This is just a follow up revision of the previous post. Removed some of the more expensive knives due to too many workers finishing our new home. I really hope the haters don’t hate so much. Enjoy your evening guys.

Hey TCK,

Looking to get some insight on what to do with my new Tinker Tank that arrived with a bent tip.

I opened the main parcel box expecting to see another smaller box within, like all my other knife purchases so far. However, the knife was just sitting on some filler material and the blade was wrapped in newspaper, and had an small edge guard (small plastic piece, not a full blade guard) that didn’t fully cover tip to heel. When I unwrapped the knife, I saw that the tip was noticeably bent. I was disappointed because these knives are pretty limited and quite expensive. I reached out to the business I purchased it from and the options I was given were either take it to a sharpener or send back for a refund.

I don’t want to return it outright since it’s a knife I’ve wanted and is hard to find, but also concerned about taking it to a sharpener to get it repaired right out of the box. I feel like having to sharpen it right way removes the BNIB status and I would need to disclose it’s been sharpened. I fully understand this is a tool, and I intend to use it as such, but this community also understands that something like this is also very much a collectible item. It’s brand new and already needs to be fixed. Pretty disappointing for something that cost nearly $700 USD.

Looking for some insights on what to do as this is new for me. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

Pics included, though it’s a bit hard to capture.

I know basically zero about chef knives. My husband, on the other hand, is an enthusiast and former chef. He has some nice knives, but he has been mentioning wanting to get a nice utility knife to add to his set. His 30th birthday is coming up, and I thought that would be a good “I got this for my 30th birthday and kept it forever” type gift.

I read through the guide to knives wiki and just got overwhelmed with all the info. Some things I have heard him mention in the past:
- 5-6”
- not a petty
- he likes Damascus steel but that’s not a dealbreaker
- prefers Japanese style
- wants it to look pretty

Price range probably MAX $300-400? I have no idea how much these types of knives cost but I’m sure they can get spendy.

And if this isn’t the right subreddit for this question, please point me in the right direction!!

Thanks!

Just received a Matsubara Blue #2 Nashiji Honesuki and noticed some small rust spots where the core steel meets the cladding. Is this something worth an exchange?

I have some knives that perform incredibly well, but some of them are pretty slippery. This for me is quite a predicament especially if during work busy times.

For context i work in the meat section, so meat juices and fats are usually on the board, and by accident it gets caught to the knives on top. I try my best to clean the board as i can, but board discipline can only do so much.

Sometimes it's an urushi handle (one i got from Baba Kagekiyo), sometimes it's a stab wood handle, or even a coated wood handle. What do you think is a probable solution for this situation?

Not about the handle in the picture btw, that's a friend's handle. I just took a pic of it because I'm a fan lol

Just wanted to share my experience with this maker and also looking to see what can be done. I ordered two custom knives from fvaz 07/09/24. After waiting a few months I reached out to get an update on my order, to which he replied they would ship soon. This back a forth of me asking where my order was and him saying they would be delivered by the end of the month continued. I then decided to make a post here asking if anyone had similar experiences as I was starting to think I was being scammed. He reached out to me on here through chat and explained that he was having issues with shipping. He then asked me to remove the post saying it would hurt his business, I complied. He again stated my knives would be delivered by the end of that month. After not receiving my knives again I reached out requesting a refund he never truly replied to that just kept giving me the same reassurances that they would ship soon. Forward to today the last email I received from him was on 2/15/26. I have made multiple emails and messaged him on here as well with no reply. It has been over two years since placing my order. I am now almost 100% certain I was scammed. With him being based in Brazil I don’t know what I can do as far as forcing a refund or legal action. I stupidly paid in full through remitly as this was my first custom order and thought paying in full was the norm. Any guidance would be welcome. If anything I hope this helps other people avoid being ripped off.

Lucky enough to own these two by Simon. Simon is active on instagram and is very nice.

Top:
215 x 51 mm Gyuto 135cr3 clad in wrought iron with a nickel twist

Bottom:
175 x 50 mm ko-Gyuto 135cr3 clad in dirty wrought.

Choil shots are followed by the full specs for each knife.

Hey,

this subreddit knows BYs inside and out, and there have been plenty of NKDs, but this one feels especially meaningful to me — and I’m sure it marks a new era for Konosuke as well. I wanted this knife for a long time, and it finally happened. It looks even better in person than I expected.

Take a look at the brand-new BY logo — I absolutely love it!

Dimensions are 222 mm x 53.7 mm, and it weighs 200 g. It has a very nice convex grind, a little more pronounced on the right side of the blade, and it looks flawless to my eyes. Fit and finish is superb.

This may be a bit controversial, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this is a step toward phasing out the FM line and continuing with their new mindset of undisclosed sharpeners, etc.

The knife looks amazing in person, and I did my best to capture that in the photo. I also found the bag itself to be something I’ve never seen before, so I wanted to share it here. I was also gifted a nice leather saya keychain.

The only thing I am a bit bothered by is the matchi gap finish, I mean its their signature move right? And its not perfect.

I’ll remove the lacquer next and put it through a proper test. Stay tuned.

Thanks for reading!

Hello TCK!

I just received this lovely Kagekiyo black dyed damascus gyuto.
Bought it from a fellow redditor u/ruffy263, great guy and a smooth deal.

I haven't tried it out yet but will soon.

Have a great day!

#5 Knife details

Blacksmith: Y. Tanaka

Sharpener: Sho Nashida

Steel: Blue 1

Finish: Black dyed Damascus

Handle: Black urushi octagonal handle

Blade type: Gyuto 240mm

Weight: 154gr

Hi guys! This is my very first NKD post on Reddit😁Will post more of my knifes soon.

This week I finally received my Baba Hamono Kagekiyo White #2 240mm Gyuto fitted with a stunning red/black Akro handle.

I had been in contact with Baba Cutlery for a while, and I got lucky they were kind enough to sell this knife directly to me. Considering how difficult these are to find in the EU, I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity. I am absolutly in love with this knife.

The knife is forged by Yoshikazu Tanaka and ground by Nishida-san.  

I would love to see some aged (Kagekiyo) White#2 patina pictures 😁

From left to right:

Top:

- Takada No Hamono - Singetu Reika - Shirogami #2 (by Y. Tanaka) - 205mm

- Y. Tanaka x JNS (Unknown sharpener) - Aogami #1 - 195mm

- Hatsukokoro Shinkiro (Nihei) - Aogami Super - 220mm

- Suzuki Uchi Hamono - Shirogami #2 - 218mm - Single Bevel

- Moritaka - Aogami #2 - 240mm

Bottom:

- Hitohira FJ ( probably Fujitake) - VG10 monosteel 205mm

- Motokyuuichi (Hatsukokoro Kurosagi) - Aogami Super - 205mm

- Motokyuuichi - Aogami #2 stainless clad - 210mm

- Matsubara - Shirogami #1 - 205mm

- Yoshida - Suj-2 - 215mm

I'm officially part of the 10+ Gyuto club. A ridiculous amount to the average person, but nothing compared to some of you. I'm quite happy with the diversity. I think it's a nice mix of more hyped, classic, and lesser-known makers.

I think it's pretty obvious I have a type: iron-clad 210mm gyutos, preferably Shirogami. My optimal size is probably in the 220–225mm range, but sadly these aren't too common. Love me some kurouchi too, the more rustic, the better.

If I had to choose some favorites:

Finish and aesthetics go to the Takada. The amazing performance is a nice bonus too.

The JNS is the most ridiculous laser I've ever seen. It makes a Shibata look thick. So if you like lasers, this is the one.

The Aogami #2 Motokyuuichi just works for me. I can't explain it, but this knife is perfect. The profile, size, and performance are exactly how I'd want them.

One of my recent favorites is the Suzuki. It's just a very unique knife. It's incredibly fun to use and has the best food release I've experienced on any knife. Aesthetically, I love it too.

I could say something positive about all of these knives, but I don't want to make this too long. I have write-ups for most of them on my profile. Feel free to ask if you want to know anything or see a choil shot. :)

I'm sure more gyutos will join the collection in the future. At the moment, though, I'm looking for something a little different, mostly a forever yanagiba or sujihiki.

2.5 hours peeling and cleaning tenderloin

156 6oz petite filets
14 pounds clean tail and tip trim
8 pounds clean chain tender trim

Super slicey and comfy. Things a beast at work

Finally snagged a Tetsujin! Myojin grinds looks amazeballs.

Wanted to share this quick one-minute video from my visit a couple of months ago.

He isn’t selling knives directly from the workshop anymore as he’s focusing on catching up with his backlog. That said, he’s enjoying the slower pace and is still more than happy to meet visitors. If you’re in Sakai, don’t hesitate to stop by and say hello.

He also has merchandise available, including tote bags, T-shirts, hoodies, magnets, and more, so be sure to grab something to support him if you visit!

Baba Hamono Kagekiyo 270mm Yanagiba white 2
Baba Hamono Kagekiyo 210mm Gyuto blue 2

I recently picked up these two knives at Baba Hamono. I was told they are both Nakagawa x Nishida. I am new to Japanese knives and trying to learn the signature qualities to different craftsman’s blades. Visually what would indicate that Nishida was the sharpener? Or that Nakagawa was the blacksmith?

If I did anything wrong about posting my knife please let me know and I will re-correct it.

The food release on this beast is insane. Also, for its size, incredibly nimble. I might have to relearn sharpening on stones because I don’t think this will be easy to sharpen on my TSPROF fixed system like the others.

+Home Chef SOTC Family Picture

What are your thoughts on the Misono ux10 Gyuto used professionally?

I’ve been designing a tall bunka from scratch and have been testing the blade and handle geometry with CAD and 3D-printed mockups.

Current concept:

• ~180 mm / just over 7" edge
• ~63 mm / 2.5" tall
• 1/16" AEB-L
• K-tip
• Traditional straight octagonal Wa handle
• Slight downward handle cant
  • 2° gives about a 3.5mm drop on a 4.5" handle
• Shallow continuous belly rather than a long dead-flat section

The grip is a little unusual. I use an index-finger pinch, but choke up high on the spine in something closer to a Chinese Y-grip. My middle finger sits in the reverse-curved choil, so I kept the effective neck fairly short to let the handle follow the hand forward. It also engages the fingers faster on upward motions and I get more feedback and response on rocking motions.

The goal is basically a tall laser bunka with some Chinese chef-knife influence: lots of board clearance and scooping area, but still light, thin and useful for tip work.

And just to get a bit of a jumpstart on the potential self-deprecation I've already named it the "Brokeback Bunka"

Konosuke yanigaba b1 270mm

Had to sit an outrageously expensive exam as a prerequisite for work progression. Gave a goal that if I was able to pass, then I'd get myself a new knife. Now this beauty arrived a few days ago.

Saw this at Japanese knife studio in Brisbane months ago and fell in love. Great place to go to if you're ever in Brisbane and the owner is so nice at helping even for accessories they don't sell. The nice thing was both the 220mm and 240mm version are the same price but I stuck with the 220mm since that's my preferred length.

Maker: Tadokoro hamono

Steel: ginsan

Finish: kuroichi/tsuchime

Length: 220m

Spine thickness: 2.3mm at midpoint

Height: 48mm

Handle: dark buffalo horn with blond buffalo spacer

Will get round to using it once I finally get round to doing some grocery shopping😅

Is it just me or does wrought iron patina way different than other steels? I would always scrub off any brown in the past but I’m letting it ride this time.

20 year old Watanabe 270mm wrought iron clad B2

Some may hate but I want to make my own patina