# Wa-gyuto: Suisin Inox or Masamoto KS ?



## kinkoz (Apr 20, 2013)

Suisin inox & masamoto ks (wa-gyuto), which one do you choose? Love both of them, 2 different profile, any suggestion? pls help...


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## daddy yo yo (Apr 20, 2013)

having no experience with either of the 2 knives, i would ALWAYS go for the KS... 

maybe others can explain why they would recommend one or the other. for me its just the fact that the KS is a knife that has that certain attraction, and the suisin simply doesn't have that (for me)... not to mention that basically everyone in this forum seems to love the KS. :hungry:


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## Seth (Apr 20, 2013)

Stainless vs carbon comes to mind...having experience with both.


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## NO ChoP! (Apr 20, 2013)

Suisin has classic sakai type profile; very, very thin. Superb f&f. KS has that sleek French profile and a more pronounced grind. The f&f varies.

I think they're a great complimentary duo. Get both...


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## Von blewitt (Apr 20, 2013)

NO ChoP! said:


> I think they're a great complimentary duo. Get both...



+1


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## kinkoz (Apr 20, 2013)

NO ChoP! said:


> I think they're a great complimentary duo. Get both...



LOL, to broke to get those both.


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## tk59 (Apr 20, 2013)

I don't think Suisin makes anything that isn't top notch and I've seen many of them. Suisin honyaki can have excellent edge retention and sharpness, while not carbon steel, is pretty damn good. The profile is on the curvaceous side of average for a gyuto. It's thin and surprisingly light, esp 240 size. The cutting edge length runs short based on the method of measurment. Variation between examples is minimal. I have less experience with Masamotos, in general but I have seen several KS models. They can be very nice knives but variation is significant with regard to grind quality, thickness and profile, a couple of those I've seen are downright crap. I would buy a Masamoto honyaki but I would never recommend a KS unless it came with a sparkling return policy. As far as the steel is concerned, it is very run-of-the-mill carbon steel: decent retention, excellent edge taking and fairly tough. These run a bit long.


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## kinkoz (Apr 20, 2013)

tk59 said:


> I don't think Suisin makes anything that isn't top notch and I've seen many of them. Suisin honyaki can have excellent edge retention and sharpness, while not carbon steel, is pretty damn good. The profile is on the curvaceous side of average for a gyuto. It's thin and surprisingly light, esp 240 size. The cutting edge length runs short based on the method of measurment. Variation between examples is minimal. I have less experience with Masamotos, in general but I have seen several KS models. They can be very nice knives but variation is significant with regard to grind quality, thickness and profile, a couple of those I've seen are downright crap. I would buy a Masamoto honyaki but I would never recommend a KS unless it came with a sparkling return policy. As far as the steel is concerned, it is very run-of-the-mill carbon steel: decent retention, excellent edge taking and fairly tough. These run a bit long.



Thanks, that's a good advice. It's help.

Anybody else??


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## El Pescador (Apr 20, 2013)

+1 to what TK said. The Suisin is a very consistently good Japanese knife experience.


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## WiscoNole (Apr 21, 2013)

KS. Better (best ) profile, thin enough, and most importantly, it's carbon.

edge retention isn't amazing, but let's not pretend that the Suisin's is noticeably better, or even definitely better at all. the Masamoto is a higher HRC.

and the fact that the kanji on the Suisins aren't etched or engraved is really off putting for such an expensive knife.


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## knyfeknerd (Apr 21, 2013)

I'm currently using a 240mm Suisin IH on loan from daveb. It's a phenomenal knife with a great feel. It does seem to be a bit on the petit side for a 240, but it looks and feels great and has excellent edge retention. Really nice profile and grind too. I would highly recommend it. 
I've had no experience with a KS other than a Richmond that was supposed to be similar in specs to the KS. I didn't like it, but that's probably because it was a poor representation of the style.


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## WiscoNole (Apr 21, 2013)

knyfeknerd said:


> I've had no experience with a KS other than a Richmond that was supposed to be similar in specs to the KS.


I chuckled


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## kinkoz (Apr 21, 2013)

Personally, i like suisin. Almost all my knives are suisin, but i'm still debating to get another wa gyuto btw IH or KS, since they are in same price range. Or is there still any other options for better than these two (and cheaper)?LOL. any reccomendation? thanks.

Kinko


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## Keith Sinclair (Apr 21, 2013)

I have 2 great suisins, but they are both japanese carbon steel single bevels,Yanagi & Usuba:happymug:


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## Phip (Apr 22, 2013)

Both are top notch spectacular knives, so it's a matter of what you want. Me personally, I'd start with profile. The KS is copied and imitated by many and serves as a benchmark. And while I'm not a knife historian, the leading lazers a few years ago seemed to be Suisin followed or joined closely by Tadatsuna, and those two are what the Kono HD has been competing (quite successfully) with. KSs and Suisin inoxs are the subject of many threads over on Fred's Cutlery Forum, so check the archives there. Posts by the late KC Ma are particularly informative and entertaining, and may the gods bless him.


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## Lefty (Apr 22, 2013)

I had a KS and loved it. However, it lost out to the Dragon. I swapped it for a ZKramer (maybe permanently, maybe not) and I haven't really missed the KS, despite how great it is. The ZKramer and I just click...anyways.... I haven't used Suisin, but given the choice between a KS and a laser, I'd go KS. 

With all of the posts on this thread, this is what stuck out:



Phip said:


> Posts by the late KC Ma are particularly informative and entertaining, and may the gods bless him.



A great knife is a great knife, but in the end, it's just a knife. I hope KC's shaving chives with Bruce Lee and Julia Child while discussing the benefits of turning a double-bevel gyuto into a single.


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## mpukas (Apr 22, 2013)

Lefty said:


> I hope KC's shaving chives with Bruce Lee and Julia Child while discussing the benefits of turning a double-bevel gyuto into a single.


 +1


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## Zwiefel (Apr 22, 2013)

Might think about the Gesshin Ginga then...AFAICT, it's very similar to the SIH, but considerably better value.

(I have the SIH and love it...don't have the Ginga though.)


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## Miles (Apr 22, 2013)

Gingas share some similarities with the IH, but according to Jon, the steel and heat treat is substantially different. He won't fess up to what kind of steel they use in the Gingas, of course, just that it's different. I do wish there weren't so much mystery in the Japanese knife world. It would make it much easier to make comparisions. The Gingas are definitely easier on the wallet though, that's for certain. I don't need to know what steel is used to make that comparison.  
I have a couple of the IH knives. I like them. I like them a lot, actually. They're very fine blades. I think the easiest way to decide is to ask whether you want carbon or stainless. I can't imagine that ending up with either one would be a bad choice.


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## kinkoz (Apr 23, 2013)

Thanks.


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## labor of love (Apr 23, 2013)

I admit, i would love to know the exact steels in certain knives also. But it really isnt too important at the end of the day, Ive tried numerous swedish steels and there are certain "makers" out there who definitely dont know what theyre doing in regards to bringing out the best in said steel. . Instead, we can hang our hats on the reputation of Masamoto, Suisin Inox and Gesshin Ginga. All 3 brands make top notch quality production knives.
BTW if I were you I would get the Ginga. or Sakai Yusuke.


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## labor of love (Apr 23, 2013)

knyfeknerd said:


> I've had no experience with a KS other than a Richmond that was supposed to be similar in specs to the KS. I didn't like it, but that's probably because it was a poor representation of the style.



kinda like buying a knock off rolex in china town?:lol2:


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## eaglerock (Apr 23, 2013)

If you want to have fun pick the laser suisin. If you want a workhorse then go with the ks.


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## bamin (Apr 23, 2013)

I have both the IH in 270 mm and the honyaki version of the KS and both are great. I have to agree with what others have said though, the IH is just fun to use.


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