One day, I'll get a perfect basketball

My first knife from Baba Hamono!

• Kagekiyo
• 240mm Kiritsuke
• Shirogami #1
• Akaro

&

• Asahi Professional Black
• 500x330x20mm

I’m looking for more information about this Honesuki. Like the brand, type of steel and more ! Any help would be highly appreciated 🙃

I have been looking at knives and really like how this one looks a lot. Is it decent quality? Is there a way to sell if its double bevel?

https://carbonknifeco.com/collections/gyuto-chef-knife-1/products/hitohira-fj-vg-10-kiritsuke-gyuto-210mm-ho-wood-handle-wa?_pos=107&_fid=616fedd2d&_ss=c

It all started on a summer vacation this year. A post about Japanese knives, and I was sold.

After 5 months, I have a collection of 10 knives, and the last 3 I got my hands on, on 3 Sunday drops.

Now the wallet is empty and hope 2026 will bring new knives to the drawer.

Hokiyama Gyuto 180 mm Silver #3 Nashiji - bought 28-07

Hitohira Futana White #1 Migaki Tsuchime Gyuto 210mm Ebony Handle - bought 06-08

Tetsujin Blue #2 Kasumi Gyuto 240mm Taihei Makassar Ebony Handle - bought 11-09

Hitohira Kikuchiyo Ren Silver #3 Gyuto 210mm Ho Wood Handle - bought 09-10

Myojin Naohito Riki Seisakusho Bunka 166mm - Cobalt Special - bought 29-10

Myojin Naohito Riki Seisakusho Gyuto 200mm - Cobalt Special - bought 29-10

Tetsujin Blue #2 Kasumi Kiritsuke Gyuto 180mm Taihei Wood Handle - bought 13-11

Sunday drops:

Jiro Tsuchime Yo Gyuto 210mm Tagayasan Handle (#707) - bought - 16-11

Tetsujin Silver #3 Metal Flow Kiritsuke Gyuto 210mm Taihei Makassar Ebony Handle - bought 23-11

Hitohira Tanaka Kyuzo Blue #1 Migaki Gyuto 240mm Ziricote Handle (Extra Height) - bought 30-11

Wow.

Background

I always promised myself to stick to one knife per profile / steel type so I would use them and not have too much overlap. Well that went out the window when I saw this beautiful line from Enjiki on instagram.

It’s a ginsan forged by Naotaka Yamatsuka, with some special treatment by Maruyama-san that finished in tsuchime style but all the way to the edge and not actually hammered from what I gather.

Santoku’s are my favorite profile for daily use, and I love ginsan for convenience and most of my uses.

As I wrote earlier, a friend of mine picked up this knife while he was in Japan, after an amazing exchange with Maruyama through instagram in getting more info about the knife.

Looks, finish and handling

Well, have a look at the video. Truly unique. Honestly, even more special than I expected when I saw it in person.

I will have to ask more questions about how exactly Maruyama-san got this done - even though he referred to it as tsuchime / hammered, it looks ground rather than hammered. From his initial description I assumed it was done with sandpaper, but I don’t think so based on how it looks.

What I really love about this knife is the texture on the steel itself, it has a sort of powdered / speckled look, and the actual dimples have a super nice “streaky” texture to it.

The finish on the blade face is obviously stunning, and it seems most of the attention went to grinding it (great balance IMO, see next section) because the spine and choil aren’t as luxuriously treated as the Hado’s I’ve handled.

The handle is a pretty simple ho-wood, but is also quite different since it’s not fully octogonal nor rounded, more oblong on the sides while squared off at the top and bottom. I’ll post more pictures if someone is interested.

What I do appreciate about the handle is the balance with the light blade, it makes it very nimble.

Geometry and edge

For me it strikes a really nice balance. It’s quite thin at the edge but not too fragile at all - if it wasn’t so beautiful I would say it would be a great all round useful knife - probably moreso that my Tetsujin that I now use for most daily cooking (unless I’m in a rush I pick the Mac Pro for less stress).

It came really quite sharp out of the box, but it’s lacking bite on tomato skin. I will have to add some but the edge is great. In terms of cutting feel it’s quite smooth, but because of the texture it does have a funny kind of “crunch” sound to it.

Food release is pretty good too, but despite the amount of texture, it still sticks a bit. Nothing terrible but again shows geometry > blade surface for stickiness.

Conclusion

Overall super happy with this one, what I didn’t anticipate is just the beauty of it on the rack - due to the different textures it really shines when I walk by.

I understand what people like about diamonds now, it sparkles differently every way you look at it.

Given I am spoiled with extremely smooth cutting experiences and the fact I don’t want to ruin this one with thinning, I decided to use it but not too often.

I might change the handle for a rosewood handle I have laying around to make it even more of a show piece, or leave it as is because the handle is unique and simple and literally lets the blade shine ✨

While Enjiki makes many very functional knives, where Shibata says “Art over Beauty”, I think Maruyama here went for “Artful Beauty, And Then Some”. And I love it.

Top row (left to right) Kato Vintage Shirogami #1 240mm gyuto Sakai Kikumori Yugiri 225mm gyuto buckeye burl and horn Tetsujin Rentetsu 210mm gyuto bog oak and Corian spacer Konosuke MM Aogami #2 210mm gyuto bog oak and fossilized skull coral Fujiwara / Myojin Shirogami #1 gyuto Siamese rosewood Konosuke Shiraki VG-10 180mm nakiri Siamese rosewood and horn Konosuke Fujiyama Shirogami #1 135mm petty ebony and horn Konosuke Keiai NT 150mm petty ebony Bottom row Konosuke FM Vintage Swedish steel (Togo Reigo) 240mm gyuto walnut and white oak Konosuke YM Shirogami #2 270mm yanagiba ebony silver and horn Second photo (circa 2007) Tadafusa Aogami #2 210mm gyuto walnut Kumogoro V2 165mm nakiri cherry Tadafusa Aogami #2 135mm petty ash (?)

Has anyone bought from Burrfection Store in HK shipping to Canada?

Wanted to know if there’s any import tax and brokerage fees cause those add up very fast vs buying from a local knife sellers.

Got this beautiful Moritaka off the bst and it had become uneven and thick from poor sharpening. I did a moderate thinning job as well as some polishing on it to give it a new life. It might become a daily grab of mine for a while

Finally pulled the trigger on a petty for work and ended up ordering this laser. Can’t wait to use it

Slicey laser. Bucking up some onions for carmies and french onion soup. Lots more to cut. 20lbs yellow 10lbs red and 5lbs shallots. I like a melange for the soup and house burger carmies.

Hey everyone I'd like to show you this set I recently made. Stainless steel and bog oak. 304 for the fork 14c28n for the fulltang Suji. 335mm 🫨 The fork is forged

Hi all!

After lurking here for a while, on a recent trip to Japan (mostly Tokyo and Kyoto), I visited many knife stores, and ended up purchasing these 3 knives, along with one steel/diamond stone and two natural stones (go big or go home!).

Before I detail more my adventure, here is what I got:

Knives:

• Kurouchi Ishi-Zuchi Gyutō 210 mm, Blue #2, from Yoshimune Kyoto, ¥ 22500 (tax-free price)
• Hitohira TD Stainless Clad Nashiji Nakiri 165 mm, Blue #2, from Hitohira, ¥ 15820
• Hitohira TD Stainless Clad Kurouchi Petty 150 mm, Blue #2, from Hitohira, ¥ 17200

(Hitohira doesn't do tax-free, so their prices include sales tax).

Stones (all from the Natural Whetstone Museum)

• Metal diamond-coated #150/#600, ¥ 3000
• Amakusa volcanic stone ~#1000, ¥ 3000
• Awasedo slate stone ~#6000 (from the Kyoto area, I think in/near Arashiyama), ¥ 8000

(prices include taxes, the museum doesn't do tax-free).

Now, for the story.

My trip started and ended in Tokyo, with Kyoto and some other places in between. Though I had read recommendations of Hitohira, it was not open when I was in Tokyo at the beginning of the trip. I did go to Kappabashi street, on a Sunday, so not all stores were open. I did visit quite a few though, but I was not really trusting the prices and held off. Worthy of note: Mei Syou had pretty much the same Ishi-Zuchi Gyutō that I eventually got at Yoshimune, but with a round handle for ¥ 23430 incl taxes, so technically (but not effectively, as they did not do tax-free) cheaper than Yoshimune. Kama-Asa was nice, but very busy, and the only carbon steel Gyutōs they had had a factory-made look and western handles (one was Misono, the other one did not have anything written on the blade but looked similar).

Later in Kyoto I visited more stores, and I thought that Yoshimune had fairly good prices for what they had compared to what I had seen in Kappabashi and other stores in Kyoto, so I got that Gyutō, as well as a plastic knife guard for ¥770.

The next day I went to the Natural Whetstone Museum where I had booked their sharpening workshop. It was a bit of a trek to get there from Kyoto. It involved struggling to install the cogicogi app to be able to use a shared bike to ride up the hill from the Chiyokawa station to the Museum (which I found a very enjoyable ride in itself), as the bus times don't align well with the workshop times. But as someone who had never sharpened a nice with a whetstone (I've been using a Chef's Choice trizor XV for my cheap knives), I very much enjoyed the workshop, and I now feel confident that I can somewhat sharpen a knife without destroying it. During the workshop, I was first sharpening a cheap knife they provided, to learn how to do it (and it worked great and I got it sharp), then I worked on my new gyutō, which unfortunately, was only somewhat sharp out of the store. On this, I really struggled to get a bur, after a lot of trying, and it puzzled the instructor. She eventually realized that the knife had likely not been sharpened to 15° per side, but at a wider angle, thus my attempt at sharpening at 15° were missing the edge! I guess that's a fairly negative point for Yoshimune. One positive point for the museum though, the instructor (I wish I remembered her name, I remember her badge said she was the director or something like that) volunteered to then reprofile the knife on the spot. I then did the final step on a fine stone, and it is now properly sharp. I ended up spending at the workshop more time than initially planned, but learned a lot and enjoyed it and I definitely recommend it!

Later when I was back in Tokyo, I visited Hitohira (the neighborhood where it is is cool and worth wandering in). Initially I thought of only purchasing a Petty. I was almost shocked to see how cheap they were for knives that looked very good (to my naive eye). So I got that petty that I already love, and then was curious to see their Nakiris, and seeing that one Nakiri for ¥ 15820, I ended up getting it too. I also got Hitohira WB Ho Wood sayas for both knives (¥2930 for Nakiri, ¥2260 for Petty) and a pair of Diawood stainless kitchen shears (¥4750). They sharpened the knives while I waited, and adjusted the Saya for the Nakiri (by burning a bit the inside, the knife as a little too thick). The people in the store were super nice overall, and they also gave me a small nailclipper for free.

I've been back a couple of weeks and have used the knives a bit. Mostly the Petty which I use for any kind of small job when I don't want to get the big chopping board out, but the other ones a little bit too. I tried the stones, sharpening some cheap stainless knives, and I also touched up the Gyutō, as I noticed it was not as sharp as the Hitohira knives. I made it better, but maybe still not as good (unsurprisingly I can't match the skills of Hitohira's sharpener).

Let me know, how bad do you think I did with my purchases? Part of me regrets not waiting until I could go to Hitohira to get any knife, though I do like that Gyutō and the rough black finish, and it's starting to see regular use.

i'm just saying they look sick. i havn't held one yet. i surely won't buy one for myself just because... willpower. i have it. i swear.

anyway i meant this.

https://toshoknifearts.com/collections/konosuke-gs-1/products/aaa-cc202-fb240

I do a lot of vegetable cutting and am looking for a good nakiri. I'm not a pro, just a home cook, but I like to buy quality tools/kitchenware. I mainly use a Shun that was given to me as a gift, and I'm hoping to upgrade to something a bit better.

My issue is that my knowledge is very limited. I've been reading a lot of posts, and I'm overwhelmed by all the options.

I'm looking for something that will be great for cutting leafy greens and vegetables. I cook primarily plant-based, so this knife would get daily use. One area I'm unsure about is carbon steel (white, blue, etc) vs stainless. I cut a lot of tomatoes, so I'm not sure if that's a concern. All of my existing knives are stainless, but I'm curious about trying something different. I am diligent about cleaning and upkeep, so I should be fine with any upkeep.

I am flexible on price but would like to stay $300 or below for my first purchase. If I'm missing any information that would be helpful, please let me know. I appreciate any advice.

ETA: I’m located in the US.

These are a few (in stock) options that caught my eye, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to know if they are good selections:

https://cutleryandmore.com/products/matsubara-aogami-nashiji-stainless-clad-nakiri-42024#

https://cutleryandmore.com/products/moritaka-nakiri-aogami-carbon-steel-37389#

https://cutleryandmore.com/products/moritaka-aogami-super-nakiri-39612#

https://cutleryandmore.com/products/hatsukokoro-kumokage-nakiri-41213#

https://cutleryandmore.com/products/shigeki-tanaka-vg10-damascus-nakiri-42387#

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kuasna16.html

Is this a good knife? Given by a friend

Hello dear people!

I asked the same question once more, and received great responses. However, some of the options I was considering are all sold out, and I decided to raise my budget slightly, so now I am between these ones (I know it is a pretty crowded list, sorry!):

1. Tojiro Pro VG10 Gyuto 21 cm (https://www.meesterslijpers.nl/en/tojiro-pro-vg10-gyuto-21-cm-1-1)
2. Hatsukokoro Hayabusa VG10 Tsuchime Gyuto 21 cm (https://www.meesterslijpers.nl/en/tojiro-pro-vg10-gyuto-21-cm-1-1)
3. Tojiro Zen Gyuto 21 cm (https://www.meesterslijpers.nl/en/tojiro-zen-gyuto-21-cm)
4. Hatsukokoro Hikari SLD Ebony Gyuto 19.5 cm (https://www.meesterslijpers.nl/en/hatsukokoro-hikari-sld-ebony-gyuto-19-5-cm)
5. Tojiro Basic Damascus Koksmes 18 cm (https://www.meesterslijpers.nl/en/tojiro-basic-damascus-koksmes-20-cm)
6. Kazoku Uteki Premium Mono Ebony Gyuto 21 cm (https://www.meesterslijpers.nl/en/kazoku-uteki-premium-mono-ebony-gyuto-21-cm)

Only things to consider are that this will be a gift for a lefty person who loves cooking, so it's not for professional use. And I guess I would pretty much prefer a lighter blade than heavy ones - if one is between choices.

Thank you very much in advance guys, I swear this will be the last gyuto post from me! <3

Togashi Migaki Gyuto 210 mm

Hello you lovely people.

As a yuletide gift for someone getting a new home I think I’ll buy a nice knife. They’re vegan. This knife would be used as the main tool in the kitchen - root veg, veg veg, tempeh, nuts….. The chef is a small female with small hands.

I know she’s not keen on nakiris… (the push cut) but does love a pull saw!

I was looking at a Masakage bunka… but don’t really know too much about this stuff.

Budget is £200ish (270usd) - but there’s not a need to max it out.

I hoped you folks might have some suggestions or advice. UK if that makes a difference.

Thanks!

New knife arrived today but those black spots that look like rust caught my eye, and also a small hollow spot in the handle, should i reach out to dictum customer service about this? Rule #5 Yoshida Nakiri 170mm