Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

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MisoSatisfried
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by MisoSatisfried »

pd7077 wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:08 am Here are a couple pics of the Matsubara (left) and Moritaka (right) tall nakiris. The Matsubara has a very cool nashiji finish on it, and the grind is significantly thinner, especially in comparison to the Yoshimitsu. There is no curve to the blade. It’s just the angle that I took the pic. The Moritaka grind is probably more to my liking, but that’s just personal preference. Based on the performance of the Yoshimitsu, I would bet that these two are awesome!

Image

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Awesome! Great update Steve.
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keithmarder
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by keithmarder »

pd7077 wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:08 am Here are a couple pics of the Matsubara (left) and Moritaka (right) tall nakiris. The Matsubara has a very cool nashiji finish on it, and the grind is significantly thinner, especially in comparison to the Yoshimitsu. There is no curve to the blade. It’s just the angle that I took the pic. The Moritaka grind is probably more to my liking, but that’s just personal preference. Based on the performance of the Yoshimitsu, I would bet that these two are awesome!

Image

Image
Just beautiful pieces of functional art. Anyone else have a preference of the two?
easilver
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by easilver »

keithmarder wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:38 pm Just beautiful pieces of functional art. Anyone else have a preference of the two?
I very much prefer the taller grind on the Matsubara. It's a very smooth cutter since the shoulder at the top of the grind is higher-up and so obtuse that it acts more like a smooth convex grind. I haven't used the Moritaka nakiri, but have used other Moritakas and Takedas. They release food better, but can wedge on taller ingredients sine they squeeze against the shoulder during the cut.

I'm just a home cook, so the pros might have better insight.
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keithmarder
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by keithmarder »

easilver wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:36 pm
keithmarder wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:38 pm Just beautiful pieces of functional art. Anyone else have a preference of the two?
I very much prefer the taller grind on the Matsubara. It's a very smooth cutter since the shoulder at the top of the grind is higher-up and so obtuse that it acts more like a smooth convex grind. I haven't used the Moritaka nakiri, but have used other Moritakas and Takedas. They release food better, but can wedge on taller ingredients sine they squeeze against the shoulder during the cut.

I'm just a home cook, so the pros might have better insight.
Thanks. Great insight. I am in love with the way the Matsubara looks and am intrigued by the size.
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Chefspence »

When comparing choil, keep in my the Yoshi is only thicker there. It really thins out jut after the heel and has great cutting performance, at least I think.
AlbuquerqueDan
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by AlbuquerqueDan »

I got this knife on Thursday and have been able to play around with it for three meals (and some veg prep that just ended up in the compost – sorry for the waste, but it was in the name of science!)

First off, I would like to thank Mark for this opportunity. What a cool thing to do! Also, a huge shout-out to Chefspence for honcho-ing this passaround.

I got the knife from Steve (pd7077) with an edge that was in desperate need of a touch-up. (I knew I couldn’t give this knife a fair shake unless it was on-par with my Kochi 180 nakiri, in terms of the edge). I spent about 5 minutes on a Yaginoshima Asagi that I bought from Ken a few weeks ago. I love the edge that stone gives harder steels like AS. The touch-up helped immensely and we were ready to roll.

First the good. I really jive with the height. MUCH taller than my Kochi, but surprisingly not proportionally heavier. It does not feel unwieldy. Rather, it feels powerful and it favors a strong, decisive hand while cutting. Food release was better than the Kochi. Sweet potato slices that stuck were easily removed with a flick of the wrist. I guess I’d attribute the food release to the S-grind as seen in other photos and the rough KU finish, which is well done. I could see myself with a tall nakiri (or maybe a Chinese cleaver?). It didn’t wedge at all in even the largest sweet potato.

Now the bad. I have to echo what others have said about the grind seeming like a work-in-progress rather than final draft. If this were my knife, I’d raise the shoulders at least as high as you see on my Kochi. There are places where the core steel is just barely peaking out at the edge. My preference would be to see a lot more of that core steel. The obtuse grind on the Yoshimitsu made the Kochi the hands-down winner in cutting ability.

Anyway, thanks again for letting me in on this.

Yoshi choil
Nakiri choil.jpg
Kochi choil
Kochi choil.jpg
Kochi on top, Yoshi on bottom
Two nakiri.jpg
Close up of grind depth
Close up.jpg
Chefspence
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Chefspence »

NIce pics. Btw, the very tip ootb is not so rounded. On this particular example, my dumbass tipped it somehow. Ever so slightly. I don't even know how it happened. Sometime between the last use and when I packaged it up. I used it, had a great session...no chipped tip. Then I went to mail it to Ray, and noticed the tip was missing! I felt like such an ass, but I had to leave town literally right after I finished prep. I left town with the package and shipped to Ray. Shout out to Ray for cleaning up my mess :oops:

Another btw...I have used two Yoshimitsu knives, this and my w1 bunka, and I've tipped them both :lol: Must be my style, or am I not used to such flat, thin tipped knives? In any case don't let me in on your passaround Yoshi knives if you don't want a new profile I guess :D

Also, a shout to USPS(though they don't deserve after losing all my Lucky Peach magazines somehow). I shipped from Sioux Falls, SD to Hawaii and it got there in less than three days! Even the postal worker said "Wow, I can't even get mail within Sioux Falls in three days most of the time". I was pretty impressed.

Glad to hear all the thoughts on the knife. Thanks everyone. I'm wondering if anyone can second my thought that, though the heel is a little thick on the grind, don't you think this lends some extra chopping power towards the back end? I thought it was a cool attribute. Lends some variety, unlike a CCK stainless that's pretty much just a super tall thin blade, which is actually hard to get used to for me, a non-cleaver user.

I still miss this knife. I did a ton of prep today and was not super impressed by the knives I used. It has a nice crisp edge and a very even flat. I used a zakuri Nakiri today and was thoroughly disgusted. Both at the ootb edge, and the fact that it has two very distinct bellies. Which, for a short knife, really messes with you when you think you've found it's sweet spot. Not to mention the handle is absolute shit! Aaaaaand there's my short review of the zakuri nakiri I managed to sneak in.
Sorry for the long read, been a long day on the food truck. With a broken water pump argh!!!
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Altadan
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Altadan »

Chefspence wrote: Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:11 pm Another btw...I have used two Yoshimitsu knives, this and my w1 bunka, and I've tipped them both :lol: Must be my style, or am I not used to such flat, thin tipped knives? In any case don't let me in on your passaround Yoshi knives if you don't want a new profile I guess :D
Hey Spence, if you hadn't tipped that W1 Bunka of yours, I probably would have done it myself :o with that bunka's short height and extra-pancake-flatness I find myself drawn to... draw cuts (sorry! not intended), and that little bit of snub-nosed tip works well.
Alright, that's it for this little digression. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this nakiri! It's been a while since I had (my first, and only) one :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
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AlbuquerqueDan
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by AlbuquerqueDan »

Chefspence: I think that's a good point you make, that the knife (especially the heel) is more geared towards chopping power than only finesse.

Of all the things I prepped, the sweet potatoes were the standout with this knife. You could really go after them with total confidence. The thin grind of the Kochi sliced cleaner, but it's definitely a more fragile knife.

That said, I still think the Yochi would benefit from some thinning. The goal would be to keep that powerful feeling (which I attribute more to the knife's overall profile and geometry, rather than it's grind) but aid its cutting capabilities. I find that I need to thin most knives I buy, so maybe that's just my style.

Altadan, you're next up. I'll probably get this shipped out on Wednesday (I would still like to play around with it a bit. 😊)
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Chefspence »

Altadan wrote: Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:05 pm
Chefspence wrote: Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:11 pm Another btw...I have used two Yoshimitsu knives, this and my w1 bunka, and I've tipped them both :lol: Must be my style, or am I not used to such flat, thin tipped knives? In any case don't let me in on your passaround Yoshi knives if you don't want a new profile I guess :D
Hey Spence, if you hadn't tipped that W1 Bunka of yours, I probably would have done it myself :o with that bunka's short height and extra-pancake-flatness I find myself drawn to... draw cuts (sorry! not intended), and that little bit of snub-nosed tip works well.
Alright, that's it for this little digression. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this nakiri! It's been a while since I had (my first, and only) one :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
I can foresee you having a blast with this Yoshi. Keep us posted when you get some time with it
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Chefspence »

I just had to fix "posted" three times. Posters, posterd, posted...is my phone slurring for me :lol:
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Altadan
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Altadan »

If you send me a picture of your mug, I keep you postered as well as posted :V
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keithmarder
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by keithmarder »

Is the general consensus that the Matsubara is a better knife than the Moritaka? And can anyone make a comparison with both or either with the Takeda?
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Chefspence »

keithmarder wrote: Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:35 am Is the general consensus that the Matsubara is a better knife than the Moritaka? And can anyone make a comparison with both or either with the Takeda?
I don't think anyone has used the Moritaka yet, not that I've heard. The Matsubara is reportedly very thin like most regular sized nakiris. The Moritaka now has a video that SteveG just posted. It, like the Yoshimitsu, has a lower grind, where the Matsubara Nakiri has a taller one. Personal preference may come into play here too. None are widely used or dispersed yet.
keithmarder
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by keithmarder »

Chefspence wrote: Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:51 pm
keithmarder wrote: Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:35 am Is the general consensus that the Matsubara is a better knife than the Moritaka? And can anyone make a comparison with both or either with the Takeda?
I don't think anyone has used the Moritaka yet, not that I've heard. The Matsubara is reportedly very thin like most regular sized nakiris. The Moritaka now has a video that SteveG just posted. It, like the Yoshimitsu, has a lower grind, where the Matsubara Nakiri has a taller one. Personal preference may come into play here too. None are widely used or dispersed yet.
Thanks
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Altadan
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Altadan »

Knife has arrived on Friday (sorry!) in good condition :)
Have been enjoying it since. Will say more later. Thanks!
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Chefspence »

Thanks for the update Dan
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Altadan
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Altadan »

Hey fellows,
Did we say 7-10 days, or was it strictly 7 days?
If the latter, then I'll make sure to drive out to the main post tomorrow, if it's alright I'll be happy to chop-on till Monday 8-)
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Chefspence »

I’m sure it would be ok til Mon, I’m late a day on the Yahiko because of weather. It happens. I know you got piled on with passarounds this past week too, right?
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Altadan
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Re: Yoshimitsu AS 180mm Tall Nakiri

Post by Altadan »

Right and a half! Haha :) thanks for the accommodation Spence
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
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