210mm Yanagi Sashimi knife from Watanabe

Pat S · 02-09-2009, 06:31 PM

I've been wanting a real sashimi knife for some time. Something traditional and hand crafted. I finally broke down and ordered one from Watanabe Blade. http://www.watanabeblade.com/english/

This is the small 210mm Yanagi from the professional line. It is looks fantastic (pics do not do it justice) and cuts like no other knife I have ever used. Plus I love the fact that it was hand crafted by a small family owned company and not produced by the tens of thousands off an assembly line.

Pat

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

Beautiful!

jyl · jyl's Garage

Groan of envy . . .

Pazuzu · 02-09-2009, 08:52 PM

That is an amazing price, I expected a number about 3 times higher than that.I spent almost $200 for my daily carry pocket knife, which wouldn't hold a candle to that thing.

Pat S · 02-10-2009, 02:46 AM

I was happy with the price too given the amount of work involved. Plus the owner was great to deal with. Quickly answered all questions and had very fast shipping.

KaptKaos · 02-10-2009, 05:43 AM

Nice.

I got my Hattori Hanzo a few weeks ago:

vash · vash's Garage

sweet! what is that tiny town in japan that cranks out the best blades?

did the man send you a stone and proper instructions to keep it sharp? i want one, but it will have to wait. i will suffer through my german blades.

do you use it as a sushi knife, or are you using it as your regular daily blade?

scottmandue · 02-10-2009, 09:23 AM

Must be strong...

Must not buy any more knifes...

Do not look at website... do not click on knifes...

Wish I had know about theses guys before I bought all my kitchen knifes.

Beautiful craftsmanship!

Pat S · 02-10-2009, 03:05 PM

vash,
I've used it on salmon and veggies so far. He sent me sharpening instructions but not a stone.

I'm very tempted to order a couple of his standard line ones for everyday use.

vash · vash's Garage

that knife is damn nice!

i read a story where a writer took his beat down japanese knife to japan. he found the original knife master. after the lecture he got about knife care, the master took his time restoring the blade. the transformation sounded magical. this was an article out of savuer magazine.

i want one. does that one sided sharpening sound complicated?

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Damn you!

I just bought two Shuns as I was sick of crappy knives in my kitchen. They are great but I'm lefthanded and I didn't realize that they actually have an asymmetrical handle. Watanabe has lefthanded sets...for about what I paid for 2 Shuns.

damn you...

Pazuzu · 02-10-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostatic

Damn you!

I just bought two Shuns as I was sick of crappy knives in my kitchen. They are great but I'm lefthanded and I didn't realize that they actually have an asymmetrical handle. Watanabe has lefthanded sets...for about what I paid for 2 Shuns.

damn you...

I'm cheap, and got Globals (asymmetric handled ones). They're still better (at $70-100 a pop) than just about anything else out there. We have one of the "Global authorized" water stone system things for sharpening.

Noney · 02-14-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat S

I've been wanting a real sashimi knife for some time. Something traditional and hand crafted. I finally broke down and ordered one from Watanabe Blade. http://www.watanabeblade.com/english/

This is the small 210mm Yanagi from the professional line. It is looks fantastic (pics do not do it justice) and cuts like no other knife I have ever used. Plus I love the fact that it was hand crafted by a small family owned company and not produced by the tens of thousands off an assembly line.

Man, I can't thank you enough for this post. I've wanted a handmade Japanese knife for a long time, but I could never swallow the huge cost. I went to the Watanabe site and found a WHOLE SET (8 pieces) of knives for less than the cost of one of the knives I have been lusting after. Granted, these are his entry-level knives, but I just received the set today (4 days after ordering!!!) and they are so far beyond the Globals and Wusthof knives that my chef friends have that I'm simply blown away. The workmanship and individuality of each knife is staggering. These are truly the last knives I will ever buy. Thank you again for the post, dude. Here's a couple shots of the new family members right after they arrived from Japan:

Pat S · 02-15-2009, 03:27 AM

Awesome. I've been thinking of placing a second order for a couple of the standard line ones (veggie cleaver/Nakkiri and small pairing/Mukimono).
What do you think about those two knives from your set?

Pat

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Beautiful knife. I should get my wife one of those for her next birthday...

jyl · jyl's Garage

This may turn out to be the most useful / helpful thread of the year . . .

Noney · 02-16-2009, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat S

Awesome. I've been thinking of placing a second order for a couple of the standard line ones (veggie cleaver/Nakkiri and small pairing/Mukimono).
What do you think about those two knives from your set?

Pat,

The Nakkiri is the most highly-polished knife in the set. It's almost like chrome. The Mukimono is also polished, but not to the extent that the cleaver is. Both knives are fairly light for their size and are really well-balanced. And the Ho wood handles feel just right. Very tactile and not too smooth. I just got them, so I can't really comment on their longevity or wear issues, but the initial impression is of a handmade item of very high quality.

Your Professional knife must really be amazing!

72doug2,2S · 72doug2,2S's Garage

Thanks for the website, I've been rooking for an Asian knife.

Recently, I put a 17/20 compound edge on my Spanish Henckel pairing knife with a Lansky system. I had never tried this before, but it did make a noticeable difference.

Please warn people using those knives, most of my relatives end up with band aids-on-fingers shortly after visiting.

trekkor · 02-16-2009, 02:18 PM

I saw a show on ceramic sashimi/sushi knives the other day. Any opinions on ceramic blades?

KT

Pat S · 02-16-2009, 02:31 PM

I use a ceramic chefs knife from time to time at a cooking school I attend. Very light, very sharp. Big benefits are that food cut with it does not oxidize (avocado, herbs, potatoes) and it stays sharp. They are also very strong.
However, I really like the artistry and history behind a traditional steel knife. I also like the weight of a steel knife better than a ceramic. Just my preference.
Pat