# have a mac mth 80, been offered great deal on miyabi 5000mcd 67...but i'm not a pro chef



## canali (May 20, 2018)

i have mostly german (Wusthof) knives...recently got back into knives, took a 2 hr whetsone shaprening class (loved it) and also bought a bunch of naniwa pro stones...so i further splurged on picking up a *Mac mth 80 chef's 8''* recently due to all the kudos I've read on it (got it for a great price).

but just yesterday I came across a person selling a mint *Miyabi 5000 mcd 5000 67 *(black ash handle) for a fab (2/3 off) price ....looked at some youtube vids on it...wow it that thing razor sharp (angles 9-12 degrees?).

*but my question:*
i'm no pro chef...how sharp and practical a knife would i need beyond a mac?
and my further worry on this miyabi: having a rockwell hardness of 67 it's blade would be more brittle...plus harder to sharp (which i'd have a pro do anyway...i'm too green with sharpening...wouldn't even touch my mac knife yet).
it's one of those things where i'm at ''want vs need'' on the Miyabi.
_can anyone relate?_


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## canali (May 20, 2018)

i have talked to seller extensively...he is going back to henkells as he feels this knife too light for him.
he has receipt...is legit.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

I understand that the 5000mcd 66/67 is actually zdp-189 according to this reliable source:
http://zknives.com/knives/kitchen/ktknv/henckels/miyabi5000mcdslc240.shtml
You definitely don't want to handle the sharpening here yourself at this time.

The 63 is of R2/SG2 steel, which would be far more suitable to a beginner sharpener with meager tools. It sharpens easy enough.

Both of these steel are prone to chipping and should be given first class wood or the soft synthetic cutting boards like high-soft.

You say you're interested in the 67, so I'll address that as best I can. More than a few folks have complained we should spend more time answering peoples questions rather than offering alternate avenues of possible interest.

If your sharpener can effectively thin and otherwise handle ZDP (as with most German offerings you will want to have it thinned a bit for starters), then by rumors anyway a sharpening may be good for up to 4 months with a serviceable if not spectacular edge. You may very well have fun of it, I get a kick out of how well SRS-15 steel holds an edge, but SRS-15 has the advantage of also sharpening relatively easy. You really should be sure the knife hasn't gotten damaged before you buy, as implied ZDP doesn't simply ding, it chips.


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## canali (May 20, 2018)

thanks, gang...i contacted knifewear, that also sells this knife...some of the staff prefer a higher carbon content knife
such as the magakage line....https://knifewear.com/collections/masakage


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Well, not higher carbon content here, rather lower by a factor of 2+ as compared to ZDP. But these are carbon steel/non-stainless, much much easier to sharpen.


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

You are so lucky. I'm about to buy the Miyabi at full price.


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

Just got the Miyabi. It exceeded my expectation.

Before buying, I thought it's just going to be like an overpriced Shun.

All the pictures and videos on the internet show this knife series as looking quite dull, but seeing it real life is a completely different story.

It's every bit as exquisite as another ZDP-189 knife costing twice as much.

I'm getting another one as soon as I have more money.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

I've always liked Miyabi better than Shun. The handle is too heavy for me. Especially the ones with nickel spacers and end caps. I think it is a feature to make it weighted more like a western chefs knife. I'm used to a blade heavy knife now.


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## canali (May 20, 2018)

Pat Pat: you got the black ash miyabi or the birchwood...or other?
am i correct in thinking that the blackash with a rockwell of 66 is too hard for everyday chopping/cooking?
the birchwood,however, sure looks fab...and more practical (for my purposes)


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Oops, I originally thought it was the OP got the 67, disregard anything that gets to your mailbox Pat Pat. You referring to the Sukenari offering in ZDP as the twice price blade?


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

canali said:


> Pat Pat: you got the black ash miyabi or the birchwood...or other?


I got the Miyabi 5000MCD 67 with black ash wood that you said you got a deal on.



canali said:


> am i correct in thinking that the blackash with a rockwell of 66 is too hard for everyday chopping/cooking?


What do you mean by too hard for everyday use?

It's too hard for every day sharpening that's for sure.



rick alan said:


> Oops, I originally thought it was the OP got the 67, disregard anything that gets to your mailbox Pat Pat. You referring to the Sukenari offering in ZDP as the twice price blade?


Yes, it's the Sukenari I was referring to.

BTW, I didn't get any message from you. Really looking forward to learning its content though


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## canali (May 20, 2018)

no i didn't end up buying it...too hard/fragile for everyday chopping etc


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

millionsknives said:


> The handle is too heavy for me. Especially the ones with nickel spacers and end caps. I think it is a feature to make it weighted more like a western chefs knife. I'm used to a blade heavy knife now.


I guess one good thing I get from having too many knives is that I never get used to any designs, be it the shape or the weight.

I learn to quickly adapt to new knives every time I switch to a new set.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

canali said:


> no i didn't end up buying it...too hard/fragile for everyday chopping etc


The knife is made for everyday chopping, it's just not made for the everyday cook. You need to be able to handle a knife without exerting undue force or twisting actions on the board. And it is a pita to sharpen.


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