven't seen a bad one yet, compared to some of the other mid range japanese knives, they are really at the top when it comes to their finish.

The guys at work seem to really like Konosukes, we have every variation from zdp 189 konos to mystery steel damascus. I have held the Suisin Inox honyaki and it 'seems' similar to the Tadatsuna, but I hear they are better at holding an edge. For a gyuto I would go with the Suisin, the ginga looks 'bellyish' or is it me? I would very highly recommend the Ikkanshi Tadatsuna Suji or petty, something you aren't going to have heavy board contact with, but no way on the gyuto, atleast if you are rough pull cutter like me. I bang on the table like Stevie Wonder is playing on the radio. Well, that's my rant, don't think I really brought anything new to this discussion, but thought I would let you know how I feel about these knives since I have seen, touched and used a lot of them, too bad I haven't sharpened them all, I think that would tell a better story.


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## labor of love (Jul 1, 2012)

Vertigo said:


> PLZ HURRAY JON.


oh man the word is out. looking forward to it. i got a kono hd "new gyuto style/funayuki" on order. i love everything about sakai lasers, the only real drawback for any of them has always been a little too much curve towards the tip(i thinks konosuke might be the worst). Usually i just get accustomed to it, its not really a big deal.
i often dream about the perfect gyuto. maybe a suisin handle with hd or other semi stainless steel combined with ashi craftsmanship. i know it sounds corny but i just had to say it. I agree that stainless varieties of gesshin, konosuke, suisin and yusuke are superior overall to their white steel counterparts but I happen to be in a position at work where i can do touch ups everyday or every other day so for me using white steel actually prevails because i can maintain that scary sharpness easily.


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## cookinstuff (Jul 1, 2012)

A guy at work has the funayuki kono, not the hd, the fujiyama or whatever the white is, very nice looking knife, good profile. Hope you like it.


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## richinva (Jul 1, 2012)

What is it about the Tad that causes its edge not to last? The HT? Too soft?


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## Sarge (Jul 1, 2012)

Could be variations in heat treat between the brands some folks (KCMA) swear by their Tads even in terms of retention, but do state that it requires a milder technique resulting in gentler board contact. The Steel in the Tads is Ginsanko if I remember correctly, where the Suisin is 19C27 I think, don't know if that makes much difference though?


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## obtuse (Jul 2, 2012)

Last time I checked ginsanko looked more like 440c
Edit: nvm I'm thinking of gin1


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## dannynyc (May 1, 2013)

Would anyone who has the 270mm Tad gyuto mind telling me how long the blade is heel to tip?


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## Duckfat (May 1, 2013)

cookinstuff said:


> I have the Inox Tadatsuna Gyuto, and a suji, I have used Kono HD's, kono whites, like TK said, the IT just doesn't last. It gets sharp as all hell, I have only sharpened the Tadatsunas out of the listed knives. They sharpen real well, and fast for stainless knives, but it doesn't last for an hour, not polyboard friendly at all, I still use mine every day, but there is better options.



If you can't keep an edge on an Ikkanshi -Tad for more than an hour then there's some thing very very wrong. I've had a Western handled Inox IT 185 gyuto, 270 suj and Petty for years now and edge retention is a hair splitting difference from the Suisin Inox. Only a very accomplished sharpener would ever see the difference. Then again I'd expect a Honyaki to take a slight edge. I can't comment on the Gessin but I can tell you that I've never had an edge retention issue with my Tads.


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## Pensacola Tiger (May 1, 2013)

dannynyc said:


> Would anyone who has the 270mm Tad gyuto mind telling me how long the blade is heel to tip?



Mine measures 261 mm.


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## turbochef422 (May 1, 2013)

Mine was 260mm


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## dannynyc (May 1, 2013)

Thanks.


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## labor of love (May 1, 2013)

Duckfat said:


> If you can't keep an edge on an Ikkanshi -Tad for more than an hour then there's some thing very very wrong. I've had a Western handled Inox IT 185 gyuto, 270 suj and Petty for years now and edge retention is a hair splitting difference from the Suisin Inox. Only a very accomplished sharpener would ever see the difference. Then again I'd expect a Honyaki to take a slight edge. I can't comment on the Gessin but I can tell you that I've never had an edge retention issue with my Tads.



Putting the Tad Inox gyutos on almost the level as Suisin Inox honyaki is really saying something. I had no idea tads inox steel was THAT good.


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## KVacc (May 6, 2013)

I bought a few Ikkanshi-Tadatsuna YSS Inox Western knives through V and V Logistics Corporation- 180mm petty, 270mm suji & a 255mm Gyuto (the gyuto was custom made to my specs) and have not had any edge retention issues. I really like these knives.


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