# Looking for a Laser



## cerebralflux (Oct 24, 2016)

I own quite a few knives and this is my first time posting of Chef Talk.I am looking for a 210mm Gyuto that glides through food. Thin but not chippy. I have an interest in Aogami Super Steel. I would like to keep my cost down to less than 300 for this knife. I have been looking at the Kohetsu AS from CKTG as well as the Takeda. I am not extremely fond of the Ku finish because I find it rather sticky when going through food. I would like to find a knife clad in stainless for ease of maintenance during chaotic times at the restaurant. Any advice and input is appreciated.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Here you go!

https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/products/ikazuchi-210mm-stainless-clad-blue-super-wa-gyuto

Kohetsu AS has a terribly uncomfortable handle. It's wide and flat in all the wrong ways. I bought and sold the 240. Grind seemed pretty nice for the price.

Takeda has grind issues depending on who you talk to, it's not as good as it was in the good old days of a few years ago. My friend has one made 2 years ago and it's concave on both sides and has big shoulders behind the edge.

FWIW you don't need a laser to glide through food. You just need a knife that's thin behind the edge. Actually with some heft the cutting is easier. It gives you something to hold onto at the spine and if it's blade heavy, gravity helps you out a bit. Completely style preference. If you move away from lasers these are thin behind the edge and worth considering in your price range for stainless clad carbon:

This one is not laser but aogami super and thin behind the edge
http://www.knivesandstones.com/syou...10mm-aogami-super-stainless-clad-by-kurosaki/

This is blue 1 or 2, not super
http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/toyama-noborikoi-kasumi-gyuto-210mm/

This one is semi stainless (sharpens and patinas like carbon, just not as fast reacting)
http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/itinomonn-stainless-kasumi-210mm-wa-gyuto/


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

The options above are excellent. The Ikazuchi is probably the best match for the preferences you've listed. It's remarkably stiff for its thinness on top of it all

I'm going to add in a couple more options just for the sake of doing so (more pretties!)
http://knifewear.com/collections/masakage-koishi/products/masakage-koishi-as-gyuto-210mm
Some heft at the spine but respectably thin behind the edge. Stainless clad with a hammered KU finish. Profile looks to be a little on the curvy side. Make sure you are toggled to USD (should put it around 230$)

https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/collections/kochi sexy knives, well made, very thin behind the edge. There are stainless clad lines within this page. Hurts my heart that I've held one and not bought one. Might be worth contacting JKI and seeing if they have a timetable on restock.

Ah oops just saw your comment about the KU. Which KU knife do you have that feels sticky going through food?


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## cerebralflux (Oct 24, 2016)

So at the end of the day the ikazuchi is favored over the kohetsu ?


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Lord yes. Don't take a wild chance when in your budget range when you don't have to. And the Ikazuchi's tip is thin enough without needing that post polish grinding the Kohetsu's looks like it has...
Though, my personal preference would be for the 240mm but I don't know about your prep space and usage habits if you have an absolute need for the 210mm


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

I have held both in my hands. No question at all I would prefer the ikazuchi.  Kohetsu fit and finish is rough at best. 

I find it suspicious that I have never seen a bad review on chef knives to go or their forums.  Maybe all their items are perfect 5* review worthy.... or the bad reviews get deleted.  Their video reviewers are also compensated so never see a bad review from them either.  

CKTG return policy is terrible.  They will make you pay return shipping and then like 15% restocking fee.  Pair this with the quality control on their house knives (kohetsu is one, richmond is the other line) and it is just a nightmare to deal with them.


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## cerebralflux (Oct 24, 2016)

I have a 240mm that I am very happy with, however I want another 210mm that is thinner than the one I have for finer work, garnishes, brunois, etc. http://www.chefknivestogo.com/suasdagy21.html anyone know anything about this piece. I am leaning towards the Ikazuchi although the profile looks nicer one the Kohetsu.


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## cerebralflux (Oct 24, 2016)

I do like a flatter profile and that is my only hesitation with the Ikazuchi.


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

I think the customer reviews also are pending approval? Which is why I haven't bothered to leave a review there
In general you can do better for the money than a vendor whose house brand(s) he is willing to let have poor QC, design, and execution, and who uses innuendo to suggest the knives are very similar to more lauded name brand knives which they are not


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

You'll get more flat with 240mm than 210mm just from how the profile can elongate and develop with the extra length. But also there is flat done right and flat done poorly. My experience with the JKI offerings is that Jon puts good thought into the knife profiles such that they feel very usable and efficient (particularly for push cutters) rather than awkward or having abrupt transitions


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

CerebralFlux said:


> I do like a flatter profile and that is my only hesitation with the Ikazuchi.


I suspect it is the angle the photo is at. Looks pretty flat to me dead on

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...210mm-fron-JKI?p=377691&viewfull=1#post377691


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Yes pics are deceiving, I thought the Geshin Kagero looked curvy, but I'm told it actually has a considerable amount of flat.

Not a bad idea too with a carbon knife anyway.  I'm am happy with my Takamura in R2, but it takes a bit of effort to get it cutting better than my humble Herder carbon pairing knife gets in a few minutes.  It's all about the keeness of the edge for me with this knife as I do a lot of very thin slicing.  I'll be ordering some diamond slurry when I'm back from vacation, hopefully the loaded strops turn the trick


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

20161025_190814.jpg




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foody518


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Oct 26, 2016








Profile on the 240mm Ikazuchi on the cutting board.

It's the kind I wouldn't call a long flat spot, but just the slightest angling forward or backwards from there gives you like 6-7 inches of cutting length


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## cerebralflux (Oct 24, 2016)

I think I am going to make the Ikazuzhi purchase, are you guys fans of AS steel, is it extremely chippy?


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Don't go too acute on the angle, it's already a thin knife. Microbevel is your friend


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