# Shibata San Kotetsu knives



## MrOli (Oct 21, 2014)

What is the score on this R2 line?

I like the aesthetics and the specs to price ratio looks good too. Have any of you seen or tried them?

www.shibataknives.com


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## MrOli (Oct 21, 2014)

I forgot to add they are forged by Ikeda San at the Takefu village.


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## MrOli (Oct 23, 2014)

Well I took the plunge despite the lack of information. 

The fit and finish are second to none, everything is smooth, polished and superbly built, the blade itself is so thin and lightweight it took a while to realise I was holding a 180 Bunka. Magnificent handle too. Sharpness OOTB is as good as it gets and the shape very unique.

Most recommended if you are looking to add a relatively inexpensive wafer thin R2 blade to your rack. A class act well worth the money.

Blade length 177mm
Blade height 53mm
Blade thickness at handle 2mm
Total weight 120g
Hardness 63 HRC
R2 powder steel in stainless clad


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## Karnstein (Oct 23, 2014)

Like the shape of the line... did you order them directly from him, or does he only sell through vendors?


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## MrOli (Oct 23, 2014)

I ordered through the Cutting Edge in the UK, I think they have mispriced the 180mm Bunka at £135. For example the 210mm Gyuto is at £190...maybe they got confused with the price of the Ko-Bunka (the 150mm petty is £130 and should be comparable to the Ko Bunka).

I also contacted a vendor in Canada but their Kotetsu stocks get sold as they hit the shelves, they have not even put them online.


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## Chef Andy (Mar 6, 2015)

I just picked up the bunka as well, and so far I'm very very impressed. Amazing f&f, super Sharp ootb, very laser like, a breeze to use. 

Haven't sharpened it yet tho, will update when I do.


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## MrOli (Mar 6, 2015)

Congratulations! I like mine so much I have added the 80 petty to my collection. Amazing knives and a very unique design.


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## Fritzkrieg (Mar 6, 2015)

MrOli said:


> What is the score on this R2 line?
> 
> I like the aesthetics and the specs to price ratio looks good too. Have any of you seen or tried them?
> 
> www.shibataknives.com



I really like the philosophical statement on their website. Good find! Do you have any photos of the knives you acquired?


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## MrOli (Mar 7, 2015)




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## MrOli (Mar 7, 2015)




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## MrOli (Mar 7, 2015)




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## mark76 (Mar 7, 2015)

MrOli said:


> I ordered through the Cutting Edge in the UK.



I looked at their site. It's a bit confusing. On some pages this knife (ko bunka) is described as iron clad, but on the order page it looks like it's just R2. Did they make a mistake on their website or do I just not understand it?


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## Rayuela (Mar 7, 2015)

As I understand it, "kotetsu" means iron-clad. It was also the name of a class of boats in the Japanese navy. The knives are confusingly named kotetsu because they remind the maker of those boats, not because they are actually iron-clad. They are R2. At least I think that's the situation. Why would anybody clad stainless with iron?


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## XooMG (Mar 7, 2015)

removed comment.


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## mark76 (Mar 7, 2015)

Rayuela said:


> As I understand it, "kotetsu" means iron-clad. It was also the name of a class of boats in the Japanese navy. The knives are confusingly named kotetsu because they remind the maker of those boats, not because they are actually iron-clad. They are R2. At least I think that's the situation. Why would anybody clad stainless with iron?



:laugh: That IS confusing. Why would anybody call their stainless knife "iron clad"?


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## Fritzkrieg (Mar 7, 2015)

Sweet, love the bunka! Good stuff.


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## SolidSnake03 (Mar 7, 2015)

Going to be honest, the Iron-Clad thing totally turned me off these knives until I finally went to the makers site and figured out that it was actually R2 clad in Stainless, no Iron-Cladding is present at all which is wonderful because I have generally had unpleasant reactivity issues with that stuff


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## alterwisser (Apr 2, 2015)

Looks like there are multiple purchasing options for US/Canadian folks ... but the prices vary A LOT for the same knives. Any thoughts on best place to purchase? Any Japanese sources to profit from weak Yen? I have a friend coming over in May who already said he'd bring me a knife ....


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## shownomarci (Apr 5, 2015)

Oli, that knife rack looks like as if you had bought those knives from the same vendor. 
Anyway, back to the topic.
I've got the 240mm gyuto. 
Always wanted to have PM steel knife and a kiritsuke so it is a win-win for me. 
Super light (171gr), thin and sharp OOTB.
As for the price, it was / is below £200, so for the size and the steel it is a pretty good buy.


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## MrOli (Apr 5, 2015)

:O. Sussed! 4 of them indeed come from the same vendor but I only bought 2, the other 2 cme from Mrs Oli...


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## MrOli (Apr 5, 2015)

shownomarci said:


> Oli, that knife rack looks like as if you had bought those knives from the same vendor.
> Anyway, back to the topic.
> I've got the 240mm gyuto.
> Always wanted to have PM steel knife and a kiritsuke so it is a win-win for me.
> ...



I was wondering about the Gyutos...or should we call them Kiritsuke Gyutos. How thin are they compared to similarly sized Gyutos? Is the tip very thin? Do they feel sturdy enough for energetic chopping?


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## shownomarci (Apr 5, 2015)

Maybe not as thin as a Konosuke HD, but considering it is a san mai blade it is quite thin.
Add 58mm to your Kotetsu Bunka and you're there. The tip should be similar as well.
Energetic chopping?
Well, as long as it is not too hard you're safe (and the knife as well).  (I would avoid pumpkins tho.)


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## Bonertyme (Apr 8, 2015)

I've picked up the 270mm sujihiki and i was very impressed for the price i paid.


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## shownomarci (Apr 10, 2015)

Bonertyme said:


> I've picked up the 270mm sujihiki and i was very impressed for the price i paid.


I was gonna do that as well, just don't carve enough meat to justify it... This might change in the future.


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## Livlif (Apr 10, 2015)

shownomarci said:


> Maybe not as thin as a Konosuke HD, but considering it is a san mai blade it is quite thin.
> Add 58mm to your Kotetsu Bunka and you're there. The tip should be similar as well.
> Energetic chopping?
> Well, as long as it is not too hard you're safe (and the knife as well).  (I would avoid pumpkins tho.)




You have both? I'm just wondering how thin a konosuke hd is because the kotetsu is ridiculously thin. Any thinner than this and I'd be scared. LOL


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## shownomarci (Apr 11, 2015)

Livlif said:


> You have both? I'm just wondering how thin a konosuke hd is because the kotetsu is ridiculously thin. Any thinner than this and I'd be scared. LOL







Konosuke HD on the left, Kotetsu on the right


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## Livlif (Apr 11, 2015)

shownomarci said:


> Konosuke HD on the left, Kotetsu on the right





All I can say is... WOW!!!! That's insanely thin. I see what all the rave is about. Thanks for posting that. I'm now on the hunt.


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## Livlif (Apr 11, 2015)

shownomarci said:


> Konosuke HD on the left, Kotetsu on the right



How long are they? How long have you had the Kotetsu?


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## Timthebeaver (Apr 11, 2015)

If I were shopping for the thinnest knife I could find (with obligatory flat grind) I would buy a Kiwi carbon ($10).

That shot suggests zero distal taper on that Kotetsu - I'd expect a bit more finesse at the price point.


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## MrOli (Apr 11, 2015)

More taper would make the tip paper thin! It already goes through onions, carrots and potatoes like a ghost blade.


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## XooMG (Apr 11, 2015)

Kotetsu is a design that doesn't take advantage of distal taper much. It works well that way, but it does come off as a bit basic for the price.

As for a paper thin tip...I have a Carter and Kato that could be described that way and they are extremely usable. The Takayuki is fine but I don't know if I'd put it in that category...maybe closer to my Shigefusa tip.


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## shownomarci (Apr 11, 2015)

Livlif said:


> How long are they? How long have you had the Kotetsu?


About 235mm. Both of them. 
I have had it for 6-7 months.


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## XooMG (Apr 11, 2015)

XooMG said:


> As for a paper thin tip...I have a Carter and Kato that could be described that way and they are extremely usable. The Takayuki is fine but I don't know if I'd put it in that category...maybe closer to my Shigefusa tip.


I just looked at my knives and think I should correct that statement...

The Takayuki Shibata Kotetsu tip is a bit thinner than my Shigefusa's and isn't enormously thicker than my Carter's. Maybe near my Sh&#333;shin Sakura's.


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