I want to get a honesuki

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Honesuki Time

Okeya
0
No votes
Yamashin
2
29%
Neither one, and here's why
5
71%
 
Total votes: 7

kansuibae
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:55 pm

Re: I want to get a honesuki

Post by kansuibae »

d_rap wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:08 pm
Santas_101 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 4:28 am I got to disagree with you on that knife. When you mentioned it on the Konosuke thread I did some googling to find it on another vendor’s website. The spine is very thin with some flex in the blade. Why would you want that in a poultry butchery knife? It’s always been my understanding that you want one that’s thin behind the edge with a thick spine, which lends itself for better blade geometry that’s more rigid. I think we would all agree that Takeda makes some of the thinnest knives you can find. His honesuki has an average spine thickness of 5.5mm give or take. I’ve attached a photo to demonstrate what I’m talking about. I mean I get it that we all have our personal preferences, but if you are looking for a double bevel honesuki, a Takeda or Moritaka would be the way to go. It also should be noted that when Mark got in that Moritaka shipment last week, one of the first knives to sell out was their 150mm honesuki. Just saying...
Ray was referencing the incoming Kono honesuki that Santas is commenting on; sorry I left that part of the quotation out.

I have had a single-bevel Ishikawa honesuki for a year now and I use it regularly to cut up chickens--but I also use it to filet smaller fish, cut up lamb and pork shoulders, cut chicken breast for stir fries, and more, including making small utility cuts and removing silver skin (to reference another current thread). Mine is just over 3mm at the spine but it tapers and thins out quickly and ends up being a thin and very flexible blade.

I think flex in a honesuki is a matter of preference. Few or none of us run a yakitori shop, but for a home cook I part my share of chickens, including head and feet-on chickens from the Asian grocery. Before I got my Ishikawa I used a flexible standard Western boning knife for years for the same task. Remember: most of your cuts parting a chicken are through forgiving joints, or between the ribs that separate the breast from the back. Easy, light cuts. And if I'm boning a breast or thigh, thin and flexible works beautifully. Admittedly, a stiffer blade would work great too, and I could see using a 50-50 bevel knife as well. But now that I have gotten used to this single bevel flexy honesuki, I really enjoy it. You should see it hug the breast bone for no waste boneless breast meat, the stand-out feature of a single bevel knife in boning applications.

If I am really cutting through chicken bones, cutting off a chicken head or laterally cutting through a leg, or splitting a breast through the breastbone--I am not going to use any honesuki--even Takeda's with it's almost deba-like spine. I'll grab a cleaver or a beater for those cuts. Just too much for any honesuki edge.

Bring it down to two stellar makers: Takeda and Konosuke. Two different takes on the honesuki: a thinner single bevel iteration and a thicker 50-50. I bet they both part chickens like nobody's business.
Hey there, I just picked up an Ishikawa Honesuki for myself. It's quite unique, I like the very rustic handforged feel.

Do you have any tips on sharpening and use? My bevel has some serious curve to it, especially near the handle. My first non 50/50 knife so any advice appreciated, thanks!
ared715
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Re: I want to get a honesuki

Post by ared715 »

Nice! Wish I would have seen this sooner but I got a yamashin years back and it's still going hard! I personally love it as a utility/petty as well and often recommend it to folks! Fun to polish on Jnats too!
Mowgface
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Re: I want to get a honesuki

Post by Mowgface »

I also just picked up my first Honesuki, an Ashi Hamono.

Cant wait to dispatch these fowl creatures.
ared715
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Re: I want to get a honesuki

Post by ared715 »

kansuibae wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:58 pm
d_rap wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:08 pm
Santas_101 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 4:28 am I got to disagree with you on that knife. When you mentioned it on the Konosuke thread I did some googling to find it on another vendor’s website. The spine is very thin with some flex in the blade. Why would you want that in a poultry butchery knife? It’s always been my understanding that you want one that’s thin behind the edge with a thick spine, which lends itself for better blade geometry that’s more rigid. I think we would all agree that Takeda makes some of the thinnest knives you can find. His honesuki has an average spine thickness of 5.5mm give or take. I’ve attached a photo to demonstrate what I’m talking about. I mean I get it that we all have our personal preferences, but if you are looking for a double bevel honesuki, a Takeda or Moritaka would be the way to go. It also should be noted that when Mark got in that Moritaka shipment last week, one of the first knives to sell out was their 150mm honesuki. Just saying...
Ray was referencing the incoming Kono honesuki that Santas is commenting on; sorry I left that part of the quotation out.

I have had a single-bevel Ishikawa honesuki for a year now and I use it regularly to cut up chickens--but I also use it to filet smaller fish, cut up lamb and pork shoulders, cut chicken breast for stir fries, and more, including making small utility cuts and removing silver skin (to reference another current thread). Mine is just over 3mm at the spine but it tapers and thins out quickly and ends up being a thin and very flexible blade.

I think flex in a honesuki is a matter of preference. Few or none of us run a yakitori shop, but for a home cook I part my share of chickens, including head and feet-on chickens from the Asian grocery. Before I got my Ishikawa I used a flexible standard Western boning knife for years for the same task. Remember: most of your cuts parting a chicken are through forgiving joints, or between the ribs that separate the breast from the back. Easy, light cuts. And if I'm boning a breast or thigh, thin and flexible works beautifully. Admittedly, a stiffer blade would work great too, and I could see using a 50-50 bevel knife as well. But now that I have gotten used to this single bevel flexy honesuki, I really enjoy it. You should see it hug the breast bone for no waste boneless breast meat, the stand-out feature of a single bevel knife in boning applications.

If I am really cutting through chicken bones, cutting off a chicken head or laterally cutting through a leg, or splitting a breast through the breastbone--I am not going to use any honesuki--even Takeda's with it's almost deba-like spine. I'll grab a cleaver or a beater for those cuts. Just too much for any honesuki edge.

Bring it down to two stellar makers: Takeda and Konosuke. Two different takes on the honesuki: a thinner single bevel iteration and a thicker 50-50. I bet they both part chickens like nobody's business.
Hey there, I just picked up an Ishikawa Honesuki for myself. It's quite unique, I like the very rustic handforged feel.

Do you have any tips on sharpening and use? My bevel has some serious curve to it, especially near the handle. My first non 50/50 knife so any advice appreciated, thanks!

In reference to sharpening the Ishikawa, you'll want to sharpen the entire bevel flat on the stone. As you do so, you'll feel a burr on the backside once you've done the bevel correctly. Once the burr has been created, you're going to do the same on the back with a finishing stone with edge trailing strokes. You don't need very many passes on the back side. The Ishikawa are unique in that they're single bevel but they're different than traditional single bevel because the backside/ura isn't flat on the back, but rather at an angle. You'll want to sharpen that entire backside bevel flat against the stone with the edge trailing motion (pressure towards you). Hope this helps and I really need to get one of his knives to do this as well!!!!! Jealous!!!!
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