# Ryusen vs Kikuichi?



## bechler (Mar 9, 2012)

Does anyone know much about these two knives I have a TKC and love it but haven't heard much about the Ruysen. I am specifically looking at the 240mm gyuto. 

Ruysen
http://japanesechefsknife.com/RyusenTsuchimeDamascusSeries.html


Compared to the Kikuichi Warikomi Damascus Gyuto 240mm


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## Timthebeaver (Mar 9, 2012)

OEM (rebadge) blade offered by just about every big manufacturer/brand - Yoshihiro, Kanetsune, Togiharu yadda yadda...

The Ryusen is expensive, The Kikuichi an absolute rip-off. JCK Gekko 240mm gyuto is the same blade, $135 in 240mm size.

Edit: Says the Kikuichi is VG5 (cheaper) not VG10. There are 19C27 variants too apparently. Either that or they are all the same and it's BS.


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## tk59 (Mar 9, 2012)

I haven't used 'em but what Timthebeaver stated is a very real possibility.


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## sel1k1 (Mar 9, 2012)

Those are really ugly. Ryusen has other knives on that site that are worth looking at.


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## sel1k1 (Mar 9, 2012)

Holy crap. That is within $15 of the Blazen 240mm. Who would buy that over the Blazen? ><


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## sel1k1 (Mar 9, 2012)

Blazen comes with a saya too. Hmm.


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## zitangy (Mar 10, 2012)

Hattori oems their HD series ( Damascus VG10) from Ryusen. Their Blazen series uses R2 powdered tool steel .. very, very respectable end product.

hv a nice week-end.


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## Bill Burke (Mar 10, 2012)

when I was in the Ryusen factory in 06 they were making these blades in house. yes they were buying the laminate and blanking them out on a punch press like everyone else but were then forging grindind and hardening tempering in house. They could have changed but I doubt it.


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## tk59 (Mar 10, 2012)

zitangy said:


> ...Their Blazen series uses R2 powdered tool steel...


Blazen uses SG2, unless they've changed it recently.


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## supersayan3 (Feb 11, 2015)

I know my reply comes 3 years later, yet I will do it for future reads.

The ryusen has nothing to do with the rest tsuchime damascus knives that everybody here says that it is the same knife rebranded.

I own both Ryusen and Gekko, I love them both, but different class.

Ryusen is the absolut VG-10! Very different than other brands, much better. 
The fit and finish out of this world, mirror polished, more than perfect in general and high aesthetics plus rounded spine.
So sharp out of the box, it slips through everything with its weight and then cuts the pretty hard plastic cutting board and it jams-sticks there, you pull it out.
23,5 cm not 24. 2,4mm thickness at spine in the base and gradually thinning. Feels right for pro workhorse, for home as well.
Fantastc very beautiful knife, highly recommended!

[video=youtube;75IxgdTsNDw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75IxgdTsNDw[/video]

I dont know what the man says, but watch at 00:30 of the video, to understand what I talk about

The Gekko (most likely Kikuichi, Togiharu, etc,) is also very beautiful!
Rustique, aggressive, it has (as somedy wrote once) a little of everything:mirror polish, damascus, hammer finished, patina, shine, kanji by hammer and chisel, and I say the most beautiful gradient at the tip from all knives I have seen.
Very nice profile. Thin spine, most of the way 2mm, but feels for workhorse as well. The most square spine I have seen, but easy to fix with the stones.
24,5cm not 24cm
My Gekko is certified 61Hardness. 
Good the VG-10 core, Ryusen is much better, ideal for first japanese knife, good workhorse, beautiful!


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## corlin (Feb 12, 2020)

Blazen is made by Ryusen


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## bkultra (Feb 12, 2020)

@corlin welcome to the forum. Digging up a really old post.


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