# Goko Hamono Knives (Kougetsu) vs Tojiro Shippu Dp Advice



## SamBBQ (Aug 21, 2017)

Hey guys this is my first post so be nice .

I currently own a 200mm Wustof Gourmet chefs knife and am looking for a Japanese petty knife, partly due to need and mostly due to a fascination with japanese knives that is starteing to develop after browsing these threads to much.

For my price range and consiering that i am in New Zealand I have narrowed it down to two choices;
-The Tojiro Shippu Dp 130mm 
( https://prochef.co.nz/index.php/product/tojiro-shippu-petty-130mm/ )

-The Kougetsu Shirogami Nashiji 120 or 150mm 
( https://prochef.co.nz/index.php/product/shirogami-nashiji-petty-150mm/ )

As far as i can tell the differences are for the Tojiro and Kougetsu respectivly

-Stainless VG10 vs Carbon Shirogami

-Buffalo horn/Oak wood vs plastic/Ichii wood

-Factory made vs hand forged

-Damascus vs clad

Now for some additional information. I am a home cook so I'm not to worried about having to do additional maintenance on a carbon blade, I have just ordered a 1000/4000 combination stone and will begin practicing my sharpening skills on cheaper knives soon, and I love the aesthetics of the Japanese knives (even though I know that MAC is a great choice as far as functionality goes).

So does anyone have any experience with these knives as well as advice for when i buy one of the two.

Cheers everyone.

-Sam


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

There's not too much love around here for VG10, and in this case I don't feel the Tojiro justifies the price. the buffalo horn is a nice touch but not a big deal at all with a petty.

I'm guessing you want this one to cut up the smaller stuff, and not so much as a utility knife, that would make it the Kougestu. Nice profile and height, looks thin enough behind the edge. Shirogami gets sharper and much, much easier than VG10 which can be a great annoyance to deburr. You don't want to cut lemons, onions and tomatoes with carbon and just leave it there to sit without a rinse and wipe in reasonable time, but most of us rinse and wipe in a timely fashion even with stainless, no sense not to as even stainless corrodes, if not as fast. I always go through the motion right after cutting, it just goes with sweeping the leaving into the trash.


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## SamBBQ (Aug 21, 2017)

Thanks for the in depth advice. I am thinking of smaller stuff like chillis and tomatoes. I will get a pack of Victorinox paring knives for things like cutting string. 

Maybe one day I will get a matching gyuto as well...


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

I like your pick , nut you could also look at K+S http://www.knivesandstones.com/

and JCK https://japanesechefsknife.com/


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## SamBBQ (Aug 21, 2017)

Hmmm I'm not to sure about the import laws into New zealand. Any of these knives that you would recommend preferably hand forged.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

JCK usually gets around the duties somehow and has $7 flat rate for shipping, I think K+S might be good with the duties also. Both proprietors respond well to emails.

At K+S the Itonomon/Minetoshi offerings are a great value. The V2 carbon steel holds an edge better than shirogami, and these are definitely thin at the edge and well ground in general. The stainless/semi-stainless works well also. The Blazen in R2 is a good value at JCK, not up on the rest of their lineup these days. But your Pick looks pretty good, good enough that I don't think you need to debate too much about it.


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