An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

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Osprey
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An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Osprey »

Greetings folks, and first let me say Thank You! I’ve been scouring this site for months, as well as other forums and the amount of info and knowledge gleaned has been amazing. I was able to answer my first dozen questions about knives and steels, and then formed about 5,000 more in the process!

I’ve been an avid and active home cook for 20+ years. My brother gifted me a Wusthof Ikon 8” chef’s knife about 10+ years ago, and I’ve been very happy using it. The only other knife i really ever use has been a POS $3 television promo pairing knife, which I’ve happily and successfully used for so many years (ignorance is bliss). I’ve occasionally touched up the Wusthof on what i might call a coarse crystolon stone about 2”x1” in size, with satisfactory results, even though the toothy edge never lasted very long.

Last year, I somehow got interested in proper knife sharpening, and eventually procured some Chosera bench stones (400/800/3000). Naturally, the stones got me interested in better knives, and the Japanese knife world opened up to me. I first bought a couple Yaxell Dragons (very impressive knives, actually), and then as i got deeper down the rabbit hole, i bought a 210mm Takamura Chromax and a 240mm Anryu Blue Hammered Gyuto, from Mark’s site. I quickly added a 120mm Anryu Blue Petty, as i was so impressed with the gyuto! These knives are all amazing, and i can’t believe what i have been missing out on!

Now i have way more knives than i need, but i can’t seem to stop myself from window shopping on the CKtG site. I told my wife i would cool it, but i’m really just so curious to use a 240mm “laser” and have been looking at the only affordable / available Konosuke, the GS+. I’ve read some of the initial impression reviews on the site, but am curious to hear from folks who’ve been using the GS+ for a while now. Are you happy with the core steel? Has it been easy to sharpen and can it take a keen edge? Aside from the knife profile, the attribute i think i’m most interested in is being able to easily sharpen to a keen edge, and not be brittle/chippy. I’m less interested in the super hard, mega wear resistant super steels. I know the GS+, as a semi-stainless, will not be like a carbon steel, but just still curious to hear from folks who’ve been using it, what have your longer term impressions been?

I keep the Chosera 800 and 3000 very handy in the kitchen and don’t mind using them often. We are mostly vegetarian, and cut mostly vegetables, on an end grain maple cutting board. Thanks for all your insight!
Osprey
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Osprey »

I'm sure the answer here is "Just buy it and post your own impressions!", and that is probably how it will go down. But, i'm still curious to hear from any folks who have been using the Konosuke GS+ line regularly, on the job or in home kitchens. Thank you!
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Quantim0 »

I have the gs 150 petty and just sharpened it for the first time yesterday. It sharpened quickly and the burr dropped off faster than most stainless I have used. I took it to 3k and am happy with the performance of that edge. I used it daily for about 2 months before it needed to get on a stone, stropping brought the edge back for me until last week.
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lsboogy
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by lsboogy »

I'm just going to say up front to buy one. They will sell used for about what you pay for them so there is little financial reason not to get one. I only have one Kono (HD2 240) but the thing is a great blade out of the box. I'm an old Kikuichi/Nenohi guy, but what you get on this site is a better bang for the buck knife - I have a dozen or so blades from Mark and will probably never buy another one from Korin or knife house - Mark sells blades for go rather than show, and I am trying to learn to be a cook for retirement (going to run a shelter kitchen when I retire) - pro kitchens are a different world. What Mark and Sue sell are geared towards pro kitchens, where veg is done in boxes every day. I did 5 boxes of onions, carrots, and cauliflower yesterday in a little over an hour with my Kono - more than a months worth of prep for most home kitchens, but the techniques I learn at my unpaid job translate to my home - plating, visualization, saucing etc are very much a part of putting food in front of people. My view is anything konosuke will probably be a great knife.

As stated on other threads, this place is more like a race car place - Williams Sonoma sells corvettes - they corner at 1.1G, brake at almost 1.5, and accelerate at about 1. My old formula Atlantic car was good for about 5 in the corners, 2 in acceleration, and 4 on the brakes. I'm trying to get an open shifter kart license now - akin to what Mark sells - a street Ferrari (even an Enzo) could not lap with a shifter kart on its best day - race cars are different animals, as are chef knives for pro environments. My street car (CLK63 with some Rentec tuning ) runs with motorcycles, but my shifter cart times around a race course dominate the street cars. My knife use in a pro kitchen far exceeds what I do at home for the most part. A Kono is like a race car, the Williams Sonoma stuff is nice, but can't keep up as a beginning sous (like me).
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by nakneker »

The Kono 240 GS is a great knife. I’m a home cook and own several Konos and others but I’ve kept the GS and have enjoyed it. The semi stainless steel is easy to maintain, takes a good edge and the edge retention is good. The profile is more of a KS profile and I like that for several kitchen duties. You can’t go wrong with it. I have the HD2 in 240 and 270, I use the HD2 more but that’s just because I’ve had it longer. I would echo what’s been said above and pull the trigger. The great thing about these knives is they are easy to resell if you don’t like. Look at it like paying 30 bucks to try it out. Kinda of hard to beat that.
“The goal is to die with memories, not dreams.”
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Jeff B
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Jeff B »

Given what you're used to, the GS+ will blow you away. You won't be disappointed and you have a great set of stones to maintain it. The GS+ is probably the best bang for the buck Konosuke out there.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by mauichef »

Jeff B wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 5:48 pm Given what you're used to, the GS+ will blow you away. You won't be disappointed and you have a great set of stones to maintain it. The GS+ is probably the best bang for the buck Konosuke out there.
Welcome to the forum Osprey!
I heartily agree with Jeff. The GS+ is Konosuke's price performance king.
Also for a few dollars more you could trade up to a MM Ginsan, but that is less of a laser. (I really dig my MM Ginsan)
Either way you will be buying one of the best knives out there as regards, grinds, profile and fit and finish.
Welcome to the rabbit hole :D
Osprey
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Osprey »

Thank you for all the replies thus far, and thanks for the welcome mauichef! I was actually eyeing the Konosuke MM ginsan and the swedish stainless "laser" as well, particularly because both supposedly use a very fine grained steel that can take a superfine edge. The thing that has impressed me most about these Japanese knives is the razor sharp edge and being so thin behind the edge. The Anryu Blue 2 is amazing and even the more "budget" Takamura Chromax is a joy to use. I took the Takamura to the stones to improve its edge just a bit, but the Anryu came with an edge i didn't feel i could possibly improve upon. So, with that said, the Konosuke Ginsan and Swedish stainless were quite appealing to me, because of the relative certainty of being able to put a very fine edge on them, and still have some good edge stability based on those steels (in theory, anyway). The "KS" version of the GS+ really appeals to me because of that extremely thin tip (probably thinner than even the ginsan and the swedish). The variable is the "mystery GS steel", and how stable a fine edge would be. From some of the responses, sounds like it is probably a pretty solid reliable steel and i should quit hemming and hawing.

I'm pretty easy on the knives, and as pesca/vege-tarians, we are not really getting into very heavy work on the board. I like turning garlic and onions into confetti, and am so impressed by how much easier that has been with these JK's. The "KS" profiled GS+ excites me for the same reason, as it seems like even more of a precision took. Just want to be able to rely on it to be able to take that very fine edge that the Anryu has (understanding that GS may not be on the same level as Blue 2, of course). Thanks again!
Radar53
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Radar53 »

Hi There Osprey and welcome to the forum.

I have the Kono Swedish 240 and the Anyru B#2 210 along with maybe a dozen more. (Be careful of that rabbit hole :lol: )

Disclaimer up front - I love my knives, but am more of a sharpener than a knife wielder.

My three favourite knives currently are #3 the Anyru B#2 , #2 my Kono Swedish and my #1 is the Shibata 240 Kashima https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shckex24gy.html

All three are great on veges, feel different and go about their business differently, and all the personal preference issues will come into play and you are the only one who can decide what works best for your needs.

As I say all three work really well for me, but if I could only have one, it would be the Shibata no question. Currently OOS, but at only $20 more than the GS+ it deserves a look.
Cheers Grant

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Osprey
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Osprey »

Hi Radar and thanks for the welcome. The Kashima also looks the part, and has that same super thin tip. May i ask, as you are more of a sharpener, is your preference for the Kashima based more on how it feels on the stones, and the results you get, or is it based on the profile and how it performs (or perhaps both?)? It definitely appears to have that same profile as the GS+ "KS" that is calling to me!
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Radar53 »

Hi Osprey. My preference is based on both for sure.
Firstly, the steel is R2, which is a really easy-to-sharpen pm steel, that can take a crazy edge that lasts really well. Also, the performance of any flavour of steel, depends more on the heat treatment and tempering than just the ingredients. Shibata produces a fantastic rendition of R2 IMHO. Also the sharpest OOTB knife I've bought.

Secondly, it is crazy thin behind the edge to the point of initially feeling a little bit "fragile". I certainly look after my "stuff" well, but I haven't had any significant problems over 20+ months now. I now think that it's not that fragile!

Thirdly, my knife wielding skills are not awful and I would rate them a good, basic skills. I generally have a rotation going with my knives and in terms of gyutos & I run three at a time - 1 @ 210 and 2 @ 240. I'm using my knives every day, so I get to do a number of side-by-side comparisons on the same meat / veges, which I find interesting. The Kashima just ghosts through product and has great food release for how thin it is.

There was a post way back on the Kashima and you can find it here viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2144 Also I posted on the first sharpening of my two R2 Shibatas here, just in case you're interested. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6893
Cheers Grant

Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Osprey
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Osprey »

I pulled the trigger on the GS+ this morning. The Kashima looks like a helluva blade too, but who knows when it will be back in stock. I think the Konosuke will serve its purpose well in my kitchen. Thank you all, kind folks, for providing your insights and experiences - much appreciated! I can post some feedback on the GS+ after i gets some time in the rotation, as there doesn't appear to be a ton of discussion on it. -Dave
gotmail1414
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by gotmail1414 »

Osprey wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 7:19 am I pulled the trigger on the GS+ this morning. [...] I can post some feedback on the GS+ after i gets some time in the rotation, as there doesn't appear to be a ton of discussion on it. -Dave
I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on the knife, as I've been eyeing it as well.
Osprey
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Re: An Introduction and An Inquiry (Kono GS+)

Post by Osprey »

For the moment, i can only provide some initial impressions, as i've been oiling the handle and letting it cure. It should be ready to use, but haven't actually put it to use yet. I'll post some user impressions after i have some use time with it. Initial visual impressions are positive though. I don't have any other Konosuke's, so i can't compare to any of the "higher end" knives in that line. However, fit and finish seem to be excellent. Spine is eased and polished, and handle is perfect. Choil is not eased like the spine, but that doesn't really bother me as i'm not on the board for hours at a time, and can easily be eased if needed. Edge feels very sharp out of the box, and i will not sharpen before using. What stands out most is how LIGHT and whispy it feels. It almost feels like a "toy" knife based on how light it is, compared to say, the Anryu Blue2 or Yuki or even the Takamura Chromax. I wasn't expecting it to feel as light as it does. Both blade and handle are quite light. The blade is very thin, and the tip seems to be insanely thin. I will probably be inclined to baby it at first, but suspect that will be unnecessary (it is a knife and made of steel, after all). So, it looks to be exactly what I was after, and i'm very much looking forward to using it. It feels sufficiently different enough from the other knives that i have, such that it shouldn't feel redundant. Once i have some actual use time with it, i'll post more impressions on how it compares in action to the other gyutos i've been using.
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