# Yoshikazu Ikeda



## TheCaptain (Feb 6, 2017)

At least one of our vendors carries Master Ikeda's knives but you don't hear a lot about him in the forum except when Honyaki knives get brought up. 

Not sure if a Honyaki is in my future, but I think I should have a few of this gentleman's knives in my rotation. Anyone have thoughts on his work they're willing to share? Any feel for whom he may compare to in terms of fit and finish?

Also does he even make non-Damascus Nakiri? What knife types, if any, does he seem to excel at?


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## YG420 (Feb 6, 2017)

I dont have any experience with his san mai knives, but just picked up a white 2 honyaki from him and been using it for a few weeks straight now and love it. The edge still has a nice bite to it, handled everything I threw at it (although I am a home cook) and doesnt wedge a bit in anything so far. It doesnt have the good food release as a kato, but it isnt horrible either. If you can, Id say go for a honyaki.


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## labor of love (Feb 6, 2017)

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...yone-has-experience-with-them?highlight=Ikeda


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## labor of love (Feb 6, 2017)

I wanted a San mai wh2 gyuto from ikeda until I purchased Sakai jikko, still curious though.


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## TheCaptain (Feb 6, 2017)

Hmmm....

My eye has been on this knife for some time - would love to know who is the smith:

http://www.knivesandstones.com/shinko-kaede-honyaki-gyuto-240mm-triple-spacer-amboyna-burl-handle/

But I'm also eyeing this:
http://bernalcutlery.lightspeedwebs...-20-off-valentines-day-sale-instagram/dp/3031

I'm in love with that floating ink pattern and can't imaging any knife made by this master not being spectacular.

DH gave me a generous budget for a splurge. I'm trying to use it wisely.


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## khashy (Feb 6, 2017)

Check out Shigehiro at buttermilk, not a dammy but gorgeous nonetheless


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## preizzo (Feb 6, 2017)

The Damascus line cut like a dream. The kasumi it's a nice line just need a touch up more often.. &#128522;


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## Krakorak (Feb 6, 2017)

TheCaptain said:


> Hmmm....
> 
> My eye has been on this knife for some time - would love to know who is the smith:
> 
> ...



James from Knivesandstones offered some knives made by Ikeda san and I also thought this one might be made by him, the profile looks quite Ikeda-like, but for instance Shiraki might also be an option, best ask James himself...And Josh from Bernalcutlery is also a big Ikeda "fan", as far as I know from him, the new batch of knives from Ikeda (white nr. 2 san mai, Blue nr. 1 suminigashi and oil quenched white nr. 3 honyakis) should already be on the way to US, I am also really curious which types will be there!


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## Krakorak (Feb 6, 2017)

khashy said:


> Check out Shigehiro at buttermilk, not a dammy but gorgeous nonetheless



There are indices that Sam from Buttermilk will probably finish this business, so don't expect much that he will get any new knives from Ikeda in the future...


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## jkao (Feb 6, 2017)

anyone compared his water quenched honyaki to oil quenched ones?


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## TheCaptain (Feb 6, 2017)

jkao said:


> anyone compared his water quenched honyaki to oil quenched ones?



My mind just froze up thinking about the budget that would require...


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## Krakorak (Feb 6, 2017)

jkao said:


> anyone compared his water quenched honyaki to oil quenched ones?



This is the comment from Josh from Bernalcutlery I got about that: "I like the shiro 3 oil honyaki, it feels hard but not as hard as the white 2 water honyaki. It seems to have less edge life but more toughness than the water quenched white 2. I have seen some customers work thinning and reproofing it and it seems like a very workable steel."


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## chinacats (Feb 6, 2017)

YG420 said:


> I dont have any experience with his san mai knives, but just picked up a white 2 honyaki from him and been using it for a few weeks straight now and love it. The edge still has a nice bite to it, handled everything I threw at it (although I am a home cook) and doesnt wedge a bit in anything so far. It doesnt have the good food release as a kato, but it isnt horrible either. If you can, Id say go for a honyaki.



That looks beautiful! Any chance of a choil shot?


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## YG420 (Feb 7, 2017)

Thanks Chinacats! This is from when it was new.


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## YG420 (Feb 7, 2017)

Sorry, forgot the pic. Its very thin behind the edge


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## chinacats (Feb 7, 2017)

Thanks, looks to be thin as hell above the edge but enough meat behind that to keep it fun.


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## Godslayer (Feb 7, 2017)

YG420 said:


> Sorry, forgot the pic. Its very thin behind the edge



What a beauty


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## jkao (Feb 7, 2017)

I have one of his sanmai knife. Fit and finish isn't the best, and it's not very sharp out of the box. But after touching it up and sanding down some sharp spots it's a fine cutter. I haven't used it very much but no real complaints so far.


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## Badgertooth (Feb 7, 2017)

I really like the way Josh at Bernal talks about knives, he seems to sort of wear them in like raw denim then proffer an opinion.

I am incredibly tempted by the exact same suminagashi offering as you are.


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## Unstoppabo (Feb 7, 2017)

I picked up the last 180 nakiri on EE, very pleased with it. Not sure if they are planning to restock but worth asking. Not a workhorse style nakiri favored by many on KKF but his white steel sharpens up very nicely and it's super thin behind the edge so basically it's like a giant razor. Fit and finish aren't great on the migaki line but nothing that can't be fixed with a little elbow grease. 

Fit and finish on Shigehiro 210 gyuto (Ikeda/Shigehiro collaboration) from Buttermilk a lot better but surprisingly, ootb edge was not sharp. A bit disappointing when the line is named after the sharpener. My Shigehiro is blue #2 and it doesn't feel quite as good on the stones as the nakiri but still excellent and pretty similar to my Toyama. I've seen this noted elsewhere but his gyuto's run a bit short and just an FYI, both came gunked up with that horrible plastic coating.

Very pleased with both knives and if I ever pull the trigger on a honyaki, it will probably be one of his.


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## Krassi (Feb 7, 2017)

Hi i got a 180mm Ao2 Santoku and the steel is like a cracker.. without any super hardcore bevels it looks like a chainsaw.. i will make it more solid in the future but because without any work the blade is very unsolid. It is still with jnat action super sharp but looks like a saw.. very uncool... but i TOTALLY love it!!!! )) so it needs some very serious usefull new grind.


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## jkao (Feb 8, 2017)

This maybe a dumb question, but where are his honyaki gyutos sold? Other than EE I don't see them in stock at very many other places.


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## Krakorak (Feb 8, 2017)

Bernalcutlery has quite regularly some and the Gesshin Ittetsu honyakis (which, however, are in stock very rarely) are also made by him...


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## Iggy (Feb 9, 2017)

Krakorak said:


> ....and the Gesshin Ittetsu honyakis (which, however, are in stock very rarely) are also made by him...



Are you sure about that? 
'cause I have one of the Honyaki Sujihikis and would really like to know where it's from and who made it 

Thanks!

Edit: Talking about this one:
https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...white-2-honyaki-wa-sujihiki-with-ebony-handle

:knife:


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## Krakorak (Feb 9, 2017)

Absolutely sure, I had already a suspicion about that because of the profiles which were very similar to those which Ikeda makes...but Jon from JKI explicitly mentioned it in thread about honaykis few months ago...and confirmed my suspicion..


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## Krakorak (Feb 9, 2017)

By the way - gorgeous blade, is it this one? http://www.messerforum.net/showthre...onyaki-Wa-Sujihiki-Impressionen-eines-Slicers


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## Iggy (Feb 9, 2017)

Krakorak said:


> Absolutely sure, I had already a suspicion about that because of the profiles which were very similar to those which Ikeda makes...but Jon from JKI explicitly mentioned it in thread about honaykis few months ago...and confirmed my suspicion..



Nice thank you! So I don't need to buy another Ikeda cause I'm already covered 

It's a really nice knife by the way...


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## Iggy (Feb 9, 2017)

Exactly that one yes


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## Krakorak (Feb 9, 2017)

I have to admit, I am a bit jealous, as regards the blade:-D..


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## Krakorak (Feb 9, 2017)

By the way - here is the reference, I have found it finally: http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...pected-Honyaki?p=445016&viewfull=1#post445016


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