No more Takeda classic?
No more Takeda classic?
I saw this on a thread in the For Sale subforum and didn't want to hijack someone's sale. In the thread it was suggested that Takeda classics are no longer being made. Only the newer stainless over AS. Does anyone know this for sure? If so, my tax return better get here quick before they're all gone!
- Drewski
- Posts: 1309
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 2:01 am
- Location: Manitoba, Canada
- Has thanked: 429 times
- Been thanked: 46 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
I contacted Takeda directly in August and was told they are still making soft steel cladded AS, but that the recommended stainless clad. I was asking about a particularly long suji and they said they could make it in the classic version if I could wait several months. I bought a classic gyuto last year when it looked like all the supply was going to stainless, and am glad I did.
-
- Posts: 1445
- Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:01 pm
- Location: oxford, MA
- Has thanked: 105 times
- Been thanked: 136 times
- Contact:
Re: No more Takeda classic?
aw man, i want one too. anyone willing to trade one for a custom made by me , let me know!
Tim Johnson
Oxford, MA
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
--s. suzuki
Web: http://www.timothyjohnsonknives.com
Email: tim@blackstoneknife.com
Instagram: @timostheos
Oxford, MA
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
--s. suzuki
Web: http://www.timothyjohnsonknives.com
Email: tim@blackstoneknife.com
Instagram: @timostheos
-
- Posts: 2498
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 11:46 am
- Location: Long Island
- Has thanked: 120 times
- Been thanked: 454 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
For me it's an aesthetic thing. I really connect with the rustic finish.
That said, it's higher maintenance and the stainless clad does seem to perform just a little better.
Re: No more Takeda classic?
---Robstreperous wrote: ↑Sat Feb 02, 2019 5:35 pm For me it's an aesthetic thing. I really connect with the rustic finish.
That said, it's higher maintenance and the stainless clad does seem to perform just a little better.
It is a personal preference: aesthetic difference between crinkle iron vs smooth stainless finish - I've found the Classic line a little better performers: they have a livelier feel in use. I have not noted much of a difference in maintenance as both have AS cores and no issues with reactivity in the Classic line .
- ashy2classy
- Posts: 1147
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2017 7:47 pm
- Has thanked: 87 times
- Been thanked: 13 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
I really dig the look of the classic line. Would you recommend a Takeda, gladius? I don't like how light they are, but I'm really eyeing a 240 medium from the classic line before they go OOS again.gladius wrote: ↑Sat Feb 02, 2019 6:12 pm ---
It is a personal preference: aesthetic difference between crinkle iron vs smooth stainless finish - I've found the Classic line a little better performers: they have a livelier feel in use. I have not noted much of a difference in maintenance as both have AS cores and no issues with reactivity in the Classic line .
Re: No more Takeda classic?
---ashy2classy wrote: ↑Sat Feb 02, 2019 7:54 pm I really dig the look of the classic line. Would you recommend a Takeda, gladius? I don't like how light they are, but I'm really eyeing a 240 medium from the classic line before they go OOS again.
They are good high performance knives. If it is calling to you, get one.
-
- Posts: 1152
- Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 2:58 pm
- Location: Hendersonville, NC
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 19 times
- Contact:
Re: No more Takeda classic?
I have had a regular AS 240 gyuto for 6+ years, it is a great knife for some things, it is not a general everyday work horse for me. I am assuming, that like me, most here have accumulated a number of gyutos in the 210-240 length and have found favorites blades for certain tasks...maybe more so with home cooks that have the luxury of choice and time. I find this knife to excel at many vegetable tasks, but so do many others, the one item that the Takeda rules is cabbage....is it good/great with a pepper/onion, yes, but so are others. For breaking down cabbage and especially making slaw, it has no peer IMO. I honestly don't use it that often anymore, but I would never sell it. I have not used the stainless version, I assume it it good, but I do treasure and would recommend the AS blade.
- Drewski
- Posts: 1309
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 2:01 am
- Location: Manitoba, Canada
- Has thanked: 429 times
- Been thanked: 46 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
I've heard that when the stainless first came out, they weren't as good performance as the classic (for whatever reason), but more recent versions of the stainless are supposed to be even thinner than the classics.Robstreperous wrote: ↑Sat Feb 02, 2019 5:35 pmFor me it's an aesthetic thing. I really connect with the rustic finish.
That said, it's higher maintenance and the stainless clad does seem to perform just a little better.
-
- Posts: 2498
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 11:46 am
- Location: Long Island
- Has thanked: 120 times
- Been thanked: 454 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
Wanna' know something? (And to Gladius' point above too.). I find the difference so very subtle I pretty much half wonder if I'm talking myself into believing one thing or another.Drewski wrote: ↑Sun Feb 03, 2019 12:48 amI've heard that when the stainless first came out, they weren't as good performance as the classic (for whatever reason), but more recent versions of the stainless are supposed to be even thinner than the classics.Robstreperous wrote: ↑Sat Feb 02, 2019 5:35 pmFor me it's an aesthetic thing. I really connect with the rustic finish.
That said, it's higher maintenance and the stainless clad does seem to perform just a little better.
Closest I can come to an apples to apples comparison is my 170 stainless bunka and my 210 classic bunka. Maybe the 170 feels just a hair slipperier through ingredients like onions and possibly the food release is just, at the very margins, a half a hair better.... or maybe not... or maybe it's due to which one was sharpened more recently.... or they are after all diffrerent sized knives....
When it's all said and done though I'm probably picking the classic simply because (frustrated home cook that I am) I just sort of connect with the classic finish a little better at an emotional level.
-
- Posts: 2498
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 11:46 am
- Location: Long Island
- Has thanked: 120 times
- Been thanked: 454 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
^^^^ This. For gyutos. Plus, if I'm ever in need of rocking a huge pile of leafy things -- herbs especially. Plus, plus, if I ever need to rock chop a huge pile of garlic....Carter wrote: ↑Sun Feb 03, 2019 12:19 am I have had a regular AS 240 gyuto for 6+ years, it is a great knife for some things, it is not a general everyday work horse for me. I am assuming, that like me, most here have accumulated a number of gyutos in the 210-240 length and have found favorites blades for certain tasks...maybe more so with home cooks that have the luxury of choice and time. I find this knife to excel at many vegetable tasks, but so do many others, the one item that the Takeda rules is cabbage....
***** The bunkas, and my suji, and ko bocho each, on the other hand have their unique niches.... that they perform so well.
-
- Posts: 1863
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:44 am
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
- Has thanked: 361 times
- Been thanked: 591 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
Really interesting question this one. With some of the knife-specific stainless & pm steels now available, I generally buy these versions for my knives. No fuss, no bother, edges & performance so close that I'd be surprised if more than a few knife addicts could reliably tell the difference in a blind test. Certainly in my amateur hands I couldn't. If my memory serves I think that even Takeda-san recommends the fully stainless version.
But having said the above, even just personal preference is a good enough reason to lean one way or the other.
But here's an interesting thing for me. When I bought my Takeda 210 gyuto, I was time constrained because my wife wanted to give it to me for my birthday and all the fully stainless versions were OOS. So I opted for the Classic feeling a bit ho-hum about it. Guess what though, I'm now really, really pleased that things worked out this way, because I just love the Classic. That it cuts well is simply a given, but what has captured me is the character of the blade. Rustic, a bit wabi-sabi, great tactile feel in hand and pretty much no extra work now it has a beautiful patina. I wouldn't trade it for the fully stainless version.
So all a bit comme ce, comme ça
Cheers Grant
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Re: No more Takeda classic?
Radar53 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 03, 2019 4:15 pm
Really interesting question this one. With some of the knife-specific stainless & pm steels now available, I generally buy these versions for my knives. No fuss, no bother, edges & performance so close that I'd be surprised if more than a few knife addicts could reliably tell the difference in a blind test. Certainly in my amateur hands I couldn't. If my memory serves I think that even Takeda-san recommends the fully stainless version.
But having said the above, even just personal preference is a good enough reason to lean one way or the other.
But here's an interesting thing for me. When I bought my Takeda 210 gyuto, I was time constrained because my wife wanted to give it to me for my birthday and all the fully stainless versions were OOS. So I opted for the Classic feeling a bit ho-hum about it. Guess what though, I'm now really, really pleased that things worked out this way, because I just love the Classic. That it cuts well is simply a given, but what has captured me is the character of the blade. Rustic, a bit wabi-sabi, great tactile feel in hand and pretty much no extra work now it has a beautiful patina. I wouldn't trade it for the fully stainless version.
So all a bit comme ce, comme ça
—-
To clarify there is not a fully stainless offering, both are AS carbon core.
Curious if you have developed patina on the core only or the cladding as well?
-
- Posts: 1863
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:44 am
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
- Has thanked: 361 times
- Been thanked: 591 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
Hi there Gladius.
Slip of the mind there for me (not that unusual these days haha!). Possibly brought about in this instance by the fact that the AS has hardly taken any patina at all and is acting more like a semi-stainless as you will see in the photos referenced below.
So to answer your question, it's a little bit the opposite. I have developed a very nice patina on the iron cladding and as above almost nothing on the AS core. Check it out here & I would be interested in your comments. Thanks.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jz44b9v09t1i6 ... 4.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/47jm7qf4kizn6 ... 5.jpg?dl=0
Slip of the mind there for me (not that unusual these days haha!). Possibly brought about in this instance by the fact that the AS has hardly taken any patina at all and is acting more like a semi-stainless as you will see in the photos referenced below.
So to answer your question, it's a little bit the opposite. I have developed a very nice patina on the iron cladding and as above almost nothing on the AS core. Check it out here & I would be interested in your comments. Thanks.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jz44b9v09t1i6 ... 4.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/47jm7qf4kizn6 ... 5.jpg?dl=0
Cheers Grant
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
-
- Posts: 1863
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:44 am
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
- Has thanked: 361 times
- Been thanked: 591 times
Re: No more Takeda classic?
Short answer is "no!" I don't use acidy products or leave the blade wet if possible.
I definitely like the "blues" in terms of patina on my carbon knives and I use the following method.
I buy a "soft", cheap & fatty pork salami. First-up I heat the knife under the hot water tap and then use it to cut say 1mm slices of salami. When the knife cools down it's back under the tap to step & repeat. Once I've got a few slices then it's under the tap and I use one or two of the slices to rub the knife all over.
Then I heat the blade once again and quickly dry it off as best I can. While it's still reasonably hot I wrap the whole blade in the remaining slices of salami applying pressure and let it come to room temperature and then let it rest for a while.
I repeat the above until I get the best patina I can and the birds love to feed on the used & left over salami.
As you know there is a myriad of different methods that people use & swear by, but this is just what works for me.
HTH
I definitely like the "blues" in terms of patina on my carbon knives and I use the following method.
I buy a "soft", cheap & fatty pork salami. First-up I heat the knife under the hot water tap and then use it to cut say 1mm slices of salami. When the knife cools down it's back under the tap to step & repeat. Once I've got a few slices then it's under the tap and I use one or two of the slices to rub the knife all over.
Then I heat the blade once again and quickly dry it off as best I can. While it's still reasonably hot I wrap the whole blade in the remaining slices of salami applying pressure and let it come to room temperature and then let it rest for a while.
I repeat the above until I get the best patina I can and the birds love to feed on the used & left over salami.
As you know there is a myriad of different methods that people use & swear by, but this is just what works for me.
HTH
Cheers Grant
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Re: No more Takeda classic?
For me it is an aesthetic thing. The stainless clad version do not have the visual pop of the classic version and at this price point, for me as a home cook, aesthetics become a strong factor. A $300+ knife had better be a stellar performer, but it had also better be stunning to look at.