Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by jacko9 »

Congrats Kit - Great write up. I can attest to the laser qualities of the HD2 from last year with scars across two fingers ;-( The ER doctor indicated that it was one of the cleanest cuts he had seen!
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Kit Craft
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

Thank you and OUCH! At least you cut yourself with normal stuff. I just took a big divot out of my left thumb with a windshield wiper.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by jacko9 »

Yeah those kind of cuts suck. I have a life time of scars starting in machine shop class, the butcher shop and then the stupid ones like trying to yank the garage door upon quickly and the pot metal handle breaks in your hand! Hope your thumb heals quickly! Yes sharp knife cuts heal better than the others I've described but the HD2 went deep enough to cause minor nerve damage (don't slice ham late at night after too much wine).
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by salemj »

This is one of the reasons that I staunchly support abandoning the idea that an edge should always be maximally consistent. I actually like my heel areas a tad duller, and my tips a fraction duller, too, at least near the point. It barely affects performance since it is rare that I use these areas to start any cut (even the tip is usually a point of follow-through of a cut that actually starts about 1cm in with onions, garlic, and the like). The difference between "sharp" and "wicked sharp" in these regions can be the difference between constant snags on towels, the board, and fingers, and a worry-free fun when space is tight! Haha. I guess I only mention this on this thread because I feel like Kit is into sharpening and that the HD review speaks to this somewhat.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

I leave my heel coarser than the rest of the blade. Not for fear of clipping my finger, because it is still sharp as hell, but because I find such an edge is great for cracking through papery things like garlic skin.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Radar53 »

Hi Kit, great first knife review and thanks for "taking the plunge". I like the way you analyse & break things down and I like your practical & down to earth approach.

When I joined this forum nearly four years ago I got a great piece of advice from a forum stalwart that ran something like "If you don't know what you're talking about STFU!". :mrgreen:

I now have a number of very nice knives & I sometimes feel guilty for not doing reviews of them, especially when I am reminded by the CKTG webmaster. But while I am pretty comfortable with the sharpening side of things, my experience of using these knives and my knife skills are sketchy at best. Hence I try to follow the advice given above.

So I get to learn vicariously through reviews like these, about the more subtle things of what others experience from different knives, which I can then explore as the opportunity presents itself. I have the Kono Swedish 240 gyuto (pretty similar to the HD2 I am led to believe) and now I will have your review of the HD2 to learn from & compare to. So much to learn & so little time!!

Thanks for making the effort - much appreciated
Cheers Grant

Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
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Kit Craft
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

Thank you, Grant. I have done two other smaller knife reviews in the past. I think this one turned out a fair bit better. The structure comes from the stone reviews but is altered. And I do it that way because my mind wonders and that is my attempt to keep things partially fluid. With those I changed it as I went and I think for the better. I hope these reviews grow as well. I enjoy sharing my thoughts on my knives and stones and hope that it can be useful to someone.

Honestly though, my knife skills are fair at best! Also, my prep is fairly redundant so I do not have a huge variety in my testing. I say give it a go!
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

Edge retention update in regards to a Kitayama 8k edge specifically. One week of zero touch up or stropping finally got to the edge and now shows signs of hesitation on softer tomatoes. I got twice that length out of a Tamago 4k edge. However, three alternating strops per side on .5 micron loaded felt put the edge right back to shaving tomatoes. I wonder how many times I can get away with refreshing the edge at this level before having to fall back to 1 micron and then back to the kitayama itself. I bet quite a long while.

Anyway, she seems to hold her bite a little longer when left slightly coarser. Then again, my needs in the kitchen change too. Maybe I went through twice as many potatoes last test but I don't think so. #20 a week is average here and I need to buy more so I guess I am right on the money. However, I have been doing a lot of chopping and I am normally a G&G kind of guy.

Anyway, I just figured I would throw that out there as an update as I am still growing with this knife. Were this my Ginga in white number 2, for example, it would have made it about 3 days before needing to hit the strop. Not that it matters because if I were not testing, I would strop after every use anyway...lol. Point is, this thing can hold refinement and enough bite in the edge sufficiently.

Edit: It is worth adding, for those reading who may or may not know, this by no means indicates that the edge was dull. I could have gone without a touch up for weeks and just halved my tomatoes and peppers and cut them skin side down etc. I am, like many of us, looking at this from a sharpening freak's perspective.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by chrisdafur27 »

Great review Kit. I've been been trying to decide between an HD2 and KS for the last week (Never thought anyone would be able to say that) and your reviews of both have been helpful as a comparison piece. Decided to go with the HD2 in the end. As a home cook (and a 210 guy) the extra length of the KS just sounded a bit overkill for me and I worry that it may be too big for me to want to use on a regular basis. I was fortunate enough to be apart of a passaround for a Kono W2 laser this last June and I really dug the board feel of that knife. Whether it was the monosteel or the grind, the blade felt reassuring and robust even thought it was a laser performer. From your write up it sounds like the HD2 retains that substantial board feel which is a big selling point for me.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

chrisdafur27 wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:33 pm Great review Kit. I've been been trying to decide between an HD2 and KS for the last week (Never thought anyone would be able to say that) and your reviews of both have been helpful as a comparison piece. Decided to go with the HD2 in the end. As a home cook (and a 210 guy) the extra length of the KS just sounded a bit overkill for me and I worry that it may be too big for me to want to use on a regular basis. I was fortunate enough to be apart of a passaround for a Kono W2 laser this last June and I really dug the board feel of that knife. Whether it was the monosteel or the grind, the blade felt reassuring and robust even thought it was a laser performer. From your write up it sounds like the HD2 retains that substantial board feel which is a big selling point for me.
Glad it was helpful. You know, there is a KS 210/220 now... :lol: 221mmx47mm from what I have been told.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by chrisdafur27 »

I did see that they were going to be making those... 2018 is looking to be a pretty expensive year... haha
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Puduu »

I'm glad you shared your thoughts, because this review was well written and nicely insightful. Thanks for this.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

Puduu wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2018 6:57 pm I'm glad you shared your thoughts, because this review was well written and nicely insightful. Thanks for this.
No problem and thank you for your kind words.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Marc4pt0 »

Just read this. I experienced kono magic several years ago when I helped one of my cooks get a nakiri HD sporting ebony/ blonde handle. Such an amazing knife. Couple years later I sold the same guy my 240 Fujiyama B2. It quickly became his favorite knife.
Fast fwd to today, I may actually be getting it back.

Anyway, blah blah blah, I've been feeling this konosuke itch again and I'm now suddenly recalling just how fun these knives are. Reading these reviews make me want to revisit these knives. And I think I will. Thanks for the great write up!
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

Marc4pt0 wrote: Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:38 pm Just read this. I experienced kono magic several years ago when I helped one of my cooks get a nakiri HD sporting ebony/ blonde handle. Such an amazing knife. Couple years later I sold the same guy my 240 Fujiyama B2. It quickly became his favorite knife.
Fast fwd to today, I may actually be getting it back.

Anyway, blah blah blah, I've been feeling this konosuke itch again and I'm now suddenly recalling just how fun these knives are. Reading these reviews make me want to revisit these knives. And I think I will. Thanks for the great write up!
No problem, glad it inspired you to get the kono back out. Sadly I have never had the pleasure of using a Fuji. Actually nothing to similar to a Fuji either, not that I can think of.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Marc4pt0 »

It's its own experience. There are a couple out there that are readily obtainable, and arguably better performing. However it's a joy knowing you're playing with a Fujiyama.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Kit Craft »

Marc4pt0 wrote: Mon Apr 09, 2018 12:44 pm It's its own experience. There are a couple out there that are readily obtainable, and arguably better performing. However it's a joy knowing you're playing with a Fujiyama.
Missed that train by a few months but there are plenty of others out there. :)
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by Thin Man »

Great review. Thanks.

I recently picked up a 270 because I wanted to try a true laser and to see what the hype was about. The hype is true. It falls through produce as if it wasn’t there. Can’t wait to use it more.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by False Cast »

Great review. I just picked up an HD2 myself and your words ring true.
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Re: Konosuke HD2 240mm Gyuto + Khii Ebony

Post by kjpfo287 »

Great review and knife work love my kono hd 2.....might get anthir for the kehii handle
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