Favorite New(ish) Brands on CKTG

[ChipB]

Hi All,

For those who don't know me from the old forum, I've been absent from the CKTG community for a couple of years and am getting back up to speed on all that has been going on here in the interim. I was curious to see what newer brands (say, introduced on CKTG over the past 3 years) have become favorites in forum members' collections (any/all patterns and steels) and why. Look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

-Chip

[SteveG]

Welcome back Chip .

I've been absent as of late as well due to a new job. Hoping to get more time on the forums.

Let me noodle on that one - great question!

I don't know if you have any experience with the Shibata knives, but they excel at making knives in their preferred style. Light, thin, but excellent performers with top notch grinds. Might not be up your alley from what I remember of your tastes, but it's a great line of knives for what it is.

[Jeff B]

I have only been here intermitantely the past year myself. 2017 was a suck ass year in a lot of ways for me.

A knife that I think will eventually really take off is the Makoto(the HG line pinned by Steve). Excellent knife that has a great grind and excellent example of W#2 steel. I think it is the best bang for the buck on the sight right now. Those Kurosaki boys got it goin' on!

[SteveG]

Good to see you back also Jeff!

Yes, I was going to mention Makoto Kurosaki as well. The high grade W#2 line is very, very well executed indeed. The ONLY knock I can give my Makoto HG 210 W#2 Gyuto is to take off a few marks for average food release.

[Radar53]

Hi Chip & welcome back. Firstly a disclaimer. I only got into JK's about 3 or 4 years ago, so I'm a relatively a newbe, and I'm only a home cook, but have about a dozen or so JK's now. So take what I say with a grain of salt.

+1 to Steve's recommendation on the Shibata knives. I have the 175mm bunka and the 240 Kashima and I'm gobsmacked by both. Yes they are light & thin but seem to be pretty solid. Great F&F, really sharp OOTB, great grinds, really thin behind the edge, good food release for what they are, but s**t they cut through produce!!

[MisoSatisfried]

Depending upon your tastes, I'll also add another Shibata fan to the list. Amazing cutters!

[Cutuu]

I would agree with makato and shibata, also add matsubura to the list. They have been putting out some intetesting knives.

[J david]

I've been impressed by Makoto's offerings as well. Also, the Yahiko shirogami hairline gyuto is top shelf at an amazing price for those that appreciate a Sanjo style knife. My example is currently on passaround. If you want to give it a go, PM your address to me and I'll work you in.

[jbart65]

I came to the CKTG board just as Chip was leaving, I seem to recall, and the Shibata was on the site then. The Shibata AS, however, is new and it's the best laser I have used. The highly regarded Kashima is another member of the growing family.

Also love my Yahiko Nashiji that supposedly is made by Yoshikane. Mark carries several Yahiko lines and at least three different smith/companies make them.

[ChipB]

I have only been here intermitantely the past year myself. 2017 was a suck ass year in a lot of ways for me.

A knife that I think will eventually really take off is the Makoto(the HG line pinned by Steve). Excellent knife that has a great grind and excellent example of W#2 steel. I think it is the best bang for the buck on the sight right now. Those Kurosaki boys got it goin' on!

Sorry to hear the past year was a rough one. Hopefully the it's all in the rearview as I can't imagine the forum without ya!

The younger Kurosaki impressed the hell out of me with the Masakage Shimo. If memory serves, you we're able to put a couple Kurosaki (owned one or two as well?) and a few other Echizen makers who produce knives with similar grinds and styles through the paces, so if you think the Makato is noteworthy, I consider that a pretty strong endorsement

[ChipB]

I came to the CKTG board just as Chip was leaving, I seem to recall, and the Shibata was on the site then. The Shibata AS, however, is new and it's the best laser I have used,

Also love my Yahiko Nashiji that supposedly is made by Yoshikane. Mark carries several Yahiko lines and at least three different smith/companies make them.

Yeah, I think Shibata was beginning to make the rounds, but definitely not a maker I'm familiar with. It seems like there is a pretty solid consensus around the three brands mentioned so far. I'll have to spend some time checking out the relevant reviews/discussions

[ChipB]

I've been impressed by Makoto's offerings as well. Also, the Yahiko shirogami hairline gyuto is top shelf at an amazing price for those that appreciate a Sanjo style knife. My example is currently on passaround. If you want to give it a go, PM your address to me and I'll work you in.

Very nice offer! If I didn't have a few new additions to pay attention to I'd definitely take you up on it. I used to own a Shig 240 gyuto and still own a Shig 270 suji and have recently found myself wanting to give well executed Sanjo style blades another look. While I tend to prefer shorter (less tall), knives with a higher grind, there have been more than a few instances recently that have left me wanting for a knife with a lower convex or S grind with some height and authority for better ingredient separation.

[salemj]

The suggestions all resonate with me as being the "new and exciting" buzz knives on the site recently, and for good reason. Of them, the Makoto stands out, although I have not tried one. I think you'd have to focus on the more expensive series.

The others make less sense to me in terms of your "normal" interests, Chip. The Shibatas are R2, except his new AS, which probably has a profile that you would hate, even though it is almost certainly an excellent knife. Word is that the treatments are done by Ikeda the younger, and I think his treatment on my Ikeda KS is really smashing. I say you'd hate the AS because It is even more rounded than Shibata's other offerings, with what seems like a generous heel relief. I'm also not sure if you'd prefer the style over something like an HD in terms of performance, and I honestly think you'd probably prefer the HD K-tip of the Shibata Bunka style. I'm also just not sure at all that the Shibatas are an improvement performance-wise on, say, a Suisin Inox, but that isn't a knock at all—we all know that the Suisin Inox was and remains an incredible performer in the laser category. (The Shibata has the advantage for pros in being R2, but to be honest, I think that is a disadvantage for some, including myself.). I don't mean to knock these excellent knives. I'm just trying to speak to what I know about your collection specifically. For anyone else, my descriptions would change...

I'd make similar comments about the new Kurosaki lasers (R2). Undoubtedly fantastic looking knives. But they do not scream Chip to me, especially given the core steel.

I can see you getting into Kurosaki the elder, though. Haven't used one yet, but he essentially shifts the Kurosaki brand in exactly the direction I was hoping it would go in ten years, away from R2 and jazzy finishes and toward carbon steel and taller grinds and thinner knives overall with thinner necks, all probably the result of more basic finishes that allow for more elegant grind transitions and thinner pounding near the neck.

Oddly enough, I'm wondering if it might be time to consider a Sukenari. The ZDP or one of the Honyaki offerings could be great, and the smaller honyakis might add something quite unique to your collection. My sense is that these knives have gotten thinner and thinner over time (but I could be wrong). Years ago, they always seemed way too thick and conservative in the grind to me, but some recent choil shots got me thinking that these may actually be "steals" at this point, considering how low the honyakis go for. If they really have improved the grinds in the way I think they may have, they would be worth a try.

If you want to try something really strange, there's the Takayuki Homura. I could see this knife being a lot of fun for you. I think the Takayuki brand is (like Masamoto and Konosuke) generally reliable in terms of design and performance. The fact that these appear so "traditional" and yet are double-bevel is really intriguing. It is a ton of money to pay for a practice toy, but I can also see you finally really getting off your EP if you allowed yourself to "practice" on one of these puppies, too. haha.

[limpet]

I remember a lot of positive thoughts posted regarding Gihei. Never got around to get one for myself though.

[ButlerHoosierChef]

Hey Chip so I don't know if this knife line was on the board. I am new also to J knives but the Takamura Chromax the gyuto isn't out but the Santoku is and I have one. It is a semi stainless. It's goes through anything and everything. It is very much a laser. The edge sharpness out of the box is a solid 9. I could shave with it. It is pretty awesome.

[shevitz]

I feel everyone's pain on 2017 sucking. My wife got breast cancer... Fortunately we're on the other side of it, but I couldn't wait to bury 2017 either.

I recently bought a Yamashin Blue #2 Honesuki. I wanted it for dissecting turkey at Thanksgiving. I just wanted a cheapish knife that would get used a couple times a year. So it's a new knife that hasn't been used much. The fit and finish are pretty average. The handle is nice but the blade is pretty raw. The Kurouchi is not super durable, and I don't like the lacquer, but haven't removed it yet.

However...

I only sharpened it up to 1K since it will be used for proteins and touching bones, etc. But it is the stupid sharpest knife I have ever gotten at that grit rating. I don't understand it, but it's just incredible. So incredible in fact that I want to buy another Yamashin Blue #2 just to see if the first was a fluke. I was looking at the petty which is unfortunately out of stock.

Yamashin gets almost no attention or love on the site that I can tell, but the one I bought is just ridiculous for the price. I'll see about edge retention but it should be good cause it's Blue #2.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

This would be a candidate. The guy does really nice, solo work.

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/taniknives.html

[ChipB]

This would be a candidate. The guy does really nice, solo work.

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/taniknives.html

If I'm ever able to transition away from an EP (love the damn jig) and get my hand-sharpening skills up to snuff, I'd definitely check these out. I've got some practice knives in the block and some decent stones ready to practice on, but will likely be a bit longer before I hit up the traditional patterns.