# Sugimoto #6 chuka bocho



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

I took a chance on this for $180





  








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millionsknives


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Feb 13, 2016








It weighs 448g and my Suien VC weighs 462. This is surprising because it is so much thicker! The steel must not be as dense.

I was on the fence between #6 and #7. I'm glad I did not get #7.

It has a heavy distal taper, so the front is thinner than the heel. But still, it's 2x thicker than my Suien VC at the heel and maybe like 1.2x thicker at the front.

I do like the profile, it is much flatter. I can see if you are trying to use only one knife for everything it has its merits. THe back is for heavier tasks and the front is for slicing.

For its thickness, it cut surprisingly well through onion and carrot. Between the handle shape being round in all the wrong places and the smoothness of the steel on the side, it feels like it's constantly threatening to fall out of my hand.

I'll give this a workout for a few weeks and update, but I think the search for the perfect cleaver continues...


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Not much difference in carbon steel densities, must be the handle area where the weight savings come from, if not the cross-section profile.


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

I wonder if that wide bevel on the Sugimoto is something that leads to the (surprisingly) slightly less mass.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

That's no bevel, it's just some brushed markings from grinding.

The knife itself is very intuitive to use, as a cleaver person at least.  I really still hate the handle.  I'm going to take it to the belt sander and "octagon" it somewhat.  If it's still horrible, I have to replace it. 

I use a "peace" sign grip with two fingers on the side.  Only my pinky and ring finger are lightly under the handle.  This type of grip doesn't really care about the majority of handles, they all work the same.  This particular one just happens to be the wrong roundness where my fingers are, so it always slips.  It's dangerously bad.


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