# 250mm Wa Gyuto For Sale!



## Dave Martell (Mar 5, 2018)

*250mm Wa Gyuto - "Copper" Poly Acrylic - CPM154*


Price - $495




Model - Gyuto
Blade Length - 250mm
Steel - CPM154 (powdered stainless)
Hardness - Rc 61-62 (with cryo)
Height (at heel) - 58mm
Weight - 8.3oz (235g)
Handle Style - Wa (octagonal)
Handle Materials - Poly Acrylic; copper swirl pattern with black pearl ferrule & end cap
Collection - Standard
FREE Lifetime Sharpening included!

Made from CPM154 powdered stainless steel to have great edge retention, and ease of sharpening.

Food separation will be good, primarily as a result of the convex grind, and also assisted by a forward balance where weight is retained in the upper section of the blade as much as possible. 

The spine, although nicely tapered, retains strength and resists flex yet the tip is thinly ground for making proper cuts as required. 

The wa style handle is made from a poly acrylic material. I don't like working with this material much, as it's messy, yet I LOVE the results! This handle is described as having a copper swirl pattern for the main section along with a black pearl ferrule & end cap.

The pairing of a stainless steel blade with a poly acrylic handle makes for a low maintenance worry free package.


_*Please see close up pictures for details._


*Note - this knife is ground very nicely, maybe the nicest I've done that is closest to my vision of what I want to provide. I'm certain that someone is going to put a smile on their face when they use this knife for the first time.* :wink:


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## Dave Martell (Mar 5, 2018)

I welcome your thoughts on this handle.


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## Bill13 (Mar 5, 2018)

I like it a lot. Seems made for a pro environment so I'm curious how grippy does the handle feel?


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## Dave Martell (Mar 5, 2018)

Bill13 said:


> I like it a lot. Seems made for a pro environment so I'm curious how grippy does the handle feel?




Surprisingly grippy actually although a little less so when wet.


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## chinacats (Mar 5, 2018)

I like the idea of doing a ~10" knife...I've cone to the conclusion that is pretty much what I like (250-260). What's the heel height?

Nice looking knife btw, especially good deal too!


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## Dave Martell (Mar 5, 2018)

chinacats said:


> I like the idea of doing a ~10" knife...I've cone to the conclusion that is pretty much what I like (250-260). What's the heel height?
> 
> Nice looking knife btw, especially good deal too!




This one is sorta tall Jim, it's 58mm


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## bkultra (Mar 5, 2018)

Dave Martell said:


> This one is sorta tall Jim, it's 58mm



It's nice to see more and more taller blades. Its very hard to find a quality tall gyuto commercially, often going custom is the only option.

Edit: of course they could buy a Tekeda and have you fix it :wink:


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## Dave Martell (Mar 5, 2018)

:bigeek:


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## Jlc88 (Mar 5, 2018)

Sweet.


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## Dave Martell (Mar 5, 2018)

I forgot to drop a link to the website...

https://martellknives.com/collections/buy/products/250mm-wa-gyuto-copper-poly-acrylic-standard-line


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## Dave Martell (Mar 7, 2018)

:bump:


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## Dave Martell (Mar 9, 2018)

*Price - http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/misc.php?do=bbcode#strike$495http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/misc.php?do=bbcode#strikehttp://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/misc.php?do=bbcode#strike 


New Price - $445

I've got to pay the bills so the price has been lowered. Please take advantage! *


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## Dave Martell (Mar 10, 2018)

*Price - $495 


New Price - $445


FINAL Price drop - $399 



*


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## jaybett (Mar 10, 2018)

PM Sent. 

Jay


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## Dave Martell (Mar 10, 2018)

jaybett said:


> PM Sent.
> 
> Jay




:dance:


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## Dave Martell (Mar 10, 2018)

SPF


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## Dave Martell (Mar 11, 2018)

This one is SOLD - thanks J! :doublethumbsup:


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## charlesquik (Mar 14, 2018)

Also missed that one! Well I will check your subforum regularly


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## Dave Martell (Mar 14, 2018)

charlesquik said:


> Well I will check your subforum regularly




Please do!


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## jaybett (Mar 19, 2018)

Remember the first time you used a Japanese knife? For me it was a Shun Santoku. It was light, nimble, and oh so sharp. A game changer. Stumbling across the forums and finding there was much more to knifes then Global and Shun was another game changer. 

Over the years I've purchased knifes from a variety of makers, Sugimoto, Mizuno, Tadatsuna, Masamoto, Carter, Konosuke, Hattori, Suisin, Takeda. I've appreciated all of the knifes, but none of them gave me the experience of the Shun. 

There comes a point, when you realize that new knifes don't add much to the collection. The current knifes are just as capable as the new knife. Exploring different types of knifes such as honsuke, garasuki, and hankotsu is fun, but they are specialty knifes, not an every day chef knife. 

Seeing a picture of a nice knife always gets my attention. I wonder how would it cut? Probably not better then anything that I already have. Plus gyutos are not my preferred knife. I'm a cleaver guy. Gyutos all have that sleek and sharp look. Cleavers have all the appeal of a stick with a license plate attached to it, but they work for me. 

I have appreciated the pictures of Dave's gyutos for awhile now. Sometimes western makers interpretation of the gyuto can be odd. Dave's looks right to me. 

I don't know how many times I've been impressed by the picture of one of his knifes. I feel the itch to purchase, then think will it add anything to my collection? Gyutos are not my preferred knife, and then look at the price. They are normally well outside my price range. 

We all have different reasons for collecting. At the end of the day, my knifes are tools. My price range is set by my tolerance for loss. It is much easier to live with screwing up a $200 - $300 knife then a $1200 knife. 

Dave put up for sale the 250mm gyuto. Who doesn't like a knife with a red swirly handle? The price was a bit outside my price range. What got my attention besides the handle was the comment about this knife being close to Dave's ideal grind. I could only imagine the number of knifes that have come through Dave's shop to be sharpened. 

The price dropped on the knife and then again. It was in my price range. I was intrigued by the ideal grind comment, so I pulled the trigger. 

I had mixed emotions about the purchase. I was a bit surprised and concerned about the lack of enthusiasm for a Dave knife especially at this price. 

To put the knife through its paces I picked up some tomatoes, onions, potatoes and carrots. Tomatoes especially softer ones are a good challenge. I placed the front of the knife on the tomato and it sank in with no pressure. I've never had that happen. I left the sides of the tomato on the thick side. Very little to no resistance as the knife went through the skin. I've never had a knife as sharp as this one. 

I cut up an onion next and was amazed how thin I was able to get the slices. A cleaver with its size and weight is very good at slicing onions, better then any of the gyutos I've used until this one. I've been able to do a very fine dice with this knife much easier then any of my cleavers. 

I'm excited about the performance but what about the dreaded stiction or food sticking to the sides of the knife? I diced up some large russet potatoes. The knife went through most of the potatoes with hardly any sticking. The few potatoes that stuck fell right off with a light touch. Stiction not an issue. 

What seemed to deter some people from the knife was the poly handle. What would it be like wet? I rinsed the knife and handle. What little water stayed on the handle did not make it slick or cause it to slip. The knife stayed firmly in hand while I diced up an onion. 

The Martell knife has been the closest thing to what I experienced when I picked up a Shun knife all those years ago. A game changer. It redefines what a high performance knife should be. 

How many threads over the years have been about, "If you can only have one knife?". I know I'm still in the honeymoon phase with the Martell knife, but it clearly out performs every other knife in my collection, including my cleavers. I never thought I'd see the day when a gyuto beat out my cleavers. In general I don't think gyutos are better knifes then cleavers, but this Martell kicks ass!

Jay


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## Matus (Mar 19, 2018)

Dave, Jay just compared your knife to a Shun ... :scratchhead: ... :lol2:

Jay, just kidding, I am glad to hear you like the knife, thanks for the report


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## labor of love (Mar 19, 2018)

Jay,
Im glad you like the knife. What I think with regards to the sales and price drops on ready made Martells is that it is kinda hard to make customized handle+steel choices without an actual customer waiting in the wings. Every time I see these price drops all I can think is that someone out there is getting a crazy good deal, if the particular handle materials and steel choice speaks to them. Im glad you found a combo you liked. Ill keep lurking until the right knife pops up(actually I missed out on some that I wouldve enjoyed).
Oh, also I think carbon snobs like myself are starting to dominate the forum so maybe the stainless stuff moves slower &#128512;.


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## jaybett (Mar 19, 2018)

Martell knifes fit my preference for gyutos with a high heel, and the edge angles up to the tip of the knife. Tadatsuna and Gesshin Ginga are good examples of this style. The grind and tip of the Martell knife has been a surprise. 

A number of people have posted in reviews about the tip of the knife was a strength. Some have even ascribed tips as having magical properties. Being a cleaver guy, I thought the whole point was overstated. (Pun somewhat intended.) The front third of the Martell knife has been an absolute joy in cutting up garlic and onions. 

The grind behind the edge is thin and then it convexes out to the spine of the knife. The Martell cuts like a laser but has the heft of a work horse. The convex sides of the knife minimize food sticking to it. There is a bit of distal taper. It can be felt when slicing larger veggies. The further the knife is put through veggies, the more pronounced the convexion becomes, pushing the veggies further apart.

I'm surprised that a knife that performs this well doesn't have a more enthusiastic following. Maybe the hype train has already come on gone on this one and I missed it. I've got a Konosuke HD from JKI, a Tadatsuna, and a Hattori FH Gyuto. Along with a Suisin Inox Honyaki and Zwilling Kramer Meji Santoku. The Martell out performs every one of them, including my cleavers. I didn't think I'd ever see the day when a gyuto out performs a cleaver especially when it comes to chopping. 

I haven't used a Shig, Kato or other current top tier knifes, but I think that the Martell would compare well against them. 

Jay


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## Dave Martell (Mar 19, 2018)

Wow Jay, I don't know what to say besides thanks! That's a thanks for taking the time to write such a nice review and a thanks for your support in purchasing this knife. I'm super happy, and a bit proud as well, to know that you like the knife this much. :happymug:

I have to admit to also being happy to hear about the performance. I've been making big strides with the grind in the last few months, seems like each knife I do is better than the last, more than normally that is. I feel like I'm finally finding my groove and to hear your thoughts helps me immensely in staying on track with my ideas.

I'm also relieved to hear that the handle isn't slippery when wet. 

Thanks again!
Dave


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## Dave Martell (Mar 19, 2018)

jaybett said:


> I'm surprised that a knife that performs this well doesn't have a more enthusiastic following. Maybe the hype train has already come on gone on this one and I missed it.




I've never got a lot of online talk, reviews, or "press" about my knives and I'm not one to boast (well not much anyway) so little is known about them. You didn't miss what isn't there, LOL


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## Dave Martell (Mar 19, 2018)

labor of love said:


> What I think with regards to the sales and price drops on ready made Martells is that it is kinda hard to make customized handle+steel choices without an actual customer waiting in the wings. Every time I see these price drops all I can think is that someone out there is getting a crazy good deal, if the particular handle materials and steel choice speaks to them.



Yup you've got it correct. Me making a knife to sell is a guess on what will sell. So if it doesn't suit anyone's tastes, and bank account, then it sits. Plus add in the fact that I'm (often) in a situation where I have to sell them fast so the price drops and drops until they're gone. It makes for a good deal for the buyer but a bad position for myself. This will change eventually....hopefully sooner than later. 






labor of love said:


> Oh, also I think carbon snobs like myself are starting to dominate the forum so maybe the stainless stuff moves slower &#62976;.



52100 is coming!


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## Nemo (Mar 19, 2018)

Dave Martell said:


> 52100 is coming!



Any thoughts on how it compares to your O1?


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## Dave Martell (Mar 19, 2018)

Nemo said:


> Any thoughts on how it compares to your O1?




I only have thoughts on this because I haven't tested it yet. I'm expecting to see a possible very slight increase in edge holding, with (I hope) as good of a time in sharpening/deburring, with maybe a slight increase in reactivity.


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## labor of love (Mar 19, 2018)

Im over the discontinued 0-1 gyutos. Initially I was bummed as I really liked the O-1 gyuto of yours that I used to have. But the more I use 52100 the more I like it.


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## Dave Martell (Mar 19, 2018)

labor of love said:


> Im over the discontinued 0-1 gyutos. Initially I was bummed as I really liked the O-1 gyuto of yours that I used to have. But the more I use 52100 the more I like it.




That's good news.....AFAIK


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## Nemo (Mar 20, 2018)

I'm still looking fwd to seeing your work in O1.


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## charlesquik (Mar 20, 2018)

Dave Martell said:


> Yup you've got it correct. Me making a knife to sell is a guess on what will sell. So if it doesn't suit anyone's tastes, and bank account, then it sits. Plus add in the fact that I'm (often) in a situation where I have to sell them fast so the price drops and drops until they're gone. It makes for a good deal for the buyer but a bad position for myself. This will change eventually....hopefully sooner than later.



I'm kind in the boat of your bank account case here. I'm in the market for a quality knife from a custom knife maker. I don't want the hassle of custom ordering (and its too expensive anyways) so I just check everyday if there is a deal. You see I'm a canadian so 500 usd (650 cad + shipping) for a knife is too much for me so my only way to access a quality knife like you is by waiting for a deal or buying used from another user. 380-400 usd (around 500$ cad) is my maximum and those acrylic handle gyuto were my gateway to your fantastic work. Sadly, I was not fast enough and missed the deal. You are one of the few left custom maker with reasonable price. I guess that because as you say you don't have much press. As a maker this must be difficult to know that you make a knife of the same quality as another maker who sell for double or triple the price. I hope for the best for you, but I also hope to buy a knife from you before the price go up 

Because if you keep the quality all people are praising, the price will definitely go up. Quality attracts buyers and its only a question of time


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## Dave Martell (Mar 20, 2018)

Nemo said:


> I'm still looking fwd to seeing your work in O1.




Is it still flying?


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## Dave Martell (Mar 20, 2018)

charlesquik said:


> I'm kind in the boat of your bank account case here. I'm in the market for a quality knife from a custom knife maker. I don't want the hassle of custom ordering (and its too expensive anyways) so I just check everyday if there is a deal. You see I'm a canadian so 500 usd (650 cad + shipping) for a knife is too much for me so my only way to access a quality knife like you is by waiting for a deal or buying used from another user. 380-400 usd (around 500$ cad) is my maximum and those acrylic handle gyuto were my gateway to your fantastic work. Sadly, I was not fast enough and missed the deal. You are one of the few left custom maker with reasonable price. I guess that because as you say you don't have much press. As a maker this must be difficult to know that you make a knife of the same quality as another maker who sell for double or triple the price. I hope for the best for you, but I also hope to buy a knife from you before the price go up
> 
> Because if you keep the quality all people are praising, the price will definitely go up. Quality attracts buyers and its only a question of time




Thanks for your thoughts Charles. I do hope you can score one of my knives.


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## Nemo (Mar 20, 2018)

Dave Martell said:


> Is it still flying?


I think it is getting close.


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## GorillaGrunt (Mar 21, 2018)

I felt almost exactly the same way about the O1 gyuto I picked up a little while ago. The Mac was a paradigm shift from all the Western mass produced knives I had been using; the Gengetsu was another paradigm shift to hand-forged knives. I acquired a bunch of knives since then, and some were better than others for this or that task, but I had slipped into collecting them like Pokémon for the steel type, or the profile, or because someone said on a forum that they liked this one or that one, hoping to find something that performed a few percent better here or there.

Daves O1 imparted a similar paradigm shift in my perception of what a knife can do and what I can do with it. I hadnt really intended to sell any of my knives until I got this one and wondered what I was really keeping some of these others around for  the others are perfectly good, some very good, but _this one is better_. I decided to buy another Martell and unload some of the ones I didnt really need in my toolkit; by the time I made up my mind to get the 250 in this thread it had just sold but I got the 240 CPM-154 poly handle which I also am in love with.


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## Dave Martell (Mar 21, 2018)

GorillaGrunt said:


> I felt almost exactly the same way about the O1 gyuto I picked up a little while ago. The Mac was a paradigm shift from all the Western mass produced knives I had been using; the Gengetsu was another paradigm shift to hand-forged knives. I acquired a bunch of knives since then, and some were better than others for this or that task, but I had slipped into collecting them like Pokémon for the steel type, or the profile, or because someone said on a forum that they liked this one or that one, hoping to find something that performed a few percent better here or there.
> 
> Daves O1 imparted a similar paradigm shift in my perception of what a knife can do and what I can do with it. I hadnt really intended to sell any of my knives until I got this one and wondered what I was really keeping some of these others around for  the others are perfectly good, some very good, but _this one is better_. I decided to buy another Martell and unload some of the ones I didnt really need in my toolkit; by the time I made up my mind to get the 250 in this thread it had just sold but I got the 240 CPM-154 poly handle which I also am in love with.




That's so great to hear Thomas, thanks.


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## daddy yo yo (Mar 22, 2018)

GorillaGrunt said:


> I felt almost exactly the same way about the O1 gyuto I picked up a little while ago. The Mac was a paradigm shift from all the Western mass produced knives I had been using; the Gengetsu was another paradigm shift to hand-forged knives. I acquired a bunch of knives since then, and some were better than others for this or that task, but I had slipped into collecting them like Pokémon for the steel type, or the profile, or because someone said on a forum that they liked this one or that one, hoping to find something that performed a few percent better here or there.
> 
> Daves O1 imparted a similar paradigm shift in my perception of what a knife can do and what I can do with it. I hadnt really intended to sell any of my knives until I got this one and wondered what I was really keeping some of these others around for  the others are perfectly good, some very good, but _this one is better_. I decided to buy another Martell and unload some of the ones I didnt really need in my toolkit; by the time I made up my mind to get the 250 in this thread it had just sold but I got the 240 CPM-154 poly handle which I also am in love with.


So, you have 2 Martell gyutos in 240mm, one in O1 and one in CPM-154. Can you please elaborate on the differences, and why do you prefer one over the other.


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## GorillaGrunt (Mar 22, 2018)

I dont know that I prefer one over the other yet, I got them both within the last month or so. They are very similar in profile, the O1 is slightly flatter when overlaid though I dont know if thats by design or just normal variance in handmade items. The edge profile, though obviously not the spine, is almost exactly a match to that of the Masamoto KS. I didnt necessarily know this at the time I bought them but the O1 is ground thinner, if not a proper laser then at least closer to that end of the spectrum, and the 154 is much heavier although still very thin behind the edge. Also, the O1 has an ironwood handle while the 154 has the poly like the one in this thread; this contributes to the 154 being balanced more towards the tip - feels similar to an Akebono. The 154 cuts like a Mazaki - not silent through a big carrot but the edges of the cut pieces are still smooth. The O1 cuts more like a KS. Both show significantly better edge retention at the end of the day than most of my other knives.

I figured I ought to have a stainless knife just in case of ... something? Although I mainly use carbon and semistainless steels. I think with these two the steel type isnt necessarily terribly important, but I ended up with one lighter, thinner blade and one more workhorse-type one so Ive got one for prep and one for service, or one for lunch and one for dinner, or whatever. Also I once saw a bumper sticker on a Porsche that read, My other car is also a Porsche so now I can say, My other knife is also a Martell.


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## Dave Martell (Mar 22, 2018)

Hey Thomas, you're spot on in your description as that's what I'd have expected to here when comparing the two knives you have. The largest reason for this is that my O1 steel supplier made a mix up the last time I ordered and I got just a slight bit thinner stock than expected and this wasn't found out until after the blanks had been cut. I still used them because the difference was so slight however there is a difference and if one was to compare them back to back (as you have here) you can see this. But the O1 is almost all gone now so it's something to worry about it the future as the 52100 is of the exact thickness I ordered so it'll be the same as the CPM154 is currently. Does that make sense?


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## GorillaGrunt (Mar 22, 2018)

Makes sense to me, although its nice that theyre not exactly alike and I do like the thinness of the O1 as it is. That one sits in my hand and feels like an extension, a long, sharp finger if you will, whereas the other feels more like directing a machine that does the work on its own.


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## daddy yo yo (Mar 22, 2018)

GorillaGrunt said:


> I dont know that I prefer one over the other yet, I got them both within the last month or so. They are very similar in profile, the O1 is slightly flatter when overlaid though I dont know if thats by design or just normal variance in handmade items. The edge profile, though obviously not the spine, is almost exactly a match to that of the Masamoto KS. I didnt necessarily know this at the time I bought them but the O1 is ground thinner, if not a proper laser then at least closer to that end of the spectrum, and the 154 is much heavier although still very thin behind the edge. Also, the O1 has an ironwood handle while the 154 has the poly like the one in this thread; this contributes to the 154 being balanced more towards the tip - feels similar to an Akebono. The 154 cuts like a Mazaki - not silent through a big carrot but the edges of the cut pieces are still smooth. The O1 cuts more like a KS. Both show significantly better edge retention at the end of the day than most of my other knives.
> 
> I figured I ought to have a stainless knife just in case of ... something? Although I mainly use carbon and semistainless steels. I think with these two the steel type isnt necessarily terribly important, but I ended up with one lighter, thinner blade and one more workhorse-type one so Ive got one for prep and one for service, or one for lunch and one for dinner, or whatever. Also I once saw a bumper sticker on a Porsche that read, My other car is also a Porsche so now I can say, My other knife is also a Martell.


Thank you so much. I am waiting for my 240 CPM-154... Dave, again, take your time, I am not in a hurry. It is vital to me that you feel good and relaxed doing my knife, don't feel hurried, not necessary, I have 1 or 2 gyutos which I can use in the meantime... :rofl2:


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## charlesquik (Mar 22, 2018)

Dave Martell said:


> Hey Thomas, you're spot on in your description as that's what I'd have expected to here when comparing the two knives you have. The largest reason for this is that my O1 steel supplier made a mix up the last time I ordered and I got just a slight bit thinner stock than expected and this wasn't found out until after the blanks had been cut. I still used them because the difference was so slight however there is a difference and if one was to compare them back to back (as you have here) you can see this. But the O1 is almost all gone now so it's something to worry about it the future as the 52100 is of the exact thickness I ordered so it'll be the same as the CPM154 is currently. Does that make sense?



How would you compare cpm154 and 52100 ?


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## Dave Martell (Mar 22, 2018)

GorillaGrunt said:


> Makes sense to me, although its nice that theyre not exactly alike and I do like the thinness of the O1 as it is. That one sits in my hand and feels like an extension, a long, sharp finger if you will, whereas the other feels more like directing a machine that does the work on its own.




Again your description is so spot on! I would describe it pretty much the same.


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## Dave Martell (Mar 22, 2018)

daddy yo yo said:


> Thank you so much. I am waiting for my 240 CPM-154... Dave, again, take your time, I am not in a hurry. It is vital to me that you feel good and relaxed doing my knife, don't feel hurried, not necessary, I have 1 or 2 gyutos which I can use in the meantime... :rofl2:




Your knife won't be much longer at all and I can't wait to do this one. Being honest though, I've been a bit apprehensive of it for some time now, but I've got a lot more confidence in being able to pull it off now.


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## Dave Martell (Mar 22, 2018)

charlesquik said:


> How would you compare cpm154 and 52100 ?





I haven't tested 52100 yet so this is all just speculation. Comparing it to O1 is easier than CPM154 as I'm expecting to see a possible, very slight increase in edge holding over O1 with (I hope) as good of a time in sharpening/deburring yet with (maybe) a slight increase in reactivity. As to how it'll compare to CPM154, well, I'm unsure but I can tell what I hope for and that's near equals in performance/edge holding/sharpening with the major differences being stain resistance. :dontknow:


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## charlesquik (Mar 22, 2018)

Dave Martell said:


> I haven't tested 52100 yet so this is all just speculation. Comparing it to O1 is easier than CPM154 as I'm expecting to see a possible, very slight increase in edge holding over O1 with (I hope) as good of a time in sharpening/deburring yet with (maybe) a slight increase in reactivity. As to how it'll compare to CPM154, well, I'm unsure but I can tell what I hope for and that's near equals in performance/edge holding/sharpening with the major differences being stain resistance. :dontknow:



CPM154 is less resistant to stain or are we talking about 52100


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## Dave Martell (Mar 22, 2018)

charlesquik said:


> CPM154 is less resistant to stain or are we talking about 52100




CPM154 is more resistant to stain than 52100


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