Kurosaki laser 210

[Chefspence]

Here is the order;

Cutuu
cjmeik
datster
Jdbennett
Pd7077
Sharksfan

That work?

[sharksfan7]

Works for me.

[pd7077]

Thanks Spence. I'll PM Jd to see if he is close enough for an in-person handoff.

Edit: Contacted Jd and he's only like 10-15min away so that makes things super easy.

[Chefspence]

Ok. This is confusing coordinating four of these at the same time. I need your help. I sent you all the info for who to send the knife to next, except for my address. Those who are last, just ask me when you're time is up. Stay in touch with each other and double check that you have the right address to send it to. The order of participants is still the same as listed, just make sure the next person is still able to participate when it's their turn. Please keep us all posted when you send and receive the knives. I don't want to have to chase everyone down as that adds more confusion

Again, follow the rules. Be courteous. Take good care of the knives. I usually use USPS when I ship, though you can use what you like, just keep things in their original boxes and package them well. Please insure the knives for over their original worth. I shipped mine with insurance from200-300$ depending on the knife. Write a review everywhere you can on cktg and the forums. And of course, have fun! Thanks

[Cutuu]

I keep meaning to write notes about these pass around knives to help me remember the details, but again I depended on some sort of emotional or artistic impression the knife left on me. Fortunately for me, this one I remember clear as day. Here is my 2 cents on the kurosaki laser 210:

Aesthetically, my first impression was a subtle elegance. It had nice chiseled kanji on one side, a well executed secondary bevel, and a simple well done handle. The color of the wood was somewhat muted, but the handle was still nice. Then, I got to cutting. I took it to a variety of product. It handled everything with ease. The knife immediately felt natural, as if it was my favorite pair of worn in jeans. It's a laser. It goes through things with ease. But it was quite interesting the difference in this laser compared to some others I've tried. The kurosaki glided through with ease, but it wasn't the most magical of the bunch. It had a more controlled manor to it. It felt less likely to get away from me, yet it was still super easy. It was smooth, fluid, and controlled. When doing horizontal cuts on onions it came in and out of the cuts very cleanly. It allowed me to just cut and not worry really how the knive was positioned. That was a theme with this knive it just seemed to cut the same easy breezy way wherever you approached it on the blade. I'm assuming the lack of distal taper provides the consistency along the blade. Sometimes laser can feel a little light at times, which I often enjoy but can at times have drawbacks. The kurasaki knive felt neither light nor heavy. A good example of this for me was, when I was shaving Brussel sprouts. Often I have to do a slight push cut when shaving brussels, especially with a lighter knife. But the kurosaki had enough power for me to chop shave them efficiently. Even on heavier blades I often end up push cutting when shaving Brussels to avoid wedging. The knife's nimbleness was enjoyable during roll cutting of bell peppers and jalapenos. Carrots, cabbage, and celery were a breeze, especially dicing carrots. Once in a while a carrot would stick, if it got high enough on the blade. The overall food release was actually really good for a polished blade with no type of nonstick added finish. The grind was done really well! Potatoes would separate and release with ease, even be slightly propelled from the blade. When one would get slightly stuck it flicked off with ease. The profile was butter smooth. It rocked, chopped, and pushed all with ease. I wouldn't be chopping big ingredients with it due to the size of blade and pure flat spot. The only time I felt the mortality of it's slender frame was during butternut. Going through butternut wasn't an issue. It still felt plenty substantial cutting through it. While peeling butternut, when I was a little too deep and was coming out of it. You could feel that it would not handle turning in harder product, which a lot of jks don't do well at anyways. I shouldn't be that deep in the product anyway, but a heftier knife would allow you to come out of that confidently. As long as your shaving the skin off and staying close to the surface there won't be any issues. The tip felt like the rest of the blade in the sense that it was smooth and controlled. When processing garlic it was precise, controlled, with a little less gas than some but added to that easy like sunday morning feel of the knive. The fit and finish was great. I think there may have been a tiny remnant on the choil that could perhaps be eased a hair, but the knife always felt super comfy. I just never felt like I had to figure the knife out. It just immediately and consistently felt intuitive. It just made the act of cutting sort of a no brainer. There was nothing mysterious about it but it was just like really good vanilla ice cream. It just went with everything tasting good no matter what you pair it with. I'm usually a 240 guy. I only have one 210. It's a Richmond srs15. I think I actually prefer the srs 210 over the 240, even though I haven't tried the 240. Perhaps, it's the way I use the srs, but that 210 sometimes scrathes the itch that my 240's can't get. I would like to try the kurasaki in the 240 version, but I wonder if this might be one that I would surprisingly rather have the 210 over the 240 version. I would love to compare the kurasaki 210 AS laser to the kurasaki r2. One of them will be a must have for me. That is how much I loved this knive! This one resonated deeply with me and definitely won me over. Thanks Spence for your generosity!!

[jbart65]

I owned the 240 Laser, Ramon. It was notably heavier than the listed weight, but the performance sounds similar to the 210. Just a fantastic knife, one of the few that truly bowled me over when I first used it.

I did sell it, though only because my Koishi was similar. The Koishi has a finer tip and needs a firmer hand, whereas the Laser felt more sturdy.

The Kuro R2 is quite different. I owned the 210 version with a wa handle. Very light and laser like. My guess is it would not feel substantial enough to you, at least the 210, but it's a helluva performer. Better tip performance than the Laser.

[jmcnelly85]

The laser has always been my weapon of choice for butternut squash. Perfect blend of thin yet substantial. Nice review.

[Cutuu]

The laser has always been my weapon of choice for butternut squash. Perfect blend of thin yet substantial. Nice review.

Thanks jmc

[Chefspence]

Great review man! Thanks for being part of this. Good to know it can be trusted on the line. I really enjoy this knife too. I only wish it had the total package of some aesthetics or finish to it.

[Cutuu]

Thanks for having me Spence. One thing i meant to say instead of "controlled" was that it was predictable, which is impressive in a laser.

[jbart65]

Great review man! Thanks for being part of this. Good to know it can be trusted on the line. I really enjoy this knife too. I only wish it had the total package of some aesthetics or finish to it.

The lack of a special finish is what I liked about it!

I am not sure I've heard you gush as much about a knife before, Ramon. Perhaps the Takayuki ...

[Chefspence]

Great review man! Thanks for being part of this. Good to know it can be trusted on the line. I really enjoy this knife too. I only wish it had the total package of some aesthetics or finish to it.

The lack of a special finish is what I liked about it!

I am not sure I've heard you gush as much about a knife before, Ramon. Perhaps the Takayuki ...

I know I know it's actually attractive, I'm just a sucker for the hammer and shizuku finishes

[Cutuu]

Great review man! Thanks for being part of this. Good to know it can be trusted on the line. I really enjoy this knife too. I only wish it had the total package of some aesthetics or finish to it.

The lack of a special finish is what I liked about it!

I am not sure I've heard you gush as much about a knife before, Ramon. Perhaps the Takayuki ...

Yeah, you got it right jeff. I really liked this one! And the takayuki

[Cutuu]

Great review man! Thanks for being part of this. Good to know it can be trusted on the line. I really enjoy this knife too. I only wish it had the total package of some aesthetics or finish to it.

The lack of a special finish is what I liked about it!

I am not sure I've heard you gush as much about a knife before, Ramon. Perhaps the Takayuki ...

Yeah, you got it right jeff. I really liked this one! And the takayuki

[Cutuu]

Great review man! Thanks for being part of this. Good to know it can be trusted on the line. I really enjoy this knife too. I only wish it had the total package of some aesthetics or finish to it.

The lack of a special finish is what I liked about it!

I am not sure I've heard you gush as much about a knife before, Ramon. Perhaps the Takayuki ...

Yeah, you got it right jeff. I really liked this one! And the takayuki

[cjmeik]

Received and in good order. Initial impressions are quite positive!

[Chefspence]

Sweet

[Chefspence]

Sharksfan is out of the rotation. He scored a 240...lucky duck!! So, pd7077, you're the last one.

[pd7077]

Sounds good Spence

[cjmeik]

This one is boxed up and ready to go out the door to datster.

Thanks again, Spence. This is a fun little knife!