# Top 5 best price/performance gyuto



## lachance89

hi,

I'm very new to the japanese knives world and shopping for my first one is like a never ending quest... to help me through my journey i just want to know about the best deals out there at any price mark, steels or handle. I know it must be a hard one for the ''connaiseurs'' but let's just have fun and see your top 5 nominees for pure price/performance ratio!


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## Godslayer

Kohetsu, tanaka, masakage mizu(anguish), gessin uruka/ginga, ittinomon. Takamura r2 would be up there to. If your looking for a particular knife there is a survey you can fill out and someone more knowledgeable than me can help you. For a first knife I'd probably make the survey for a gyuto 210-240 basic blue #2/ white #2 carbon steel cladded in a softer stainless. And than specify any thing you like ex: flatness of the blade, handle shape westren, wa etc. Maybe design features you like kurochi, damascus, hammered. Maybe ask for some stone recommendations as well.


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## Benuser

For EU customers: Western carbons: Fujiwara FKH and Masahiro Virgin Carbon. Western stainless: Hiromoto Aus-10. All with JCK, japanesechefsknife.com


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## chinacats

Shig, Kato, Tanaka, Kochi, Watanabe...but that changes monthly or so. If you're shopping for a knife, my favorites may be worthless for you. As suggested, you should fill out the questionnaire if you're in the market and that way we can tailor our suggestions to your needs/likes.

Welcome to the forum!


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## EdipisReks

I still think that Tojiro DP is a fantastic deal, for price/performance.


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## 420layersofdank

Kochi , gesshin ginga, anryu bl,2, syousin chiku. Amen


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## havox07

You really can't go wrong with any of the recommendations in this thread. There as so many great knives for the money.


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## the_apprentice

For a pro chef I always think the answer to this question is misono. Affordable to most people and very well made.


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## mark76

I agree on the Fujiwara and Tojiro DP. Hiromoto, Kochi and Watanabe are great too, but a little more expensive.

Personally I think the Ashi Hamono stainless lasers are great value for money. See here for my review: https://japaneseknifereviews.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/suisin-inox-honyaki-versus-ashi-hamono-ginga/


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## spoiledbroth

mark76 said:


> I agree on the Fujiwara and Tojiro DP. Hiromoto, Kochi and Watanabe are great too, but a little more expensive.
> 
> Personally I think the Ashi Hamono stainless lasers are great value for money. See here for my review: https://japaneseknifereviews.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/suisin-inox-honyaki-versus-ashi-hamono-ginga/


The hiro aus-10 in 240mm is only 117USD shipped! Pretty darn good deal, and still very cheap for a 240


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## EdipisReks

spoiledbroth said:


> The hiro aus-10 in 240mm is only 117USD shipped! Pretty darn good deal, and still very cheap for a 240



240mm Tojiro DP is $58 on Amazon. I prefer VG-10 to AUS-10, and the Tojiro DP knives tend to be thin BTE. Hard to beat $58, for that.


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## spoiledbroth

I have owned both in 240 and prefer the hiromoto in the professional environment because I can't get this idea out of my head that anything 2mm or below at the heel is going to explode if someone else picks it up. I also think the hiro holds a better edge than the Tojiro but I do not appreciate Master Nagao's tendency to make short gyutos (sub 50mm at heel). One of the few things I like about my Tenmi Jyuraki G3 is the height, though I would agree that Hiromoto in general is thicker "BTE" than Tojiro.

Love the Tojiro DP Gyuto 240 (210 is very very short at heel), Western Deba 240 and the Nakiri is impressively thin BTE, at least the one I got was. Unfortunately almost every Tojiro I've bought has had a wonky handle with gaps below the ferrule and always, always the heel of the knife is overground by 1 or 2mm.

Also for the Canadian the Tojiro DP 240 was something closer to 90USD + shipping last time I looked on Amazon. Wish their PM knives were as reasonably priced but for the cost I'd rather try something I know will be good.


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## Tall Dark and Swarfy

Sakai Yusuke lasers, certain Shimatanis, and Masakage during the annual (February?) sale. 

Cheers,

Rick


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## lachance89

How about those gokos in w#1 ? Seems like a deal for the blade quality...


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## chinacats

lachance89 said:


> How about those gokos in w#1 ? Seems like a deal for the blade quality...



How do you know about the blade quality? cktg calls them rustic, that would be a big warning sign to me...plus they don't seem to get much love here...I've never tried one. Also, 60 hrc seems a bit low for a white #1 steel knife...jmo.

Other thing I would add is that any knife that doesn't have all 5 star reviews on that site is probably a problem (or at least potential problem).


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## lachance89

Idk really much about the quality because i haven't tried it. I was surprised to see w#1 in this price range and haven't seen any negative reviews except for the F&F and the handle. Many users describe them as ''workhorse'' that works through a great range of products with no chipping problems + the stainless clad makes them user-friendly... i thought maybe it was a good starter?


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## ThEoRy

Too.... many..... choices.....


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## Godslayer

Just go buy a cheap kohetsu $100-$140 blue #2 the 210 was my first true love(the one I own is in the bst for like $90 and is a steal at that price point( not mine but someone elses) trust me it's a fun little guy that will become your best friend in the kitchen.


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## chinacats

+1 to what these people say (that narrows you down to what 10 or so other folks like). My point is to not get hung up on steel type or especially knife reviews on vendors sites You'll get better advice here if you fill out the questionnaire and suit it to you though as opposed to what other people like...everyone's tastes are different...at least here you get honest reviews though. Again, reviews on vendors sites are not necessarily the best place to look (actually probably the worst place to look).


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## gic

Forgecraft 10inch if you can get them for under 40 and know how to tune a knife Masahiro virgin carbon for a great oob experience for stainless, tojiro, gesshin


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## DamageInc

Itinomonn is great value in my opinion.


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## Culverin

imho,

The Tojiro DP is all you ever "need".
It gets sharp and will stay sharp for a reasonable amount of time.
And it's cheap as dirt.

It's stainless with plastic handles. You can thrash on it, leave it soaking in water for days and it's still good to go.
I think durability, fuss free stainless should be measured in performance too.

I'm a serious home cook and it's better knife than what 99% of my foodie friends have.
And I take better care and keep it sharper than that remaining 1%.


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## spoiledbroth

Culverin said:


> imho,
> 
> The Tojiro DP is all you ever "need".
> It gets sharp and will stay sharp for a reasonable amount of time.
> And it's cheap as dirt.
> 
> It's stainless with plastic handles. You can thrash on it, leave it soaking in water for days and it's still good to go.
> I think durability, fuss free stainless should be measured in performance too.
> 
> I'm a serious home cook and it's better knife than what 99% of my foodie friends have.
> And I take better care and keep it sharper than that remaining 1%.


actually the handles are made from recycled wood products, according to knifewear "Eco-wood is made with recycled wood dust, re-cycled wood chips and silicone"


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## Marcelo Amaral

chinacats said:


> Shig, Kato, Tanaka, Kochi, Watanabe...but that changes monthly or so. If you're shopping for a knife, my favorites may be worthless for you. As suggested, you should fill out the questionnaire if you're in the market and that way we can tailor our suggestions to your needs/likes.
> 
> Welcome to the forum!



lus1:


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## James

Tojiro PS 240 gyuto is ~ $130 from knivesandstones. From the choil shot that James (not me, but PKJames) posted, it should be a great performer. Tanaka ginsanko and VG10 are also great deals (F&F is a little rough though and the handles are pretty lackluster; performance is phenomenal for the price); metalmaster has the Tanaka ginsanko and vg10 in 190 mm gyutos for $53 and $68 respectively.


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## Benuser

At that price level you really better have the Hiromoto Aus-10.


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## James

Unfortunately not too many people here have used it and we don't have too much info about them unless there are profile and choil pics that are lurking around somewhere. Here's a comparison of the Tojiro DP and PS - 

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...PM-series-comparison-profile-geometry-f-amp-f


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## bkdc

I have to agree with Culverin. At the sub-60 dollar price point that the Tojiro DP 240 is going for these days, it hits near the top of the best bang for the buck list if you know how to sharpen a knife and deal with the inconsistencies of the initial edge. The dollar-yen exchange rate is a blessing for American knife buyers.


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## lachance89

It's not a blessing for canadians shopping in USD though [emoji28]


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## Godslayer

lachance89 said:


> It's not a blessing for canadians shopping in USD though [emoji28]



Masakage mizu from knifewear a 210 is $165 I think the 240 ie around $185-$190 too lazy to check free shipping over $200 buy a blade guard and a kitchen tool and your there. Takamura 210 is $199 from finejapaneseknives. Tojiro dp is on Amazon for sub $100. Zkramer not japanese is $200 from williams food equipment and is a Damn good stainless knife, bought my mom it. The takamura is the best laser for the $ in canada. The mizu is what I'd suggest for any first time buyer wanting to stay in canada. I love my kohetsu but the mizu is above it and the ootb edge is crazy sharp. The tojiro is a good cheapish knife but I'd never buy one, personal preference really. The henckles is good if you don't want to deal with fragility or carbon and is very comfy in the hands. Lots of decent Canadian options given how shiot the $ is. Id also suggest emailing tosho the website shows 90% of stuff out of stock but maybee he has a few good value gyutos hidden away. Worth a shot atleast. I checked the site and saw nothing of interest sub $200 but I know he has a lot of stock not listed. Also I presume good value to mean sub $200 and a good performer.


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## lachance89

Yeah i'm waiting on Tosho's new site and new arrivals due for the upcoming two months... I'm also waiting for metalmaster to restock those tanaka 240 in blue paper 2. At 130$ it's a screaming deal even in usd...


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## sharptools

I'm going to have to say anything Gesshin for the amazing additional QC and features over their non-gesshin counterparts.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the Carbonext line yet because it is a great deal if you sharpen well.

Sub $200 for the takamura migaki r2 after fixing any potential issues with factory sharpening is also amazing IMHO


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## havox07

So I want to add a bit about the Tanaka, its a great knife but not without issues. Mine came pretty bent and the handle is terrible. I had it rehandled at Tosho but I mean by the time you do that you end up with a knife costing around 350 cad or so. And at that price you can buy a completely finished knife from a reputable retailer with no issues. Just my two cents.


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## chinacats

havox07 said:


> So I want to add a bit about the Tanaka, its a great knife but not without issues. Mine came pretty bent and the handle is terrible. I had it rehandled at Tosho but I mean by the time you do that you end up with a knife costing around 350 cad or so. And at that price you can buy a completely finished knife from a reputable retailer with no issues. Just my two cents.



I get it, but you can ease the spine and choil yourself. If you pick up a decent replacement handle you can also install that yourself. I would consider it a very good deal at ~160 with an inexpensive handle and some sandpaper...and a little labor


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## havox07

chinacats said:


> I get it, but you can ease the spine and choil yourself. If you pick up a decent replacement handle you can also install that yourself. I would consider it a very good deal at ~160 with an inexpensive handle and some sandpaper...and a little labor



Yeah that is true, maybe if you can grab a handle straight from japan you can do it all yourself for not too much. I still am doing the easing of the choil myself and I did spend a bit extra on a nicer handle.


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## daddy yo yo

Misono Dragon Swedish carbon steel is also a fantastic knife. F&F are perfect!


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## MrOli

Anryu Hammered
Itinomonn
Yoshikane
Wakui
Kurosaki AS

All of these are really well priced


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## marc4pt0

Kurosaki AS (my top pick), the rest are in no specific order
Kochi
Itinomonn
Misono Dragon
Gesshin _____

But that's just based on my own experience


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## Benuser

James said:


> Unfortunately not too many people here have used it and we don't have too much info about them unless there are profile and choil pics that are lurking around somewhere. Here's a comparison of the Tojiro DP and PS -
> 
> http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...PM-series-comparison-profile-geometry-f-amp-f


http://s19.postimage.org/5pqa3bk0v/DSC_0008.jpgî


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## Benuser

http://s19.postimg.org/lase8e0ir/Fo_Hiro2_Hiros.jpg
Left Hiromoto AS 270, right the Aus-10


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## Timthebeaver

Yoshikane SKD 210mm, a shade under $200 at Epicurean Edge (with forum discount).


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## koki

The best price for performance is the tojiro Dp. It's cheap and does the best for it's price. Sure the more expensive ones get sharper but also with a much steeper price


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## chinacats

koki said:


> The best price for performance is the tojiro Dp. It's cheap and does the best for it's price. Sure the more expensive ones get sharper but also with a much steeper price



Not personally a fan of the dp, but sharpness has nothing to do with price.


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## spoiledbroth

chinacats said:


> Not personally a fan of the dp, but sharpness has nothing to do with price.


This seems to be true. Cheap carbons are usually cheaper than cheap stainless knives... The carbonext is a good option for sure, for about the same price HiromotosToGo has this Kanehide TK knife that is *supposedly* the same blend that Kikuichi uses for the TKC (I'm pretty doubtful about this but have not used the Kikuichi TKC)... In my experience the Kanehide holds the same keen edge a little longer than the CN but has much more neutral geometry and is ground quite thin compared to the CN. The handle on the Kanehide though... poop.


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## easy13

I just got a 210 Tadafusa Nashiji for a Rehandle project (will follow up on that). Paid something close to $82 for it off eBay and it is pretty damn impressive for the price - Blue #2, nice grind, wa handle that does not suck at all. For what it means otb edge was real impressive also. Without a doubt the best sub $100 wa gyuto out there, unfortunately not offered in 240.


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## WiscoNole

It's all relative, as I haven't spent less than $200 on a knife in a couple years, but Gesshin Ginga is the first answer that comes to mind.


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## Benuser

[img=http://s19.postimg.org/5pqa3bk0v/DSC_0008.jpg]
As James asked for a choil picture, here a better one. Hiromoto Aus-10 270mm


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## spoiledbroth

FWIW the Hiromoto AUS-10 240mm has a bit more of a workhorse grind, not quite as thin at the tip. I'm assuming you've not thinned your 270


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## Benuser

No, I didn't. I expected the 240 to be a bit thicker, just from the weight. Thanks for confirming so.


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## mhlee

chinacats said:


> Not personally a fan of the dp, but sharpness has nothing to do with price.



+1


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## Pigcamehome

I highly recomend takeda sasanoha. its not their gyuto, however, it is the same size and shape as regular gyuto's. egde retention is ridiculous (super blue), extremely sharp, easy to sharpen, feels great in hand and not too mention the beautiiful kurouchi finish. I bought mine for 300 when it first came out, but even now at 500 with the stainless, it is worth every penny. 

Konusuke hd2 would be at the top of my list as well. I have some friends with them and they love them. I have a suji hd2 and love it!!!

I have a kato 210 gyuto. It is my favourite by far, however a tough knife to come across. Very sharp. White steel 2. Highly recommended as well. 

Good luck on your search.


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## lachance89

I finally settle on a 240mm Masakage Shimo wich was about 210$ CAD on sale on a online canadian store. Couln't let pass this one. I guess the quest is over


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## stevenStefano

What about the Carbonext? Don't seem to be very popular any more but I still like mine, very low maintenance and the fit and finish is excellent for the money

Tojiro DP is a nice knife but the cladding is ridiculously soft so if you're starting off sharpening it'll mess it up


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## spoiledbroth

lachance89 said:


> I finally settle on a 240mm Masakage Shimo wich was about 210$ CAD on sale on a online canadian store. Couln't let pass this one. I guess the quest is over


Great choice!


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## daddy yo yo

lachance89 said:


> I guess the quest is over


oh boy, how wrong you are if you really believe that...


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## lachance89

Yeah... Never had one and already hooked [emoji16]


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## oldcookie

lachance89 said:


> I finally settle on a 240mm Masakage Shimo wich was about 210$ CAD on sale on a online canadian store. Couln't let pass this one. I guess the quest is over



I would like to know which store?


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## havox07

here 240 is sold out though, appears they are clearing out the masakage.


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## lachance89

Graceinthekitchen.ca but they are almost sold out... But there's great deals left that's for sure!


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## Tall Dark and Swarfy

My joy was fleeting. No shipping to USA.


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## oldcookie

Picked up the Mizu 240 gyuto, always wondered about that knife, but cheap handle stopped me. At this price, I can replace the handle if I like the knife.


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## BlueWolf

Yeah I'm in the USA and wouldn't have minded to grab one of those myself. Looks like the price is pretty well standardized everywhere else. Not quite willing to drop $300 bills on one. Wonder if any of the Shimo 240 Wa's can be had in Japan somewhere.


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## Nick_Hall

What a fantastic thread. My budget is pretty modest, and it was really helpful to see so many good bang-for-the-buck knives listed. There were several knives mentioned here that weren't on my radar. I'll be doing some more research on the tanakas and I'm really intrigued by the powdered steel Tojiros (not the DP). 

I love this forum!


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## Godslayer

BlueWolf said:


> Yeah I'm in the USA and wouldn't have minded to grab one of those myself. Looks like the price is pretty well standardized everywhere else. Not quite willing to drop $300 bills on one. Wonder if any of the Shimo 240 Wa's can be had in Japan somewhere.



Wait until febuary. Knifewear is putting masakages on 15% off. At $300 that's $255 cad so roughly $200 us.


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## Keith Sinclair

Nick_Hall said:


> What a fantastic thread. My budget is pretty modest, and it was really helpful to see so many good bang-for-the-buck knives listed. There were several knives mentioned here that weren't on my radar. I'll be doing some more research on the tanakas and I'm really intrigued by the powdered steel Tojiros (not the DP).
> 
> I love this forum!



The Tojiro F-521 240mm Powder got shipped from James in Australia for 150.00. That is a good price have seen them at 200.00 on some sites. It is deff. worth it to pay a little more for a much better knife than the Tojiro DP. 

The Tanaka Gensanko pear finish 240mm 120.00 from Metalmaster

Gesshin Ginga 240mm stain resistant laser type even at 250.00 it's a good deal

These are a few of my favorite bang for the buck gyuto's


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## Lefty

Yamawaku, Misono Dragon (remember those?), Kochi, Gesshin Ginga, Tanaka Blue 2. As a write-in, I'll add ZKramer when they are on sale.

Honestly, I could have stopped at my Misono Dragon, and never fallen into this whole crazy kitchen knife world, and been very happy. I'm glad that didn't happen, but I don't think I would have really been losing out had that been the case.


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## gic

Masahiro Virgin Carbon and MV for stainless


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## Nick_Hall

keithsaltydog said:


> The Tojiro F-521 240mm Powder got shipped from James in Australia for 150.00. That is a good price have seen them at 200.00 on some sites. It is deff. worth it to pay a little more for a much better knife than the Tojiro



I'm curious how difficult the powdered steel is to sharpen. My set consists of a DMT fine, a 14 year old Shapton 1000, a 14 year old Shapton 8000, and piece of leather welding apron glued to 1/2" plate glass and charged with a $2.00 chromium oxide crayon from harbor freight. Not the most sophisticated kit in the world. I've hand sharpening my straight razors, plane blades, and chisels for a while and I can get those to take an acceptable edge. Up to this point, I've been using a chef's choice for my German steel knives. 

When I started using O1 tool steel plane blades from Veritas, I noticed a big difference in sharpening difficulty vs my 100 year old carbon steel plane blades. I'm betting that powdered steel in the knives will be even tougher. 

Given that I have no experience hand sharpening knives, do you think there is an advantage to using an easier to sharpen steel? One thing I was thinking is that uber hard powdered steel might be the best thing to learn on because it will take 5x as long to sharpen, which is a great way to develop the muscle memory without turning my gyuto into a fillet knife.


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## Nick_Hall

Just to clarify early morning muddled post above, my real question is whether or not powdered steel is appropriate to learn to sharpen on. I should mention that the only j-knife I currently have is a Tojiro DP 120mm petty that I've only had for a few days. I've never attempted to freehand sharpen a kitchen knife (although my Shaptons are soaking in the sink and I'll be giving it a go in 15 mins).

I think the conventional wisdom is that you should learn to sharpen on something easy like carbon steel. I'm guessing this is because it gives better feedback in the sense that you can see what you've done very quickly after only a few strokes, that way you can make adjustments to technique. I'm wondering if there is an argument to be made for doing the opposite and picking a knife that forces you to spend a great deal of time with the stones.


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## chinacats

Nick_Hall said:


> Just to clarify early morning muddled post above, my real question is whether or not powdered steel is appropriate to learn to sharpen on. I should mention that the only j-knife I currently have is a Tojiro DP 120mm petty that I've only had for a few days. I've never attempted to freehand sharpen a kitchen knife (although my Shaptons are soaking in the sink and I'll be giving it a go in 15 mins).
> 
> I think the conventional wisdom is that you should learn to sharpen on something easy like carbon steel. I'm guessing this is because it gives better feedback in the sense that you can see what you've done very quickly after only a few strokes, that way you can make adjustments to technique. I'm wondering if there is an argument to be made for doing the opposite and picking a knife that forces you to spend a great deal of time with the stones.



The general argument for using carbon for learning is that it is much easier to remove the burr on carbon...most stainless will drive a new sharpener nuts trying. Sharpen what you've got, you'll learn what you need to know either way...just go slow and pay attention. PM steel is not difficult to sharpen imo.


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## Asteger

Nick_Hall said:


> I'm wondering if there is an argument to be made for doing the opposite and picking a knife that forces you to spend a great deal of time with the stones.



I'm not the one to ask about semi-stainless and PM steels, as I have far less experience with these, and actually no PM experience. However, when it comes to the former, to me it's not about time and things taking longer. It's more about their feel when compared to the 'standard' Yasugi/Hitachi carbon steels. Others have a gumminess to me, and so when you're sharpenning them things are less distinct, maybe take longer, and just seem less defined. You can't feel where you're at, your bevels, etc, as much. Less satisfying, sure, and also less confidence-inspiring.


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## easy13

Price/Performance

Tadafusa Nashiji
Itinomonn
Suisin Inox Western
Tanaka w/ Knives & Stones Tune Up
Kikuichi TKC - Not sure what price it is at now or if even still around, I got one new for $170 and it is still one of my best overall performers in cutting ability, edge retention and a perfect balance of laser vs workhorse, even in the $200 range it is still a deal.


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## Benuser

If sharpening takes longer more errors are to be expected


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## Asteger

Benuser said:


> If sharpening takes longer more errors are to be expected



Quite true, logically. But as a side note, people often value speed in their stones and sharpening. Being quick doesn't necessarily mean better. Most people might be pretty imprecise, and so if working and finishing quickly they might do less damage. On the other hand, patience has to be a good thing too. About errors, while taking longer could compond them, with extra time you might also be able to spot and correct them during the session, or maybe the amount of passes on the stone will even things out.


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## Keith Sinclair

I only have experience sharpening 3 powder steels Hap40, SRS15, & the Tojiro HSPS. I have heard that some powder steels are hard to sharpen, however with my experience with these steels it is simply not the case. I can raise a burr heel to tip with a 4K gesshin. Burr removal not a problem.

They can take a very fine edge and retention is superior to most knives. I especially like the grind on the Tojiro F-521. Tho the grind is thin behind the edge, this is not a light laser type blade. It has some weight and is a very good cutter.

I have become a fan of these powder steels thinned out my Akifusa, the Tojiro needs no thinning IMO.


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## panda

If you get a good one, takedas are pure price/perf stud. I'd gladly pay $500 for a perfect one.


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## Keith Sinclair

If you can pick an older one up on BST and is a good deal will get snapped up fast. Got this perfect older Takeda 270mm for 300.00 on BST


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## mikedtran

Anyone have thoughts on Tanaka Ginsan or Blue #2 vs. Tadafusa as far as value?


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## berko

to me, tadafusa > tanaka, but i didnt even use my tanaka once due to its effd up profile.


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## johnleebikeguy

lachance89 said:


> hi,
> 
> I'm very new to the japanese knives world and shopping for my first one is like a never ending quest... to help me through my journey i just want to know about the best deals out there at any price mark, steels or handle. I know it must be a hard one for the ''connaiseurs'' but let's just have fun and see your top 5 nominees for pure price/performance ratio!



If you want a Japanese Wa handle knife, here are my favorites. 

Best knife for your money. Masamoto KS 240mm or 270mm. It's the most replicated knife in all of Japanese knives. 

Retails for $340 or so, but you can find them on on Ebay every once in a while for $300 or so, for a brand new one. 

Japanese knife imports, also sells a knife laser in the Gesshin Ginga is also pretty nice. It's made my Ashi Hamono, which is a very reputable knife maker. 

Moritaka makes a nice knife, but you have to want the kurouchi finish. I'm not a huge fan of that finish. I like a polished knife. Konosuke is also very nice, if you can find them in stock. 

But most of these knifes are heavily based and styled on the Masamoto KS .


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## havox07

johnleebikeguy said:


> If you want a Japanese Wa handle knife, here are my favorites.
> 
> Best knife for your money. Masamoto KS 240mm or 270mm. It's the most replicated knife in all of Japanese knives.
> 
> Retails for $340 or so, but you can find them on on Ebay every once in a while for $300 or so, for a brand new one.
> 
> Japanese knife imports, also sells a knife laser in the Gesshin Ginga is also pretty nice. It's made my Ashi Hamono, which is a very reputable knife maker.
> 
> Moritaka makes a nice knife, but you have to want the kurouchi finish. I'm not a huge fan of that finish. I like a polished knife. Konosuke is also very nice, if you can find them in stock.
> 
> But most of these knifes are heavily based and styled on the Masamoto KS .



The KS series has apparently fallen off a lot in consistency and fit and finish over the years, you can also find them for much cheaper if you purchase them from Rakuten, an online Japanese market, I think they were around 26000yen last time I saw them. Also Moritaka isn't too popular on this forum due to some of their knives having terrible overgrinds.


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## Keith Sinclair

havox07 said:


> The KS series has apparently fallen off a lot in consistency and fit and finish over the years, you can also find them for much cheaper if you purchase them from Rakuten, an online Japanese market, I think they were around 26000yen last time I saw them. Also Moritaka isn't too popular on this forum due to some of their knives having terrible overgrinds.



+ Handle issues no excuse for a 300.00+ blade.


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## lachance89

How about those wakuis selling in the low 100$, didn't heard much about them...


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## James

Even at their increased price, they look phenomenal. Not sure about HT though.


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## Keith Sinclair

Anyone try the Ikazuchi AS stainless clad from JKI? Looks real thin for a san mai. Maybe one of the better AS clad in terms of blade geometry. 200.00 with saya for 240mm seems like a fair price.


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## sharptools

keithsaltydog said:


> Anyone try the Ikazuchi AS stainless clad from JKI? Looks real thin for a san mai. Maybe one of the better AS clad in terms of blade geometry. 200.00 with saya for 240mm seems like a fair price.



Definitely would like to hear about this as well. The value seems to be much better than other Stainless clad options out there.


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## Keith Sinclair

sharptools said:


> Definitely would like to hear about this as well. The value seems to be much better than other Stainless clad options out there.



I do not usually push a knife unless I have used it. A cook friend was looking for a 210mm line knife. Told him to check out the Ikazuchi AS. He bought it & gave to me to treat the handle and saya with tung oil & clear shellac mix. After my coats dry will sharpen it & cook a few dinners. Post pictures & thoughts on knife review.


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## Krassi

hi!
Best price performance in the deathstar-laser-segment are Ashi swedish stainless knifes.. to bad they dont take private customer orders any more ;( .. most often better cutting than Konosuke knifes.


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## KimBronnum

DamageInc said:


> Itinomonn is great value in my opinion.



lus1:


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## Pensacola Tiger

johnleebikeguy said:


> I'm looking to get a Masamoto KS 240mm, and came across a "stainless SW" model? The seller says this is EXACTLY the same as the Masamoto KS 240mm, except it's SWEDISH STAINLESS. I've seen dozens of people said they had wish the KS came in a stainless. Also, it appears that the KS is serious the most copied knife around. Mark Richmond claims his LASER line, and even the Addict is a replica of the KS, as well as some others I've see like the Konosuke, and can't remember all of the others I've said.
> 
> Does anyone know if the Masamoto stainless KS AKA "SW" is truly a real Masamoto?
> 
> There is the link below. This seems to be a new business, and carries an interesting array of whetstones. Has anyone purchased from this shop yet?
> 
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/251733190/masamoto-240mm-chef-sw-ks-stainless?ref=shop_home_active_14



Yes, it is a "real" Masamoto. Korin carries them as well: http://korin.com/Masamoto-Swedish-St...tegory=8549827

BTW, the Addict is not a Masamoto KS clone; you're thinking of the Ultimatum, and only the profile is the same - the geometry is very different.

Rick


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## SousVideLoca

God those names crack me up.

"Damn, what kinda knife you got there Bob?"

"Oh this? It's my _*Artifex Ultimatum Decimator 5000.*_"

"Neato, Bob. Is the shipping from Mordor very expensive?"


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## vai777

Ikeda (Akifusa) 
Kohetsu HAP40
Kikuichi TKC
Blazen


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