Comparison Question

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1100RS
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Comparison Question

Post by 1100RS »

Interested in hearing thoughts on the similarities and differences between these two knives:

Kurosaki Megumi Gyuto 210mm (https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kumegy21.html)

Shun Premier 8" Chef Knife (https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shunpremier21.html)

Small craftsman vs giant international. It looks like both are VG10. The Shun page doesn't have specs listed, so I am wondering how similar the size and shapes are.
Kalaeb
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by Kalaeb »

Okay, I will answer as long as you show some pics of your 1100rs, been dreaming of buying one for a long time.

Really, I have not used either, but they are completely different profiles. The shun is more of a rocker profile while the kurosaki is more push and chop. You can see the large amount of flat that it has on the edge.

Shun does a good job with vg10 despite what some may say. (So does kurosaki).


Balance on the kurosaki is going to be more toward the blade and the shun is going to be closer to the bolster.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by Kit Craft »

I don't know that I would agree that both do a good job with VG-10. Imo Shun does an okay-good job with VG-10 and Kurosaki does a great job. Tanaka, for example, does a magnificent job with the steel.

I agree with the profile differences. I find the Kuro to have a good all round profile but mine have all excelled at glide cutting, so somewhere in the middle. However, I find this true of most Echizen made knives. For whatever reason, real or perceived, I find the Kuro VG-10 easier to sharpen and particularly to deburr.

Honestly, if I could choose between any knife it would be neither. If sticking with VG-10 I would go Tanaka or Ryusen. With Kurosaki I would go with his R2 as it is a wicked performer. I would go with shun if I wanted one and done and never wanted to expand into the knife universe. But even then I prefer Miyabi.
1100RS
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by 1100RS »

Thanks! The shape difference wasn't totally clear from the videos. In fact the video presents the Kurosaki as not having too flat of a belly, and I have heard elsewhere that the Shun Premier is flatter than the Shun Classic lines, so I wasn't sure if they were approaching a similar shape or not. Regardless, both are very nice looking. I love the hammered look (though if money were no object, the best looking knife here has to be the R2 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kur2gy.html).

The bike is a '96. Long in the tooth but still solid. A legit sport tourer. I will come back with some photos.
Kalaeb
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by Kalaeb »

That Western R2 kuro is a great knife. I have used it a few times for long sessions and really enjoyed it.

What is your budget and what style of cutting do you usually do?
1100RS
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by 1100RS »

Strictly amateur, so a wide variety of tasks, though I do a lot of French -- plenty of prep/dicing/mirepoix etc. Currently with a basic, heavy German knife but I was recently gifted a Shun Premier Santoku and Paring knife set. Well intentioned but not really what the doctor ordered, so I did some research and came across this site. After the return, I will have about $250 to work with and I am intrigued by a flatter blade profile as, based on what I have read here, I don't think I am much of a 'rocker.' I realize that, given my work load, a fancy pro knife isn't required, but with the gift credit, what the hell, right? Why keep your flip phone if someone gives you an iPhone X?
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Kit Craft
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by Kit Craft »

1100RS wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 12:43 pm Strictly amateur, so a wide variety of tasks, though I do a lot of French -- plenty of prep/dicing/mirepoix etc. Currently with a basic, heavy German knife but I was recently gifted a Shun Premier Santoku and Paring knife set. Well intentioned but not really what the doctor ordered, so I did some research and came across this site. After the return, I will have about $250 to work with and I am intrigued by a flatter blade profile as, based on what I have read here, I don't think I am much of a 'rocker.' I realize that, given my work load, a fancy pro knife isn't required, but with the gift credit, what the hell, right? Why keep your flip phone if someone gives you an iPhone X?
I miss my flip phone. It went through a CNC shavings sorter, twice and survived. An iphone dies from a 1 meter drop. :x That is a good way to look at it too. You can beat the ever loving crap out of a lot of Euro knives and not many J-knives will take that. I don't know that I would French a rack of lamb, for example, with the Kuro. But that is what they make boning knives for anyway.
Cutuu
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by Cutuu »

$250 is a budget that gives you a whole, whole lot of options in the 210 range. I would abandon this thread and start a new one filling out the questionnaire. If you really want a hammered one. The anryu is a great knive imo. The one kurasaki megumi I tried, i wouldnt want it as my only or main knive. I feel like there are others with better overall performance, although the 210 may be alot different from the 240 I tried. I do like kurasakis knives the megumi just seems to be the beefcake of his selection. The steel seemed quite nice though and i would prefer it to the shun vg10s that ive tried. I would think the shun premiere might actually go through a variety of product better than the megumi, but I haven't actually tried the 210. Again, with that budget i would just start a fresh thread and explore your many options.
Lepus
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by Lepus »

We all agree that you should get a fancy professional knife. We think you need a new hobby.

I wouldn't try to go too deep into flat gyuto territory. A normal gyuto profile is already pretty flat. If you go for the flattest ones you can limit yourself a bit.

I agree about filling out the questionaire. It helps us figure out what to suggest but it also obliges you to think through some details you may not have considered.
snipes
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by snipes »

I spent an afternoon with SteveG's Megumi and compared it side by side to the Tanaka VG10 IIRC. I remember looking at him and saying that I'd be very happy owning either. I believe they were both 240s.
SteveG
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Re: Comparison Question

Post by SteveG »

I've owned the Megumi VG-10 240 Gyuto and still own the R-2 Shizuku 240 Gyuto. I've also used the 210 versions of each. Profiles can vary a bit from knife to knife, but IMO the Shizuku knives are thinner at the edge and somewhat better performers than the Megumi line. From the samples I've seen the R-2 Shizuku profiles are a bit flatter than the Megumi, but again, individual samples can vary.

Personally, I'd take the Shizuku R-2 over the Premier.

You can also check out the videos on the R-2 Hammered series. I like the handles better on the Shizuku and the finish very...unique...in a good way :-).
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