# KKF you decide my next gyuto!



## Meccio (May 8, 2015)

Thank you kindly for your time... I've been doing a lot of research on my dream 210mm gyuto for work and I cannot make a decision! 


SUKENARI ZDP189

or

TANAKA R2



Which one would you pick and why? Both are beautiful and seem like wonders to work with, but I can't find much info on the sukenari since its quite recent I read... :O:scratchhead:


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## James (May 8, 2015)

Tanaka because I like R2 more than ZDP189


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## labor of love (May 8, 2015)

Either choice would be nice. You might have an easier time selling the tanaka in BST if you find that its not for you though.


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## Meccio (May 9, 2015)

Thank you guys,

Tanaka - 2

Sukenari - 0


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## Cheeks1989 (May 9, 2015)

Tanaka r2


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## Jordanp (May 9, 2015)

Tanaka R2


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## Meccio (May 9, 2015)

Damn 4 - 0 !


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## Marcelo Amaral (May 9, 2015)

Never used the Sukenari, but the Tanaka R2 is very nice. Should be easier to sharpen also.


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## aboynamedsuita (May 9, 2015)

I have the 270 Sukenari ZDP-189 from JCK and at least one other member has the 240 and 270 as well. It can take a beating see the following thread:
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/22170-Oh-Macro-chip-on-a-rather-pricey-knife


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## Meccio (May 9, 2015)

tjangula said:


> I have the 270 Sukenari ZDP-189 from JCK and at least one other member has the 240 and 270 as well. It can take a beating see the following thread:
> http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/22170-Oh-Macro-chip-on-a-rather-pricey-knife



Your thread reference means you vote Tanaka I'm presuming?? haha

Personally, I would never cut parmesan with my knives.. I usually use the restaurant's lobster knife


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## Meccio (May 9, 2015)

Well I'm pretty much convinced! Also, watching a few of Mark Theory's videos on youtube helped quite a bit too hehe


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## tcmx3 (May 9, 2015)

another vote for the Tanaka from me.


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## aboynamedsuita (May 9, 2015)

Meccio said:


> Your thread reference means you vote Tanaka I'm presuming?? haha
> 
> Personally, I would never cut parmesan with my knives.. I usually use the restaurant's lobster knife



Not necessarily, if you read thru the thread you'd see that was the result of abuse/neglect prior to the parmesan. There are some good videos of chopping thru bone too.


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## DamageInc (May 9, 2015)

I haven't tried either, but I do own a Miyabi 7000MCD which is also in ZDP-189.

While it is extremely hard and holds an edge for very long, it is a total ***** to sharpen. R2 should be easier in that aspect at least.


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## Mingooch (May 9, 2015)

I prefer the R2 myself


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## ThEoRy (May 9, 2015)

Tanaka because 
[video=youtube;pZ73qzGT8q4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ73qzGT8q4[/video]

and
[video=youtube;ke_V8z_sdek]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke_V8z_sdek[/video]

and
[video=youtube;V33A2aEgHcw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V33A2aEgHcw[/video]


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## Meccio (May 9, 2015)

Dude I watched all your videos last night... No **** tanaka! Loving them, wish I had the time to make some too...


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## supersayan3 (May 10, 2015)

Take the Sukenari!

Tanaka is too too heavy, and Sukenari is the latest trent, and mirror polished.

Yes, that Sukenari on the videos, lost a piece at a parmessan, but so may some Tanaka, since it has only the thin core SG-2, and SG-2 might loose pieces as well, when cutting a wooden toothpick for example(if you force it and slow press it over it)

Watching the Sukenari videos, it can stand lots of abuse ;-) lighter(proper weight), more beautiful, good price for ZDP-189

Also has thinner geometry than the Tanaka


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## James (May 10, 2015)

Supersayan, Thinner geometry and standing up to more abuse are a bit contradictory in my opinion. Have you used both the aforementioned knives or knives in both steels? SG2/R2 is tougher than zdp-189 in my experience and the edges I can get with good R2 is miles better than the one I can get with a zdp-189 knife. Also, the wa handled Tanaka R2s look substantially thinner than the Sukenari.

Tanaka R2s are available at metalmaster (http://www.metalmaster-ww.com/product-list/27) fyi.


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## Matus (May 10, 2015)

I would not want to sharpen 240mm ZDP blade, but Tanaka R2 anytime. That combination of ease of sharpening and edge holding is really cool.


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## CutFingers (May 10, 2015)

Tanaka all the way...my cheapest Tanaka knife is my absolute favorite knife. It's just fabulous. R2 is good steel...Tanaka grinds and thickness is just right in my book.


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## ThEoRy (May 10, 2015)

My wa tanakas are laser beams for sure. No chipping either. But then I don't cut toothpicks with my knives. Only food.


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## Meccio (May 10, 2015)

Sweet can't wait to own one and make shallot brunoise!! My fav part of doing mise en place


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## tcmx3 (May 10, 2015)

supersayan3 said:


> Tanaka is too too heavy



wrong.


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## Meccio (May 10, 2015)

ThEoRy said:


> My wa tanakas are laser beams for sure. No chipping either. But then I don't cut toothpicks with my knives. Only food.




Nice, given the beating you give your tanaka on your videos! What stone combination do you recommend for a pro-kitchen environment? I dont always have the time to make the long ritual of sharpening my knives.


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## chinacats (May 10, 2015)

supersayan3 said:


> Take the Sukenari!
> 
> Tanaka is too too heavy, and Sukenari is the latest trent, and mirror polished.
> 
> ...



Have you handled either of these knives? Also, buying because you've seen some videos or because a knife is the latest trend is complete nonsense.


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## ecchef (May 10, 2015)

I keep Shap Pros at work. Splash 'n go, lots of grit choices, comes in it's own storage box. Easy peasy.


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## aboynamedsuita (May 10, 2015)

It sounds like the Tanaka is your best option given the feedback from those who use for work. I can't comment on how the Sukenari would be in a pro environment as I don't work ITK. I think tanaka also costs less as ZDP is expensive steel. It should be noted that the macro chip was caused by previous damage/abuse, the OP mentioned this in the thread.

I asked Koki about Sukenari prior to purchasing since I hadn't heard much about them. Here's a link to my email in another thread:
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...Ginsan-Gyutos-210-amp-240?p=356553#post356553

Either way (Tanaka or Sukenari) you'll have a good knife. 

Regards,

TJ


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## Meccio (May 10, 2015)

I read your email this week after doing a search about the knife on the forums, thanks tj!


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## aboynamedsuita (May 10, 2015)

chinacats said:


> ...buying because you've seen some videos or because a knife is the latest trend is complete nonsense.


Really I thought that's what our consumerism driven society wants us to do 



Meccio said:


> I read your email this week after doing a search about the knife on the forums, thanks tj!


You're welcome. Also read your comment about time to sharpen at work, as others have said the tanaka would probably be better for you in this regard given the high wear resistance of ZDP-189.


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## Meccio (May 11, 2015)

Yes I think so too


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## supersayan3 (May 11, 2015)

I dont have any of the knives.

I was interested at buying a Tanaka. But then I read specifications, it was heavy as far as I remember for my taste.

Then I saw at a forum a choil shot of a Tanaka next to a Blazen, and it was pretty thicker.
I personally will not want to thin a beautiful knife like a Tanaka.
For being heavy I was reffering to the ironwood one. Which ironwood , if I remember correct was photographed next to the Blazen.

Most likely there might be different batches of Tanakas with different geometries, as in many brands. So, I may be wrong to that, but then again it is luck what you will get. For example I have read many people stating that their Blazens or their Hiromotos were thick. Mines are very thin. Especially the Blazen.

Judging from my Blazens, they hold an edge for long, but I tried to cut a short and thin 'satay stick' some weeks ago, it got cut, but the knife chipped to the shape of the satay stick it cut.

I saw the photos and the videos of the Sukenari, which lost a piece from the parmessan, to my liking, very beautiful knife.


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## supersayan3 (May 11, 2015)

And I dont have any experience with ZDP-189, but reading it was similar to Cowry-X, I imagined it must be good. I just find the Sukenari pretty light and beautiful


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## supersayan3 (May 11, 2015)

I am very sorry for any inconvinience, but:

I was wrong about the TANAKA being heavy. I confused it with Takeshi Sanji SG-2 ironwood. 

The Tanaka is pretty light actually, the Sanji is very heavy.

Some months ago, I wanted to get some kind of this style gyuto(Tanaka, Saji, Ittou), I was searching for them, sorry, I remembered wrong.

Very sorry for any inconvinience

I was trying now to find that choil shot I talked about, in case I am wrong one more time, for the time being, I didn't manage to find it.


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## Kippington (May 11, 2015)

The Sukenari is good. ZDP is not as hard to sharpen as people say.


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## Meccio (May 11, 2015)

No worries supersayan, thank you for the correction


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## supersayan3 (May 11, 2015)

My appologies


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## Dubrdr20 (May 12, 2015)

I never got to use it since the day I got it but my gf who's been using kono hd yo gyoto for past years really likes the tanaka.


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## Meccio (May 13, 2015)

^^ cool thank you for the input!


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## Meccio (May 24, 2015)

So I just ordered my tanaka 210 with James' website! Great guy and great service, can't wait to get it! Thanks a lot for the input guys!!


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## aboynamedsuita (May 24, 2015)

Cool, I got my Shig from James as well. I'd defiantly do business again


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## Meccio (May 25, 2015)

tjangula said:


> Cool, I got my Shig from James as well. I'd defiantly do business again



I think you mean "definitely"! hehe


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## aboynamedsuita (May 25, 2015)

Meccio said:


> I think you mean "definitely"! hehe



Oops, I'll fix that. Thanks for the heads up


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## aboynamedsuita (May 25, 2015)

Dammit I can't even edit my post!


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## daveb (May 25, 2015)

tjangula said:


> Dammit I can't even edit my post!



Tis true. But only after a 15 min window to review. You probably got a pop-up that you were outside the editing window for your post (15 min) though you may have missed it with all the screen captures, cutting and pasting, etc. 

A quick search instead would have found http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/10038-Editing-Post 

Should a typo slip by it won't be the first one and it's easy to ask a moderator to assist - though this one may have to stand.

Defiantly: "I want that knife NOW dammit! Take my money! All of my money! In the box! You hearing me??? Send it RIGHT NOW!" 

Sorry, couldn't help myself. LoL


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## aboynamedsuita (May 25, 2015)

daveb said:


> Tis true. But only after a 15 min window to review. You probably got a pop-up that you were outside the editing window for your post (15 min) though you may have missed it with all the screen captures, cutting and pasting, etc.
> 
> A quick search instead would have found http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/10038-Editing-Post
> 
> ...



Ya I guess I deserve it, that's what I get for posting late at night without allowing time to reread, although I blame auto (in)correct :whistling:

For a relatively minor typo such as this I agree that it ought to stand, the entertainment it has created was worth it.


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## Meccio (May 25, 2015)

haha I was pointing it out for fun, don't worry tjangula!


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