Pictures of your new acquisitions

Very nice, from latest Shig newsletter?

 

Yup!

 

Itinomonn KU 240 and Wakui 240:

 

Which one do you prefer in terms of cutting performance?

 

Gyuto and Bunka made by Yu Kurosaki. Now my Masakage Shimo has a sibling.




Profile compared with the Shimo:


Aogami super with stainless cladding. I love that hammered kurouchi texture.

More pictures here

 

I like it. how does it work? Often wondered if the kurouchi would cause stiction or assist in food release.

 

It works just fine. The gyuto feels very much like the Shimo. Great grind.

When it comes to kurouchi and food release, I don't know really. There are many different kurouchi finishes like this hammered one or the Shigefusa very smooth one.

When it comes to food release in general I only seem to notice when it annoys me or blows me away. Knives that have annoyed me usually have a smooth shiny surface where sliced carrot pieces like to attach themselves. But for some reason, knives with very good food release are my Kato & Shigefusa with their silky smooth and shiny blade surface.

 

Cheapie...Ximen slicing cleaver (piandao) choilie:

1.8mm at the spine. Pretty thin.

 

Dang, that is crazy thin. Nice pic

 

Full review coming soon!

 

Just a little bitty thing...Takamura petty:

 

Really like that Takamura! R2/SG2 steel?

 

Yep, it's R2. Kind of silly having damascus cladding, and the handle seems to be the same kind of compressed laminate material from the red-handled models, but a bit nicer and more natural looking. My only other non-funayuki type petty is a Kato, and this is much thinner and stainless, so perhaps a more practical choice for me since I'm not cutting up chickens or anything.

 

I like that Takamura, can I ask where you got it from. The only retailers in North America that I know of are CKTG and Knifewear, and the ones they carry have different handle styles.

Be well,
Mikey

 

Saw a Takamura that looks very similar at The Best Things.

 

Mine is an unsigned blade from Japan, but if you search for Takamura Hana you should come across the same model.

 

MTC Kitchen in NYC has these, they're online, nice people too.

 

I have a 210 gyuoto version of this, picked it up in a store here in Sydney.
Probably my favourite knife, thin, love the balance and takes a stinky edge.
I like the damascus too

 

I couldn't justify the hana gyuto initially, so I got the basic red-handled version that is quite nice, but not as luxurious as the hana. The petty is pretty cool though. Just need to find a reason to use a petty now...

 

I'm sure you'll find an occasional use
I find a 150 useful for apples, oranges and the like.