Proper user technique and care is essential to enjoying these high performance knives to their fullest while keeping edge damage to a minimum. Learn how here.
Kit Craft wrote: ↑Fri Jun 29, 2018 6:04 pm
Cool tip, thanks for sharing. My HD2 shows zero patina/staining, as an aside. I was talking with Desol about that awhile ago, his is the same. I swear it is stainless. That 210 Yo HD is wicked, btw.
Thanks. You should check out the SS version that Lepus is selling. I really, really, really want to buy it, but I just cannot justify it at this exact moment. It is probably an extremely close approximation of what the HD offers for most applications. I waited quite some time to snatch the 210 Yo. I really like it. It is a surprisingly different knife than the Wa version in the same length.
Every HD I own absolutely showed a patina from regular use alone. I didn't notice it at first, but over time, the change in color (to a darker grey) became more and more apparent when sharpening, if I remember correctly: the bevel went from being the same tone as the knife to slowly becoming more of a contrasting silver. Other aspects of the patina were mistakes (like the BKF, or the citrus stain, which happened shortly after I bought the 240 and my best friend used it to cut a lime while fixing me a drink and then didn't wash it...how could I ever be upset at a guy fixing me a drink?!?).
Perhaps in another couple of months you'll notice the bevel-colour thingy...maybe?!? In the meantime, it is hard to imagine it is not HD steel for at least one reason: Konosuke is increasingly frugal in their stamped kanji, so it is hard for those batches ever to get mixed up! haha.
I am sure it is NOT stainless but it sure acts it in terms of patina/staining. It does not seem to hold water spots or prints as much as my mono stainless knives either. But it acts carbon on the stones and the board. No complaints. It is my "lazy knife" I can use it at the stove on a small board across two burners when I feel like cooking as I go etc. It is just "different" I guess.
I thought about the 210 Yo, the HD(2) is an exception otherwise I have my eye on other similar knives. I have almost bought a Ginga White #2 Yo 180 many, many times but then I remind myself that what I would use it for would be too abusive and I stick with the FKH.
I'm a fan of patina on a knife - have knives made before I was born (couple are more than 300 years old - I'm only 58) that have great patinas on them. I usually force a patina on new knives (mustard and vinegar) instead of waiting. All of my 30's - 50's Sabatiers have a great patina - would never remove it. Even my Kohetsus have a patina (none are more than 3 years old), and I will force one on my suisin kiritsuke ( very expensive white #1 knife) when I get it. A patina will not rust (if dealt with properly) and just plain looks cool. The "new" knives in my collection get a patina so they do not rust - and they look cool.
lsboogy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 16, 2018 3:01 pm
I'm a fan of patina on a knife - have knives made before I was born (couple are more than 300 years old - I'm only 58) that have great patinas on them. I usually force a patina on new knives (mustard and vinegar) instead of waiting. All of my 30's - 50's Sabatiers have a great patina - would never remove it. Even my Kohetsus have a patina (none are more than 3 years old), and I will force one on my suisin kiritsuke ( very expensive white #1 knife) when I get it. A patina will not rust (if dealt with properly) and just plain looks cool. The "new" knives in my collection get a patina so they do not rust - and they look cool.
I love a patina, too. On the HDs, it is a little different. I'd refer to it as a kind of build-up. The patina itself is just a dull grey, but some of the added corrosion on mine was (as I say above) a combination of things that significantly inhibited performance. I'm finding the same issue with some of my Fujiyamas at this point. They don't need to be spotless, but I like them to perform their best, and if this means maintaining a certain finish every couple of years to alleviate the friction that certain types of build-up/corrosion bring to food , I think it is nice to have a bag of simple, quick tricks that work.
~Joe
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.