Takeda Gyuto 240mm VS up to 400USD

[budha]

Hi guys,
Is the Takeda Gyoto still one of the best kitchen knives out there in 2017, what else should i consider before buying it?
I´m not a professional chef, however, I do love cooking and has done so for the past 32 years. I have decent chopping skills, but not like an pro. =)
I´m looking for a sharp knife with a lasting edge and with a good balance.
Any good suggestions out there?
Cheers

[snipes]

Budha, welcome to forums. There is a sticky at the top of this subforum that will be of great assistance in helping your rather openended question. Takeda's are a polarizing, yet excellent knife. Understanding a bit more about your desires, current knives, etc. will help frame the responses.

[cedarhouse]

Yes
...and no.

Simple machines are some of the hardest to redesign. Consider the problem of the better mouse trap. Or think about designing a better hammer.

The Takeda does two things extremely well. First, the Takeda is one of the most unique designs in Japanese cutlery. And while novel designs are rarely better than their mainstream counterparts, Takedas really are very well designed knives. Secondly, Takeda executes their design exceedingly well. Their fit and finish is quite good and their heat treatment is among the best I've used.

On the other hand, being a unique design means that people have to take a leap of faith to try the knife out and it can be easy to get buyers remorse since the knife is not like other knives. Even if people can appreciate its idiosyncrasies, some people just don't prefer the specific performance attributes the Takeda has to offer.

FWIW, I think the Takeda is an amazing knife and any serious Japanese knife knut has to try one to complete their education. That said, I don't recommend the knife as a first foray into JKs.

[btbyrd]

I'm considering a slightly smaller Takeda gyuto to round out my initial JK collection. I have a yanagiba, k-tipped gyuto, nakiri, and two petties... everything is super flat in terms of the blade profile. I'm looking for something that has a bit more belly but also has some height to it. The Takeda looks like an excellent option.

To those who have used one, are the Takeda gytuos ample in the belly department? I'm only asking because everything I have right now is so straight and I'm looking for something that'd rock chop.

[Kalaeb]

To those who have used one, are the Takeda gytuos ample in the belly department? I'm only asking because everything I have right now is so straight and I'm looking for something that'd rock chop.

I can only speak for myself and my Takeda. Keep in mind his blades are variable, even on edge profile. Mine has a good amount of belly. But....mine is stupid thin at the edge. Although I probably could, I generally don't rock chop with it for fear the movement might chip the edge where I pivot the action.

I prefer a slightly more robust edge for rocking.

[btbyrd]

The Takeda is so unique that I figure I'll have to try it at some point anyway. I suspect I'd like it, given that I'm not bothered by the height of the knife. It's still an expensive blade though, at least by my standards.

Right now, my only "chef's knives" are a Global G2 (8") and G17 (11"). But I also have the aforementioned flat-bellied k-tip gyuto and a nakiri... so there's plenty of quality straight blades around. Most of my cutting technique is built around push cutting and slicing rather than rock-chopping anyway, and I ... but I'd still like to have a higher quality gyuto as a general purpose knife that can do some rocking. The Tanaka Damascus seems like a good contender too, but it's fully reactive and the fit/finish (and overall aesthetic) isn't as good. Reactivity isn't a big deal to me, but the stainless clad super-blue immensely appealing.

Anyway, the Takeda has my attention (though probably in the 210mm size). Like the OP, I'm interested to hear about alternative "modern classics" as far as gyutos go.

[budha]

Sorry for the late reply, been quite busy at work. I think that I have decided to buy the Takeda, however, I´m not sure if I should go for the steel or stainless one. I´ve had problems finding comparisons between the two. Any input?

[btbyrd]

If you search Google for "Takeda stainless vs classic" (without the quotation marks) you should pull up a bunch of threads on knife forums. From what I've been able to gather, the KU finish on the stainless version is "smoother" and less rustic than on the classic, which has a more textured finish. Some claim that the coarser KU on the classic facilitates food release; others say it doesn't make a difference. I'm not sure it matters much. Apart from the finish, there's the reactivity issue. Takeda's KU finish is pretty extreme and covers so much of the blade that the classic is a relatively non-reactive knife even though it's not stainless. However, over the life of the knife the finish will end up fading through use and sharpening (and it will be ground off if you ever have the blade thinned or reshaped). I've seen several gnarly looking, orangey-bluey-yellowy older Takedas that have lost most of their cladding and started reacting all over. But I've also seen several clean looking older takedas that have lost most of their cladding but look fine.

I ended up with the small stainless-clad gyuto, mostly for peace of mind. I'm still working on developing good knife discipline (wet towel, dry towel) and can be a bit absent-minded and distractable in my home kitchen. The stainless cladding adds a bit of insurance against my personal foibles.

[btbyrd]

I just found this handy-dandy chart from an old post of Mark's comparing the NAS and the Classic. It was apparently put together by Shosui himself.



So it looks like the other major difference is that the NAS version is a bit more rigid (and less likely to bend) than the classic. If you read through the thread, Mark mentions a Facebook video from Takeda showing him bend a NAS blade and it springing back into shape, where the original "classic" is more likely to stay bent (though it's apparently easy to fix).

[milkbaby]

I believe Takeda only makes the NAS (stainless clad) knives now, so the AS (carbon clad) knives retailers have are new old stock. If you go to Takeda website, only NAS is available in his kitchen knives.

You must still take care to dry your knife properly as the core steel is still Aogami Super carbon (non- stainless) steel. Also, stainless can still rust, it's just "stain less" not stain-free...

[gladius]

I think older models are still available but as special order. I personally (and many others) prefer the older iron clad models.

[budha]

Wow, thanks guys! This made the choice so much easier =) Love this forum and I´m very grateful for all the help.
Now i only have to wait for it to be stocked again hehe.
Cheers and thanks again for the help!