Now That's FAST

[DrScooter]

Ordered a 270 KAGAYAKI VG-10 Series Gyuto on January 6 today is what the 9th and the postman delivers! Much lighter than I expected and a smallish but comfortable grip. I'll see how it goes, workmanship is very nice for sure. Again, for it's size, it seems small, kind of a Jumbo Shrimp, I think I'll like, came on board from German, still use my Shaaf Golden Hamster and my first Japanese was my Tijoro DP, which seems almost heavy by comparison. Amazed at a 3 day trip from Japan to St Louis, smokin'.

[allumirati]

Definitely a great knife in the way of profile and finish. To get the most out of it, I'd thin it a bit more and copy the angles of the edge that comes with when you sharpen. I know the angles are a bit high, but they're that way for a reason. I can't seem to get a crisp edge at lower angles with this one. But if you thin it enough, it should cut very well.

Ugh my bad, I have to VG-1 series. Not sure about the VG-10. Although you might consider these things as they are probably quite similar.

[el pescador]

just ordered the Forum 240mm gyuto on thursday...i checked and it hasn't cleared customs yet. Im envious.

[el pescador]

Allumirati, how do you like the VG-!? It looks like a hell of a good deal. I keep thinking I could buy a left handed 270mm gyuto and give it away to my aunt if I didn't like it. How well does it sharpen? how hard has it been to thin it out?

[allumirati]

Allumirati, how do you like the VG-!? It looks like a hell of a good deal. I keep thinking I could buy a left handed 270mm gyuto and give it away to my aunt if I didn't like it. How well does it sharpen? how hard has it been to thin it out?

Like I said. The F&F is pretty good, and the blade profile is spot on in my opinion. I just can't get a crisp edge at low angles (wants make a wire edge). But if you thin it out enough and get a crisp edge on it, it cuts great.

Thinning it is a bit tough as it is solid vg-1. That's why I bought myself a craftsman 2"x42" belt sander :P. I try keep that thing crazy thin behind the edge.

But really it would be feasible to do it on an XXC if you do it before the first time you sharpen, may take an 30 min to an hour tho (but crazy thin is my taste). After that you could keep thinning it every time you give it a serious sharpening.

To be honest I like wa handles better, so if I had the choice again I'd get a tanaka ginsanko. But now I quit my resturaunt job because I work at a speaker company now. So I don't know if i'm going to buy any more knives.

[allumirati]

Allumirati, how do you like the VG-!? It looks like a hell of a good deal. I keep thinking I could buy a left handed 270mm gyuto and give it away to my aunt if I didn't like it. How well does it sharpen? how hard has it been to thin it out?

Like I said. The F&F is pretty good, and the blade profile is spot on in my opinion. I just can't get a crisp edge at low angles (wants make a wire edge). But if you thin it out enough and get a crisp edge on it, it cuts great.

Thinning it is a bit tough as it is solid vg-1. That's why I bought myself a craftsman 2"x42" belt sander :P. I try keep that thing crazy thin behind the edge.

But really it would be feasible to do it on an XXC if you do it before the first time you sharpen, may take an 30 min to an hour tho (but crazy thin is my taste). After that you could keep thinning it every time you give it a serious sharpening.

To be honest I like wa handles better, so if I had the choice again I'd get a tanaka ginsanko. But now I quit my resturaunt job because I work at a speaker company now. So I don't know if i'm going to buy any more knives.

So it was my thought to find a way to make knives with averageish steel and heat treat them really well. Then sell them for a modest price.

Because I feel everybody deserves a sharp knife.

[iceman01]

The F&F on the VG-10 series is pretty good. The blade comes quite thin but the angle is quite obtuse, it was perhaps like 20* on each side. Reducing on a coarse stone doesn't take much time and afterwards you have "a poor man's Suisin/Tadatsuna Inox".

[bikehunter]

The F&F on the VG-10 series is pretty good. The blade comes quite thin but the angle is quite obtuse, it was perhaps like 20* on each side. Reducing on a coarse stone doesn't take much time and afterwards you have "a poor man's Suisin/Tadatsuna Inox".

iceman, what causes you to describe the F&F as just "pretty good". Are there problems? I got the small Petty a few months back, to give the series a trial run before buying anything larger/more expensive. The F&F on it is virtually flawless and I like the performance a LOT.

[iceman01]

I have two of the 24cm Wa Gyutos. The first one I got has a nick in the ferrule like it hit the edge of a working bench , as well as some letters of the kanji not being painted. The other one is flawless.
I guess when you got your hands on a Suisin or Takayuki knife, anything else cannot be perfect compared to them. It is the tiny things, rounded spine and choil, come very sharp and not with too obtuse angles.
So lets say the Kagayaki VG-10 is average in the higher class of F&F but not supreme class.

I said after changing the angle it is a poor man's Suisin, i.e. it performes very close to a knife that costs about 2.5 times as much as the Kagayaki, so there is absolutely no complaint about the performance after being tweaked/pimped a little.

[bikehunter]

I have two of the 24cm Wa Gyutos. The first one I got has a nick in the ferrule like it hit the edge of a working bench , as well as some letters of the kanji not being painted. The other one is flawless.
I guess when you got your hands on a Suisin or Takayuki knife, anything else cannot be perfect compared to them. It is the tiny things, rounded spine and choil, come very sharp and not with too obtuse angles.
So lets say the Kagayaki VG-10 is average in the higher class of F&F but not supreme class.

I said after changing the angle it is a poor man's Suisin, i.e. it performes very close to a knife that costs about 2.5 times as much as the Kagayaki, so there is absolutely no complaint about the performance after being tweaked/pimped a little.

Ah...so we're not talking about the yo handled ones. I wonder if the two handle types are assembled by different people...seems a likely assumption, considering the OEM situation, I guess. Why did you order two 240's? Thanks for the response.

[iceman01]

I ordered one and a few weeks later another one because I think that these knives are so good that I wanted to have one for my traveling kit.

[Pensacola Tiger]

Ah...so we're not talking about the yo handled ones. I wonder if the two handle types are assembled by different people...seems a likely assumption, considering the OEM situation, I guess.

I have the 24cm western handled gyuto and it had a sharp spine and the scales weren't exactly flush with the tang. So it doesn't appear that the handle style has anything to do with it.

[bikehunter]

I have the 24cm western handled gyuto and it had a sharp spine and the scales weren't exactly flush with the tang. So it doesn't appear that the handle style has anything to do with it.

Hmmm...maybe I got lucky...again. :D It would appear, from reading the posts here, that I am the proud owner of thinnest Tojiro DP 240 Gyuto ever made, with beautifully rounded spine and excellent F&F...for 66 bucks shipped. :p

[mongatu]

Are they Tojiro DP 240's still available for $66 shipped?

[bikehunter]

Are they Tojiro DP 240's still available for $66 shipped?

Oh Gawd no, Peter. This was during 2008 Korin Xmas sale, before they bumped the regular price 40% or more. Now I wish now I'd bought one of every configuration. Sorry. :p

[mongatu]

Yeah, me too. At least I got the honesuki for ~$45.

[bikehunter]

Yeah, me too. At least I got the honesuki for ~$45.

Yeah, that one expecially. I like my Kanemasa E series, for the same price, just fine, but I would like to have gotten a stainless one for my daughter. I don't trust her with my carbon knives. As a caterer, she gets too distracted and leaves knives in places/conditions she shouldn't...like wet, in the sink. ;)

[mongatu]

The reason I like stainless for that one is that usually when I'm doing a chicken or two, the knife is staying wet, greasy, dirty etc. for 5 minutes or so before I get a chance to clean and dry it. I suppose with properly seasoned carbon, that's not a problem either.

Also, it amazes me that I can pound that Tojiro honesuki stainless through breast bones with out the slightest bit of damage to the edge that I can detect by running a finger nail along the edge.

[bikehunter]

The reason I like stainless for that one is that usually when I'm doing a chicken or two, the knife is staying wet, greasy, dirty etc. for 5 minutes or so before I get a chance to clean and dry it. I suppose with properly seasoned carbon, that's not a problem either.

I totally agree, but we're not talking 5 minutes here. :p The Kanemasa took a very good patina right away, but I don't know it would stand up to the kind of time lapses that my daughter might subject it to...even tho' she says..."I promise, DAD!!!) ;)

[DrScooter]

I also have one of those $70 Tojiro DP a 270 Gyuto. It was my first Japanese knife and I like it. That said, while I've yet to really give this new KAGAYAKI VG-10 270 Gyuto a real kitchen test, side by side with the Tojiro hands down it's a much nicer, much lighter knife. It's not dirt cheap, still at the moment it's $140 delivered which is not too bad. The blade is much thinner, almost flexible comparatively, guess some may prefer a stouter knife but that's preference. I have to see with some use how it works out, I have an Edge Pro so if the angle too obtuse setting it up at a more acute angle shouldn't be too big a deal. Being a lefty, not having to pay extra or feeling cheated by a right bias grind is kind of a plus. Only time using the knife will determine if the choice will prove good for me. However, FF is very good, I'd say excellent but not perfect, however, soon it will get plenty of use so that is of little concern. The grip is small compared to the Tojiro but much better shaped at least aesthetically, seem very comfortable. My official review with almost no use yet, would conclude with that it seems to be pretty groovy, past peachy keen. So I'll have to plant you now and dig you all later and get some cuttin' in. :eek:

[DrScooter]

Not a real in depth review but I've been using the new Kagayaki for the past few weeks and I'm very happy with the knife for the money. The handle is really fairly small so that is something to be considered but the shape is nice and rounded, I find it very comfortable. I've yet to really sharpen the knife, used just like she came and it is fine, actually very good. Fit and finnish again, very good and it's just a fine looking knife. The picture made it look kind of purple but the knife itself is a black/grey wood look and a nice shiny blade. It replaces (or is "my" step up) from my Tjiro DP both are 270 (my preferance) the blade is thinner, lighter and more flexible, I like that but your milage will vary. For the price and considering the now more expensive Tojiro, IMHO the Kagayaki is a better value. One other thing to consider, which for me is a plus is the 50/50 grind of the blade, I am a lefty, even if I live with normal people so while in reality no one probably would really notice the more traditional grind, it is a plus in my mind.

Bottom line I like the knife alot, at some point I will break out the Edge Pro but so far I've been impressed with the knifes cutting prowess, light weight and comfort, for the money I'm very impressed. :cool: