# Shigefusa 240 Passaround



## pitonboy

Well, against my better judgement, I am offering to passaround a 240mm Shigefusa. Usual rules apply: keep it about a week, sharpen it only if you know what you are doing, mail it insured. May divide up the list into legs if it is long or if there are participants out of the US. You should have some history on this site.

PM me with your mailing address


----------



## Crothcipt

I def. would love to be in this one. I have always wondered if all the hype is all it is cracked up to be.


----------



## Lefty

Holy crap!


----------



## GlassEye

Count me in, I have always wanted to try one.


----------



## WildBoar

I'd like to try it. Home cook.


----------



## SpikeC

I would love to be in this one! Thank you so much for putting this one out there! I have a little history on this site........


----------



## Andrew H

Definitely in, PM sent.


----------



## kalaeb

um, yup, count me in, got to see what all the commotion is all about.


----------



## pitonboy

Don't forget to PM me with your mailing addresses


----------



## Cutty Sharp

Yes, please! PM-ing now


----------



## Lucretia

SpikeC said:


> I would love to be in this one! Thank you so much for putting this one out there! I have a little history on this site........



He might not hold that against you.


----------



## chinacats

PM sent, thanks for the most kind offer. I would love to try a Shig gyuto!


----------



## JMJones

I would love to participate. PM incomming.


----------



## jgraeff

Id love to try this!!! Def. in!


----------



## ThEoRy

Can I join? I'd really love to try a shigge!


----------



## Hermes7792

assuming this is a gyoto? As I just recieved a 300mm shig yanagiba id like to try the gyuto. (its a true single bevel right?)


----------



## ThEoRy

Hermes7792 said:


> assuming this is a gyoto? As I just recieved a 300mm shig yanagiba id like to try the gyuto. (its a true single bevel right?)





Gyuto is double bevel by nature.


----------



## Hermes7792

whats a single bevel chefs knife called than? Still would love to try it!


----------



## ThEoRy

Hermes7792 said:


> whats a single bevel chefs knife called than? Still would love to try it!



Either usuba or kiritsuke are more common but neither one is a "chef's knife". Usuba is a single bevel vegetable knife. Kiritsuke is a single bevel hybrid knife, a cross between the usuba and a yanagiba.

I don't recall ever seeing a single bevel gyuto though. I think suisin made one but I've never seen it. They're are probably some others out there but I would say they are the anomalies. Jon could probably drum up more real info than I can on this subject. JON!!!:dontknow:


----------



## wenus2

@ OT: I believe Jon has stated recently that the only single-bevel gyuto he's seen is the one HHH did a little while back.

I would like to do this if there's room. I'm pass around happy right now, but I've never used a Shig.....


----------



## ecchef

Piton, 

I usually don't get in on these pass arounds, but if you're willing to include Cutty Sharp, I'd like to ride along. He's not that far from me, so shipping should be pretty easy to manage. Thanks. 

Dave


----------



## NO ChoP!

TC does single bevel gyutos. I'd call them debas, personally.


----------



## gentlecook

Hermes7792 said:


> whats a single bevel chefs knife called than? Still would love to try it!



http://gx2.japan-messer-shop.de/pro...to-22-5-cm--einseitiger-anschliff-rechts.html
Today only met this site, the first time I saw singlebevel gyuto.


----------



## Chifunda

Thought I had already indicated my desire to be included, but apparently my post is lost somewhere in cyber space. Many thanks for the opportunity! :wow: 

PM sent yesterday.


----------



## markenki

Hermes7792 said:


> whats a single bevel chefs knife called than? Still would love to try it!


Probably the closest thing would be a mioroshi.


----------



## DeepCSweede

markenki said:


> Probably the closest thing would be a mioroshi.



And even that is not very close. The heel isn't remotely tall enough.


----------



## DeepCSweede

Hope you guys enjoy it. I love mine.


----------



## Eamon Burke

I hope you all know that you are ruining yourselves to other knives' cutting performance.


----------



## add

Ben, if there remains a spot somewhere here... well, this seems just too rare an opportunity to let pass.

Regardless, thanks for the generous trials of your primo knives.


----------



## Chifunda

BurkeCutlery said:


> I hope you all know that you are ruining yourselves to other knives' cutting performance.



Yeah...last night I could hear my check book whimpering in the dark. It has strange and mysterious powers that allow it to predict future expenditures.


----------



## pitonboy

Chifunda said:


> Thought I had already indicated my desire to be included, but apparently my post is lost somewhere in cyber space. Many thanks for the opportunity! :wow:
> 
> PM sent yesterday.


 No worries, it's coming to you


----------



## pitonboy

Chifunda said:


> Yeah...last night I could hear my check book whimpering in the dark. It has strange and mysterious powers that allow it to predict future expenditures.



I'm planning on a rent-a-Shig business after this


----------



## cclin

I order my shig just right after used one of my friend's!!:bigeek:


----------



## Chifunda

pitonboy said:


> No worries, it's coming to you




I feel a stirring in my loins...:groucho:


----------



## Cutty Sharp

pitonboy said:


> I'm planning on a rent-a-Shig business after this



If only you could get some air miles this way.


----------



## Micioarch

I'm on the same line of cutty sharp....i'd really like to tray it


----------



## pitonboy

After a week delay selling off lesser knives, here's the starting lineup for the great Shigefusa Passaround:

AndrewH
WildBoar
chinacats
Chifunda
jgraeff
Crothcipt
kalaeb
JohnyChai
SpikeC
Brainsausage
JMJones

Back home

Cutty Sark
ecchef


----------



## Andrew H

I'm really excited for this one. Is it in the air?


----------



## kalaeb

Excellent!


----------



## Chifunda

If you hear of a produce truck being hijacked in coastal South Carolina, you'll know why. :happymug:


----------



## pitonboy

Last man to board the plane (there's always SOMEONE)


AndrewH
WildBoar
chinacats
Chifunda
jgraeff
Crothcipt
kalaeb
JohnyChai
SpikeC
GlassEye
Brainsausage
JMJones

Back home

Cutty Sark
ecchef


----------



## pitonboy

Knife to go out Saturday or Monday to AndrewH


----------



## Crothcipt

:chin:Hmmm, I think this may hit me at the same time as the Cut Brooklyn. I hope not, wont be a good review for Brooklyn.:2thumbsup:

Ty again for hosting (would that be the right word for it?) all these passarounds. It has been bringing a ton of light to some great knives.


----------



## pitonboy

Sorry, left wenus off the list accidentally. Probably should get sent to him immediately before or after JohnyChai. He will be contacting you about this


----------



## Andrew H

The eagle has landed.


----------



## Andrew H

I've had the chance to play around with pitonboy's 240 Shigefusa Kasumi gyuto for about a week now and I'm finally ready to post my thoughts on the knife. Like every review, this is based on my opinion and nothing else. I'm going to try and compare the knife to three other knives that maybe some people know. It was pitted against a 240mm Yoshikane gyuto (SKD), 240mm Gengetsu gyuto (White #1) and a 270mm Rottman custom (SB1 / Niolox). 

*Core Steel and Cladding*
As I'm sure all of you know Shigefusa uses a carbon core for his knives. What it is, exactly, is proprietary. It's a nice steel that sharpens well and quickly. It's not noticeably different from really any other simple carbon steel in terms of performance. I can't really judge edge retention after just one week of home use but I would say it is slightly better than the Gengetsu and Yoshikane and slightly worse than the Niolox. 
I was much more interested in how reactive the cladding would be. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! The knife did give off an odor when dicing tomatoes, but it did not impart any off flavors to the food and the cladding was not ultra-reactive. I thought I was going to see onion browning type stuff going on and that was not the case. 

I'm going to give this section an 8/10. 

*Grind*
This is a difficult section because it is so subjective. There is no one perfect grind and we all have different preferences. For my tastes, the knife plays too much towards to food release side of the balance. You do find some slight wedging in large potatoes, onions, etc. The Gengetsu and Rottman both went through these items with less effort than the Shig. The grind is well done, no high or low spots that I could see, and is clearly well thought out. If you really value food release (which the Shig was very good at), you could see this as a fantastic grind. 

9/10. I'll take off a point for personal preference, I can't gripe about inconsistencies or anything of that nature.

*Profile*
As long as a profile is usable it's very hard to "rate." The shigefusa has a nice profile that can be used for rock chopping or push / pull cutting. The tip might not be pointy enough for the Masamoto KS crowd, but it is very serviceable. 

0/0. Undefined. 

*F&F*
The Shigefusa takes the cake here. I'm hesitant to use the word perfect, but it's pretty darn close. The spine is _rounded_ all the way to the tip and the choil is also entirely rounded. The handle is beautifully constructed and well attached. The finish on the knife (under the patina) is nice and even. The kasumi was hard to see (patina and a few errant thinning scratches) but I'm sure OOTB it was great. The F&F is better than the Gengetsu (by far), Yoshikane, and is equal to, if not better than, my Rottman. 

10/10.

*Overall Performance*
The Shigefusa performed extremely well. It has a nice heft (227g) that helps the knife move through product efficiently. The balance is good, the grind is very good (if a bit "wedgy" at times) and the steel can take a great edge. I would say it's performance was roughly on par with the Gengetsu and Rottman and above the Yoshikane. 

8.5/10



The one question left is: Would I buy one? The answer is I'm not sure. I don't think that the knife is any better than a Gengetsu that costs significantly less, but there's something about the Shig that I really like. I don't know if it's the balance, the aesthetic, the F&F, the really cool electric blue patina it can take, or if it isn't any of those things. I just really like it. 

Thanks again, Ben, for doing this passaround. This puppy will be on to the next lucky recipient tomorrow.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

Nice review, Andrew.


----------



## Chifunda

:ggodjob:


----------



## DeepCSweede

Nice review. Being an owner of a shig 240 kitaeji I agree there is something about that speaks to the all around craftsmanship that you just have to admire.


----------



## Mingooch

Cant believe I missed this passaround offer. Hate when work gets too busy. Nice review Andrew.


----------



## Andrew H

Just an update: The knife will finally leave my possession tomorrow. Two snafus with the post office and midterms week; sorry to those anxiously waiting.


----------



## WildBoar

Nice write-up, Andrew!


----------



## WildBoar

Went out to Chinacats today. Will post my thoughts in another day or so. tkerns got half a day with it while it was in the DC area, but not sure he was able to form much of an opinion in that limited time.

In a nutshell there were a lot of things to like. The one thing that I was not fond of was the balance point -- it was a bit farther forward then I am used to and led to minor wrist discomfort. The 'fix' was to choke up on the blade a bit more, but that reduced the effective cutting length. A rehandle with a metal spacer or two might pull it back a little to where it suits me better. But all-in-all it had great F&F and cut well. Definitely different then the thin petty I got from Maxim earlier in the year, but cut from the same cloth as the kitaeji nakiri I got from Marko about 2 years ago.


----------



## tkern

I enjoyed using it for the limited time I had it. For a large knife its surprisingly nimble. I agree that it needs a bit of counter balance in the handle. Overall though just a solid, well made, excellent example of a knife that can perform.

and kern, David. No "s"


----------



## chinacats

Knife has arrived...can't wait to try it!


----------



## chinacats

Knife has shipped to Chifunda who should hopefully receive it Monday. This knife completely exceeded my expectations, a cutting beast. As WildBoar and Tkern both stated the balance point is well forward, this suited me perfectly though as I use the knife at home and don't have to use it for hours at the time, it reminded me very much of my old Kochi in this respect. The geometry is awesome, no stiction with anything I cut and seemed to slide through most every type of vegetable. I also really liked the profile as there was no point on the blade that I couldn't get good clean cuts--the tip was also very usable for me. Overall, I now really want a Shigefusa gyuto though I may choose a 270 just for personal preference. Many thanks to Ben for making this happen!

Cheers,
Jim


----------



## WildBoar

Some comparo pics for blade profiles/ geometry. 

DT ITK 240
Shigi 
Fowler
DT
Konosuke 270






I have a sheet of paper with the knife weights and heel-to-tip lengths, but it has been temporarily misplaced :O

The Shigi was taller at the heel then all the other knives but the Fowler, and maintained that height most of the way towards the tip. Kinda shaped like a killer whale. For as heavy as it felt, it turned out to be no heavier then the Fowler or DT; all three with ~225 grams, give or take 10 grams (the 270 Konosuke was a LOT lighter -- somewhere around 170 grams, if I remember correctly).


----------



## apicius9

Thanks David, love the profile picture. Just wondering, does anybody have a pic of a 240 Shigefusa and a Watanabe next to each other? I keep thinking that theirs are my favorite profiles, but don't think I have ever seen a direct comparison.

Stefan


----------



## Von blewitt

I know i'm late but if it's possible could I join the Asian leg of this pass around? I would love to compare it with my slightly thinner shig. Thanks


----------



## jgraeff

Just got it the other day, this knife is a monster very thick spine, but super thin edge. It cuts very well i mean one of the best cutters that i have had, id say overall my Marko knife cut a little better as the Shig will wedge on harder things, however it cuts almost anything without hassle. I love the extra weight and the larger handle actually is pretty comfortable. I used this as my thanksgiving prep knife at work and man it did a great job just tore through everything like it was a part of my hand. The edge retention is quite good i didnt see what steel it is but better than most carbons ive had, started to lose that popping sharp edge now but i touched it up on the strop for today was going to keep it til wednesday but i think i will try to send it out monday instead i have had my good share of use with this great knife.

Thanks again for letting me try it, now i just gotta find some money to buy one.... hmm what can i sell haha


----------



## Chifunda

Truly amazing. My expectations were high enough that I was afraid I'd be disappointed in the Shigs performance...no worries there.

Despite being a bit heavier than my DT (222g. vs 210g.) and being more blade heavy than Hoss' knife, I found the Shig to be extraordinarily nimble. Don't know quite how to put it into words, but this knife required no effort to make it do what I wanted it to do. No real "learning curve" required in getting used to it. As jgraeff put it, it was like the knife was part of my hand. Very slightly more inclined to wedge than the thinner DT, but nothing onerous. Takes a wicked edge and holds it quite well. Easy to touch up on a strop.

My first experience with a D shaped handle, and I rather liked it. The (presumably) ho wood handle had a somewhat rough texture, similar to perhaps 320 grit sandpaper, which kept it from being slippery when wet. 

During the first day or two of use, I noticed the somewhat unpleasant odor others have spoken of when using Shigafusas, but after cutting a fair amount of acetic, vinegary foods, it seemed to disappear. Presumably the patina had built to the point where it prevented whatever reaction had been taking place. I used the knife fairly heavily and found it a real pleasure to work with.

In summary, WOW! I covet this knife.

Thank you, Ben, for a marvelous experience.


----------



## RiffRaff

apicius9 said:


> Thanks David, love the profile picture. Just wondering, does anybody have a pic of a 240 Shigefusa and a Watanabe next to each other? I keep thinking that theirs are my favorite profiles, but don't think I have ever seen a direct comparison.
> 
> Stefan



Here they are, Stefan, the Watanabe with one of your handles and a western kasumi 240 Shig with custom handle by Adam Marr.

My first post in a long time since I was hit hard by the hurricane three weeks ago. Car was a total loss, no electricity or heat or water for two weeks, and still no gas to cook the stuff we like to cut with you-know-what. Just climbing out of it now!


----------



## Crothcipt

I'm next. If you hear about Colorado running out of veggies you know why.:spin chair::jumping::yatta::excited::dancecool:


----------



## Crothcipt

Had this for a week and was it nice. Had no problems cutting anything at all. I noticed that there is a slight concave grind which I loved. Very much matched my Mizuno in about every aspect except length and thickness. I honestly had a tough time saying which I liked better. Going back and forth I would notice what ever slight difference there was. The Shig. tho would react to onions. Also being taller then the Mizuno ended up being noticeable when switching back and forth.

I had Korin's Mizuyama double sided stone and used it on the Shig to see about sharpening, even tho. it wasn't needed at all. The 1k side went nice and the 6k was not a problem at all, even enjoyable to use. I also had the 30k shapton that is being passed around, which I used on the Shig. Giving a nice and crisp edge that I used for a day and decided to not use again, to see how the next person in line (which happens to be Spike) would like it.

After a couple of days of figuring who got the knife next, and sending out 2 other passarounds I finally shipped it out today to Spike. I would have sent this out yesterday but I missed getting to the post office by 10 min.

All in all I loved the knife. I can see why there is a great following behind them. The f&f is what you would expect with a knife at this level. The edge retention is very long making it in my book worth the price. I really couldn't say what knife I was liking better between the Shig. and the Miz. Just because of the reactivity on the Shig. would be the one thing keeping it on a lower score to the Miz., but not much. One thing is for sure It will be missed.


----------



## Crothcipt

Anyone else get this? Its been about a mo. since I had it. Bueler? Bueler?


----------



## brainsausage

I got it from Spike a little over a week ago. Gonna send it in Ben's direction, unless there's somebody else after me that I'm not aware of?


----------



## GlassEye

pitonboy said:


> SpikeC
> GlassEye
> Brainsausage
> JMJones
> 
> Back home
> 
> Cutty Sark
> ecchef



Did I get skipped?


----------



## SpikeC

The list that I had showed it going to the Brainster next, so I don't know what happened to you!


----------



## pitonboy

Brainy, could you please contact GlassEye and see if he wants a go at it? Alternatively, if you send it to me I can get it to him if he is interested


----------



## GlassEye

pitonboy said:


> Brainy, could you please contact GlassEye and see if he wants a go at it? Alternatively, if you send it to me I can get it to him if he is interested



I would still like to try the Shige, whatever works best for everyone else is what you should do.


----------



## Crothcipt

pitonboy said:


> After a week delay selling off lesser knives, here's the starting lineup for the great Shigefusa Passaround:
> 
> AndrewH
> WildBoar
> chinacats
> Chifunda
> jgraeff
> Crothcipt
> kalaeb
> JohnyChai
> SpikeC
> Brainsausage
> JMJones
> 
> Back home
> 
> Cutty Sark
> ecchef


My bad when spike asked who it went to next I looked at this list. I didn't remember there being a new list later on. Also Kalaeb and JohnyChai dropped out.


----------



## brainsausage

If you don't mind Ben, I'd rather send it to you. I still have the Kochi as well and it would be a little more convenient from my end.

Although, come to think of it- JMJones is practically my neighbor...

Let me know what you want to do. I'm cool either way.


----------



## pitonboy

Send the Shig to JMJones. I will settle with GlassEye later.


----------



## gentlecook

*a bit heavier than my DT (222g. vs 210g.)*

whats thicknes of this Gyuto ?

my Shige gyuto weighs 180g


----------



## perneto

What does a 240 Shigefusa gyuto cost, if you can get hold of one? japanesenaturalstones.com doesn't list prices as far as I could see, and aframestokyo.com lists prices that are lower than what you seem to imply?


----------



## Von blewitt

perneto said:


> What does a 240 Shigefusa gyuto cost, if you can get hold of one? japanesenaturalstones.com doesn't list prices as far as I could see, and aframestokyo.com lists prices that are lower than what you seem to imply?



Between $500 & $550 depending on where you get it from


----------



## perneto

Thanks for the info.


----------



## JohnnyChance

There is a used 270mm gyuto available in the B/S/T right now.


----------



## brainsausage

Sent this sucker off to JmJones yesterday.


----------



## pitonboy

Thanks for the update


----------



## JMJones

I have used the Shig for the past week as a home cook and have really enjoyed it. It has already been established that it cuts well and I totally concur. One thing that stood out for me was the tang area above the choil and where the tang meets the handle. On this knife, that spot is very thick but quickly tapers to a normal thickness above where the edge starts. I have never seen this before and was pondering why it was made like this. I assumed that it had to do with the balance or some such. However while using it I realized that this thicker section was much more comfortable for my index or middle finger(depending on the grip). In addition to the thickness it was well rounded and there is a radius where the blade meets the tang, it is not an abrupt angle. Very subtle but important design features that add to the overall product. 

Also does anyone know what type of steel the cladding is?


----------



## Fran Rendina

Please I would love to try this wonderful knife


----------



## Fran Rendina

Might be dumb but how do you PM? I'm new


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Give someone that gets nausious when I hear Shige, I've got to see what all the hypes about. if Possible, I'd like to get on this list.


----------



## pitonboy

Sorry, this passaround has been closed for quite awhile


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Another reason to dislike Shigs. HA


----------

