KS initial impressions
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
KS initial impressions
Here as some photos in use of the new KS.
As close as I can get to a real choil shot.
Me having fun with cut off potato ends...lol.
More of the same but showing that things can stick but is more dependent on technique than grind in this case.
Diced potato stays intact.
Balance point.
As close as I can get to a real choil shot.
Me having fun with cut off potato ends...lol.
More of the same but showing that things can stick but is more dependent on technique than grind in this case.
Diced potato stays intact.
Balance point.
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
I really don't notice any. Honestly, it is more or less a laser with a slight bit of extra convex in the midsection and slightly meatier at the spine. Yeah, it is about what I expected. I am happy with the purchase. Is it better than the HD2, I don't think it is. It is not less good either though. Is it my grail, no. I do love it for meat cutting. Loin and chicken breast! Great for that. Being honest I almost wish I would have gone with the 270. That is one thing I will give this knife, it does not feel like it is 250mm, not at all.
-
- Posts: 3723
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:27 pm
- Location: British Columbia, Canada
- Has thanked: 213 times
- Been thanked: 551 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
I'm not sure it compares well to the HD (as Lepus has already pointed out). The HD is a more consistent knife with a more limited and focused range. The KS is more of an all-around blade that really attempts to do a lot more with a very different balance and feel that aims less at consistency and more at versatility.
One specific thing: I feel like the HD has a strong connection from spine to tip, but that the KS has more flex in the front quarter. This makes it more useful and versatile, but also a bit more idiosyncratic. I'm extremely curious how you will connect with it, Kit. Normally I'd say it will become your main standby because you are a strong sharpener (and the tip will feel much less flexy under ultra-sharp conditions); at the same time, you are pretty open about the fact that you move more from the elbow than from the wrist, if you will, so I can imagine the more predictable feel of the HD from heel to tip may appeal to you, especially in small kitchen spaces.
It will be weeks...even months...before this story is resolved. But I will wait patiently...haha.
Also: the kanji on your knife look odd. Are they screened or barely stamped? I'm used to KS knives having quite deep kanji...just curious.
One specific thing: I feel like the HD has a strong connection from spine to tip, but that the KS has more flex in the front quarter. This makes it more useful and versatile, but also a bit more idiosyncratic. I'm extremely curious how you will connect with it, Kit. Normally I'd say it will become your main standby because you are a strong sharpener (and the tip will feel much less flexy under ultra-sharp conditions); at the same time, you are pretty open about the fact that you move more from the elbow than from the wrist, if you will, so I can imagine the more predictable feel of the HD from heel to tip may appeal to you, especially in small kitchen spaces.
It will be weeks...even months...before this story is resolved. But I will wait patiently...haha.
Also: the kanji on your knife look odd. Are they screened or barely stamped? I'm used to KS knives having quite deep kanji...just curious.
~J
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and have tried dozens of brands over the years.
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and have tried dozens of brands over the years.
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
It is stamped about the same depth as my HD2. That is to say it is fairly shallow.
As for it being versatile, it seems to be. Thus far I think it does nothing perfect but everything well. It did feel right when I pulled it out of the box. Yes, over some months we shall see.
As for it being versatile, it seems to be. Thus far I think it does nothing perfect but everything well. It did feel right when I pulled it out of the box. Yes, over some months we shall see.
- sharksfan7
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 10:53 pm
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Has thanked: 16 times
- Been thanked: 5 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
Yeah, it looks like the engraving on my HD, too. I don't think that's stamped. The edges of each character are very well defined. When I noticed the change in kanji on the Kurosaki Laser I got last year, I guessed that it was a laser engraving. I brought this up with another vendor & he said it wasn't. He suggested probably CNC engraving. I think it might be the same type of thing with the Kono's & KS's.
Last edited by sharksfan7 on Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
--Tony
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
I guess it could be engraved, I have no clue. It is not screened though.sharksfan7 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:29 pmYeah, it looks like the engraving on my HD, too. I don't think that's stamped. The edges of each character are very well defined. When I noticed the change in kanji on the Kurosaki Laser I got last year, I guessed that it was a laser engraving. I brought this up with another vendor & he said it wasn't. He suggested probably CNC engraving.
- sharksfan7
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 10:53 pm
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Has thanked: 16 times
- Been thanked: 5 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
--Tony
Re: Show us your new knife!
Interesting thanks!sharksfan7 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2018 3:04 amCNC=Computer Numerical Control
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerical_control
Re: Show us your new knife!
I am curious, what is your current fave knife, if you have one? And what is your 'grail,' the knife you don't have that you feel will be the one that you will love better than all the rest? Or do you feel a single knife can do that?
Carol
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
My current favorite is the HD2 but the KS has potential to take over. I think they will work well together as a one-two punch. By grail or unicorn I mean gyuto specifically. One that my hand simply gravitates to for every gyuto task without hesitation. I have not found such a knife yet...lol. I always waffle over what to grab off the rack.
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: KS initial impressions
Since this turned into its own deconstructed initial impressions thread I figure I will throw out some measurements.
Spine thickness at the heel: 2.921mm
Spine thickness in the middle: 2.4638mm
Spine thickness about 3-4cm from the tip: 1.27mm
Spine thickness about 1cm from the tip: .508mm
Thickness about half way between the edge and the spine: 1.397mm
Height at the heel: 48.26mm
Edge length: 251.46mm
Weight: 168g
Incidentally the measurement halfway between the spine and the edge is exactly the same as my HD2. Not close, the same. However, where the middle is might not be the same spot as the KS is every so slightly shorter.
I will give it a few weeks or even months before I do an actual review though. I just don't know the knife well enough to go that far!
Spine thickness at the heel: 2.921mm
Spine thickness in the middle: 2.4638mm
Spine thickness about 3-4cm from the tip: 1.27mm
Spine thickness about 1cm from the tip: .508mm
Thickness about half way between the edge and the spine: 1.397mm
Height at the heel: 48.26mm
Edge length: 251.46mm
Weight: 168g
Incidentally the measurement halfway between the spine and the edge is exactly the same as my HD2. Not close, the same. However, where the middle is might not be the same spot as the KS is every so slightly shorter.
I will give it a few weeks or even months before I do an actual review though. I just don't know the knife well enough to go that far!
Re: Show us your new knife!
Thanks, Kit! Glad you like the HD2!Kit Craft wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:32 pm My current favorite is the HD2 but the KS has potential to take over. I think they will work well together as a one-two punch. By grail or unicorn I mean gyuto specifically. One that my hand simply gravitates to for every gyuto task without hesitation. I have not found such a knife yet...lol. I always waffle over what to grab off the rack.
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Show us your new knife!
Thanks and I really do. I did a few meals with the KS again today and it felt rather natural.caerolle wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2018 10:38 pmThanks, Kit! Glad you like the HD2!Kit Craft wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:32 pm My current favorite is the HD2 but the KS has potential to take over. I think they will work well together as a one-two punch. By grail or unicorn I mean gyuto specifically. One that my hand simply gravitates to for every gyuto task without hesitation. I have not found such a knife yet...lol. I always waffle over what to grab off the rack.
Re: KS initial impressions
The aethetics of your blade does not look as good as my old KS, Kit, but the performance of yours seems exactly the same.
The HD blew me away on initial use much more than the KS, but these are two very different knives.
The KS I sometimes referred to as my Thanksgiving knife. It could handle everything on that big day, including deboning and carving the bird. It's suji-like profile really helps in the regard. And of course it can rock on herbs, chop on potatoes, flick thru onions, push on carrots or shave and julienne like a mandoline with that very pointy tip.
What was so astonishing to me was that the KS was so long and yet so easy to wield. Deft like a laser, but sturdier like a workhorse.
The weight is a big seperator vs other knives with similar profiles. So many KS clones are 1, 2, 3 ounces heavier and much gets lost in in the translation.
The HD is a bit more limited, but it's a high-wire virtuoso. I like the HD steel better. Gets sharper, holds an edge it longer. But nothing I have used so far is as versatile as the KS. It was just a very comfortable knife to me. Not flashy like a lot of other knives, but steady and resolute.
The HD blew me away on initial use much more than the KS, but these are two very different knives.
The KS I sometimes referred to as my Thanksgiving knife. It could handle everything on that big day, including deboning and carving the bird. It's suji-like profile really helps in the regard. And of course it can rock on herbs, chop on potatoes, flick thru onions, push on carrots or shave and julienne like a mandoline with that very pointy tip.
What was so astonishing to me was that the KS was so long and yet so easy to wield. Deft like a laser, but sturdier like a workhorse.
The weight is a big seperator vs other knives with similar profiles. So many KS clones are 1, 2, 3 ounces heavier and much gets lost in in the translation.
The HD is a bit more limited, but it's a high-wire virtuoso. I like the HD steel better. Gets sharper, holds an edge it longer. But nothing I have used so far is as versatile as the KS. It was just a very comfortable knife to me. Not flashy like a lot of other knives, but steady and resolute.
Jeffry B
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: KS initial impressions
I agree with this almost 100%, to this point, Jeffry. Like I said, after some time I can do a real review. However, two things you said resonate with me. One, the knife feels much smaller than it is. Or rather it feels very nimble for its size! Also, it does seem very versatile.
I have not removed the factory edge yet, I will probably do that tomorrow as I like to play with knives out of the box for a few days. However, in my experience my HD2 steel does not get as sharp as white steel directly off the stones. Close but not there. However, the white steel loses its slight edge, no pun intended, damn near as soon as it hits the board so that might be a moot point. Speaking of edge retention, the KS has handled 8 meal preps and a snack and will still shave thin slices off of a tomato. I was lead to believe that the KS had poor edge retention but that is already better than my Ginga, that thing is plain soft!
PS: The cosmetic issues are not easily visable in the photos but some of what you are seeing is actually starch and the beginning of a patina, lol. I think in the other thread I may have unintentionally lead people to believe the F&F was worse than it is and that was not my intention. It has good F&F but it is a half a notch below my HD2 and Ginga. The handle was very thirsty and a good soak in oil rid it of the step. (I am still not sure that handle is ho wood. If it is I think it might be pure heart wood. It is werid.)
I have not removed the factory edge yet, I will probably do that tomorrow as I like to play with knives out of the box for a few days. However, in my experience my HD2 steel does not get as sharp as white steel directly off the stones. Close but not there. However, the white steel loses its slight edge, no pun intended, damn near as soon as it hits the board so that might be a moot point. Speaking of edge retention, the KS has handled 8 meal preps and a snack and will still shave thin slices off of a tomato. I was lead to believe that the KS had poor edge retention but that is already better than my Ginga, that thing is plain soft!
PS: The cosmetic issues are not easily visable in the photos but some of what you are seeing is actually starch and the beginning of a patina, lol. I think in the other thread I may have unintentionally lead people to believe the F&F was worse than it is and that was not my intention. It has good F&F but it is a half a notch below my HD2 and Ginga. The handle was very thirsty and a good soak in oil rid it of the step. (I am still not sure that handle is ho wood. If it is I think it might be pure heart wood. It is werid.)
- Kit Craft
- Posts: 4844
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:57 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: KS initial impressions
Well, since this thread is already here I might as well use it to continue adding to my findings.
The thing is that I was going to make some mashed potatoes for dinner last night but decided to go in a different directions so I left them soaking in water over night. That left me with a bunch of potatoes cubes so I decided to further break them down and turn them into a Tortilla Española. Anyway, I always here pros say that soaked potatoes stick more so I decided to test everything in my rotation block to see which wins and which loses. The Yuki won and the FKH did the worst. The order goes like this, for sticking only, Yuki, KS, HD2, Ginga, Tojrio ITK, Miyabi Koh and FKH. However, the difference between 1-7 was not so big. I will show you just two examples and you can draw your on conclusions.
KS with soaked potatoes
FKH with soaked potatoes
You will notice some potato stuck to the KS, that was likely from me dicing up all of the potatoes as it is the knife I used to do the most with and did not wipe it down. However, you will notice that the potatoes stay more together on the board when cut with the KS but fall back on one another with the FKH. Practically speaking this does not mean much, to me, when dicing potatoes.
That aside, the two knives feel very, very different going through the potatoes. The KS whispers through them and the FKH power through them. The potatoes feel like there are not there with the KS but almost like cutting a rock with the FKH. To be fair the other lasers feel much the same as the KS and the Tojiro feels more like the FKH. Also to be fair the KS is almost $300 more than the FKH.
And for those of you considering a KS but are worried about the size difference I will show you a quick photo after cleaning. You can see that there is not a huge difference between the 210 Yuki (218), 240(234) HD2 and 240 KS(252) but it is still noticeable. Interestingly the KS might feel the most nimble in hand.
It feels weird to work through my thought process on here rather than thinking things over and just writing a review...
The thing is that I was going to make some mashed potatoes for dinner last night but decided to go in a different directions so I left them soaking in water over night. That left me with a bunch of potatoes cubes so I decided to further break them down and turn them into a Tortilla Española. Anyway, I always here pros say that soaked potatoes stick more so I decided to test everything in my rotation block to see which wins and which loses. The Yuki won and the FKH did the worst. The order goes like this, for sticking only, Yuki, KS, HD2, Ginga, Tojrio ITK, Miyabi Koh and FKH. However, the difference between 1-7 was not so big. I will show you just two examples and you can draw your on conclusions.
KS with soaked potatoes
FKH with soaked potatoes
You will notice some potato stuck to the KS, that was likely from me dicing up all of the potatoes as it is the knife I used to do the most with and did not wipe it down. However, you will notice that the potatoes stay more together on the board when cut with the KS but fall back on one another with the FKH. Practically speaking this does not mean much, to me, when dicing potatoes.
That aside, the two knives feel very, very different going through the potatoes. The KS whispers through them and the FKH power through them. The potatoes feel like there are not there with the KS but almost like cutting a rock with the FKH. To be fair the other lasers feel much the same as the KS and the Tojiro feels more like the FKH. Also to be fair the KS is almost $300 more than the FKH.
And for those of you considering a KS but are worried about the size difference I will show you a quick photo after cleaning. You can see that there is not a huge difference between the 210 Yuki (218), 240(234) HD2 and 240 KS(252) but it is still noticeable. Interestingly the KS might feel the most nimble in hand.
It feels weird to work through my thought process on here rather than thinking things over and just writing a review...