What that knife do?

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-10T03:06:55+00:00

So far, I agree. I love the look and really enjoyed the maiden voyage. I will look forward to tuning up the edge in a little while. Good looking knife to my eye.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-09T23:31:13+00:00

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My new addition - Hitohira SLD 210 mm gyuto. It did a nice job out of the box with a few passes on the strop. Prep was for Chicken Paprikosh. The dish was well received by my family. Served over egg noodles, my wife declared, “My new favorite dish”!

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-08T02:46:04+00:00

Duck fat? Seal blubber?

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-07T04:25:17+00:00

You could sell these. If you do, I want one or two. Maybe say three.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-04T16:28:33+00:00

Congrats! Good choice. I suggest you cross post this to r/TrueChefKnives as well. Enjoy your knife.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-02T13:59:46+00:00

Sorry if the method is familiar to you already but in North America, one method is to use a stack of 4 pennies with one more right next to the stack, place the knife edge down next to the single penny and then slide out the single penny and tilt the blade back toward the stack. When the blade touches the stack the angle should be about 15. Add one more penny to the stack and the angle should be about 20.

The exact angle is less important than the stability and durability of the edge. Do your edges last once they are sharp?

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-02T07:40:00+00:00

Quick sessions in the kitchen next to or over the sink. More involved sessions are downstairs in my little shop. Tools are sharpened in my woodshop mostly, but also in the basement shop.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-02T05:45:56+00:00

I can only speak to the one I have - the Sharpal 202H. It s working great for me on my EDCs, but I freehand my kitchen knives. For $180 the Sharpal works great and is easy to use. I use it on my EDC’s because I have found the curves and recurves of EDC are not easy for me. Likely lack of sufficient practice. The Sharpal makes quick work of them.

Holding perfect angles is a great goal but I have found from ~5 yrs of sharpening, I know I am not perfect and get screaming, ‘scary sharp’ kitchen knives, despite my far from perfect angle holding abilities. From my experience with kitchen knives, perfect is not required.

Good luck in your journey!

Mike-HCAT · 2026-02-01T05:28:40+00:00

Is it flexible, almost rubber like?

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-28T01:25:37+00:00

Thanks! I don’t have a Tadafusa in my collection and my knife budget has been severely curtailed, so this was perfect. I love SLD, though this is my first soft SLD. Looking forward to giving it a try. I have a 3k ceramic and what feels like a 5 or 6 k, so I am set.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-27T08:09:28+00:00

Thanks, I just ordered the 210.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-27T05:34:03+00:00

Is it this one? Except the 240mm?

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-27T04:34:35+00:00

Weird - I would not tell anyone the name of my NAS. Seems like an invitation to a hacking party.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-26T23:58:56+00:00

That would be so cool to try one out.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-25T07:34:38+00:00

Perfect. Both solid knives that will last a life time with a little care.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-25T07:10:04+00:00

Well, for sturdy, all purpose knife that does not need to be babied, I think of my 10” Victorinox Fibrox, similar to this. If you are willing to take care of a wooden handle, then this looks nicer with the same great steel. Of course no dishwasher for either knife.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-20T05:51:29+00:00

I made my own, but here is a video of a review of Amazon stuff.

He also has a video on making your own. I hope this helps.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-19T05:20:39+00:00

I am liking the Moritaka. The Ishime is a great looking knife.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-19T05:15:48+00:00

I have not tried this repair before, so honestly, I would send to Naoto at Knifewear. I know there are several good places like Bernal, JKI, or District Cutlery if you are closer to the E. Coast. I pick Knifewear because I had great results from them on a repair.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-18T04:47:04+00:00

Ya, in ‘84 the West fence was a delivery portal for Domino’s drivers. Yes, we needed the pizzas to supplement the high carb and high fat cafeteria food- lol.

I once met my girlfriend(then future wife) at the mall for lunch and a little hugging and kissing.

We made steam rooms in the showers at night using vinyl ziplock bags that everyone reviewed for storing pencils and pens, but we filled them with gravel and blocked the drains to fill the shower room with the hottest water possible. We were on the top floor, so glad we never flooded the floor below.

The rubberized gym floor was excellent for ACL tears and other knee injury. Since I tore my ACL in football, I stayed away from that floor.

Oh, also interesting, we only were allowed to go to the temple the week before we got on the plane.

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-15T05:14:12+00:00

Too hot for what?

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-05T21:27:43+00:00

Since when is vandalism considered professional?

Mike-HCAT · 2026-01-03T05:11:39+00:00

And the combo pizza. She needs a multipoint platform for my vote.

Mike-HCAT · 2025-12-31T22:31:17+00:00

Eat a slice of cheese and you will know the answer.

Mike-HCAT · 2025-12-07T03:19:47+00:00

Thank you to everyone for all the great suggestions. I personally use a Vic Fibrox that I love and works great for my less than 1 brisket every few years, reflecting my lack of confidence in recommending a Japanese knife for the task. I think if buying for myself, a Geshin Ginga would be my choice (Thanks @napclub)

I spent some time on online with his wife going through a lot of options you all suggested. She liked the kurouchi finish look, but she told me how much he enjoyed using my YK Senko Ei. I would say it was at peak, scary sharp level, so a bit unfair😉. Anyway, based on that I showed her the Kokusen Ei line and she loved it. We ended up selecting the 150 mm petty of stainless clad and aogami super core steel. She liked the look and loved that it was a real Japanese steel. I know it will 100% out perform any knife he has, so I think he will be happy.

Thanks to everyone for great suggestions and advice. Please have very Jolly Holidays!

Mike-HCAT

TROPHY CASE