# Heiji direct



## Danzo

I know there is probably info about ordering direct from heiji embedded in other threads but i cant seem to find one about this specifically. Can someone with experience please share how-to, overall experience, wait times, and QC going direct? Thanks


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## McMan

Danzo said:


> I know there is probably info about ordering direct from heiji embedded in other threads but i cant seem to find one about this specifically. Can someone with experience please share how-to, overall experience, wait times, and QC going direct? Thanks


Got two from him direct--sold one and kept one.
Easy to deal with--got an email with a timeline (I think 3-4 months wait at that time) and requesting payment and confirming my requests, and then an email almost exactly 4 months later saying it was ready and would be shipped. Low stress transactions both times--all business, no going back and forth discussing options and asking questions.

The first one I didn't request anything, the second one I did (rounded spine and choil + slightly heavier).
The first one was fine, with no issues. The second one came as asked, with nicer finishing on spine/choil--and was a bit longer than 240. Best part--it had slightly higher bevels than normal. No idea how this happened--but it was a pleasant surprise.
IIRC @panda ordered one and asked for high bevels.
At the very least, ask for spine/choil rounded. Maybe consider asking for a heavier or lighter version depending on if you're after thick/thin. Maybe consider asking for higher bevels? Always a question of how much to ask for vs. asking a maker to stray...


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## Nagakin

Do you know if they'll still do handleless westerns?


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## kpham12

Ordered a 240 mm semi-stainless direct from Heiji a few months ago. Did a lot of research beforehand and automatically asked for the higher bevels, but Heiji didn’t want to do them and I didn’t want to push him. I didn’t know you could ask for spine and choil rounding, or I would’ve gone for that . He finished the knife early, just under 3 months, but EMS from Japan isn’t shipping to the US due to COVID. Heiji was really proactive and responsive in getting quotes from other shipping services like FedEx and DHL, but the prices would’ve made it almost more economical to just buy a Gesshin Heiji (they were out of stock when I ordered direct). The other option was sea freight which would’ve taken another 3 months. In the end, he was able to send the knife to my cousin in Canada who travels to the US for work and they mailed it right over to me.

Fit and finish are decent, the bevels come with some scratches, but I don’t think they’re deep as on a Mazaki. As for bevel height, I’ve only seen the carbon version where Heiji raises them by a lot, like sometimes halfway up the knife. The semi-stainless I’ve seen might be slightly higher, but nothing drastic. I think he said it’s something about the steel billets he gets. Anyways, with the original grind, you get to experience that sweet Heiji food release. And I’m an amateur, but even I can tell that the steel is really good. Bites through apples, peppers, tomatoes, anything with waxy skin better than anything else I’ve used.

Anyways, order with confidence, Heiji is a really nice guy in my experience, but keep the shipping situation in mind.


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## rickbern

McMan said:


> Got two from him direct--sold one and kept one.
> Easy to deal with--got an email with a timeline (I think 3-4 months wait at that time) and requesting payment and confirming my requests, and then an email almost exactly 4 months later saying it was ready and would be shipped. Low stress transactions both times--all business, no going back and forth discussing options and asking questions.
> 
> The first one I didn't request anything, the second one I did (rounded spine and choil + slightly heavier).
> The first one was fine, with no issues. The second one came as asked, with nicer finishing on spine/choil--and was a bit longer than 240. Best part--it had slightly higher bevels than normal. No idea how this happened--but it was a pleasant surprise.
> IIRC @panda ordered one and asked for high bevels.
> At the very least, ask for spine/choil rounded. Maybe consider asking for a heavier or lighter version depending on if you're after thick/thin. Maybe consider asking for higher bevels? Always a question of how much to ask for vs. asking a maker to stray...


Did you keep the one with the higher bevels?


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## McMan

rickbern said:


> Did you keep the one with the higher bevels?


Yup.


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## MrHiggins

I recently asked for one that was taller than normal (53-55mm). No deal. Heiji said he couldn't do it, nor would he do higher bevels. 

It seems like he's making the knives he wants to make and is less willing to entertain personal preference modifications. More power to him, but I ended up not ordering anything. 

He was very responsive to emails sent to: [email protected].


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## Keat

I ordered direct about 4 months ago. Got a carbon petty and semi-stainless gyuto. I ended up going the 3 month shipping option as it was cheap - the other shipping options were quoted very high (as mentioned above). So in the end it will be a 6 month wait, but i have plenty of other knives. 

I intentionally didn't ask for anything unusual, other than lengths (and height on the petty), as I wanted to try out the standards Heiji grind and feel. 

He is super easy to work with, responded within a day or two each time I emailed. I don't specifically recall the prices, but I was very pleasantly surprised with the knife prices. It's a no brainer in my opinion.


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## TSF415

I had a hard time getting a hold of him at first. Then after my 4th try he responded and has been very responsive.

He denied my requests for taller knife and higher bevels but made what looks like a great knife. Unfortunately it’s stuck in Japan. He quoted an additional $200!!!!!!! To ship. Waiting on EMS to startup so I can get my knife.


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## M1k3

I ordered from him 2-3 weeks ago. Everything went fine after contacting him a second time. The first time he just ghosted me. The second time I just gave him my order, no chit chat, then received a PayPal invoice the next day. He said 5 month timeframe.


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## BillHanna

@M1k3 Whats the shipping situation for you?


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## Chopper88

Ordered a sujihiki 4 months ago, asked for a lot of specific details and he was quite open to accommodating them.
I did take into account what he normally does, I feel as long as it's in line with what he thinks is beneficial, he'll do it.

The only thing he mentioned is that he can only do chestnut handles with black horn, I requested a ho wood handle with blonde horn initially.

Asked for 300mm length, rounded spine and choil, elongated k-tip, max. 38mm height, min. 200g weight as I'd like it to be stiff and a tapered spine from 4mm to as thin as he was willing to go at tip.
Communication so far was pleasant, mailed back and forth with him about 12 times, and he sent me drawings to ensure he understood my wishes. You do have to 'dumb' it down a bit, he mentioned he runs everything through a translator and doesn't understand every word. So say 'rounded' instead of 'eased' etc. so there can be no misunderstanding.
Sometimes he responded next day, one time after I sent a follow up after two weeks myself. No problem though, I get he's very busy.
One downside was the pricing in my case, he quoted me a price, then mentioned he forgot a surplus for my requests, and then added PayPal costs, in the end it ended up costing me fair bit more than the initial quote...

The wait time was set at 4 months, which have passed next week, but haven't heard anything since paying the invoice. So I am not sure how it will turn out though.

Fingers crossed for news in the upcoming weeks.


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## kpham12

Chopper88 said:


> Ordered a sujihiki 4 months ago, asked for a lot of specific details and he was quite open to accommodating them.
> I did take into account what he normally does, I feel as long as it's in line with what he thinks is beneficial, he'll do it.
> 
> The only thing he mentioned is that he can only do chestnut handles with black horn, I requested a ho wood handle with blonde horn initially.
> 
> Asked for 300mm length, rounded spine and choil, elongated k-tip, max. 38mm height, min. 200g weight as I'd like it to be stiff and a tapered spine from 4mm to as thin as he was willing to go at tip.
> Communication so far was pleasant, mailed back and forth with him about 12 times, and he sent me drawings to ensure he understood my wishes. You do have to 'dumb' it down a bit, he mentioned he runs everything through a translator and doesn't understand every word. So say 'rounded' instead of 'eased' etc. so there can be no misunderstanding.
> Sometimes he responded next day, one time after I sent a follow up after two weeks myself. No problem though, I get he's very busy.
> One downside was the pricing in my case, he quoted me a price, then mentioned he forgot a surplus for my requests, and then added PayPal costs, in the end it ended up costing me fair bit more than the initial quote...
> 
> The wait time was set at 4 months, which have passed next week, but haven't heard anything since paying the invoice. So I am not sure how it will turn out though.
> 
> Fingers crossed for news in the upcoming weeks.



You might want to shoot him a another email. I checked in with him after 2.5 months just to see how far along he was and he sent me a pic of the forged knife before grinding and said he would do it soon. Sent me a pic of the completed knife less than 2 weeks later. Also, k-tip Heiji suji sounds wicked .



MrHiggins said:


> I recently asked for one that was taller than normal (53-55mm). No deal. Heiji said he couldn't do it, nor would he do higher bevels.
> 
> It seems like he's making the knives he wants to make and is less willing to entertain personal preference modifications. More power to him, but I ended up not ordering anything.
> 
> He was very responsive to emails sent to: [email protected].



Yeah, I remember he told me he used to accommodate sometimes, but too many people kept damaging the knives because they were ground so thin and blaming him for it. Maybe if everyone on KKF petitioned him for taller knives with wider bevels and promised to be extra careful with them, he would oblige.


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## Chopper88

kpham12 said:


> You might want to shoot him a another email. I checked in with him after 2.5 months just to see how far along he was and he sent me a pic of the forged knife before grinding and said he would do it soon. Sent me a pic of the completed knife less than 2 weeks later. Also, k-tip Heiji suji sounds wicked .



I kid you not, he just sent me an email 5 minutes ago 






The knife is almost done, he still had a question on how long the tip should be.


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## M1k3

BillHanna said:


> @M1k3 Whats the shipping situation for you?


Fingers crossed EMS is up instead of being asked for more money later on.


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## kpham12

Chopper88 said:


> I kid you not, he just sent me an email 5 minutes ago
> 
> View attachment 117033
> 
> 
> The knife is almost done, he still had a question on how long the tip should be.


Lol, I guess Heiji scrolls through KKF when he’s not making knives.


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## TSF415

M1k3 said:


> Fingers crossed EMS is up instead of being asked for more money later on.



yea I’m torn between waiting 3months at sea or waiting for ems to start back up.


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## TSF415

Looks like my Gyuto has a nice heel height to it.


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## kpham12

TSF415 said:


> View attachment 117044
> 
> Looks like my Gyuto has a nice heel height to it.


Oooh, that tip grind looks nice. Is the gyuto semi-stainless or carbon?


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## M1k3

TSF415 said:


> yea I’m torn between waiting 3months at sea or waiting for ems to start back up.


I'm hoping for EMS. I'm in no rush.


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## TSF415

kpham12 said:


> Oooh, that tip grind looks nice. Is the gyuto semi-stainless or carbon?


Gyuto carbon. Suji semi stainless. They are supposed to be 210 and 240. So either the suji came out extra long or the Gyuto came out short due to the heel height.


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## gcsquared

Curious about this as well. Will Heiji do a western?



Nagakin said:


> Do you know if they'll still do handleless westerns?


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## Iggy

Danzo said:


> I know there is probably info about ordering direct from heiji embedded in other threads but i cant seem to find one about this specifically. Can someone with experience please share how-to, overall experience, wait times, and QC going direct? Thanks



Ordered two knives directly from Heiji over the last years... one KU Nakiri and one Gyuto...






both ordered with the comment "a little thinner than usual". The gyuto also with refined blade finish and Enju handle.
Contact via email was "ok". Waiting time about 4 month (a few years ago)

Also handled and tested some other Heijis and the two mentioned above were always the better cutter, better finished and yet let F&F issues than the other ones (except maybe Gesshin). 

Would order again no problem.

Iggy


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## EM-L

I ordered four knives in the beginning of January. Without any extra specification (I don't have the knowledge...  )
Hopefully I have them in the beginning of May.

Ikasaki150mm semi-stainless
with octagonal chestnut handle

Ikasaki135mm Swedish steel
with octagonal chestnut handle.

Gyuto210mm semi-stainless
with octagonal chesutnut handle

Usuba240mm Swedish steel
with octagonal chestnut handle


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## jonnachang

I ordered a 210 mm and a 240 mm Gyuto in Swedish carbon from Heiji San directly and when I wanted higher shinogi bevel I was told “ Higher bevel is not good for gyuto knife.” I said okay and let him do his own thing. Shipping was more of a issue sithey deal exclusively with EMS. Since EMS wasn’t shipping to USA it was either ship by boat and wait 4 months or pay $100 for FedEx. I paid for the FedEx and in 6-9 days they arrived. I’d do it again!


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## MrHiggins

jonnachang said:


> I ordered a 210 mm and a 240 mm Gyuto in Swedish carbon from Heiji San directly and when I wanted higher shinogi bevel I was told “ Higher bevel is not good for gyuto knife.” I said okay and let him do his own thing. Shipping was more of a issue sithey deal exclusively with EMS. Since EMS wasn’t shipping to USA it was either ship by boat and wait 4 months or pay $100 for FedEx. I paid for the FedEx and in 6-9 days they arrived. I’d do it again!View attachment 117077



How tall at the heel is your 240? I was fine when he told me the same thing about high bevels, but he lost me when he said his 240s were 47-49mm tall. That's too short for me. Yours looks awesome, though! Such a sweet profile.


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## Danzo

jonnachang said:


> I ordered a 210 mm and a 240 mm Gyuto in Swedish carbon from Heiji San directly and when I wanted higher shinogi bevel I was told “ Higher bevel is not good for gyuto knife.” I said okay and let him do his own thing. Shipping was more of a issue sithey deal exclusively with EMS. Since EMS wasn’t shipping to USA it was either ship by boat and wait 4 months or pay $100 for FedEx. I paid for the FedEx and in 6-9 days they arrived. I’d do it again!View attachment 117077


How do you like it without the higher bevels?


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## M1k3

MrHiggins said:


> How tall at the heel is your 240? I was fine when he told me the same thing about high bevels, but he lost me when he said his 240s were 47-49mm tall. That's too short for me. Yours looks awesome, though! Such a sweet profile.


He said pretty much the same thing to me. 49mm max. Maybe 50mm.


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## jonnachang

Even though I didn’t get the bevel as high as I wanted, it seems a little higher than the norm and they smoothed down the shoulders.The 210 is 50 mm and the 240 is 53 mm at the heel. Cheers!


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## MrHiggins

jonnachang said:


> Even though I didn’t get the bevel as high as I wanted, it seems a little higher than the norm and they smoothed down the shoulders.The 210 is 50 mm and the 240 is 53 mm at the heel. Cheers!


Let me know if you want to get rid of that 240!!!


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## panda

jonnachang said:


> I ordered a 210 mm and a 240 mm Gyuto in Swedish carbon from Heiji San directly and when I wanted higher shinogi bevel I was told “ Higher bevel is not good for gyuto knife.” I said okay and let him do his own thing. Shipping was more of a issue sithey deal exclusively with EMS. Since EMS wasn’t shipping to USA it was either ship by boat and wait 4 months or pay $100 for FedEx. I paid for the FedEx and in 6-9 days they arrived. I’d do it again!View attachment 117077


heiji are priced pretty cheap so even with $100 in shipping still costs less than other knives.


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## M1k3

panda said:


> heiji are priced pretty cheap so even with $100 in shipping still costs less than other knives.


And still cheaper than some other project knives that have good steel and profiles.


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## JayGee

I recently ordered a deba. A little bit of back and forth. They seemed to only write emails on a Sunday. They couldn't do a deba in semi-stainless because they can't do thick knives in that steel. So I got a carbon 180. Leaving the rest to them.


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## Ensis

What is going on with Japanese shipping costs? Heiji quoted me 175 USD to ship my knife to Canada! It doesn't make any sense, especially when most Japanese distributors/knife makers are still shipping for free. I wouldn't have minded paying extra to Heiji but not Fedex.


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## M1k3

Ensis said:


> What is going on with Japanese shipping costs? Heiji quoted me 175 USD to ship my knife to Canada! It doesn't make any sense, especially when most Japanese distributors/knife makers are still shipping for free. I wouldn't have minded paying extra to Heiji but not Fedex.


Either you're unlucky or he's going to hit me for more shipping.


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## TSF415

M1k3 said:


> Either you're unlucky or he's going to hit me for more shipping.



Or he's just not going to ship it. My order was complete 2 months ago. He told me if I wanted to pay extra shipping than he would send it on a 3month cruise to me or I could pay and extra $200 to get it within the week. He suggested the best option was just to wait for EMS to start again. I'm hoping I get it for Xmas.


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## Ensis

TSF415 said:


> Or he's just not going to ship it. My order was complete 2 months ago. He told me if I wanted to pay extra shipping than he would send it on a 3month cruise to me or I could pay and extra $200 to get it within the week. He suggested the best option was just to wait for EMS to start again. I'm hoping I get it for Xmas.


 
That's funny. He told me the same thing about the cruise. I think he just doesn't have any relationships with other carriers so they hit him with these absurd shipping fees. Glad it's not just me


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## M1k3

TSF415 said:


> Or he's just not going to ship it. My order was complete 2 months ago. He told me if I wanted to pay extra shipping than he would send it on a 3month cruise to me or I could pay and extra $200 to get it within the week. He suggested the best option was just to wait for EMS to start again. I'm hoping I get it for Xmas.


I guess we're in the same boat?  I ordered 2 months ago also.


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## dreamwalker

Ensis said:


> That's funny. He told me the same thing about the cruise. I think he just doesn't have any relationships with other carriers so they hit him with these absurd shipping fees. Glad it's not just me



From what I has been told at couple months ago is the Japanese vendor wouldn't get discount shipping rate If they do not have the contract with any shipping courier.
and yes, the shipping rate to US without discount is around $170 and about $40-$50 if with contracted discount.

Mike


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## ian

Iggy said:


> both ordered with the comment "a little thinner than usual".



Heh I did that too and he completely ignored that request.


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## Lucien

Hey guys - wondering if anyone has ordered both gyuto and suji from Heiji directly? He quoted me the same price for gyuto and suji of the same length (240), but based on my experience, suji is often a bit cheaper than a gyuto of the same length?


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## dafox

I tried ordering a knife direct, twice, but did not get a response. Can you send a link or email address to use to order? Thanks


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## Chopper88

dafox said:


> I tried ordering a knife direct, twice, but did not get a response. Can you send a link or email address to use to order? Thanks



I filled in the form on the website, then got in conversation after he replied from [email protected]


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## panda

Lucien said:


> Hey guys - wondering if anyone has ordered both gyuto and suji from Heiji directly? He quoted me the same price for gyuto and suji of the same length (240), but based on my experience, suji is often a bit cheaper than a gyuto of the same length?


suji is usually around same price as a gyuto. but heiji prices are fantastic. don't sweat it.


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## McMan

If that’s what he quoted you, that’s what it costs…
His prices are super reasonable though.


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## Danzo

Anybody want to combine efforts to save on shipping? Perhaps we can get a few people to order some 240's. LMK

I'd be happy to lead the charge.


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## xxxclx

Danzo said:


> Anybody want to combine efforts to save on shipping? Perhaps we can get a few people to order some 240's. LMK
> 
> I'd be happy to lead the charge.



I'm down for a Heiji nakiri


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## nakiriknaifuwaifu

if you scare him with a large order, it might take more time to complete - but I am mildly interested


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## banzai_burrito

Danzo said:


> Anybody want to combine efforts to save on shipping? Perhaps we can get a few people to order some 240's. LMK
> 
> I'd be happy to lead the charge.


Sounds interesting, wonder what his price is for a 270


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## Chopper88

Crappy phone pics, but got this beast in the mail couple of weeks ago.
Turnaround was exactly 4 months.

The handle is one of the nicest chestnut I've ever seen


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## BillHanna

Mini Massdrop


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## xxxclx

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> if you scare him with a large order, it might take more time to complete - but I am mildly interested



I wonder if we could “convince” Heiji to make a taller batch of knives. I’ve yet to see heiji nakiri with a heel height over 52~53mm.


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## Hz_zzzzzz

I have a gyuto that Heiji has finished. Just waiting for the EMS to resume service as Fedex would cost an additional 14540 JPY. I also included 4 additional burnt chestnut handles in my order which I'm really excited about. It's really hard to get burnt chestnut handles anywhere in the US.


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## dafox

Chopper88 said:


> I filled in the form on the website, then got in conversation after he replied from [email protected]


Perfect, thanks!


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## dafox

Danzo said:


> Anybody want to combine efforts to save on shipping? Perhaps we can get a few people to order some 240's. LMK
> 
> I'd be happy to lead the charge.


You can put me down for a 240 suji, standard grind, semistainless, burnt chestnut handle.


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## Danzo

Id hate to spook him. Might make more sense to ask for a small batch of identical items.


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## valdim

Hi! I ordered a 135 mm SS petty in July 2020. Correspondence was smooth, the request for blond ferule was declined smoothly, too 
Begginig of Nov 2020 the knife was ready and shipped.
I am happy with the customer service. The little knife is great. Wish the shipment cost and customs taxes were less, but that's life.


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## TSF415

Maybe you can get an order of 5-6 items and we can add on everyone’s orders that are stuck in Japan. I have 2 knives completed that I’d love to add on to a FedEx order.


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## pleue

Weird, I just had a knife ship from an eBay seller via dhl. Won on a Wednesday or something along those lines, received that Saturday. No additional fees or import costs.


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## knifeknight

Yes, that was my experience too. Bought to blades (NOS) from a japanese dealer and got them via FedEx in one week. Shipping costs were reasonable, no customs fee (unlike DHL).


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## RockyBasel

I ordered a 270 Gyuto and 170 petty - will get my order in 4 months - arriving July

For the Gyuto, he seems to have two grinds - one a slabby heavier grind, that comes in at 240-255 gm, and another grind, slightly slimmer, that comes in at around 205-210. I have one carbon 240 Gyuto at 252 gm, and one 240 SS which is thinner at 212 gm

Maybe it’s the steel, and carbon steels are heavier, but the grind on my SS is definitely thinner - I prefer that actually, it’s a better performer

So my new 270, I have asked for the slimmer, less slabby version

My heel heights are 52-53 - but perfectly balanced profiles with good knuckle clearance 

I would stay away from asking for higher heel height, previous threads have indicated that is a big no-no for them. I would also veer away from mass order - you could end up in an abyss if they sense it’s a mass order

Count your blessings if they respond - I emailed 4 times before I got a really nice friendly reply, and they have been in prompt communications since 

But what you get you will be very pleased. The workmanship is incredible and the Kasumi finish is second to none. These are gorgeous, high performance knives

I did offer my Heiji Nakiri to Nakiri madman @nakiriwaifu at a 40% discount, but he turned me down

I had 12 offers for that Nakiri and it was gone - I priced it that low


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## panda

put your own edge on it too. ootb is a rodonkulous zero edge and will chip the minute it cuts something.


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## dafox

Chopper88 said:


> I filled in the form on the website, then got in conversation after he replied from [email protected]


Thanks!


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## Danzo

DM me if you want to shoot for a 240 carbon steel gyuto. Planning on bugging him about it next week. Lets see how many we can get to combine shipping efforts


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## 4phantom

Took me 4 attempts at emailing him but got there in the end


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## banzai_burrito

Not sure if y'all have seen this, but it looks like Japan post is resuming EMS on June 1






News - Japan Post







www.post.japanpost.jp





Also, which steels does Heiji do KU finishes with? Only the carbon?


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## nakiriknaifuwaifu

banzai_burrito said:


> Not sure if y'all have seen this, but it looks like Japan post is resuming EMS on June 1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> News - Japan Post
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.post.japanpost.jp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, which steels does Heiji do KU finishes with? Only the carbon?



god bless u


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## M1k3

banzai_burrito said:


> Not sure if y'all have seen this, but it looks like Japan post is resuming EMS on June 1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> News - Japan Post
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.post.japanpost.jp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, which steels does Heiji do KU finishes with? Only the carbon?


@TSF415 maybe before Christmas now?


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## TSF415




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## Hz_zzzzzz

My heiji was shipped out today by EMS.


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## RockyBasel

Awesome! Please send pics when you get it


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## dafox

I tried a few times, gave up, will wait for Jon to get some more in, wanting a 240 suji.


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## RockyBasel

dafox said:


> I tried a few times, gave up, will wait for Jon to get some more in, wanting a 240 suji.


Same here - tried 4 times, no response, and then I tried again, and Lo and behold, got a really nice and responsive emails - whole bunch of them. And now a 270 mm Gyuto and 160 mm petty are headed my way in July. I also asked them to DHL it - they agreed

it’s a test, perseverance

I would keep trying a few more times, they seem to be busy till July I think - try then. Maybe they only respond when they have capacity, who knows, it’s the Japanese way


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## Martyn

dafox said:


> I tried a few times, gave up, will wait for Jon to get some more in, wanting a 240 suji.


don't give up yet - try a couple of more times and it may work. It worked for me. I ordered two 240s a couple of weeks ago, one SS and one carbon. The wait time is around 4 months.


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## TSF415

From Japan to SF in 3 days 

This thing needs a little work but the profile is pretty sweet and the shoulders aren’t too harsh.


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## RockyBasel

TSF415 said:


> From Japan to SF in 3 days
> 
> This thing needs a little work but the profile is pretty sweet and the shoulders aren’t too harsh.
> 
> View attachment 129966


What are the specs - slabbish or thinner profile version?


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## M1k3

TSF415 said:


> From Japan to SF in 3 days
> 
> This thing needs a little work but the profile is pretty sweet and the shoulders aren’t too harsh.
> 
> View attachment 129966


No word on mine


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## kpham12

TSF415 said:


> From Japan to SF in 3 days
> 
> This thing needs a little work but the profile is pretty sweet and the shoulders aren’t too harsh.
> 
> View attachment 129966


Oooooh, what’s the heel height? Also, it’s carbon right?


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## Danzo

i emailed twice, havent heard **** yet


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## RockyBasel

Danzo said:


> i emailed twice, havent heard **** yet


Keep trying - they will respond - give it a couple of weeks and email again. Don’t use the webform, email them directly using the email many have provided on KKf


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## TSF415

RockyBasel said:


> What are the specs - slabbish or thinner profile version?





kpham12 said:


> Oooooh, what’s the heel height? Also, it’s carbon right?



I don’t have anything but a tape measure in inches here but it’s pretty much 9.5 (240mm-242mm) x 2.1ish (maybe 52-53mm). I asked for taller but he blew me off ,which I was ok with, but it seems that maybe it does have a little extra heel height. Not sure what normal specs are usually but this thing is pretty damn sweet. I would have liked for it to run a little longer like heji’s usually does but no complaints. I desperately need to round this spine. Weight is 241g.


----------



## TSF415

Danzo said:


> i emailed twice, havent heard **** yet



Just keep trying. It took me 4 or 5 times over the course of a few months. Once you make contact though he’s very responsive.


----------



## JayGee

Me too - it took around 5 emails to get a response for a Deba. They also never responded to my emails asking for a 270mm yo-gyutol


----------



## kpham12

TSF415 said:


> I don’t have anything but a tape measure in inches here but it’s pretty much 9.5 (240mm-242mm) x 2.1ish (maybe 52-53mm). I asked for taller but he blew me off ,which I was ok with, but it seems that maybe it does have a little extra heel height. Not sure what normal specs are usually but this thing is pretty damn sweet. I would have liked for it to run a little longer like heji’s usually does but no complaints. I desperately need to round this spine. Weight is 241g. View attachment 129979


Nice choil shot, looks tall and thin. I like how mine cuts on most things, but there’s always the temptation to buy another one and push the shoulders wayyyyy-up so it’s better for carrots, apples, etc.


----------



## M1k3

Danzo said:


> i emailed twice, havent heard **** yet


I emailed once, got a response. Replied back. Ghosted.

After 2 weeks I wrote again with everything I wanted based on his previous response. A day or two later I got an invoice through PayPal.


----------



## RockyBasel

I think we have established a clear pattern here - email, silence, email, silence, email, silemce, email, silence, email, response


----------



## M1k3

RockyBasel said:


> I think we have established a clear pattern here - email, silence, email, silence, email, silemce, email, silence, email, response


Good ole Mr. Consistently Inconsistent.


----------



## Luftmensch

Nagakin said:


> Do you know if they'll still do handleless westerns?





gcsquared said:


> Curious about this as well. Will Heiji do a western?





JayGee said:


> hey also never responded to my emails asking for a 270mm yo-gyutol



I take @friz on his word:



friz said:


> I have got this message from him 22nd of November :
> "Thank you for your questions. I am sorry, I can not make western handle knives now. Because my partner who make the handles have sick now. He does not let me know his next schedule."



More westerns? Probably not any time soon.... hey @Fritz, I think you sold it (despite the sale being withdrawn)? You were disappointed in the fit and finish. It looks like a fairly mass production handle? And pakkawood scales?


----------



## RockyBasel

The other thing I have learned by following KKF discourse on Heiji, best not to ask for special design considerations- eg, higher heel height, etc. you pretty much get what they make for you -‘but what they make is pretty darn good at the price!


----------



## dafox

4th times a charm, should have a 240 semistainless sujihiki in about 4 months, I did ask for rounded spine and choil.


----------



## RockyBasel

dafox said:


> 4th times a charm, should have a 240 semistainless sujihiki in about 4 months, I did ask for rounded spine and choil.


Congrats - how did they react to rounded choil and spine?


----------



## dafox

RockyBasel said:


> Congrats - how did they react to rounded choil and spine?


"Thank you for your purchase. I will do my best for you and your items."


----------



## RockyBasel

Ahh…ok, then I won’t bother asking

that’s about as non-committal as you can get


----------



## friz

Luftmensch said:


> I take @friz on his word:
> 
> 
> 
> More westerns? Probably not any time soon.... hey @Fritz, I think you sold it (despite the sale being withdrawn)? You were disappointed in the fit and finish. It looks like a fairly mass production handle? And pakkawood scales?


That is correct mate. No one was interested in buying my Yo Heiji here in KKF. I sold it somewhere else instead.
Fit and finish was not good, the steel though was very nice!


----------



## deskjockey

What steels does he use? I'm thinking semi-stainless or possibly stainless.

What sort of price range are we looking at for different knives? I'm not looking for a hard quote but, more along the lines of a 240mm Gyuto in semi-stainless is ... yen/$.

What styles are a no-go and which are his best? I'm thinking Honesuki/Garesuki, Santoku, etc. versus more common styles.

Thanks!


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

deskjockey said:


> What steels does he use? I'm thinking semi-stainless or possibly stainless.
> 
> What sort of price range are we looking at for different knives? I'm not looking for a hard quote but, more along the lines of a 240mm Gyuto in semi-stainless is ... yen/$.
> 
> What styles are a no-go and which are his best? I'm thinking Honesuki/Garesuki, Santoku, etc. versus more common styles.
> 
> Thanks!


Assuming that question was about Heiji, here you go: 伝統の打刃物　中屋平治 | 中屋平治は嘉永元年創業の打刃物鍛冶です


----------



## kpham12

deskjockey said:


> What steels does he use? I'm thinking semi-stainless or possibly stainless.
> 
> What sort of price range are we looking at for different knives? I'm not looking for a hard quote but, more along the lines of a 240mm Gyuto in semi-stainless is ... yen/$.
> 
> What styles are a no-go and which are his best? I'm thinking Honesuki/Garesuki, Santoku, etc. versus more common styles.
> 
> Thanks!




He uses Iwasaki Swedish carbon steel clad in iron that is everybody says is like very pure white steel and is easy to sharpen, takes a great edge, etc. I’ve only used his mystery semi-stainless with stainless cladding. Supposedly, it’s SKD/A2, but whatever it is, it sharpens like any good carbon steel and has some extra bite to it, excellent for tomatoes, peppers, pretty much anything with waxy/rubbery skin. Also, once the semi-stainless takes a patina, you can pretty much treat it like stainless, very low maintenance.

As for style, his double bevel knives are geared towards food release so thick at the spine with a low grind wide bevel that gets very thin right behind the edge. If you’re looking for something to slide through carrots and sweet potatoes, look elsewhere. If you want to cut up a 5 pound bag of Idaho potatoes into fries and leave them sitting nicely in place on your cutting board or dice up a bunch of tomatoes that are on the riper side, Heiji is your guy. It’s a fun knife to use if you use it for the right things. A 240mm semi-stainless gyuto will run you about $275 USD with about a 4 month wait when ordering directly. Honestly, a very good price in my opinion.

I’ve read a lot of good things about his sujihiki and honesuki/garasuki because the thick grind doesn’t matter much for their purposes while the steel is excellent for slicing up both raw and cooked meat.


----------



## xxxclx

I went through Nakaya Heiji's website again and found this sentence.

鋼（青紙・白紙 etc）や地金（和鉄・錬鉄・極軟鋼）など、材料の指定ももちろん可能です。

They do list wrought iron as a possible cladding/jigane. Has anyone asked them about wrought iron before?


----------



## Jovidah

So judging by the experience maybe this should be renamed to Heji Soon(ish)?


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

xxxclx said:


> I went through Nakaya Heiji's website again and found this sentence.
> 
> 鋼（青紙・白紙 etc）や地金（和鉄・錬鉄・極軟鋼）など、材料の指定ももちろん可能です。
> 
> They do list wrought iron as a possible cladding/jigane. Has anyone asked them about wrought iron before?



I couldn't even get him to do a stainless-clad iwasaki for me 
You could surely try, but the man's over the hill now and only makes what he wants to.

If you get the knife, I'd be first in line to take it off your hands


----------



## Jovidah

On another note... these actually do look shockingly cheap... 24200 yen for the semistainless 240 gyuto? That sounds like an actual bona fide bargain.
Why are you even talking about this, normally it needs to be at least 500 dollars for people to get interested these days!


----------



## M1k3

kpham12 said:


> He uses Iwasaki Swedish carbon steel clad in iron that is everybody says is like very pure white steel and is easy to sharpen, takes a great edge, etc. I’ve only used his mystery semi-stainless with stainless cladding. Supposedly, it’s SKD/A2, but whatever it is, it sharpens like any good carbon steel and has some extra bite to it, excellent for tomatoes, peppers, pretty much anything with waxy/rubbery skin. Also, once the semi-stainless takes a patina, you can pretty much treat it like stainless, very low maintenance.
> 
> As for style, his double bevel knives are geared towards food release so thick at the spine with a low grind wide bevel that gets very thin right behind the edge. If you’re looking for something to slide through carrots and sweet potatoes, look elsewhere. If you want to cut up a 5 pound bag of Idaho potatoes into fries and leave them sitting nicely in place on your cutting board or dice up a bunch of tomatoes that are on the riper side, Heiji is your guy. It’s a fun knife to use if you use it for the right things. A 240mm semi-stainless gyuto will run you about $275 USD with about a 4 month wait when ordering directly. Honestly, a very good price in my opinion.
> 
> I’ve read a lot of good things about his sujihiki and honesuki/garasuki because the thick grind doesn’t matter much for their purposes while the steel is excellent for slicing up both raw and cooked meat.


Round off the shoulders and it's a really sweet knife!


----------



## kpham12

M1k3 said:


> Round off the shoulders and it's a really sweet knife!



I really want to . But I also love that Heiji food release. If I round the shoulders, the rest of the knife above the bevels are dead flat, so wouldn’t it be kind of sticky? I’ve also considered pushing the wide bevels way up to make it a better all around knife and keep some gentle convexity on the bevels, but that would take a lot of time and burn through a lot of stone. I would love something closer to a Mazaki grind with Heiji semi-stainless.


----------



## banzai_burrito

I envy y'all that got a reply back. 4 emails and no response so far.

Just want a dang suji!


----------



## M1k3

kpham12 said:


> I really want to . But I also love that Heiji food release. If I round the shoulders, the rest of the knife above the bevels are dead flat, so wouldn’t it be kind of sticky? I’ve also considered pushing the wide bevels way up to make it a better all around knife and keep some gentle convexity on the bevels, but that would take a lot of time and burn through a lot of stone. I would love something closer to a Mazaki grind with Heiji semi-stainless.


Depends on what you're cutting. Very very thin slices of cucumber will be a little more sticky. Anything with some bit of structure will fall off. And cutting feel will go through the roof. Just depends on how much work you do or do not want to do.

Either way, his steel and profile are great! F&F can leave a little to be desired, unless you get it from JKI.


----------



## daveb

I heart his carbon suji. 

The Gesshin Heiji is on my short list - to many knives, not enough time/money.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

M1k3 said:


> Depends on what you're cutting. Very very thin slices of cucumber will be a little more sticky. Anything with some bit of structure will fall off. And cutting feel will go through the roof. Just depends on how much work you do or do not want to do.
> 
> Either way, his steel and profile are great! F&F can leave a little to be desired, unless you get it from JKI.


Can you share some pictures of your heiji? I’m curious how the shoulder is rounded. Thanks


----------



## M1k3

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Can you share some pictures of your heiji? I’m curious how the shoulder is rounded. Thanks


The one I did, I sold.





SOLD - TF Nashiji and Heiji Gyuto


TF Nashiji 210mm Gyuto $240 USD shipped in the U.S. International message me for shipping. Background: This was originally purchased by @Carl Kotte. The spine was straightened, bevels were flattened out some and polished up. He sent it to me to try out, which has turned into this sale. Good...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

M1k3 said:


> The one I did, I sold.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOLD - TF Nashiji and Heiji Gyuto
> 
> 
> TF Nashiji 210mm Gyuto $240 USD shipped in the U.S. International message me for shipping. Background: This was originally purchased by @Carl Kotte. The spine was straightened, bevels were flattened out some and polished up. He sent it to me to try out, which has turned into this sale. Good...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.kitchenknifeforums.com


Thank you! I remember seeing that one. It was nice!


----------



## M1k3

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Thank you! I remember seeing that one. It was nice!


Yes it was. Used the funds towards a 240mm.


----------



## Chopper88

I feel asking Heiji for rounded spine and eased choil is a mistake, you're better off taking the time for this and doing a nice job yourself.
I am very happy with the performance of my knife and if you judge purely by how it cuts it's amazing, but the spine wasn't rounded at all, and the heel he just runs across a grinder for 2 seconds.
It's not _that _bad, but it isn't particularly nice either.

He has accepted to round the spine and ease the choil though, it was even on a drawing he shared with me when discussing the profile.
The funny thing is that I also asked him to change the tip, of which he did a great job!
Its almost as if he thinks everything that doesn't impact cutting performance is just nonsense haha.


----------



## baggyjorts

Anyone here ordered a nakiri direct? It seems it's possible - not listed under the knife types, but below says that "other shapes are possible" or something like that. Googling reveals fairly little, and I can't seem to find any photos of one. Would love to see one and hear some thoughts!

@nakiriknaifuwaifu, I saw this post. Did you end up ordering one?






Nakiri Decisions: Heiji or TF direct


please help me I am terminally ill and cannot stop buying nakiri I like TF steel (have a denka gyuto but want a TF nakiri), but intrigued by the positive things I see about Heiji




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


----------



## baggyjorts

Saw that @RockyBasel mentioned one earlier in the thread, here's a photo (3rd from left)






Hello fellow knife (esp. nakiri) lovers


I've always wanted to add a bigger nakiri to my collection. I was thinking between the Wat 180 (does he still sell the 210?) and the TF Denka 195 - maybe Toyama? I could buy a used (and pre-thinned) TF gyuto for around that price too. I am a bit hesitant because I'm not sure if the thicker...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


----------



## Runner_up

Last I spoke to Heiji, you can absolutely order a nakiri direct.


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

baggyjorts said:


> Anyone here ordered a nakiri direct? It seems it's possible - not listed under the knife types, but below says that "other shapes are possible" or something like that. Googling reveals fairly little, and I can't seem to find any photos of one. Would love to see one and hear some thoughts!
> 
> @nakiriknaifuwaifu, I saw this post. Did you end up ordering one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nakiri Decisions: Heiji or TF direct
> 
> 
> please help me I am terminally ill and cannot stop buying nakiri I like TF steel (have a denka gyuto but want a TF nakiri), but intrigued by the positive things I see about Heiji
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.kitchenknifeforums.com



No, sorry I have not yet ordered direct, though I've spoken with him a few times. Went the TF route (with no regrets). Yes, you can still order a nakiri from him, but whether or not he is in the mood to agree with a thinner and taller knife (like I'd want) is uncertain.


----------



## baggyjorts

Gotcha, thanks both. Further searching found this BST post with some measurements (sans weight  ) shocked that the forums search function actually found stuff I wasn't finding on google - used to reddit where the search function is a complete nightmare.






SOLD - Nakaya Heiji Semi Stainless Nakiri 180 Chestnut Handle


Pristine SS Heiji nakiri, skip the 4 month wait. 53 x 187 Shoulders rounded, Kasumi polished, jigane mirror by Kevin Pelligrino @ Murdersharp. Throwing in a basic CKTG saya that fits. $250 I will handle the PayPal fees and CONUS shipping




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


----------



## Runner_up

Don't think I've ever posted a pic of my Heiji collection. Carbon in 270mm, 240mm, 210mm, 180mm. Semi stainless in 270mm, 220mm, 210mm. 

I would love a 210mm nakiri, but Heiji said no


----------



## baggyjorts

Runner_up said:


> Don't think I've ever posted a pic of my Heiji collection. Carbon in 270mm, 240mm, 210mm, 180mm. Semi stainless in 270mm, 220mm, 210mm.
> 
> I would love a 210mm nakiri, but Heiji said no



Ooh 210 suji/petty? Might need to put in an order...


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

baggyjorts said:


> Gotcha, thanks both. Further searching found this BST post with some measurements (sans weight  ) shocked that the forums search function actually found stuff I wasn't finding on google - used to reddit where the search function is a complete nightmare.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOLD - Nakaya Heiji Semi Stainless Nakiri 180 Chestnut Handle
> 
> 
> Pristine SS Heiji nakiri, skip the 4 month wait. 53 x 187 Shoulders rounded, Kasumi polished, jigane mirror by Kevin Pelligrino @ Murdersharp. Throwing in a basic CKTG saya that fits. $250 I will handle the PayPal fees and CONUS shipping
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.kitchenknifeforums.com


yea see, 187mm nakiri at 53mm is a f'in spaghetti noodle of a nakiri

I prefer 60mm+ at that height, and Heiji was like "mmmmmmmmmm no" and then ignored me


----------



## Runner_up

baggyjorts said:


> Ooh 210 suji/petty? Might need to put in an order...



One of my favorite knife formats.


----------



## kpham12

Runner_up said:


> Don't think I've ever posted a pic of my Heiji collection. Carbon in 270mm, 240mm, 210mm, 180mm. Semi stainless in 270mm, 220mm, 210mm.
> 
> I would love a 210mm nakiri, but Heiji said no


Do the carbon and semi stainless of comparable size cut more or less the same?


----------



## Runner_up

Variations from being hand made aside, yes.

Some of the bevels are wider than others after I've polished and corrected the grind, but all are killer performers with excellent food release.

The guy and his son do an awesome job with both types of steel.


----------



## RockyBasel

Runner_up said:


> Don't think I've ever posted a pic of my Heiji collection. Carbon in 270mm, 240mm, 210mm, 180mm. Semi stainless in 270mm, 220mm, 210mm.
> 
> I would love a 210mm nakiri, but Heiji said no


That is quite the impressive Heidi collection - getting my 270 mm Semi-stainless gyuto next month - which do you prefer, carbon or SS? Clearly you love their work as I do too.


----------



## baggyjorts

@RockyBasel , what did you think of the nakiri? Seems you didn't have it long, anything to do with the knife itself or just not a big fan of nakiris in general?


----------



## RockyBasel

baggyjorts said:


> @RockyBasel , what did you think of the nakiri? Seems you didn't have it long, anything to do with the knife itself or just not a big fan of nakiris in general?



I liked the Nakiri - but as @nakiriknaifuwaifu said, the heel height was a bit short on mine - mine was close to 55 mm I believe - but don’t quite remember. I had a 210 Watanabe and a 210 Toyama - so between those two, the Heiji was not seeing much action - so I sold it.

But anything Heiji produce, is going to be good


----------



## ian

RockyBasel said:


> The other thing I have learned by following KKF discourse on Heiji, best not to ask for special design considerations- eg, higher heel height, etc. you pretty much get what they make for you -‘but what they make is pretty darn good at the price!



I asked for a 40mm tall 180 petty and got it.


----------



## esoo

ian said:


> I asked for a 40mm tall 180 petty and got it.



Because you actually got a 40mm short 180mm gyuto


----------



## ian

Ok, fine, so the point is don’t ask him to make a knife that’s taller than usual, but he’ll do shorter than usual.


----------



## mise_en_place

My Heiji 240mm semi-stainless gyuto is one of my absolute favorites. I bought it off BST from Matteo. I'm not sure if it was his originally but I know that it was a custom order where the customer requested a bit thinner than he usually makes his. 

Fit and finish is also great. Not sure if previous owners tidied it up a bit or not. I feel pretty lucky and definitely jumped on this one because of Heiji's reputation.


----------



## Runner_up

RockyBasel said:


> That is quite the impressive Heidi collection - getting my 270 mm Semi-stainless gyuto next month - which do you prefer, carbon or SS? Clearly you love their work as I do too.



My preference will always be full carbon as I love to sharpen and polish.

However back when I worked in a professional environment it was hard to beat his semi stainless. The steel stays sharp enough for use in ingredients like tomato, pepper, etc for an extremely long time.

In the end it's a toss up as per your preferences - both steels are just excellent.

Heiji are some of my favorite knives, but like TF, sometimes one should expect a little Wabi Sabi with them.


----------



## deskjockey

Any idea what his semi-stainless is? He confirmed it is not SKD11 or D2 but, his English is a little rough so I may have missed part of his response.

I'm not a steel snob but, I also want an idea of what it is as I don't want a repeat of some of the steels I have had in the past. And yes, I realize heat treat matters most as I have had brittle ATS-34 that also tarnished easily (and unusually) and a 1095 knife that amazed me with rust resistance and edge holding (to the point I would have questioned if it was actually 1095 had I not known the maker).


----------



## RockyBasel

Runner_up said:


> My preference will always be full carbon as I love to sharpen and polish.
> 
> However back when I worked in a professional environment it was hard to beat his semi stainless. The steel stays sharp enough for use in ingredients like tomato, pepper, etc for an extremely long time.
> 
> In the end it's a toss up as per your preferences - both steels are just excellent.
> 
> Heiji are some of my favorite knives, but like TF, sometimes one should expect a little Wabi Sabi with them.



One Heiji was flawless, and the other had some wabi-sabi. I think Toyama also ranks up there for me. Every time I use their knives, I am reminded of how good they can be - whether it’s the blue Damascus or stainless clad Toyama. Heiji and Toyama are two of my top knives for sure, with fairly reasonable price-quality ratios


----------



## RockyBasel

deskjockey said:


> Any idea what his semi-stainless is? He confirmed it is not SKD11 or D2 but, his English is a little rough so I may have missed part of his response.
> 
> I'm not a steel snob but, I also want an idea of what it is as I don't want a repeat of some of the steels I have had in the past. And yes, I realize heat treat matters most as I have had brittle ATS-34 that also tarnished easily (and unusually) and a 1095 knife that amazed me with rust resistance and edge holding (to the point I would have questioned if it was actually 1095 had I not known the maker).



From what I read here on the forum, they keep the SS a bit of a secret, but I am sure others more learned than me on KKF would have some insights


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

deskjockey said:


> Any idea what his semi-stainless is? He confirmed it is not SKD11 or D2 but, his English is a little rough so I may have missed part of his response.
> 
> I'm not a steel snob but, I also want an idea of what it is as I don't want a repeat of some of the steels I have had in the past. And yes, I realize heat treat matters most as I have had brittle ATS-34 that also tarnished easily (and unusually) and a 1095 knife that amazed me with rust resistance and edge holding (to the point I would have questioned if it was actually 1095 had I not known the maker).


I heard rumors of SKD12, but clearly one doesn't need to know what one is talking about to make a post on this forum  

In any case, I don't think I've heard a single negative thing about Heiji SS on here. Having sharpened it, it's actually very pleasant for a stainless (relative to carbon).


----------



## jonnachang

Japan-Messer-Shop.de says it’s SKD12


----------



## deskjockey

Isn't SKD12 an A2 equivalent?

I get many Japanese bladesmiths and some manufacturers being evasive and secretive about their sem-stainless and full stainless steel. There are a lot of amateur metallurgists that buy a knife with a steel they can't maintain or one that costs a lot and will not benefit them (I'm thinking of modern powdered steel options here for home cooks without any reasonable tool to main the edge).

Then there are those that suffer some bad reputation from bad heat treat. AEBL is one that carries a bad impression from myself due to an improperly heat-treated knife (Gyuto) that was overly soft. AUS-6/8 also are two I avoid due to smearing on the stones with knives of questionable heat treat quality. VG-10 is generally a better steel but, I also think it suffers less from bad heat treats for various reasons so, that combined with a better material composition mix has a really good reputation.


----------



## Jovidah

deskjockey said:


> VG-10 is generally a better steel but, I also think it suffers less from bad heat treats for various reasons


Try some Chinese VG-10 and you'll change your mind on that...


----------



## deskjockey

Jovidah said:


> Try some Chinese VG-10 and you'll change your mind on that...



Generally, I try to avoid Chinese brands and products however, I have tried a few pocket knives from China that were recommended to me. The knives in question though were not VG-10.

Chinese origin products can be very high quality IF the company they are being produced for enforces adequate Quality Control.

If you want cheap Chinese [email protected]$, you get what you pay for. For more reasonably priced items, their knock-off stamped steel knives are certainly competitive though, the Japanese versions that cost ~5X as much are better finished and are higher quality. Or, perhaps I got lucky and won the Chinese product lottery.


----------



## Jovidah

Yeah you got lucky. On some of the stuff I bought (all from the same series) the lack of consistency was the main problem... A handful were decent, most others were crap in one way or another. Huge variency both in grind & heat treat. I just wished they'd have given me the crap one first instead of the good one so I wouldn't have been tempted to buy the rest.


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

deskjockey said:


> Isn't SKD12 an A2 equivalent?



A quick Google says so.

A2 is air hardening, so if you think about it in a sanmai...probably unlikely It can be done I'm dumb I've literally used a sanmai skd12 knife before.


----------



## M1k3

I believe he uses some variant of A2/SKD12 or very similar. Acts like it with patina and sharpening.


----------



## esoo

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> A quick Google says so.
> 
> A2 is air hardening, so if you think about it in a sanmai...probably unlikely



Yoshikane uses it with san-mai without issue.


----------



## M1k3

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> A quick Google says so.
> 
> A2 is air hardening, so if you think about it in a sanmai...probably unlikely


San-mai doesn't matter.


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> Clearly one doesn't need to know what one is talking about to make a post on this forum



☝☝☝
@M1k3 @esoo

You guys are right


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

My 240 SS arrived today. It's a 249 gram beast. 250mm*52mm. The bevel of the front half is taller while it gets lower nearing the heel.


----------



## kpham12

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> My 240 SS arrived today. It's a 249 gram beast. The bevel of the front half is taller while it gets lower nearing the heel.
> 
> View attachment 130677
> View attachment 130678


Oooh, it looks so nice, I should’ve asked for KU on my semistainless. The handle is cool too with the streaks. And it looks extra tall. Did this cost the same as a regular 240mm?


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

And these heiji handles are really nice and affordable with perfect weight. 38 gram for 210 and 48 gram for 240. Will make the WH type of knives a little more balanced than with Ho wood but still decently forward balanced.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

kpham12 said:


> Oooh, it looks so nice, I should’ve asked for KU on my semistainless. The handle is cool too with the streaks. And it looks extra tall. Did this cost the same as a regular 240mm?


It’s 52 mm tall so not sure if it’s extra tall. Just paid the regular rate.


----------



## False_Cast

A tall migaki 240 iwasaki carbon suji landed earlier this week. Big utility.


----------



## deskjockey

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> My 240 SS arrived today. It's a 249 gram beast. 250mm*52mm. The bevel of the front half is taller while it gets lower nearing the heel.



That high bevel looks like it will make the tip a "Super Slicer"!

The knife itself looks really nice. Congrats!


----------



## RockyBasel

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> My 240 SS arrived today. It's a 249 gram beast. 250mm*52mm. The bevel of the front half is taller while it gets lower nearing the heel.
> 
> View attachment 130677
> View attachment 130678




Now that is a knife!


----------



## RockyBasel

kpham12 said:


> Oooh, it looks so nice, I should’ve asked for KU on my semistainless. The handle is cool too with the streaks. And it looks extra tall. Did this cost the same as a regular 240mm?


Me too, I wish I had asked for a KU


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

@kpham12 @RockyBasel 
Actually the KU layer comes off easily now as a new knife so I think it's not very durable. Hope it will stabilize soon.


----------



## Hamesjo

My long awaited carbon gyuto arrived after 15 months in limbo !
248 mm x 51 mm, my scale at home is busted so will weigh it at work but it feels nice in-hand. 
Did any of yours also come with an OOTB edge that can split atoms ?


----------



## TSF415

Hamesjo said:


> My long awaited carbon gyuto arrived after 15 months in limbo !
> 248 mm x 51 mm, my scale at home is busted so will weigh it at work but it feels nice in-hand.
> Did any of yours also come with an OOTB edge that can split atoms ?



mine came with a ootb that split itself on an onion root  I get to adjust the bevels sooner than later


----------



## Hamesjo

Oh no! Yeah I'm definitely nervous to use it without putting a slight microbevel on, but the edge is so keen it makes me hesitant to alter it.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

The heiji bevel is low so I think if it’s not zero edge it’s gonna wedge in some produce. I would keep it as thin at the edge as possible.


----------



## EShin

deskjockey said:


> Any idea what his semi-stainless is? He confirmed it is not SKD11 or D2 but, his English is a little rough so I may have missed part of his response.
> 
> I'm not a steel snob but, I also want an idea of what it is as I don't want a repeat of some of the steels I have had in the past. And yes, I realize heat treat matters most as I have had brittle ATS-34 that also tarnished easily (and unusually) and a 1095 knife that amazed me with rust resistance and edge holding (to the point I would have questioned if it was actually 1095 had I not known the maker).


"SKD差し込み (SKD inserted?)" written on the box here. If it's not SKD11, it should be SKD12, as many people here have guessed.


----------



## M1k3

EShin said:


> "SKD差し込み (SKD inserted?)" written on the box here. If it's not SKD11, it should be SKD12, as many people here have guessed.


Sharpens like SKD12.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

The reactivity is also like SKD12.


----------



## Hamesjo

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> The heiji bevel is low so I think if it’s not zero edge it’s gonna wedge in some produce. I would keep it as thin at the edge as possible.



I like the feel of the zero edge but it's micro-chipping even on a soft cutting board and vegetables so I put a micro bevel on with a finishing stone. 
The bevel makes it wedge on produce regardless so I'd rather have a micro bevel on to reduce chipping


----------



## M1k3

Heiji SS 240 Gyuto arrived
246mm X 51-52mm
Will measure weight tomorrow when I get to a scale. Needs some sandpaper love.


----------



## tcmx3

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> My 240 SS arrived today. It's a 249 gram beast. 250mm*52mm. The bevel of the front half is taller while it gets lower nearing the heel.
> 
> View attachment 130677
> View attachment 130678



if this knife was carbon you'd probably be having an unfortunate accident and Id be enjoying my new Heiji right about now


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

tcmx3 said:


> if this knife was carbon you'd probably be having an unfortunate accident and Id be enjoying my new Heiji right about now


Haha. I'm thinking about ordering a carbon Heiji suji. I really love the steel of my Shig which get scary sharp in ridiculously short amount of time, and all you guys have been saying the Heiji carbon is similar or even better. I don't have a carbon suji yet and I probably don't need one, but I'm really curious about the steel.


----------



## M1k3

M1k3 said:


> Heiji SS 240 Gyuto arrived
> 246mm X 51-52mm
> Will measure weight tomorrow when I get to a scale. Needs some sandpaper love.View attachment 133128
> View attachment 133129
> View attachment 133130
> View attachment 133131
> View attachment 133132


Weighs in at 234 grams.


----------



## panda

Hamesjo said:


> My long awaited carbon gyuto arrived after 15 months in limbo !
> 248 mm x 51 mm, my scale at home is busted so will weigh it at work but it feels nice in-hand.
> Did any of yours also come with an OOTB edge that can split atoms ?


yes it comes with high polish zero edge. completely useless in actual cutting use but it is impressively sharp.


----------



## panda

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Haha. I'm thinking about ordering a carbon Heiji suji. I really love the steel of my Shig which get scary sharp in ridiculously short amount of time, and all you guys have been saying the Heiji carbon is similar or even better. I don't have a carbon suji yet and I probably don't need one, but I'm really curious about the steel.


shig core steel heat treat I prefer but heiji cladding is MUCH better


----------



## M1k3

And it begins...


----------



## dafox

M1k3 said:


> And it begins...View attachment 133655
> View attachment 133656


Shoulder removal?


----------



## M1k3

dafox said:


> Shoulder removal?


Yes. Right side I'd call 80% removed. Left side about 30% done...


----------



## dafox

M1k3 said:


> Yes. Right side I'd call 80% removed. Left side about 30% done...


Any change in performance?


----------



## M1k3

dafox said:


> Any change in performance?


I haven't used it yet. But based on my previous one, yes. Food release slightly increased, wedging in hard and dense stuff dramatically decreased.


----------



## Nagakin

Tbh, the only knife sale I regret is not giving my SS Heiji the same treatment and selling it instead. Will order a 270 eventually.


----------



## timebard

M1k3 said:


> I haven't used it yet. But based on my previous one, yes. Food release slightly increased, wedging in hard and dense stuff dramatically decreased.



Can you let us know a little more about your plan? Are we just talking a couple mm increase in shoulder height and increasing the angle of the wide bevel? Or raising it way up and adding a lot of convexity?


----------



## M1k3

timebard said:


> Can you let us know a little more about your plan? Are we just talking a couple mm increase in shoulder height and increasing the angle of the wide bevel? Or raising it way up and adding a lot of convexity?


Getting rid of the shoulders of the wide bevel and convexing what was the shoulders, into the blade face. Going to blend it in above where the old shinogi was, but, not going up the full blade face. About 10mm or so above the old shinogi.

I'll take pictures to show how I'm doing it.


----------



## daveb

M1k3 said:


> Getting rid of the shoulders of the wide bevel and convexing what was the shoulders, into the blade face. Going to blend it in above where the old shinogi was, but, not going up the full blade face. About 10mm or so above the old shinogi.
> 
> I'll take pictures to show how I'm doing it.



So you're gonna turn it into a Moritaka?


----------



## M1k3

daveb said:


> So you're gonna turn it into a Moritaka?


Moritaka doesn't do wide bevels anymore?  Or are you confused?


----------



## daveb

I stay confused. But you know that.....


----------



## Justablacktee

M1k3 said:


> Getting rid of the shoulders of the wide bevel and convexing what was the shoulders, into the blade face. Going to blend it in above where the old shinogi was, but, not going up the full blade face. About 10mm or so above the old shinogi.
> 
> I'll take pictures to show how I'm doing it.



Can’t wait to see the result ! Full polish after ?


----------



## M1k3

Justablacktee said:


> Full polish after ?


You mean sandpaper?


----------



## Justablacktee

M1k3 said:


> You mean sandpaper?



Sandpaper… Finger stone… anything you fancy


----------



## M1k3

Justablacktee said:


> Sandpaper… you fancy


----------



## M1k3

Here's my half-baked rough idea, hand drawn (I'm no Picasso or Dali)...


Highlighting the original shinogi





Showing how far below it I intend to go 





And then finally how far up the blade face. Showing the tip some extra lovin'. Giggity.


----------



## M1k3




----------



## birdsfan

Are you just using sandpaper to take off all that metal or are you using those venev diamonds to speed up the work?


----------



## M1k3

birdsfan said:


> Are you just using sandpaper to take off all that metal or are you using those venev diamonds to speed up the work?


Shapton Pro 120. It eats stainless cladding.


----------



## birdsfan

I just got a Heiji SS KU with similar broad shoulders and have been contemplating taking on the same kind of project. I appreciate your WIP pictures!


----------



## Justablacktee

Damn ! That a fair amount of metal removed … Any before and after choil shot to share ?


----------



## M1k3

Justablacktee said:


> Damn ! That a fair amount of metal removed … Any before and after choil shot to share ?


Before choil shot




I'll post an after shot once I feel I've got in dialed in.


----------



## panda

here is the deal, heiji cuts like sh*t, I hate the grind. for those of you that don't want to do the necessary work to get it to cut well but still want one because the steel is so fantastic, I highly recommend you send it to shihan for a regrind. he did wonders on my TF which also cut like crap at first.


----------



## Jason183

Haven’t try Heiji because of that robust grind. But if I breaking down a lot of fish and cut through bones everyday, That’s kind of grind I would liked to try.


----------



## M1k3

Jason183 said:


> Haven’t try Heiji because of that robust grind. But if I breaking down a lot of fish and cut through bones everyday, That’s kind of grind I would liked to try.


I'd use a yo-deba instead. More meat at the edge.


----------



## Lucien

M1k3 said:


> Before choil shotView attachment 133744
> 
> 
> I'll post an after shot once I feel I've got in dialed in.


Looking forward to photos of the finished work. Planning to try and do the same once mine arrives after 4 months...


----------



## TSF415

Jason183 said:


> Haven’t try Heiji because of that robust grind. But if I breaking down a lot of fish and cut through bones everyday, That’s kind of grind I would liked to try.



I put a half-ass micro bevel on mine and got a chip cutting thru an onion root. I think you’d probably need to thicken up the edge quite a bit for fish bones.


----------



## Jason183

TSF415 said:


> I put a half-ass micro bevel on mine and got a chip cutting thru an onion root. I think you’d probably need to thicken up the edge quite a bit for fish bones.


Yeah definitely need to thicken it up a bit especially ootb. Even if chipping happens, it should be easier to fix and thinning compared to the Yo-Deba.


----------



## M1k3

TSF415 said:


> I put a half-ass micro bevel on mine and got a chip cutting thru an onion root. I think you’d probably need to thicken up the edge quite a bit for fish bones.


After I sharpened mine starting on SG 500, I haven't had any problems. But for something to take abuse, use something designed for that.


----------



## M1k3

Wide bevel? What wide bevel?


----------



## TSF415

M1k3 said:


> Wide bevel? What wide bevel?




hot damn


----------



## Justablacktee

Hot damn indeed !!


----------



## phoka

M1k3 said:


> Wide bevel? What wide bevel?




Very nice!!! Can you share the difference in performance if possible?


----------



## M1k3

phoka said:


> Very nice!!! Can you share the difference in performance if possible?


So far in what I've cut and the state of the grind, wedging is greatly reduced and food release has increased some. Still giving it a test drive though.

P.S. I've removed 5 grams of metal so far


----------



## phoka

Sounds great and thanks for sharing! I'm thinking of doing something similar to my Heiji as well.


----------



## M1k3

phoka said:


> Sounds great and thanks for sharing! I'm thinking of doing something similar to my Heiji as well.


It's a nice learning experience filled with some head scratching. I'd definitely recommend reading up on Kippington's threads:






Food Release: Stiction and the Grind


I don't know about you guys but I'm fascinated by food release. It's surprising how little information is out there on the subject, despite it being a hugely desirable property in a knife - especially among those of us who work in the food industry. With a craving to learn more, I...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com










A Basic Explanation of Asymmetry


A Basic Explanation of Asymmetry Way back when I began sharpening I remember reading through many forum threads about asymmetry in double bevel knives and having no idea what was going on. All this talk about 70/30 and 80/20, "You should be doing this and shouldn't do that", but no real...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com





Gives you an idea of what you're trying to accomplish.


----------



## Barmoley

Jason183 said:


> Haven’t try Heiji because of that robust grind. But if I breaking down a lot of fish and cut through bones everyday, That’s kind of grind I would liked to try.


I wouldn't do it with heiji, steel is relatively brittle and the edge is very thin, so it is not robust at all, at least not in its original form. You can change the geometry, but then you are better off with a knife designed for the task.


----------



## WiriWiri

Blimey, you’ve been hard at it @M1k3 . Impressive work, even if it seems distinctly the kind of effort I’d steer well clear of if at all possible. Hell, I’ve been putting off thinning a Kono for at least 2 years now, so reading this stuff is a happy distraction where I get to experience the effort vicariously. Keep it up.

Curiously I also emailed Heiji a few days back, enquiring about a possible suji purchase in 270 or 300. I have done no real research - Heiji seemed a good bet for an upgrade and I reckoned I’d have some time given he seems prone to the odd delay in response. Typically he got back to me the next day, all brightness and efficiency

So, good people of KKF, am I right to consider Heiji a good option for a Suji? Am I mad for considering stinky, I mean, spicy swedish carbon? Am I silly for wanting to wang for the 300mm shaboodle? Obviously I can count on this place for sound, non-facilitating, purchasing advice, but interested if anyone has any advice in this general area.


----------



## M1k3

WiriWiri said:


> Blimey, you’ve been hard at it @M1k3 . Impressive work, even if it seems distinctly the kind of effort I’d steer well clear of if at all possible. Hell, I’ve been putting off thinning a Kono for at least 2 years now, so reading this stuff is a happy distraction where I get to experience the effort vicariously. Keep it up.
> 
> Curiously I also emailed Heiji a few days back, enquiring about a possible suji purchase in 270 or 300. I have done no real research - Heiji seemed a good bet for an upgrade and I reckoned I’d have some time given he seems prone to the odd delay in response. Typically he got back to me the next day, all brightness and efficiency
> 
> So, good people of KKF, am I right to consider Heiji a good option for a Suji? Am I mad for considering stinky, I mean, spicy swedish carbon? Am I silly for wanting to wang for the 300mm shaboodle? Obviously I can count on this place for sound, non-facilitating, purchasing advice, but interested if anyone has any advice in this general area.


I haven't used one of his Suji's. Imagine it'd be good for meat. His knives tend to generally run longer. About 5mm, maybe 10mm longer. And EMS is back. So enjoy your new suji in 4-5 months. Plenty of time to plan your sandpaper attack.


----------



## daveb

I had a Heijji carbo suji (till someone stole it) and it was among my best 5, maybe best 3. Should unexpected affluence befall me, I'll definitely order another.

Don't recall that it had particularly wide bevels. @panda ?


----------



## Jovidah

What do you intend to use it for?
If it was for raw proteins I'd probably steer towards carbon because blue patina is nice. If`it was for cooked proteins I might lean more towards semi-stainless... because it's nice to not have to clean up your knife straight away when the food is ready. But that's just my personal preference.


----------



## panda

daveb said:


> I had a Heijji carbo suji (till someone stole it) and it was among my best 5, maybe best 3. Should unexpected affluence befall me, I'll definitely order another.
> 
> Don't recall that it had particularly wide bevels. @panda ?


I knocked a lot of it off lol


----------



## WiriWiri

daveb said:


> I had a Heijji carbo suji (till someone stole it) and it was among my best 5, maybe best 3. Should unexpected affluence befall me, I'll definitely order another.
> 
> Don't recall that it had particularly wide bevels. @panda ?





M1k3 said:


> I haven't used one of his Suji's. Imagine it'd be good for meat. His knives tend to generally run longer. About 5mm, maybe 10mm longer. And EMS is back. So enjoy your new suji in 4-5 months. Plenty of time to plan your sandpaper attack.



Cheers to the three Heijiteers for the sound advice. My basic thinking when I hastily fired an email to Heiji was that this would be an upgrade to and good comparison suji fodder for the fairly basic JCK Inazuma 240 I’ve still in block - a fairly nice, thin-midweight that sharpens easily (an early swedish stainless rather than the VG10 version) enough, albeit not much retention, The Heiji‘s altogether a chunkier, more robust forged alternative that promises much more

Thought I’d be on safe ground with Heiji given his steel’s reputation on here, but good to have DaveB’s informed take. Sadly my top 5 suji lists is necessarily more limited - I can only actually recall four sujis that I’ve used, and the Inazuma’s probably the thickest of four quite similar blades. And by choosing a Suji I thought I‘d avoid some of the routine concerns over Heiji - wide bevels are unlikely to be a factor here when cutting, or that’s my guess at least. And I’m not going to be wielding it long enough to really need to worry about rounded spine/heel too much

It’ll mostly be cutting cooked protein to be fair, but I’m reasonably confident that I can wipe clean quickly afterwards - frankly my house isn’t big enough to have a hobbit sword lying around with 2 small kids about. No issues with carbon generally here - this is clearly a bit of a special occasion blade and it’s to commemorate someone, so budget not the dominant factor. Still a bit more than I’d expected mind, albeit this is a big blade and we’re not if TF territory. Will have to consider `alternatives a bit harder if a few extras start to sneak in i guess

My head says 270 is more practical, but the 300 is only a little bit more (<5000yen) and tempting, not least because it won‘t fit in the kitchen drawer. Which makes it easier to justify buying the magnetic strip that my wife doesn’t know about (yet)…


PS. What are the other Top 5 candidates Btw?


----------



## tgfencer

For what it's worth, if storage or cutting space isn't a constraint, I fall into the camp that longer is almost always better. Especially if you do thinks like big roasts or brisket...


----------



## Jovidah

It's not the size, it's how you use it... 

Oh.. still talking about sujis.


----------



## daveb

WiriWiri said:


> My head says 270 is more practical, but the 300 is only a little bit more (<5000yen) and tempting, not least because it won‘t fit in the kitchen drawer. Which makes it easier to justify buying the magnetic strip that my wife doesn’t know about (yet)…



The 240 to 270 jump takes the knife from being limited to home meal portioning to being able to take on any protein slicing task. The jump to 300 brings nothing to the equation unless you're slicing wedding cake. That said I have a 240 and a few 270 for home use and prefer a 285 for making money with.



WiriWiri said:


> PS. What are the other Top 5 candidates Btw?



Bear in mind that my requirements for a suji are probably different than yours.

1) HSC Zwear. When I had a custom HSC made it was largely because Harbeer works with Zwear and edge retention is a primary criteria for me. I can use the Zwear for a catering event, slice a couple hundred pounds of brisket, prime rib
or other roasts, clean it and put it back in the bag and do it again tomorrow. And then repeat. Harbeer also made it tall enough I can use it for conventional push cutting, 285mm long and over 220g to fit me perfectly.

2) Wat Blue from professional line. My favorite off the shelf suji.
2a) Toyama Carbon. Used side by side, I found it indistinguishable from the Wat.
2b) Heiji Carbon. Heaviest suji I've used. Sh!t would just split apart when they saw it coming.

5) Wat Kintaro Ame (Shin's Damascus) 285mm Stainless. One of very few dammy knives I own. Handles like the Pro but the 3x price premium puts it down the list. But it's way pretty.

6) Devin AEBL 270. A little lighter offering than my ideal for all day pro use. I could cut with this one forever at home.
6a) Gengetsu stainless clad carbon 270, less tall than some of others, it's a suji and doesn't pretend to be anything else.
6b) Mert's Hunter Valley 270 in 52100. Objectively the equal of any above for home use - the 52100 just doesn't have the (forever) retention I want. (And this one happens to be for sale)

9) Kono 300mm. Very good knife, hell on wedding cakes. Too light for my taste and a little flexi.

10) Ashi Ginga, Tad INOX, Suisin IH. Laser suji like laser gyuto just don't work for me to go all day. Some flex, takes too much work for large proteins. (Though my 240 suji is a Tad and it's a "bury me with this one" knife.


----------



## WiriWiri

daveb said:


> The 240 to 270 jump takes the knife from being limited to home meal portioning to being able to take on any protein slicing task. The jump to 300 brings nothing to the equation unless you're slicing wedding cake. ..
> 
> Bear in mind that my requirements for a suji are probably different than yours…



Cheers for taking the time the pen all that lovely detail - all much appreciated. In gratitude I hereby declare you Sir DaveSujiB, OBE - any old Brit should be give out a heriditary title in these more enlightened times, surely - for your experiences and considerable services rendered to the meat cutting industry. Arise Sir Dave.

My requirements are definitely different from yours. I’m long out of pro–kitchens and the big family cook-ups have been paused for far too long.. This is very much a luxury purchase - something of a commemoration to someone who loved being the big meal host - and likely to be the last Suji I buy, wheeled out on special occasions and whenever I can find a use/excuse in general. The idea of a more ‘meaty’ suji appealed, so your mention of ‘sh!t just splitting apart’ when the Heiji approaches chimes with my hopeful expectations.

I did consider the WatoToyama options as an alternative, but thought they’d be too much of an expense. The Heiji is inching close to those price levels, so torn between just going for it (buoyed by SirDave‘s recs) and checking the alternatives a little more prudently. A Hinoura from JCK would represent a fairly hefty saving for example and looks to follow a similarly more hefty grind. Sensibility has never been my strong point mind and I suspect the Heiji bug has already bitten. Meh, I’ve got a little more time to dither until the invoice arrives…


----------



## panda

I didn't keep heiji suji because the profile is too flat for me, prefer a curve shape for slicer.
270 is plenty length even in professional setting.


----------



## daveb

WiriWiri said:


> I did consider the WatoToyama options as an alternative, but thought they’d be too much of an expense. The Heiji is inching close to those price levels, so torn between just going for it (buoyed by SirDave‘s recs) and checking the alternatives a little more prudently. A Hinoura from JCK would represent a fairly hefty saving for example and looks to follow a similarly more hefty grind. Sensibility has never been my strong point mind and I suspect the Heiji bug has already bitten. Meh, I’ve got a little more time to dither until the invoice arrives…



I am a little suji stupid. From your description it sounds like we share a requirement for a heavier suji. My redneck buds would call it a knife with "a little ass to it". Suggest you look for something 180g+, bonus if over 200g.

IME the stainless clad Wat, Toy, the Maz and the host of other sujis are in the 150 - 160g range. That's too light (IMHO) for a large joint. Suggest you get a weight for that Hinora and then compare available carbon knives from Wat, Toy, Heiji. If you got the Wat/Toy/Heiji and didn't like it, you could prob part with it at little loss. And did I mention I have an HVB for sale?


----------



## WiriWiri

daveb said:


> I am a little suji stupid. From your description it sounds like we share a requirement for a heavier suji. My redneck buds would call it a knife with "a little ass to it". Suggest you look for something 180g+, bonus if over 200g.
> 
> IME the stainless clad Wat, Toy, the Maz and the host of other sujis are in the 150 - 160g range. That's too light (IMHO) for a large joint. Suggest you get a weight for that Hinora and then compare available carbon knives from Wat, Toy, Heiji. If you got the Wat/Toy/Heiji and didn't like it, you could prob part with it at little loss. And did I mention I have an HVB for sale?



Cheers again SirDave - I’m appreciative of your sujiphile tendencies and for generously sharing your past experiences. I can’t claim the same knowledge, but you’re right in that I’m after a bit more grunt and heft with this Heiji. I like the lighter suji options in general use (and I have plenty of laser-like cutters), but occasionally when you’re confronted with a hefty rib roast or similar the average suji seems a bit effete - this ain’t no fish and sticking an extra bevel on a Yanagiba doesn’t really address that. I‘m being oversimplistic for effect maybe, but many sujis are just marginally adapted yanas it seems, and sometimes you want more. This ain’t a place for my usual refined Sakai types, hence the Heiji punt.

Anyway, I’ve asked Heiji for a final (paypal and postage costs included) invoice, so will be confirming in a day or few…


----------



## daveb

"effete" I'm going to add that to my working vocabulary.

Let me know how you like the Heiji.


----------



## panda

Dave wants you to hate it and sell it to him


----------



## daveb

I thought I was being subtle....


----------



## Justablacktee

Looking forward to post something here in 4 months … Thank you all for the shared informations.


----------



## JayGee

My Heiji is ready, but no EMS to Australia at the moment. I'm guessing they relied on passenger flights - and it doesn't look like anyone is flying into our prison island any time soon. Imagine I'll be waiting a while.


----------



## wombat

daveb said:


> The 240 to 270 jump takes the knife from being limited to home meal portioning to being able to take on any protein slicing task. The jump to 300 brings nothing to the equation unless you're slicing wedding cake. That said I have a 240 and a few 270 for home use and prefer a 285 for making money with.
> 
> 
> 
> Bear in mind that my requirements for a suji are probably different than yours.


Good info, thanks for posting.

I'm about to order a suji, thinking that 240 might be enough. Home cook, usually cooking for 2 people (max 4-5 occasionally). My preferences tend to run a little shorter than some others here (210 gyutos, 165 nakiri, nothing longer apart from a 270 yanagiba). I'd like it to be long enough for carving duties at Christmas though.

Anyone think I should go for 270 instead?


----------



## RockyBasel

My 270 SS Gyuto and 170 SS petty have been ready to ship since July 1 - but I never got his email. So they are being shipped via EMS now - I should be getting them in 2 weeks

SKD 12 is the steel I believe they are using


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I ordered a Iwasaki razor from Heiji and it was shipped the next day after I emailed and paid. They could be quite responsive and fast when the stuff is in stock.


----------



## nyc

M1k3 said:


> Wide bevel? What wide bevel?




looks amazing. Would love to see the choil


----------



## M1k3

nyc said:


> looks amazing. Would love to see the choil


While it looks lefty biased in relationship to the core steel, it was definitely ground right-handed. I think I need another session or two on the stones. While much better than stock, it could use some more thinning and blending around the middle of the blade.


----------



## WiriWiri

Looks good M1k3. I did actually get around to ordering that Heiji suji a few weeks ago, but I‘m entirely hoping to avoid the thinning mission via the @daveb ‘s ‘sh-it splitting apart’ approach

I did also buy the 300mm, both for the vanity of owning a hobbit sword and for the aforementioned tactical reason. I almost certainly would have been able to fit a 270 into the allocated kitchen drawer, and then how the bleeding hell would have I been able to justify this magnetic knife rack purchase? 

The wife gets home tomorrow. I think I’ll be ok - I’ve completed other more requested DIY projects as cover – but on reflection I may have jumped the gun a little early when the Heiji doesn’t arrive for another couple of months….


----------



## nyc

M1k3 said:


> While it looks lefty biased in relationship to the core steel, it was definitely ground right-handed. I think I need another session or two on the stones. While much better than stock, it could use some more thinning and blending around the middle of the blade.View attachment 138701


thanks. looks pretty good as is.


----------



## RockyBasel

Well, mine came as planned by July, but I was in the Us for holiday, so i just got them

270x52 Semi-Stainless Gyuto (SKD12)
260 gm
161 mm Petty
Little hefty for a petty - coming in at 101 gm
Nicely finished


----------



## deskjockey

Those look really nice! Pretty tempting for me too. How is the petty working out for you?


----------



## RockyBasel

Will let you k ow, just opened the boxes - sides the Gyuto lightly today - great knife!


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I ordered a Iwasaki razor from Heiji and it was shipped the next day after I emailed and paid. They could be quite responsive and fast when the stuff is in stock.


link to razor plix?


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> link to razor plix?


I just asked them via email and this is what I got.


----------



## tostadas

RockyBasel said:


> Well, mine came as planned by July, but I was in the Us for holiday, so i just got them
> 
> 270x52 Semi-Stainless Gyuto (SKD12)
> 260 gm
> 161 mm Petty
> Little hefty for a petty - coming in at 101 gm
> Nicely finished
> View attachment 139415
> View attachment 139416
> View attachment 139417
> View attachment 139418


What are the dimensions on the petty? Looks pretty sweet


----------



## RockyBasel

tostadas said:


> What are the dimensions on the petty? Looks pretty sweet


Petty is sweet - more heft than the Wat and Toyama SS Petty knives that I have

101x33
101 gm


----------



## RockyBasel

Here are some petty pics to boot


----------



## tostadas

RockyBasel said:


> Petty is sweet - more heft than the Wat and Toyama SS Petty knives that I have
> 
> 101x33
> 101 gm


Is it on the thick side?


----------



## RockyBasel

tostadas said:


> Is it on the thick side?


It’s like any Heiji, but small. The same feel and heft and feel you get in any other Heiji.

Heiji are workhorse knives - come in at around 220-230 gm for the 240 mm

The petty is like a WH petty, if there is such a thing - it’s definitely a Heiji.


----------



## TSF415

RockyBasel said:


> Here are some petty pics to boot
> View attachment 139463
> View attachment 139464



I’m not crazy about workhorse gyutos but a hefty petty…. Come to papa


----------



## nyc

I’m curious to know what’s the price of a carbon 240mm gyuto. I ordered mine in 2019 and I’m just wondering where the prices are at now.


----------



## RockyBasel

The price value equation is remarkable- I paid $287 for my 270 mm Gyuto in SS (SKD12)

I don’t think you can find Heiji quality at this price- Mazaki included. Exceptionally well made

It is a substantial kitchen room with a significant presence

Only thing is, you have to get them to respond to you and it takes 4 months to receive your knife


----------



## RockyBasel

Substantial kitchen tool

But you have to like work-horsey, heavier blade knives. This is. It a laser


----------



## nyc

RockyBasel said:


> The price value equation is remarkable- I paid $287 for my 270 mm Gyuto in SS (SKD12)
> 
> I don’t think you can find Heiji quality at this price- Mazaki included. Exceptionally well made
> 
> It is a substantial kitchen room with a significant presence
> 
> Only thing is, you have to get them to respond to you and it takes 4 months to receive your knife



what was the price in JPY? That would make it easier to compare (without getting into exchange rates) and see the price difference if any from 2019 and now.
I'm also curious if there's any difference between SS and the carbon for the same length/type.


----------



## RockyBasel

nyc said:


> what was the price in JPY? That would make it easier to compare (without getting into exchange rates) and see the price difference if any from 2019 and now.
> I'm also curious if there's any difference between SS and the carbon for the same length/type.


I paid 31,500


----------



## nyc

RockyBasel said:


> I paid 31,500


Thanks. I paid 26,250 for the 240 in 2019. Let's see if anyone else can share what the prices are now.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I paid 23100+2860+1360 = 27320 for a 240 kurochi ss gyuto last year.


----------



## nyc

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I paid 23100+2860+1360 = 27320 for a 240 kurochi ss gyuto last year.


thanks for the feedback. what's the 2860+1360 for?


----------



## silylanjie

Here are some quotes I got recently this month for semi-stainless:

Petty150 is 15400 JPY
Gyuto180 is 19800 JPY
Gyuto210 is 22000 JPY
Gyuto240 is 27500 JPY
Octagonal chestnut handle

For Gyuto210 is 4300 JPY.
For Gyuto240 is 4500 JPY.
Freight and fee to ship out to overseas countries will be about 2860 JPY and 1310JPY


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

nyc said:


> thanks for the feedback. what's the 2860+1360 for?


shipping and paypal fee


----------



## silylanjie

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> shipping and paypal fee


Its shipping and overseas handling fee. The shipping fee will depend on how many items you are ordering since it is based on the weight range. The 2860 JPY shipping fee was only for quote 1 or 2 knives. He didn't change for an additional Paypal fee.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

silylanjie said:


> Its shipping and overseas handling fee. The shipping fee will depend on how many items you are ordering since it is based on the weight range. The 2860 JPY shipping fee was only for quote 1 or 2 knives. He didn't change for an additional Paypal fee.


The overseas handling fee is just paypal fee. It’s called differently on my other invoice too.


----------



## nyc

Thanks for the feedback


----------



## silylanjie

Hz_zzzzzz, thanks for sharing. That's interesting the Gyuto 240 price had increased 4400 JPY since last year.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

silylanjie said:


> Hz_zzzzzz, thanks for sharing. That's interesting the Gyuto 240 price had increased 4400 JPY since last year.


Might be migaki vs kurochi finish. Are your quotes for migaki finished knives?


----------



## silylanjie

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Might be migaki vs kurochi finish. Are your quotes for migaki finished knives?


You've got a good point there since the quotes I got are for the migaki finished semi-stainless


----------



## M1k3

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I paid 23100+2860+1360 = 27320 for a 240 kurochi ss gyuto last year.


Paid same price for non-KU SS in February.


----------



## silylanjie

M1k3 said:


> Paid same price for non-KU SS in February.


I guess the prices did increase since then


----------



## Dull_Apex

Since we're talking pricing, could anyone share the fee/penalty for being left handed?


----------



## silylanjie

They use octagonal chestnut handles for their ss gyuto


----------



## baggyjorts

Man every time I see posts on this thread I want to pull the trigger on one. I've never tried one, and something about the look of heijis just calls to me. These photos always make it tough to resist.

Maybe it's time to get that ss 210 suji!


----------



## nyc

baggyjorts said:


> Man every time I see posts on this thread I want to pull the trigger on one. I've never tried one, and something about the look of heijis just calls to me. These photos always make it tough to resist.
> 
> Maybe it's time to get that ss 210 suji!



Honestly, with a 4-5 month wait, you might as well get in the queue now.


----------



## JayGee

Single bevels are considerably more expensive.


----------



## cawilson6072

I got tired of waiting for something from Tosa to be available is the states, so I just placed my order with Heiji today…a 270 semi-stainless non-KU (Migaki) Gyuto with burned chestnut handle. Nakaya Heiji estimated 4 mos. as we’ve come to expect. Communication was fantastic with him by email and I explained that I was looking for a heavy knife to match the bulky length and he noted 250+ grams on the desired target weight (I don’t think that will be a problem for a 270mm with normal grind and chestnut handle - maybe 260-270g is more expected). The Gyuto itself is ¥38,500 before uppity ups for shipping and PayPal. 

The cost seems like it has ticked up substantially lately, but I don’t feel that it is lacking a good cost/value proposition for me at this price. The 270mm Kaeru WH from JNS is $380 (OPS), so same ballpark, shipped. In my main hustle - I’ve been involved in the bidding of some large-ish steel fabrication and construction projects recently (coated carbon steel, 316L, and 2507 super duplex) and all grades have spiked in the last 6 mos. This is no surprise for anyone who has been paying attention to material and labor costs, but it’s real - like 20-30% premium real. So with that context, I’m really satisfied with the purchase experience and value. I’ll send some pictures sometime around Groundhog Day 2022!


----------



## RockyBasel

I just got my 270 about a few weeks ago, snd you don’t have to worry about the weight- posted here in NKD, the 270 was in the target weight range.

for the price, profile,and workmanship, I can’t think of a better knife


----------



## Lucien

Hey guys - I got a quick q - I just realized I forgot to specify the handle when I ordered from Heiji over 4 months ago.... wondering if burnt chestnut handle with buffalo horn is the handle by default?


----------



## RockyBasel

You should specify now, just to be sure, but I did get the burnt chestnut handle.

You should specify and it’s not too late


----------



## M1k3

I think it's the default, but, contact him to make sure. If he hasn't contacted you saying it's ready, it's not to late correct it if burnt chestnut isn't the default option.


----------



## silylanjie

M1k3 said:


> I think it's the default, but, contact him to make sure. If he hasn't contacted you saying it's ready, it's not to late correct it if burnt chestnut isn't the default option.



When I placed my order last month, the default handle is octangle burnt chestnut with black horn.


----------



## Lucien

Thank you guys! Just confirmed with him, the handles are octagonal chestnut.
He is super responsive and sent a photo of the knives, which are about to be finished in another 1 to 2 weeks -


----------



## RockyBasel

Every time I look at a Heiji, I want one, even though I have plenty

I do not however have the KU - are these SKD semi-stainless?


----------



## Lucien

RockyBasel said:


> Every time I look at a Heiji, I want one, even though I have plenty
> 
> I do not however have the KU - are these SKD semi-stainless?


One in carbon and the other one in SS. 
I did not ask for KU specifically - I only specified the gyuto size and steel I wanted in my order, nothing else. So I think the KU in the photo will come off after polishing (He did tell me he has not polish or sharpen them yet).


----------



## deskjockey

What is delivery and pricing like on a Gyuto today? What COVID impacts exist? Is shipping better now or are knives still getting hung up in transportation?

Assuming no requested changes on a *210~240mm SemiStainless Gyuto*, is it built to cut Sweet Potatoes or cold carrots and similar hard produce or, should it be reserved for softer items?

Regarding pricing, I"m not looking for a hard quote but a reasonable range for the knife and shipping would be helpful as I consider one today or in the future.

TIA,
Sid


----------



## deskjockey

Also, how do they compare to something like a Gihei Blue #2 Gyuto? I'm thinking more of a workhorse-style Gyuto as a complement to my laser Gyuto.


----------



## M1k3

deskjockey said:


> What is delivery and pricing like on a Gyuto today? What COVID impacts exist? Is shipping better now or are knives still getting hung up in transportation?
> 
> Assuming no requested changes on a *210~240mm SemiStainless Gyuto*, is it built to cut Sweet Potatoes or cold carrots and similar hard produce or, should it be reserved for softer items?
> 
> Regarding pricing, I"m not looking for a hard quote but a reasonable range for the knife and shipping would be helpful as I consider one today or in the future.
> 
> TIA,
> Sid


Sweet potatoes will need some extra, "encouraging", regular potatoes no issue, with the stock wide bevels. Putting a little work in the geometry pays off tremendously though. And the spine and choil. 4-5 months wait. Around $280 USD (Shipping+PayPal) all in for a 240mm SS with no additional customization


----------



## deskjockey

For those curious about pricing, here is what I received on Semi-Stainless steel Gyuto:
210mm = 22000 JPY ~ $200
240mm = 27500 JPY ~ $250
270mm = 38500 JPY ~ $350

3700 JPY for normal shipping to the USA.


----------



## cawilson6072

Additional data point...the number that @deskjockey posted above is the exact same that I recieved for the 270mm Semi-Stainless Gyuto, though I did specify rounded spine and choil and a minumum total weight. My shipping price was 3580 JPY and there is a Paypal Fee of 2020 JPY to boot. It all came to about $410 at PayPal's conversion rates last month.


----------



## deskjockey

M1k3 said:


> Sweet potatoes will need some extra, "encouraging", regular potatoes no issue, with the stock wide bevels. Putting a little work in the geometry pays off tremendously though. And the spine and choil. 4-5 months wait. Around $280 USD (Shipping+PayPal) all in for a 240mm SS with no additional customization



I am tempted to pick up one of these but, I'm also curious about the need or desire to "_put a little work into the geometry_".

My initial searches for the Yoshikane in a Nashiji finish with SKD/SLD steel has not been overly successful except for a couple out of stock options offered with a pretty good price increase, and the restocks are expected to include the rumored extra price increases I have seen mentioned. This has me focused back on the Heiji and Gihei options. The definite advantage Gihei has is more immediate delivery since it is in stock at two CONUS vendors for $260 (240mm Gyuto). Then there is the Semi-Stainless versus clad carbon consideration.

I really need to get a knife that will encourage me to spend more time in the kitchen. Post-Hospice for my mother and Post-Covid (for the most part) has seen me spend too much time at fast food places and generally eating less healthy than I should. This thread has me rethinking my priorities. 

Several comments have been along the lines of:
If you can wait, spend the extra $40 and get a Heiji

This has me wondering what I am missing if I get the Gihei 'today' and if I might have buyer's remorse if I don't get a Heiji.


----------



## M1k3

In it's stock form, it wedges in denser produce. The wide bevels are pretty flat, so friction in dense stuff is high. Convexing the bevels reduces friction, allowing the blade to cut through easier.


----------



## M1k3

I was recently asked how I went about modifying my Heiji. Thought I'd share my amateur method. May not be ideal, but, hey. It worked for me.

Your mileage may vary.

I make no guarantee or warranty to the quality of other people.

On with the short show!

Finger placement. At or just above the shinogi/shoulders.View attachment 143609
View attachment 143610


I rock the knife back and forth, trying to avoid the edge and spine.




You could also use Klapton tape, the 1mm wide kind, at the edge and near the spine. It'll help from going to far while leaving a lot of wiggle room.


----------



## tostadas

deskjockey said:


> I am tempted to pick up one of these but, I'm also curious about the need or desire to "_put a little work into the geometry_".
> 
> My initial searches for the Yoshikane in a Nashiji finish with SKD/SLD steel has not been overly successful except for a couple out of stock options offered with a pretty good price increase, and the restocks are expected to include the rumored extra price increases I have seen mentioned. This has me focused back on the Heiji and Gihei options. The definite advantage Gihei has is more immediate delivery since it is in stock at two CONUS vendors for $260 (240mm Gyuto). Then there is the Semi-Stainless versus clad carbon consideration.
> 
> I really need to get a knife that will encourage me to spend more time in the kitchen. Post-Hospice for my mother and Post-Covid (for the most part) has seen me spend too much time at fast food places and generally eating less healthy than I should. This thread has me rethinking my priorities.
> 
> Several comments have been along the lines of:
> If you can wait, spend the extra $40 and get a Heiji
> 
> This has me wondering what I am missing if I get the Gihei 'today' and if I might have buyer's remorse if I don't get a Heiji.


KnS has it available








Yoshikane


Established in 1919, Yoshikane is one of the most reputable knife house in Sanjo, Niigata




www.knivesandstones.com.au


----------



## Martyn

My two 240s, one in each steel, are completed today. The wait time is almost exactly 4 months. 





Didn't specify anything when ordering. The carbon one looks a bit shorter at heel than the ss one. Can't wait to try them out.


----------



## deskjockey

Martyn said:


> My two 240s, one in each steel, are completed today. The wait time is almost exactly 4 months.
> View attachment 143836
> 
> Didn't specify anything when ordering. The carbon one looks a bit shorter at heel than the ss one. Can't wait to try them out.



The difference could just be photography related. It will be interesting to hear your comments after some use.


----------



## silylanjie

Martyn said:


> My two 240s, one in each steel, are completed today. The wait time is almost exactly 4 months.
> View attachment 143836
> 
> Didn't specify anything when ordering. The carbon one looks a bit shorter at heel than the ss one. Can't wait to try them out.



Nice, I'm so jealous... my order won't be ready to ship until mid December.


----------



## deskjockey

silylanjie said:


> Nice, I'm so jealous... my order won't be ready to ship until mid December.



Just in time for the Holiday shipping crush ...  Good luck with the package lottery!


----------



## Martyn

So the twins arrived yesterday. Only 4 days from Japan to UK. 
240 ss and 240 carbon. 
Actual lengths are both a bit over 250mm; heel heights of both are over 53mm. 
Now some pics - 




Carbon - 




ss -


----------



## Giovanny Torres

Martyn said:


> So the twins arrived yesterday. Only 4 days from Japan to UK.
> 240 ss and 240 carbon.
> Actual lengths are both a bit over 250mm; heel heights of both are over 53mm.
> Now some pics -
> View attachment 144928
> 
> Carbon -
> View attachment 144929
> 
> ss -
> View attachment 144930


Did you ask for any easing of spine and choil? I just placed an order for a ss 2 weeks ago and wondering if I should ask for anything.


----------



## Martyn

Giovanny Torres said:


> Did you ask for any easing of spine and choil? I just placed an order for a ss 2 weeks ago and wondering if I should ask for anything.


I did not ask for anything... not even higher heel... and based on @Chopper88 's experience below, asking for spine and choil easing might not be a very good idea - 


Chopper88 said:


> I feel asking Heiji for rounded spine and eased choil is a mistake, you're better off taking the time for this and doing a nice job yourself.
> I am very happy with the performance of my knife and if you judge purely by how it cuts it's amazing, but the spine wasn't rounded at all, and the heel he just runs across a grinder for 2 seconds.
> It's not _that _bad, but it isn't particularly nice either.
> 
> He has accepted to round the spine and ease the choil though, it was even on a drawing he shared with me when discussing the profile.
> The funny thing is that I also asked him to change the tip, of which he did a great job!
> Its almost as if he thinks everything that doesn't impact cutting performance is just nonsense haha.
> 
> View attachment 130330
> View attachment 130331
> View attachment 130332


----------



## MrHiggins

Martyn said:


> So the twins arrived yesterday. Only 4 days from Japan to UK.
> 240 ss and 240 carbon.
> Actual lengths are both a bit over 250mm; heel heights of both are over 53mm.
> Now some pics -
> View attachment 144928
> 
> Carbon -
> View attachment 144929
> 
> ss -
> View attachment 144930



That carbon one looks terrible. You should sell it to me so you won't have to suffer with it.


----------



## WiriWiri

Martyn said:


> I did not ask for anything... not even higher heel... and based on @Chopper88 's experience below, asking for spine and choil easing might not be a very good idea -



They look really good. Slightly annoyed I didn‘t add a gyuto onto the suji order right about now.

About 2 months down, so hopeful of receiving my Heiji in good time for Christmas slicing.


----------



## Giovanny Torres

Martyn said:


> I did not ask for anything... not even higher heel... and based on @Chopper88 's experience below, asking for spine and choil easing might not be a very good idea -


Thanks, I won't ask for anything then as not that hard to do yourself.


----------



## cawilson6072

Has anyone asked Nakaya Heiji to provide a saya for his knives? I know that there are saya out there for these, but not sure if these are being produced by the vendors or by Heiji directly. If direct, what was the added price from Heiji for a made to fit saya? Thanks in advance!


----------



## daniel_il

Martyn said:


> So the twins arrived yesterday. Only 4 days from Japan to UK.
> 240 ss and 240 carbon.
> Actual lengths are both a bit over 250mm; heel heights of both are over 53mm.
> Now some pics -
> View attachment 144928
> 
> Carbon -
> View attachment 144929
> 
> ss -
> View attachment 144930



love the handles. the SS is thinner? based on the pics, look like quite a difference.


----------



## Martyn

daniel_il said:


> love the handles. the SS is thinner? based on the pics, look like quite a difference.


yeah - the carbon one is thicker. I do not have the tools to measure their exact weight but the carbon one does feels a bit heavier in hand....


----------



## daniel_il

Martyn said:


> yeah - the carbon one is thicker. I do not have the tools to measure their exact weight but the carbon one does feels a bit heavier in hand....



i'm Intrigued by which one you like better


----------



## Martyn

daniel_il said:


> i'm Intrigued by which one you like better


let me use for some time and give them a full sharpening session first


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

cawilson6072 said:


> Additional data point...the number that @deskjockey posted above is the exact same that I recieved for the 270mm Semi-Stainless Gyuto, though I did specify rounded spine and choil and a minumum total weight. My shipping price was 3580 JPY and there is a Paypal Fee of 2020 JPY to boot. It all came to about $410 at PayPal's conversion rates last month.


Don't let PayPal convert the currency for you. It's almost always the most expensive option. I usually just pay JPY or whatever foreign currency directly with my credit card in PayPal. My credit card doesn't charge foreign transaction fee and the exchange rate is always good. In this way there's no loss on currency conversion. For example, for 44100 yen a credit card should only charge $394 without fee rather than the $408 that Paypal will charge. Although most credit cards that don't charge foreign transaction fee come with an annual fee, there is a BofA Travel Reward Card that doesn't charge annual fee and doesn't charge foreign transaction fee. Hope it helps.


----------



## silylanjie

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Don't let PayPal convert the currency for you. It's almost always the most expensive option. I usually just pay JPY or whatever foreign currency directly with my credit card in PayPal. My credit card doesn't charge foreign transaction fee and the exchange rate is always good. In this way there's no loss on currency conversion. For example, for 44100 yen a credit card should only charge $394 without fee rather than the $408 that Paypal will charge. Although most credit cards that don't charge foreign transaction fee come with an annual fee, there is a BofA Travel Reward Card that doesn't charge annual fee and doesn't charge foreign transaction fee. Hope it helps.



I wish knew that before placing my order last month


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

silylanjie said:


> I wish knew that before placing my order last month


You can use the tip next time. KnS, JNS, Tosho... there are so many foreign retailers so this will add up. Even with the usual 1-3% foreign transaction fee it's still cheaper than PP conversion. I think in Q3 Discover card even has a 5% cash back when you check out via Paypal. And Discover also doesn't charge foreign transaction fee and it doesn't have an annual fee. Compared to PP conversion it's like a 8% off. Credit cards in US are super friendly to consumers.


----------



## deskjockey

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Don't let PayPal convert the currency for you. It's almost always the most expensive option. I usually just pay JPY or whatever foreign currency directly with my credit card in PayPal. My credit card doesn't charge foreign transaction fee and the exchange rate is always good. In this way there's no loss on currency conversion. For example, for 44100 yen a credit card should only charge $394 without fee rather than the $408 that Paypal will charge. Although most credit cards that don't charge foreign transaction fee come with an annual fee, there is a BofA Travel Reward Card that doesn't charge annual fee and doesn't charge foreign transaction fee. Hope it helps.



Fair point. On small transactions, I generally let PayPal do it as a few cents in the overall scheme of things isn't terribly important.

On larger purchases in foreign currencies, I use my credit card which has no transaction fee and whatever the current market conversion rate is minus some really small delta for overhead (like 10cents per $100).


----------



## deskjockey

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> You can use the tip next time. KnS, JNS, Tosho... there are so many foreign retailers so this will add up. Even with the usual 1-3% foreign transaction fee it's still cheaper than PP conversion. I think in Q3 Discover card even has a 5% cash back when you check out via Paypal. And Discover also doesn't charge foreign transaction fee and it doesn't have an annual fee. Compared to PP conversion it's like a 8% off. Credit cards in US are super friendly to consumers.



Discover card is a 5% reward right now for PayPal transactions so, all my USD transactions on my credit card are through PayPal right now.


----------



## RockyBasel

You got a pair of amazing knives - can’t wait to hear about the comparison - I love my SS


----------



## Justablacktee

cawilson6072 said:


> Has anyone asked Nakaya Heiji to provide a saya for his knives? I know that there are saya out there for these, but not sure if these are being produced by the vendors or by Heiji directly. If direct, what was the added price from Heiji for a made to fit saya? Thanks in advance!



I asked and that was what he replied to me :
"I can not make sayas. Because I don't have good material wood to make them."


----------



## silylanjie

You could always get a standard or custom saya from Ed from Edro: EDRO Made


----------



## jonnachang

I heard the same thing from Heiji in regards to getting a saya. I ended up getting leather sayas from Basement Leather. Stephane is a pastry chef instructor at CIA and does sayas on the side. Cheers.


----------



## migwal

jonnachang said:


> I heard the same thing from Heiji in regards to getting a saya. I ended up getting leather sayas from Basement Leather. Stephane is a pastry chef instructor at CIA and does sayas on the side. Cheers.View attachment 145188
> View attachment 145189


I ain’t a saya guy but those look so good!
Hey, what’s the actual edge length on your 210? I was hoping to order a 240 (think it’s time for my 3rd inquiry through the website) but if they’re over 250, maybe a 210 is the go…


----------



## cawilson6072

Agreed…thank you!



Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Don't let PayPal convert the currency for you. It's almost always the most expensive option. I usually just pay JPY or whatever foreign currency directly with my credit card in PayPal. My credit card doesn't charge foreign transaction fee and the exchange rate is always good. In this way there's no loss on currency conversion. For example, for 44100 yen a credit card should only charge $394 without fee rather than the $408 that Paypal will charge. Although most credit cards that don't charge foreign transaction fee come with an annual fee, there is a BofA Travel Reward Card that doesn't charge annual fee and doesn't charge foreign transaction fee. Hope it helps.


----------



## jonnachang

migwal said:


> I ain’t a saya guy but those look so good!
> Hey, what’s the actual edge length on your 210? I was hoping to order a 240 (think it’s time for my 3rd inquiry through the website) but if they’re over 250, maybe a 210 is the go…


 245 mm on the 240 and 216 mm on the 210. Cheers.


----------



## MowgFace

jonnachang said:


> 245 mm on the 240 and 216 mm on the 210. Cheers.



I can give this a +1.

My 210 runs like 215ish as well. 240 SS comes in at 247, 240 Carbon comes in at 245


----------



## zizirex

This thread makes me curios to try Heiji. Any one have tried to order the 240 gyuto Swedish? Or 180mm SS petty?

those 2 are my current interest.


----------



## RockyBasel

zizirex said:


> This thread makes me curios to try Heiji. Any one have tried to order the 240 gyuto Swedish? Or 180mm SS petty?
> 
> those 2 are my current interest.


I ordered a 270 mm gyuto and a 170 mm petty, both stainless

Came in 3-4 months. Once they communicated with me, they were highly responsive. Great experience, and for the price, can’t be beat


----------



## EM-L

zizirex said:


> This thread makes me curios to try Heiji. Any one have tried to order the 240 gyuto Swedish? Or 180mm SS petty?
> 
> those 2 are my current interest.


I ordered a Heiji Ikasaki semi-stainless 180 the other day I will get a short Yanagiba instead.
I don't know if the Yanagiba is thicker or if it's in reality the same?


----------



## deskjockey

zizirex said:


> This thread makes me curios to try Heiji. Any one have tried to order the 240 gyuto Swedish? Or 180mm SS petty?
> 
> those 2 are my current interest.



You might want to take a look at the Kaeru options from JNS. The Kaeru Kasumi Stainless Gyuto 240mm is one I think is similar, is significantly cheaper, delivers pretty fast from the EU, and has a lot of favorable comments.

It isn't a Heiji though.


----------



## zizirex

it's the Heiji 240 Swedish carbon gyuto that I am looking at? any idea how much it is? also for the petty is Semi Stainless one.



deskjockey said:


> You might want to take a look at the Kaeru options from JNS. The Kaeru Kasumi Stainless Gyuto 240mm is one I think is similar, is significantly cheaper, delivers pretty fast from the EU, and has a lot of favorable comments.
> 
> It isn't a Heiji though.



Nah, I Kinda hate SLD. it's overrated steel. I was checking on Heiji Swedish carbon and hefty wide bevel.


----------



## WiriWiri

Fairplay, Heiji is responsive to email about orders in progress. Followed up my suji order and the next day he replied with a tempting ‘would you like to see’ message






Of course I wanted too see that!

Posted last week, so should be arriving anytime soon hopefully. Have started ordering even larger roast joints in preparation for Xmas…


----------



## Ensis

I have been waiting almost a year for a gyuto and petty. Shipping issues, Japan Post not delivering to Canada for some reason. Private couriers are the only option but his quotes don't make sense, crazy high. If I lived 150km south, I'd have them by now


----------



## daniel_il

Ensis said:


> I have been waiting almost a year for a gyuto and petty. Shipping issues, Japan Post not delivering to Canada for some reason. Private couriers are the only option but his quotes don't make sense, crazy high. If I lived 150km south, I'd have them by now


maybe shipping by third party like zenmarket?


----------



## Ensis

daniel_il said:


> maybe shipping by third party like zenmarket?


I'm not familiar but I'll look into it. Thanks.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I heard FromJapan is cheaper than Zenmarket but I've never used it before.






FROM JAPAN







www.fromjapan.co.jp


----------



## deskjockey

I don't know where you live in Canada but, I have been fortunate to have a Canadian help me in reverse with something that won't ship into the USA directly but, across the US/Canada border wasn't an issue.

I can pay it forward but, it is probably easier to find someone closer to the border where you live.


----------



## Ensis

deskjockey said:


> I don't know where you live in Canada but, I have been fortunate to have a Canadian help me in reverse with something that won't ship into the USA directly but, across the US/Canada border wasn't an issue.
> 
> I can pay it forward but, it is probably easier to find someone closer to the border where you live.


Good morning. Just seeing this. Toronto. That's very generous. But I will try to resolve it somehow on my own. I appreciate the offer!


----------



## deskjockey

Ensis said:


> Good morning. Just seeing this. Toronto. That's very generous. But I will try to resolve it somehow on my own. I appreciate the offer!


Best Wishes on getting this resolved.
Hopefully, after the Christmas and New Year's shipping dies down, mail to and from Japan will return to something more normal.


----------



## cawilson6072

Funny - I just had a very similar email conversation and Heiji provided this photo of a 270 semi-stainless Gyuto in progress. I get the feeling that he enjoys providing these provocative photos to customers based this and others that I've seen. Or he has a file folder full of in-progress photos at the ready to fire off in response to customer emails. 








WiriWiri said:


> Fairplay, Heiji is responsive to email about orders in progress. Followed up my suji order and the next day he replied with a tempting ‘would you like to see’ message


----------



## WiriWiri

cawilson6072 said:


> Funny - I just had a very similar email conversation and Heiji provided this photo of a 270 semi-stainless Gyuto in progress. I get the feeling that he enjoys providing these provocative photos to customers based this and others that I've seen. Or he has a file folder full of in-progress photos at the ready to fire off in response to customer emails.
> 
> View attachment 155506



I‘ve enjoyed purchasing from Heiji direct. He’s blunt and clearly pretty inflexible, but there seems a sense of pride in his keenness to show off the work he does accept. And he’s a bit of a tease too - check out this beauty of a giftwrapped package that arrived in the middle of a (virtual) meeting I was hosting















Never expected an unboxing treat like that tbh. Couldn’t even bring myself to rip open recklessly in the coffee break, so will take the time to unwrap properly and enjoy later on. Actually a little impressed

PS:He may be a bit too proud and clear when it comes to the customs declaration mind. $115+ extra added - the joys of customs in the UK


----------



## Giovanny Torres

WiriWiri said:


> I‘ve enjoyed purchasing from Heiji direct. He’s blunt and clearly pretty inflexible, but there seems a sense of pride in his keenness to show off the work he does accept. And he’s a bit of a tease too - check out this beauty of a giftwrapped package that arrived in the middle of a (virtual) meeting I was hosting
> 
> 
> View attachment 155904
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 155905
> 
> 
> Never expected an unboxing treat like that tbh. Couldn’t even bring myself to rip open recklessly in the coffee break, so will take the time to unwrap properly and enjoy later on. Actually a little impressed
> 
> PS:He may be a bit too proud and clear when it comes to the customs declaration mind. $115+ extra added - the joys of customs in the UK


I'm waiting for mine too and should be here next month. Let us know your first impressions on the blade please.


----------



## silylanjie

WiriWiri said:


> I‘ve enjoyed purchasing from Heiji direct. He’s blunt and clearly pretty inflexible, but there seems a sense of pride in his keenness to show off the work he does accept. And he’s a bit of a tease too - check out this beauty of a giftwrapped package that arrived in the middle of a (virtual) meeting I was hosting
> 
> 
> View attachment 155904
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 155905
> 
> 
> Never expected an unboxing treat like that tbh. Couldn’t even bring myself to rip open recklessly in the coffee break, so will take the time to unwrap properly and enjoy later on. Actually a little impressed
> 
> PS:He may be a bit too proud and clear when it comes to the customs declaration mind. $115+ extra added - the joys of customs in the UK



Nice! I can't wait to get my order which got delayed to arrive late January or early February.


----------



## WiriWiri

Giovanny Torres said:


> I'm waiting for mine too and should be here next month. Let us know your first impressions on the blade please.



Well I’ve got as far as carefully opening up the packaging and cooing appreciatIvely now. Photos to follow when the light gets better, but this thing looks good.

At a shade over 300mm and approaching 250grams it also feels gratifyingly purposeful. @daveb ‘s description of ’**** just splitting apart’ when it approaches seems apt, and a passing hobbit did pipe up to say ‘that sword may be a little too big for me, actually’

It’s passed a couple of thin paper slicing tests with aplomb and is eagerly awaiting more consequential testing, after which I’ll happily report back. Finish and grind look pretty good - better than I was expecting and more than comfortable enough in use for a suji.

That boneless rib roast for Xmas is in a world of trouble for sure.


----------



## M1k3

FYI The stock edge will survive it never makes board contact.


----------



## Chang

Forgot to post in this thread, but finally remembering now.

I placed my order with Heiji-san on 7/23/21, asking for a 230mm KU Gyuto in his carbon steel and a 180mm KU K-Tip Petty in his semi-stainless. For the petty, he said he would have to forge out a 210 and cut it, would be extra. It was like $10-$20 dollars extra, so nothing big.

My order shipped out on 12/1/21 and I received them on 12/10/21. Here’s what I got:

243x55 (video says 56, but it’s actually 55), 254g





Your browser is not able to display this video.









185x35, 138g





Your browser is not able to display this video.









My thoughts? Heiji-san was a pleasure to work with, and the work was delivered on time. The knives, though, are ROUGH. I was expecting bad fit and finish, but these babies need a lot of work. Some of the things I noticed that need to be done right off the bat:

1) Spine and choils need to be rounded on both.

2) Bevels seemed to have been left on like a 500 grit level, so they’ll need a working polish….okay, I guess they don’t _need_ a polish, but they definitely deserve one.

3) Gyuto needs minor thinning, maybe just a blending of the bevels. The petty needs a complete overhaul, though. Right now, it’s so thick BTE, it can only function as an off-the-board slicer. Deep cuts into root veg steer to the right. Trying to figure out how to do this while maintaining the most KU I can. Here’s a quick video I shot to show the problem:





Your browser is not able to display this video.





4) Petty is installed slightly tilted into the handle, as seen from the choil shot.

5) I would like to expose a bit more of the tang, so that my finger can fit into the choil.

Overall, I like the steel he works with, and yes, the price for both of these knives was on the cheaper side, but is it worth it? I’m still going to have to send these to a professional to work on since I don’t have the time plus I don’t have the tools to do this kind of heavy work, and that’ll cost a pretty penny. I have been debating just to say “f- it” and sell the knives as is, but I really do like how tall the gyuto is and the profile and weight on the petty. Decisions decisions...


----------



## Carl Kotte

Who/What holds the phone when you record?



Chang said:


> Forgot to post in this thread, but finally remembering now.
> 
> I placed my order with Heiji-san on 7/23/21, asking for a 230mm KU Gyuto in his carbon steel and a 180mm KU K-Tip Petty in his semi-stainless. For the petty, he said he would have to forge out a 210 and cut it, would be extra. It was like $10-$20 dollars extra, so nothing big.
> 
> My order shipped out on 12/1/21 and I received them on 12/10/21. Here’s what I got:
> 
> 243x55 (video says 56, but it’s actually 55), 254g
> 
> View attachment 156278
> 
> View attachment 156276
> 
> 
> 185x35, 138g
> 
> View attachment 156279
> 
> View attachment 156277
> 
> 
> My thoughts? Heiji-san was a pleasure to work with, and the work was delivered on time. The knives, though, are ROUGH. I was expecting bad fit and finish, but these babies need a lot of work. Some of the things I noticed that need to be done right off the bat:
> 
> 1) Spine and choils need to be rounded on both.
> 
> 2) Bevels seemed to have been left on like a 500 grit level, so they’ll need a working polish….okay, I guess they don’t _need_ a polish, but they definitely deserve one.
> 
> 3) Gyuto needs minor thinning, maybe just a blending of the bevels. The petty needs a complete overhaul, though. Right now, it’s so thick BTE, it can only function as an off-the-board slicer. Deep cuts into root veg steer to the right. Trying to figure out how to do this while maintaining the most KU I can. Here’s a quick video I shot to show the problem:
> 
> View attachment 156281
> 
> 
> 4) Petty is installed slightly tilted into the handle, as seen from the choil shot.
> 
> 5) I would like to expose a bit more of the tang, so that my finger can fit into the choil.
> 
> Overall, I like the steel he works with, and yes, the price for both of these knives was on the cheaper side, but is it worth it? I’m still going to have to send these to a professional to work on since I don’t have the time plus I don’t have the tools to do this kind of heavy work, and that’ll cost a pretty penny. I have been debating just to say “f- it” and sell the knives as is, but I really do like how tall the gyuto is and the profile and weight on the petty. Decisions decisions...


----------



## tostadas

Carl Kotte said:


> Who/What holds the phone when you record?


----------



## ian

Carl Kotte said:


> Who/What holds the phone when you record?



Looks like an armpit recording. 

That apple vid is brutal.  My Heiji petty also sucks at cutting apples -- it doesn't so much cut them as explode them -- but it's better than that. Mine's thin bte, but still wedgy as hell. Might convex grind it at some point, or just only use it for meat.


----------



## daveb

I picked up a Heiji petty early on - dammy, ku, $450 some ten years ago. It couldn't cut an apple without wedging. I really wanted to like it but couldn't.


----------



## M1k3

Standard direct order Heiji is a project knife. Hands down.

At a minimum the spine and choil need some rounding and smoothing. And a quick running the edge on a sharpening stone.

Worst case thinning and rounding the shoulders/shinogi. Reinstalling the handle to be straight.

Generally the spine is straight and no holes the edge though. And the handle is made correctly.


----------



## Chang

Carl Kotte said:


> Who/What holds the phone when you record?


 
Doesn’t everyone hold their phone with their mouth like a dog whenever you shoot cutting vids?


----------



## Carl Kotte

Chang said:


> Doesn’t everyone hold their phone with their mouth like a dog whenever you shoot cutting vids?


Ah, cool! I’ve never done so, but now I Will! Thanks!


----------



## Chang

Alright guys, I’ve been talking with Bazes about fixing these Heiji’s I have. The gyuto is straight forward enough, but I’m starting to think my petty is a dud…or at least it’s more suited for a left handed person. Here’s the choil shot again:






Whaddya guys think? Should I just sell this as is and forget about it? Or should I drastically change the grind? Can anybody that owns a Heiji petty show me their choil shots? Thanks!


----------



## tcmx3

Chang said:


> Alright guys, I’ve been talking with Bazes about fixing these Heiji’s I have. The gyuto is straight forward enough, but I’m starting to think my petty is a dud…or at least it’s more suited for a left handed person. Here’s the choil shot again:
> 
> View attachment 157002
> 
> 
> Whaddya guys think? Should I just sell this as is and forget about it? Or should I drastically change the grind?



the Yamamoto I mentioned to you is ground like that. when I looked at it, I thought I was in for a bad time, but in practice it actually works REALLY well. brutally hard aogami super means I will not be thinning it myself the first time though lmao


----------



## refcast

Chang said:


> Alright guys, I’ve been talking with Bazes about fixing these Heiji’s I have. The gyuto is straight forward enough, but I’m starting to think my petty is a dud…or at least it’s more suited for a left handed person. Here’s the choil shot again:
> 
> View attachment 157002
> 
> 
> Whaddya guys think? Should I just sell this as is and forget about it? Or should I drastically change the grind?




The knife was probably sharpened at the Heiji shop to expose even amount of cladding on both sides. It was forged lefty, so it got sharpened that way. . . .even exposure of core steel is usually a higher priority than symmetry of grind for many makers. . . Takada the sharpener is an exception, and there are others.

Many knives I've gotten like your heiji petty . . . Yoshihiro white 2 kurouchi, Hide gyuto, Denka (yes, annoyingly), my Heiji ( not at the choil, but along the rest of the blade), a old stock famous maker nakiri . . . .

As far as I know the only way is to thin higher up the blade, or shorten the height to recenter the edge more in the middle of the blade, which will shift the exposure if the core steel more to one side. Of course if this is too extreme then the core steel won't show . . . But you should be fine as long as it's not going to be a single bevel geometry.


I would install it with the choil more perpendicular to the handle, and thin the sides of the knife to address any extra thickness in the left side. Worst case scenario is the right is forged hollow and the left bulges out . . . I've gotten at least one knife that way


----------



## xxxclx

Chang said:


> Alright guys, I’ve been talking with Bazes about fixing these Heiji’s I have. The gyuto is straight forward enough, but I’m starting to think my petty is a dud…or at least it’s more suited for a left handed person. Here’s the choil shot again:
> 
> View attachment 157002
> 
> 
> Whaddya guys think? Should I just sell this as is and forget about it? Or should I drastically change the grind? Can anybody that owns a Heiji petty show me their choil shots? Thanks!



Maybe have a lefty test drive that knife for a couple of days, then decide if you want to significantly modify the grind?


----------



## Chang

xxxclx said:


> Maybe have a lefty test drive that knife for a couple of days, then decide if you want to significantly modify the grind?



wish I knew a lefty near me…time to put out a casting call!


----------



## stringer

Chang said:


> Alright guys, I’ve been talking with Bazes about fixing these Heiji’s I have. The gyuto is straight forward enough, but I’m starting to think my petty is a dud…or at least it’s more suited for a left handed person. Here’s the choil shot again:
> 
> View attachment 157002
> 
> 
> Whaddya guys think? Should I just sell this as is and forget about it? Or should I drastically change the grind? Can anybody that owns a Heiji petty show me their choil shots? Thanks!



How long is it? Reverse grind could be nice for a peeler/in-hand knife


----------



## Chang

stringer said:


> How long is it? Reverse grind could be nice for a peeler/in-hand knife


 185x35


----------



## cawilson6072

I was actually thinking (being a lefty) that it has some marks of a single bevel petty (though it's not - of course; no urasuki on the "back" side). It would be sort of an interesting thing for proteins on the board where I don't want to get my shirogami 2 yanagi into the action (seared steaks and sesame crusted tuna) and it would be interesting to work that right face (looking down at the spine) flat or even hollowing it out. But that doesn't help you much as a righty. Point is, I don't think that I would try to cure it - I would probably live with it for atypical petty work (luckily this is a 185mm and a bit tall) or move it along to someone in their right mind (old lefty joke!). 

I'm very sorry - it's a big letdown after the time and money investment that you have here.


----------



## deskjockey

I'm not trying to be harsh or overly critical but, more recent posts seem to mention a lot of things that need to be "fixed" with these Heiji knives. Being handmade, I wonder if the maker is aging out and losing his skill, or at least the finer details, of his knifemaking due to age-related issues.

I get the Internet can be overly critical but, Heiji knives seem to be on the upper end of the mainstream price scale so, new owners are going to be pretty critical and picky IMHO. COVID-related spending surcharges might also be a factor pushing higher production volumes with more stress and strain to maintain older standards as well.

Again, I'm not really trying to be overly critical but, I am curious about all the fandom versus what I consider to be a negative comment trend.


----------



## Giovanny Torres

deskjockey said:


> I'm not trying to be harsh or overly critical but, more recent posts seem to mention a lot of things that need to be "fixed" with these Heiji knives. Being handmade, I wonder if the maker is aging out and losing his skill, or at least the finer details, of his knifemaking due to age-related issues.
> 
> I get the Internet can be overly critical but, Heiji knives seem to be on the upper end of the mainstream price scale so, new owners are going to be pretty critical and picky IMHO. COVID-related spending surcharges might also be a factor pushing higher production volumes with more stress and strain to maintain older standards as well.
> 
> Again, I'm not really trying to be overly critical but, I am curious about all the fandom versus what I consider to be a negative comment trend.


I wouldn't say the price is upper end, at least directly is cheaper than a Mazaki ku in the UK.


----------



## ian

deskjockey said:


> Heiji knives seem to be on the upper end of the mainstream price scale so, new owners are going to be pretty critical and picky IMHO.



Idk what the prices are like now, but the steel is absolutely killer, like on par with anything. And the prices at least used to be lower than many other handmade knives. Problems with the grind and f&f can usually be fixed. Or you can buy a Gesshin Heiji.


----------



## silylanjie

Last month I adding a SS Gyuto 240mm to my current order, the price was:

Gyuto240mm semi-stainless ¥27,500 JPY (around $240 USD)
Shipping and fee is ¥2,940 JPY (around $25 USD)
My order is expected to arrive in end of January/ early February


----------



## tcmx3

ian said:


> Idk what the prices are like now, but the steel is absolutely killer, like on par with anything. And the prices at least used to be lower than many other handmade knives. Problems with the grind and f&f can usually be fixed. Or you can buy a Gesshin Heiji.



stock has been pretty skim lately. I mean I know Jon (and all the other retailers) is doing what he can but I remember back in the day you could get most of the line at any time and now it's very slim pickings, especially if you desire carbon or ku plus the better f&f of the Gesshin line =/


----------



## deskjockey

When I asked a few months back, my order would be ~$325USD plus shipping which was pretty high.

For $350~$400, there are a lot of good options to choose from.


----------



## JASinIL2006

ian said:


> Idk what the prices are like now, but the steel is absolutely killer, like on par with anything. And the prices at least used to be lower than many other handmade knives. Problems with the grind and f&f can usually be fixed. Or you can buy a Gesshin Heiji.



What is the difference between getting the Heiji direct vs. getting a Gesshin Heiji? I know the Gesshin line is sold through JKI, but I'm not sure what is the difference....

Thanks!


----------



## M1k3

JASinIL2006 said:


> What is the difference between getting the Heiji direct vs. getting a Gesshin Heiji? I know the Gesshin line is sold through JKI, but I'm not sure what is the difference....
> 
> Thanks!


No easing of the spine and choil needed. Other quality control issues, that may be there, are taken care of also.


----------



## Barmoley

M1k3 said:


> No easing of the spine and choil needed. Other quality control issues, that may be there, are taken care of also.


From the ones I've seen also bevels nicely flat, handles installed straight. Basically, what you want to do to the one you get from Heiji to make it really nice is taken care of. Very little inventory though. I used to have one where Jon also thinned it a little and shoulders were a little higher and smoother. That was a very good one, but the extra work was done after from what I understand so not part of the normal line.


----------



## nyc

I’ve one each from JKI (semi stainless) and Heiji (carbon). The Gesshin Heiji as many know came with it’s spine and choil rounded off and polished. Bevels (grind), handle install and all that was dead on. So it absolutely required no work.
The Heiji direct was the same with the exception of the spine and choil being a little rough along the edges, which can be easily addressed in a couple of minutes - unless one wants it to look like the Gesshin version.
The main difference between the two is in the grind. The Gesshin Heiji is ground slightly thinner, which Jon mentioned when we exchanged a couple of emails. This was borne out when I received my carbon direct, which is slightly more substantial - obvious just from looking at the thicker spine as it emerges from the handle.


----------



## JBroida

i can also chime in here... i know we are more expensive for sure... its a function of the wholesale price we get, shipping, customs and duties, running a store, etc. So, we do our best to make that worthwhile. We order from him with specific requests that lean towards my preferences, fix handle installation issues, round and polish the spine and choil, clean up the sides of the knife a bit (the can sometimes come a bit rough... but we still try to leave the general look/feel that makes it a heiji), and we do a complete wide bevel sharpening, which helps deal with the high and low spots and the generally quite brittle out of the box edge. Also, just the normal QC we do here. If people have specific requests, we also try to accommodate those when we can.


----------



## Justablacktee

Quick respond from heiji, 4 months exactly after my purchase 

210 semi-stainless with enju wood handle and few more ready to be shipped… can’t wait !


----------



## WiriWiri

Looks grand @Justablacktee - shouldn’t be too long now, Hope you get the full packaging and obligatory origami crane

Really enjoying my suji so far, becoming all too keen to make slices out of the Xmas roasts and hams. Original edge holding up so far, but it’s not exactly banging the board on a frequent basis. It’s prettily heftily forward balanced and certainly carries some authority into cuts, but the edge is anything but crude. Steel feels nice.

Even dropped Mr Heiji a brief confirmation of receipt and a belated thank you, giving him a little return fire for all the teasing photos at the same time.






I think he appreciated the effort/affectation of precariously balancing a lengthy suji on a korean fir, underneath the archangel Ziggy. Ot at the least his speedy ‘wonderful‘ response seemed less curt and more full of exclamation marks than before

Would happily order from Heiji again, albeit I’ll probably avoid the chunky petty option.


----------



## Eloh

M1k3 said:


> Standard direct order Heiji is a project knife. Hands down.



At least they are reasonable priced for what they are though in contrast to certain other makers hehe
Mine ss 240mm i ordered a few years ago was pretty good oob though


----------



## silylanjie

Very exciting when he shares the in progress pictures, my order will be expected to ship early February.


----------



## MowgFace

Justablacktee said:


> Quick respond from heiji, 4 months exactly after my purchase
> 
> 210 semi-stainless with enju wood handle and few more ready to be shipped… can’t wait !
> 
> View attachment 159377



How is the geometry with this? LOOOOVE his Enju Handles.


----------



## Justablacktee

MowgFace said:


> How is the geometry with this?



Haven’t received it yet… I asked for more taper towards the knife, don’t know if it has been forged that way but it looks like he grind it with taller bevel at the tip compare to the heel.

he also sent me this








MowgFace said:


> LOOOOVE his Enju Handles.



Yeah! Wanted to have something different than the burnt chestnut installed on the knife… but didn’t stoped me to buy several of them to upgrade some of my other knives


----------



## adam92

Never see lefty Heiji yanagiba before, I would really like to see one here!


----------



## Justablacktee

MowgFace said:


> How is the geometry with this?



So! After a little month of use the knife definitively need some thinning / shoulder easing.

Going like @M1k3 to a full convex hamaguriba with bench stone thinning.


----------



## Giovanny Torres

I just received my 240 ss gyuto today, as mentioned before choil and spine need some easing but overall is a beautiful knife.
I'll try today at work and decide about the bevels, but choil suggests that it will need some work.


----------



## daniel_il

Got my update 
Height looking quite decent


----------



## 4wa1l

daniel_il said:


> Got my update
> Height looking quite decentView attachment 172219


The nakiri looks great. Is it a 180 SS?


----------



## daniel_il

4wa1l said:


> The nakiri looks great. Is it a 180 SS?



both carbon. 240 gyuto&180 nakiri

Originally i was asking for kurouchi finish nakiri but seems its was misunderstanding


----------



## deskjockey

daniel_il said:


> both carbon. 240 gyuto&180 nakiri
> 
> Originally i was asking for kurouchi finish nakiri but seems its was misunderstanding



Isn't that done as part of the final heat treat?


----------



## Corradobrit1

deskjockey said:


> Isn't that done as part of the final heat treat?


Heat treat tempers the blade. The Ku is formed during the forging process. Then there's a 'pickling' process that can affect the final finish of the Ku skin. At least thats how I understand things.


----------



## daniel_il

deskjockey said:


> Isn't that done as part of the final heat treat?



not an expert but is assume the KU is the most basic finish because its part of the forging residue. in this case the knives look pretty much done. sharpened and fully polished.


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## daniel_il

Both knives are with me for a week. Gyuto came about 247*53 and nakiri 185*54.

both came fairly sharp and almost zero grind. The gyuto will need thinning at the tip(could use some more taper) and pushing the shinogi a bit higher.

The nakiri is excellent cutter, moves through food similar to watanabe pro but feels more agile due to the height. The kind of knife that get stuck in the board.

the choil came rounded, the spine was very sharp but fixed with dremel and elbow grease.

the pics showing the gyuto after polishing, the nakiri bevels is the original.




Nakiri:




gyuto:


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## deskjockey

What was the delivery timeframe like? Ballpark cost on a similar Nakiri with today's messed up shortages and crazy shipping rates?


----------



## cawilson6072

deskjockey said:


> What was the delivery timeframe like? Ballpark cost on a similar Nakiri with today's messed up shortages and crazy shipping rates?



I've been wondering the same (or similar) regarding benchmark costs for direct artisan-to-consumer knives in the current market. I also wasn't sure that it was appropriate to share price quotes given by the artisan, in this case Nakaya Heiji, in case they consider it proprietary and competitive information. But I am curious what a knife purchased last year vs. this year would have seen in terms of price increase (maybe there is enough information out there on a 240 semi-stainless or carbon gyuto to benchmark price increases). 

As stated, the question by @deskjockey is good IMO...I'm not sure my broader benchmarking curiosity is appropriate for open discussion in the forum. But I'm curious...it's a fairly clean (which is both straight forward and very limited) way to understand artisan made consumer products and help us to appreciate retail prices, resultingly.


----------



## daniel_il

production time 4 months. delivery time 5 days with EMS. shipping and paypal fees was 6520jpy(for both knives).

mine ordered in November 21.


----------



## deskjockey

cawilson6072 said:


> I've been wondering the same (or similar) regarding benchmark costs for direct artisan-to-consumer knives in the current market. I also wasn't sure that it was appropriate to share price quotes given by the artisan, in this case Nakaya Heiji, in case they consider it proprietary and competitive information. But I am curious what a knife purchased last year vs. this year would have seen in terms of price increase (maybe there is enough information out there on a 240 semi-stainless or carbon gyuto to benchmark price increases).
> 
> As stated, the question by @deskjockey is good IMO...I'm not sure my broader benchmarking curiosity is appropriate for open discussion in the forum. But I'm curious...it's a fairly clean (which is both straight forward and very limited) way to understand artisan made consumer products and help us to appreciate retail prices, resultingly.



With custom or semi-custom knives, prices will vary due to different requests by the consumer so, that is why I generally say "approximate" costs or "price range" because someone may want a burnt Cherrywood handle versus something else with a Water Buffalo ferule or something else like a Saya ... Nothing is really absolute but, a general trend will let most people know whether the price is in their range of expectations and affordability.

Specifically, it does me no good to order a knife if I won't see it in 12 to 36+ months. The same goes if I have $250 and the artisan in question normally sells in the $500 range; why waste their time and mine if buying isn't really an option due solely to price/affordability for that that specific consumer/buyer?


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## cawilson6072

deskjockey said:


> With custom or semi-custom knives, prices will vary due to different requests by the consumer so, that is why I generally say "approximate" costs or "price range" because someone may want a burnt Cherrywood handle versus something else with a Water Buffalo ferule or something else like a Saya ... Nothing is really absolute but, a general trend will let most people know whether the price is in their range of expectations and affordability.
> 
> Specifically, it does me no good to order a knife if I won't see it in 12 to 36+ months. The same goes if I have $250 and the artisan in question normally sells in the $500 range; why waste their time and mine if buying isn't really an option due solely to price/affordability for that that specific consumer/buyer?



For what it's worth to your first case, I also ordered a knife in the Fall (October 2021) and delivery was estimated at 4 months and that was essentially the case.


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## BillHanna

deskjockey said:


> The same goes if I have $250 and the artisan in question normally sells in the $500 range; why waste their time and mine if buying isn't really an option due solely to price/affordability for that that specific consumer/buyer?


THIS. I feel like you can only gauge prices for some in the secondary market, due to people not talking about the cost, even in general.

On Reddit, a guide was made for Swedish makers. That helped me decide to get my Spåre. I got some knives, he got a new customer.

I’m aware I could ask privately what someone paid, but putting publicly a price range is nice, as well.


----------



## labor of love

Sucks to hear Heiji won’t do higher shinogi anymore. Here’s my old custom high shinogi next to regular heiji.


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## Knife.Knut

daniel_il said:


> Both knives are with me for a week. Gyuto came about 247*53 and nakiri 185*54.
> 
> both came fairly sharp and almost zero grind. The gyuto will need thinning at the tip(could use some more taper) and pushing the shinogi a bit higher.
> 
> The nakiri is excellent cutter, moves through food similar to watanabe pro but feels more agile due to the height. The kind of knife that get stuck in the board.
> 
> the choil came rounded, the spine was very sharp but fixed with dremel and elbow grease.
> 
> the pics showing the gyuto after polishing, the nakiri bevels is the original.
> View attachment 174994
> 
> Nakiri:
> View attachment 174995
> 
> gyuto:
> View attachment 174996


Did you make any specific requests regarding the finishing? It appears that the finishing is more refined, from the looks of that choil. I'm thinking of placing an order and want to be clear about what to expect and what I need to specify. Thanks.


----------



## daniel_il

Hrayson said:


> Did you make any specific requests regarding the finishing? It appears that the finishing is more refined, from the looks of that choil. I'm thinking of placing an order and want to be clear about what to expect and what I need to specify. Thanks.



Iv'e asked for rounding the choil and spine. also for higher heel than usual..

the choil came rounded but spine was sharp, iv'e spent a few hours rounding the spine, polishing the bevels and sealing the nakiri handle. little bit of elbow grease but nothing too hard to fix.


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## Knife.Knut

daniel_il said:


> Iv'e asked for rounding the choil and spine. also for higher heel than usual..
> 
> the choil came rounded but spine was sharp, iv'e spent a few hours rounding the spine, polishing the bevels and sealing the nakiri handle. little bit of elbow grease but nothing too hard to fix.


Excellent! I guess I can request for the handle to be loosely attached in anticipation of doing some work on it.


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## M1k3

Hrayson said:


> Excellent! I guess I can request for the handle to be loosely attached in anticipation of doing some work on it.


Even if you don't, it's easily removed by knocking it off with a board and hammer.


----------



## Shay

Hi friends ,
Got my Heiji nakiri after 3 months of waiting for EMS 
I am thinking to take up the shinogi line on the right side 
Take off the shoulders 
Two questions please:
1. I can do it with stones? 
2. I don’t know how to do convex grind, I believe I can do nice work On flatting but not put convex grind, that crucial?
Also the handle not straight , need to rehandle …
Thanks, and sorry for my lazy English


----------



## M1k3

1. Yes you can. Some painters tape on KU will help prevent scratches that will most likely happen.

1. Instead of thinking how to convex grind, think grinding a new flat plane, basically raising the shinogi line above where the shoulders are now and the other end of the plane about halfway between the original shinogi and the cladding line. After creating this plane, blending it into the original one towards the cutting edge, and blending it into the blade face on the other side.


----------



## Shay

Thanks  
so if I understand , I don’t need to make convex grind I believe it will be more as scandi ?


----------



## deskjockey

To make a convex grind at home, most people are going to use a "mousepad" with various sharpening sheets or a thin strop with some polishing compound.

If you 'thin the shoulders' and then sharpen at a normal angle, you can approximate a convex edge, especially when you 'wipe' the burr off the edge.

99.999% of people use a flat stone at 10~15 degrees per side which is fine as well. I would not call it Scandi because you aren't sharpening from the side all the way to the edge at the same angle when you thin the sides and then put a working edge on it at a second angle.


----------



## Knife.Knut

Is he usually tardy with the email responses? Wrote in n got a quote the very next day. Replied to put in an order n haven't heard back for a week.


----------



## Runner_up

I've found that they generally respond pretty quickly, but sometimes messages get lost or slip through the cracks. 

Just send a follow up note - it's not like your pestering them.


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## Knife.Knut

Runner_up said:


> I've found that they generally respond pretty quickly, but sometimes messages get lost or slip through the cracks.
> 
> Just send a follow up note - it's not like your pestering them.


He replied today. Getting invoiced. All good.


----------



## RockyBasel

daniel_il said:


> Iv'e asked for rounding the choil and spine. also for higher heel than usual..
> 
> the choil came rounded but spine was sharp, iv'e spent a few hours rounding the spine, polishing the bevels and sealing the nakiri handle. little bit of elbow grease but nothing too hard to fix.


Did they actually give you a higher heel? My understanding was that you can ask, but they give you what they like


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## Knife.Knut

RockyBasel said:


> Did they actually give you a higher heel? My understanding was that you can ask, but they give you what they like


That's pretty much the truth. You never know what u are getting between 50-54.


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## daniel_il

RockyBasel said:


> Did they actually give you a higher heel? My understanding was that you can ask, but they give you what they like



he said the highest he can guarantee is about 50mm but both came fairly tall about 53~


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## Choppin

Anyone ever tried a Heiji 180 gyuto?

I loved my 180 Shig and foolishly sold it. Thinking a Heiji could be a good substitute (low bevels, hefty, spicy steel) but haven’t seen many around… his website says he does them though.


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## McMan

Choppin said:


> Anyone ever tried a Heiji 180 gyuto?
> 
> I loved my 180 Shig and foolishly sold it. Thinking a Heiji could be a good substitute (low bevels, hefty, spicy steel) but haven’t seen many around… his website says he does them though.


I tried one. Good not great. A bit short to reap the benefits of his grind. IMO Heiji shines at ~240mm. For a 180mm, I like something more nimble.


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## Choppin

McMan said:


> I tried one. Good not great. A bit short to reap the benefits of his grind. IMO Heiji shines at ~240mm. For a 180mm, I like something more nimble.


Thanks, that makes sense…


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## baggyjorts

Finally pulled the trigger on a 210 SS suji with a chestnut D hande (well, finally did 4 months ago). Will be putting to use today for the first time, very pleased with it at first glance though.

213x38 mm
140 g


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## refcast

@Choppin

I compared my 180mm heiji santoku and 270mm heiji gyuto and they were more similar than different -- the heiji santoku was actually really quite thin and almost whispy and thinned out quickly from the choil and handle. But I may have ordered it thinner, since I told him I like lighter knives but he can do whatever he thinks is best. This was many years ago, and I sold both.


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## Choppin

refcast said:


> @Choppin
> 
> I compared my 180mm heiji santoku and 270mm heiji gyuto and they were more similar than different -- the heiji santoku was actually really quite thin and almost whispy and thinned out quickly from the choil and handle. But I may have ordered it thinner, since I told him I like lighter knives but he can do whatever he thinks is best. This was many years ago, and I sold both.


that's interesting! thanks


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## refcast

@Choppin 

The santoku was his semistainless, and i gifted it to a relative

One of the best cutting knives I've ever used.


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## superworrier

Finally my 270mm suji has shipped. Pretty much 4 months bang on as he quoted. Wonder if he just does an extended rest with the blades?

I saw this snippet on the website which intrigued me:

"The 6th generation (current), Osamu Takeishi, has been apprenticed to the 5th generation since January 2003. He started making cutlery. In February of the same year, he became an apprentice at Yoshikane Cutlery Factory in Sanjo City, Niigata, where he continues to this day."

From 会社概要 | 伝統の打刃物　中屋平治

Which implies he still works at Yoshikane, as well as making his own knives That's kind of interesting if true, but I wonder if it's just a bad translation or old info. But maybe it's more likely it's out of date, because he is in Ibaraki, which is not close to Sanjo.


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## MrHiggins

I'm thinking of ordering a carbon 240 gyuto direct from Heiji. For those of you who have done this recently, what were the specs? Specifically, I'm curious about heel height and weight. Thanks for all the info!


----------



## JayGee

superworrier said:


> Finally my 270mm suji has shipped. Pretty much 4 months bang on as he quoted. Wonder if he just does an extended rest with the blades?
> 
> I saw this snippet on the website which intrigued me:
> 
> "The 6th generation (current), Osamu Takeishi, has been apprenticed to the 5th generation since January 2003. He started making cutlery. In February of the same year, he became an apprentice at Yoshikane Cutlery Factory in Sanjo City, Niigata, where he continues to this day."
> 
> From 会社概要 | 伝統の打刃物　中屋平治
> 
> Which implies he still works at Yoshikane, as well as making his own knives That's kind of interesting if true, but I wonder if it's just a bad translation or old info. But maybe it's more likely it's out of date, because he is in Ibaraki, which is not close to Sanjo.


AFAIK Heiji is more famous for saws than for knives. Maybe that has something to do with it..?


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## Choppin

superworrier said:


> Finally my 270mm suji has shipped.


Have you received and tried it already? I just ordered one and I’m curious to how they perform. 

@MrHiggins from what I have seen around, his 240 are usually 245x51 or so. I’ve seen a few taller ones, like 53-54, but they are not the rule. Weight is usually 240-250


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## superworrier

Choppin said:


> Have you received and tried it already? I just ordered one and I’m curious to how they perform.
> 
> @MrHiggins from what I have seen around, his 240 are usually 245x51 or so. I’ve seen a few taller ones, like 53-54, but they are not the rule. Weight is usually 240-250



Yes I dig it (especially the weight). Fit and finish is not refined, but functional. I have yet to try it on a denser, chilled fatty meat though, but a heavier gyuto may be more ideal for that. However, my hana suji works great for that (specifically chashu)


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## superworrier

Here it is


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## Choppin

Looks great!


superworrier said:


> Here it is


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## binsed

A gesshin heiji gyuto and a nakiri I just received directly from Japan. Definitely can appreciate the work JKI puts in compared to direct. Ordered the nakiri back in July in hopes of EMS opening up shipping to Canada and coincidentally it did just as the nakiri was being finished.


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## zizirex

i am still waiting for my Carbon Gyuto, hopefully it will come around 4 more months


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## RockyBasel

binsed said:


> A gesshin heiji gyuto and a nakiri I just received directly from Japan. Definitely can appreciate the work JKI puts in compared to direct. Ordered the nakiri back in July in hopes of EMS opening up shipping to Canada and coincidentally it did just as the nakiri was being finished.
> 
> View attachment 209003


These look really sweet / what does JKI do over heiji direct?


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## M1k3

RockyBasel said:


> These look really sweet / what does JKI do over heiji direct?


Smooth out the spine and choil. Make sure handles are installed straight. Just a general QC once over.


----------



## MowgFace

M1k3 said:


> Smooth out the spine and choil. Make sure handles are installed straight. Just a general QC once over.



They also do a full bevel flattening and sharpening. My spines and choils have been fully rounded. Not just smoothed fwiw.


----------



## myguidingmoonlight

RockyBasel said:


> These look really sweet / what does JKI do over heiji direct?


 My Gesshin Heiji came with a stone-ready bevel, eased shoulders, mirror-polished core steel, and mirror-polished choil and spine; as well as a straight handle installment.

Saves you a lot of headaches in doing all those things yourself.


----------



## RockyBasel

myguidingmoonlight said:


> My Gesshin Heiji came with a stone-ready bevel, eased shoulders, mirror-polished core steel, and mirror-polished choil and spine; as well as a straight handle installment.
> 
> Saves you a lot of headaches in doing all those things yourself.


Is it also thinned out compared to standard heiji - is the weight the same or is it lighter?


----------



## myguidingmoonlight

RockyBasel said:


> Is it also thinned out compared to standard heiji - is the weight the same or is it lighter?


Mine is 220 x 50, I didn't have a scale before I sold it, so I'm not entirely sure.

It IS thin, great at processing onions, and although not an amazing carrot cutter it is not as bad as I would have expected. 

It sucks for cutting apples, though.


----------



## binsed

RockyBasel said:


> These look really sweet / what does JKI do over heiji direct?



See below..



myguidingmoonlight said:


> My Gesshin Heiji came with a stone-ready bevel, eased shoulders, mirror-polished core steel, and mirror-polished choil and spine; as well as a straight handle installment.
> 
> Saves you a lot of headaches in doing all those things yourself.



I got it from him. Weight is 184 g. I did do a quick polish on the bevel as well. Cuts very well.

I’ll prob do some work on the nakiri as well after I use it a bit. I did sand the spine and choil since it was really rough.


----------



## Choppin

Just received this teaser from mr Nakaya. 270 spicy and 180 SS sujis, ready to ship. He actually finished them a bit earlier than the promised 4 months.


----------



## ahhactive

Choppin said:


> Just received this teaser from mr Nakaya. 270 spicy and 180 SS sujis, ready to ship. He actually finished them a bit earlier than the promised 4 months.


Wow that Kurouchi finish is nice. I got the migaki one, 300mm


----------



## MrHiggins

Choppin said:


> View attachment 215606
> Just received this teaser from mr Nakaya. 270 spicy and 180 SS sujis, ready to ship. He actually finished them a bit earlier than the promised 4 months.


So nice! Congrats! 

May I ask when you put in your order? I ordered mine in mid October (extra tall 240 carbon migaki gyuto). I'm hoping for a February or March delivery date.


----------



## Choppin

ahhactive said:


> Wow that Kurouchi finish is nice. I got the migaki one, 300mmView attachment 215607


That looks fantastic... how does it cut? Did you do any work on it?

Yeah I though the KU finish would be fun... I like that his KU is on the smoother side, sorta like Watanabe's.


----------



## Choppin

MrHiggins said:


> So nice! Congrats!
> 
> May I ask when you put in your order? I ordered mine in mid October (extra tall 240 carbon migaki gyuto). I'm hoping for a February or March delivery date.


Thanks! Sure, I paid for my order on September 9th and got an email from him the next day confirming receipt... "I will do my best for your knives"  

I didn't ask for anything specific. Just the KU finish on the larger suji.


----------



## Choppin

---


----------



## ahhactive

Choppin said:


> That looks fantastic... how does it cut? Did you do any work on it?
> 
> Yeah I though the KU finish would be fun... I like that his KU is on the smoother side, sorta like Watanabe's.


Mine came with slight cosmetic wabisabi but nothing major. Sent it to a friend for a full body polish and easing of the shoulder slightly. Ootb it cuts awesome but even better after the treatment.


----------



## daniel_il

ahhactive said:


> Mine came with slight cosmetic wabisabi but nothing major. Sent it to a friend for a full body polish and easing of the shoulder slightly. Ootb it cuts awesome but even better after the treatment.


Perfect steak u got there


----------



## daveb

Choppin said:


> View attachment 215606
> Just received this teaser from mr Nakaya. 270 spicy and 180 SS sujis, ready to ship. He actually finished them a bit earlier than the promised 4 months.


Like!


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## ahhactive

daniel_il said:


> Perfect steak u got there


Thank you! Cant go wrong with reverse sear


----------



## Yamabushi

Nice to see Heiji activity still thriving! Got my first two Heiji SS gyuto (250mm) and petty (125mm) back in 2013. Ordered direct as I live in Tokyo. Still absolutely loving them! That being said, I always wondered about Heiji's carbon steel. So after far too much delay, finally contacted them again and ordered another 250mm gyuto this time in carbon. I placed my order at the very end of November, expected ETA is the end of January. Will definitely report back upon the new knife's arrival.


----------



## Choppin

Anyone tried a Heiji Honesuki? 

I’m looking for a Honesuki and thinking Heiji would be a good candidate… wabisabi and thick grind wouldn’t be a problem for this model and probably wouldn’t be too expensive either


----------



## M1k3

Choppin said:


> Anyone tried a Heiji Honesuki?
> 
> I’m looking for a Honesuki and thinking Heiji would be a good candidate… wabisabi and thick grind wouldn’t be a problem for this model and probably wouldn’t be too expensive either


@ian


----------



## ian

@Ochazuke has it now. Badass knife. I was a real fan. I had the Gesshin version, which had great F&F too, but I wouldn’t hesitate to order direct either.


----------



## Choppin

ian said:


> @Ochazuke has it now. Badass knife. I was a real fan. I had the Gesshin version, which had great F&F too, but I wouldn’t hesitate to order direct either.


Thanks!


----------



## Ochazuke

ian said:


> @Ochazuke has it now. Badass knife. I was a real fan. I had the Gesshin version, which had great F&F too, but I wouldn’t hesitate to order direct either.


I do still have it! It’s a great knife.

We go through about 3 cs of whole chickens daily, so it sees a lot of use. I personally like it because it’s a single bevel, but most of my staff prefer the asymmetrical double bevel styles. The steel is great. Can’t recommend it enough!


----------



## Choppin

Ochazuke said:


> I do still have it! It’s a great knife.
> 
> We go through about 3 cs of whole chickens daily, so it sees a lot of use. I personally like it because it’s a single bevel, but most of my staff prefer the asymmetrical double bevel styles. The steel is great. Can’t recommend it enough!


Thanks, I have emailed Heiji about ordering one directly.


----------



## labor of love

Yamabushi said:


> Nice to see Heiji activity still thriving! Got my first two Heiji SS gyuto (250mm) and petty (125mm) back in 2013. Ordered direct as I live in Tokyo. Still absolutely loving them! That being said, I always wondered about Heiji's carbon steel. So after far too much delay, finally contacted them again and ordered another 250mm gyuto this time in carbon. I placed my order at the very end of November, expected ETA is the end of January. Will definitely report back upon the new knife's arrival.


Heiji carbon steel is…otherworldly. Coffee forced patina rendered the cladding 90% stainless on my last heiji which I highly recommend if you find yourself annoyed by the reactivity.


----------



## deskjockey

Choppin said:


> Thanks, I have emailed Heiji about ordering one directly.


Looking forward to what he says!


----------



## deskjockey

labor of love said:


> Coffee forced patina rendered the cladding 90% stainless on my last heiji which I highly recommend if you find yourself annoyed by the reactivity.


How do you do that?


----------



## labor of love

deskjockey said:


> How do you do that?


Find appropriate pan that can safely hold knife in place. Pour brewed coffee over it to cover, let soak for a couple of hours. Flip knife around to the other side and repeat. 
I haven’t done this myself-but that’s how it was done by the guy I purchased from it from. Also, patina leaves cool dulled grey finish.


----------



## Yamabushi

Interesting... my intention was just to start cutting pineapple, red meat, and chicken with it, but have to admit, I have been interested in the coffee patina idea.


----------



## JASinIL2006

I used instant coffe and made it double strength. I filled a plastic bottle and lowered the blade into it.

The coffee does produce a very durable patina, but I don’t think it’s very attractive. I am envious of some of the colorful patinas I see here.


----------



## MowgFace

@Bcos17 has got a Gyuto and petty available at a GREAT price.






WTS - Heiji 240mm Semi-Stainless Gyuto and 150mm Semi-Stainless Petty


Heiji 240mm Gyuto Steel: Heiji Semi-Stainless Heel to tip: 249mm Height at Heel: 51mm Weight: 217g Heiji 150mm Petty Steel: Heiji Semi-Stainless Heel to tip: 150mm Height at heel: 31mm Weight: 87g I have had these in my closet for some time and never used them. Selling to fund a more...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com





Lurkers on this thread should not wait.


----------



## Choppin

MowgFace said:


> @Bcos17 has got a Gyuto and petty available at a GREAT price.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WTS - Heiji 240mm Semi-Stainless Gyuto and 150mm Semi-Stainless Petty
> 
> 
> Heiji 240mm Gyuto Steel: Heiji Semi-Stainless Heel to tip: 249mm Height at Heel: 51mm Weight: 217g Heiji 150mm Petty Steel: Heiji Semi-Stainless Heel to tip: 150mm Height at heel: 31mm Weight: 87g I have had these in my closet for some time and never used them. Selling to fund a more...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.kitchenknifeforums.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lurkers on this thread should not wait.


I dig the weight and choil shot on the gyuto… seems sliiighty lighter / thinner than usual


----------

