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Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 10:23 am
by emaduro
Some Advice please. - thank you in advanced...

I own a Kohetsu HAP40 Gyuto 210 MM Western handle from the original batch which I believe I bought like 5 years or so ago from Mark. It’s my everyday driver, love it, I don’t get freaked out if the girlfriend uses it etc etc

I want the WA handle version and might even go with a Mark customer handle I am even considering getting the 240 MM.

However, I am curious is the Gihei better than the Kohetsu? What is different?

Thanks

El

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 8:34 pm
by lsboogy
I had a Gihei for a couple of weeks - nice blade, but I banged my knuckles all the time, so it went back to the original owner. They are shorter, so if you have big hands, it might be a consideration. But if you are good with it - give one a try, or get a 240. Nice thing about this stuff is you can always resell them on the forum without much financial loss, so it's just a matter of personal preference - find what you like and be happy. I don't think Mark sells anything that many would find fault with, even my Richmond GT line knife is a pleasure to use - but my big CHII beast is still my go to.

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 5:37 pm
by flowerpower0186
I'm new to the forums and have only been researching Jknives for a few weeks, but I've been into regular knives (folders/fixed blades) for years and I bought a Gihei from Carbon knives. From the research I've done, it looks like a really good knife, especially for the price. I have a problem when I get into things, I want to buy the most expensive brand or whatever and fit and finish and little details matter to me so much that I end up spending a lot of money on something, but this knife was extremely affordable and I can't wait for mine to come in. I got the 210 blue #2 fwiw. Good luck with whatever you get.

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:49 pm
by Altadan
flowerpower0186 wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 5:37 pm ...I have a problem when I get into things, I want to buy the most expensive brand or whatever and fit and finish and little details matter to me so much that I end up spending a lot of money on something...
You're either gonna really enjoy this place, or else it's gonna get you in trouble! :lol:
It's true there are many offerings in the HAP40 district, but the above qualities you mentioned are found all over the place :V
Sorry, I don't have anything more meaningful to contribute!

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:58 pm
by jknife
. I have a problem when I get into things, I want to buy the most expensive brand or whatever and fit and finish and little details matter to me so much that I end up spending a lot of money on something.
Welcome friend, I think your going to fit in juuuust fine.

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:50 pm
by FisherMAn1298
Well said jknife, you hit the nail on the head. I'm also looking at the kohetsu hap40. Mark calls it voodoo steel because it retains an edge soo long. Don't we all want the most expensive whatever you're buying every time? I think it's a disease or something that we all have! Is there much difference from 210 to 240. I'm taking cooking instruction from a chef friend of mine. He insists I begin with at least a 210mm gyuto. He says they call it the chef's knife for a reason. I look forward to comments from someone well versed in the 210, 240 and up hap40 Kohetsu blades. Thanks in advance.

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:29 pm
by XexoX
FisherMAn1298 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:50 pm Well said jknife, you hit the nail on the head. I'm also looking at the kohetsu hap40. Mark calls it voodoo steel because it retains an edge soo long. Don't we all want the most expensive whatever you're buying every time? I think it's a disease or something that we all have! Is there much difference from 210 to 240. I'm taking cooking instruction from a chef friend of mine. He insists I begin with at least a 210mm gyuto. He says they call it the chef's knife for a reason. I look forward to comments from someone well versed in the 210, 240 and up hap40 Kohetsu blades. Thanks in advance.
I don't know a thing about metals, so I'll leave that for someone else. Now the 210 vs 240 thing. That I can say something about. My first knives I bought, I went with the 210, thinking I didn't need anything like a 240. Just me at home, cooking, small hands, small kitchen, etc. 240? Way to big in my mind. But I find when I'm grabbing a knife that I don't mind messing up, a get one of my no name, estate sale find, carbon steel knives. I finally measured the cutting side of them. Both are around 240. One is 230 and the other 245, if I remember correctly. They don't seem big at all. So now, when I'm looking at knives, I look at the 240s. YMMV.

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 3:57 pm
by lsboogy
FisherMAn1298 wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:50 pm Well said jknife, you hit the nail on the head. I'm also looking at the kohetsu hap40. Mark calls it voodoo steel because it retains an edge soo long. Don't we all want the most expensive whatever you're buying every time? I think it's a disease or something that we all have! Is there much difference from 210 to 240. I'm taking cooking instruction from a chef friend of mine. He insists I begin with at least a 210mm gyuto. He says they call it the chef's knife for a reason. I look forward to comments from someone well versed in the 210, 240 and up hap40 Kohetsu blades. Thanks in advance.
Your chef friend needs to be listened to. If mine told me to stand on one leg while shaking two pans I would have to. The reason he/she wants you to go with a 210 is to learn to steer the thing - it's not just speed in a kitchen but precision. Each piece of each ingredient needs to be the same size or thickness to ensure cooking does not end up with some overcooked and some undercooked, Try doing 2 boxes of carrots with 1mm diagonal slices and holding them to +/- 0.1mm - it takes great muscle memory to do this without thinking, and having a big blade makes it quicker but the errors are magnified. Just do one matchsticked carrot and you will start to see errors unless you are very skilled and keep in practice.

And I have many Kohetsu HAP40 and AS blades, had a complete suite (210/240/270) re-handled by Bensbites a couple years ago - the blades are not showy, but geared towards higher volume environments and the handles are just pretty good ones, but the purpose of the Kohetsu stuff (IMHO) is to get a good blade fairly cheap.

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:58 pm
by FisherMAn1298
You've got me leaning toward the 240mm since I have a yoshimi sg2 210mm gyuto on order. Mark says any day now so I'll have a 210mm on hand. IT's both pretty and practical. I'm usually a blue steel, AS or #2 man most of the time but that Yoshimi blade had me at first sight. Check it out on the site. I have all smaller, 165-180mm blades. MY guy said what you just wrote. Sit down with a bag or rather he said a bushel of carrots or 50 .lbs. of potatoes and try to get them all the same size cut . Do you think hap40 is as good or better than AS? Dying tohear your opinion from real usage, not just opinion based on stats. What are the hrc. on the blades? Is your hap40 63-65? Please let me know when you have a moment.
thanks for all this info, you've got my mind racing again. I love this stuff!

Re: Kohetsu HAP40 Wa Gyuto 210 mm vs Gihei HAP40 WA Gyuto 210mm question

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 6:08 pm
by lsboogy
I think for home use AS/B2/W2 are all going to be easier to keep sharp than HAP40 - it takes longer to sharpen these powder steel high hardness blades, and I don't think a home cook is going to see any real edge improvement by using a powder blade than a really well built "old fashioned" steel blade. There are lots of other characteristics that probably make a bigger difference - hardness is only a bit higher on the HAP40, but it does make a difference when you have 5-8 boxes of veg in front of you - I might have a Richmond Laser AS 240 with me alongside a couple Kohetsus, and the only difference I could see is one or two less strop touchups a day. When Rick's kitchen is going, I do as many onions in a morning as most folk do in a half a year (his specialty is high end food for large gatherings, so it's usually about 250-350 plates a day - about a half year's worth for those cooking for two every night), and I only have to strop a few times to keep a beautiful edge.

To put things into perspective, I used to bring knives to my brother's house when we did big family dinners, but he got a Takamura Chromax a couple years ago, and I sharpen it a couple times a year, and he strops weekly. I holds a fine edge for cooking small (4-5 person) meals 3-4 times a week. But HAP40 is a cool steel, and try it if you have not. I think that most home cooks will not notice any significant edge retention in HAP40 over AS.