# Itonomonn 240mm gyuto review



## mainaman (Feb 21, 2013)

Got this knife from Max a few weeks a go and had a chance to use and compare against a few other knives.

The knife has perfect FF , rounded spine and choil, and KU finish. The KU finish is nicely textured, not like Moritaka for example.
The steel is V2, a bit reactive I thought, but I guess when patina develops enough this will not be the case anymore.
The knife has a great grind, it is convex up to where the KU starts then flat. Very nice distal taper and very thin tip. The knife also is pretty tall 56 mm at the heel, and I hear the next batches will be even a bit taller than that.

Cutting performance was great, better cutter than the DT and Mizuno I had while testing the knife, very thin behind the edgeThe food separation was best of the 3, ease of cutting as well. I did not notice any wedging cutting squash, onions potatoes.
The steel was easy to sharpen, and the knife even being on the thinner side has very nice feel to it as far as weight is concerned.

Definitely a nice buy IMO.


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## Von blewitt (Feb 21, 2013)

Cool review, I saw these on JNS and thought they looked interesting. Might have to wait for the petty!


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## EdipisReks (Feb 21, 2013)

looks very kochi-esque.


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## rahimlee54 (Feb 21, 2013)

Did you rehandle or have it rehandled? Just want to make sure I am not missing something on the site. Did the food stick to the knife?


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## brainsausage (Feb 21, 2013)

EdipisReks said:


> looks very kochi-esque.



I was thinking the same.


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## dmccurtis (Feb 21, 2013)

brainsausage said:


> I was thinking the same.



Ditto.


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## mainaman (Feb 22, 2013)

rahimlee54 said:


> Did you rehandle or have it rehandled? Just want to make sure I am not missing something on the site. Did the food stick to the knife?


I sked Max to install a burnt chestnut handle for me. No food stiction.


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## mainaman (Feb 22, 2013)

EdipisReks said:


> looks very kochi-esque.


How so?
To me they look very different, the profile is not the same for example.


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## dmccurtis (Feb 22, 2013)

I think they just look superficially similar. Similar kurouchi finish, similar grind, similar handle, similar distal taper.


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## Timthebeaver (Feb 22, 2013)

as above plus same hagane, same blade height. Everything except the profile really.


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## mainaman (Feb 22, 2013)

dmccurtis said:


> I think they just look superficially similar. Similar kurouchi finish, similar grind, similar handle, similar distal taper.


You can't say what looks like what without any direct comparison.
You can buy burn chestnut handles from vendors, I mean my Kato has that kind of handle does that make it more kochiesque?
The KU finish is done this way by other makers as well, Takeda has it too , Yoshikane, Tanaka, as well, so I kind of am missing your point here.

I am not going to comment on the distal taper and the grind, that is for direct comparison. 

The knife is very good, that is for sure.


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## mainaman (Feb 22, 2013)

Timthebeaver said:


> as above plus same hagane, same blade height. Everything except the profile really.


I am missing that point as well, many makers use that steel.
The blade height is pretty standard too, Shigefusa are also ~55 mm.

Just do not understand how people are jumping to conclusion without any hands on comparison.


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## brainsausage (Feb 22, 2013)

I don't think the kochi comparison is a negative thing- quite the opposite.


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## mainaman (Feb 22, 2013)

brainsausage said:


> I don't think the kochi comparison is a negative thing- quite the opposite.


sure, but you can't compare based on looks. 
We are getting off the track here though, the knife is good, cuts very well compared to some other highly regarded brands.


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## maxim (Feb 22, 2013)

Hehe you guys :tease:

We had that discussion before here in my vendor sub-forum, about JNS 1k, If it looks bit similar it dose not mean that it is same  

Handle can be changed, finish can be other, profile can be different, heat tread can be other, there are so many things that you an not see in the picture

Lets talk about Itonomonn instead 

P.S. Stefan Glad that you liked the knife ! And thanks for writeup


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## EdipisReks (Feb 22, 2013)

mainaman said:


> How so?



every way other than the profile. just an observation based on your pics. if it is Kochi-esque, in use, then it's certainly a fantastic knife. i don't know why you and Maxim became defensive. it's awfully hard to talk about a knife that almost nobody has tried, other than analogy to other knives.


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## mainaman (Feb 22, 2013)

EdipisReks said:


> every way other than the profile. just an observation base don your pics. if it is Kochi-esque, in use, then it's certainly a fantastic knife. i don't know why you an Maxim became defensive. it's awfully hard to talk about a knife that almost nobody has tried, other than analogy to other knives.


I have never tried Kochi so I am not sure how they compare, the Itinomonn cuts very well though.


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## EdipisReks (Feb 22, 2013)

mainaman said:


> the Itinomonn cuts very well though.



very Kochi-esque of it, then.


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## Timthebeaver (Feb 22, 2013)

mainaman said:


> I am missing that point as well, many makers use that steel.
> The blade height is pretty standard too, Shigefusa are also ~55 mm.
> 
> Just do not understand how people are jumping to conclusion without any hands on comparison.



I wasn't aware that I had jumped to any conclusions. The thing that struck me was the nice even kurouchi finish. I'd be interested to know how it stands up after some use.


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## maxim (Feb 22, 2013)

Hehe i am not defensive at all  Just wanted to clear some stuff. I have never seen or try kochi, so i am last to comment about how it is similar to Itonomonn. But i do know that Many in Sanjo make similar finish and steel knives and also many in Takefu.. Just saying :2cents:


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## Timthebeaver (Feb 22, 2013)

maxim said:


> Lets talk about Itonomonn instead



Okay. Going to get any sujis from this maker?


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## maxim (Feb 22, 2013)

No Sorry no Suji  
Only Kitaeji Yanagi and some pettys in different sizes


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## Vangelis (Apr 4, 2013)

I also got from Maxim this beauty and I am in love, an amazing knife... for a very good price. I used it couple of times and isn't very reactive (on onions, carrots, celery and cabbage)


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## labor of love (May 19, 2013)

thanks for the review mainaman, but the pics no longer work. can this be fixed?


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## Dardeau (May 19, 2013)

I just finished my first week of work use with the 210mm kasumi I bought from BST. The grind, fit and finish, and height are all similar to maniaman's review. I did not find the core steel to be reactive in any bad way, it developed a patina quickly and didn't color or scent any food. It sharpened to an excellent cutter nearly (it seemed) instantaneously. The only thing I don't like about this knife is that the profile doesn't really have a flat spot anywhere so I've had to change my technique a bit. I suspect this has to do with the length combined with the heel height, and that the 240mm is a little easier to use. I may actually by a 240 from JNS and put the 210 back on BST. I really like everything about this knife except the profile. I would also like to add a hope that some sujis could be forthcoming in this line. I'm kind of poking around in the market for one and this steel and style would make a great suji.


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## Dardeau (May 19, 2013)

Pics to be added when I get back to work where the knife is


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## mainaman (May 19, 2013)

Must have deleted them by mistake when I was cleaning my account from old photos.


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## labor of love (May 19, 2013)

thanks mainaman!


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