Anryu Knives Updates

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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by stevem627 »

I love my Anryu B2 210 and 240 and I sure if you can find a new one you should grab an AS or B2. While Anryu San is no longer making knives, my guess is that Ikeda San has been doing the grind for quite a while. The forger gives life to a new knife, and I think the sharpener shapes, refines, and brings that life to the true character of the blade.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by Robstreperous »

I've used both old and newer B2. Certainly no drop off in performance I can detect.

As an aside the OOTB edge on the last 3 I've received (2 white, 1 B2) come as close to 10 out of 10 as anything I recall using. I know there's an AS out there somewhere with my name on it.... I can be patient.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by stevem627 »

Rob, not if I find it first. I am also patient. ;)

I agree that i didn't have to do a thing to start using my B2 knives, they were VERY sharp OTB.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by ChefKnivesToGo »

When I first picked up his Blue #2 Hammered line nobody bought them for months. :)

I like having the field to myself but the flip side is it’s on me to promote them customer by customer and usually by email to get people to try them.

Same with the Konosuke Fujiyamas. They were dead weight and everyone was jumping on the HD line and that continued for quite a while.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by joanjet »

Unexpected email at 5:30 last night, all in Japanese. Was about to leave my house to meet up for a get together, noticed it, and almost ignored it as spam.

Suddenly remembered I'm on Takefu Knife Village's email notification list for the last year.

Scramble to create an account on the all Japanese site using translation.

Respond to email confirmation, create password, scramble to put in an order as fast as I can.

Their address and naming system is set up for Japanese addresses even though they offer US shipping, so every combination of things gives me weird results, or doesn't let me submit the page due to errors. Decide to lock in only combination that gives me no errors, and my shipping and billing address shows up as

876543 UNITED STATES 123EXAMPLESTREET, TOWN, STATE123EXAMPLESTREET LAST NAME FIRST NAME

Keeps giving me error on final checkout page that my email isn't confirmed, navigate through all of the account page options to change my email to the one the site already has on file, but that somehow confirms it.

Re fill out everything. Finally get my order submitted and confirmed.

Look around for a contact section, luckily they have one that includes a box for your order number. Explain the address issue with my order. Get a response shockingly quickly in broken English thanking me for shopping with them and saying that my correction will be helpful for them, and that it will ship in two days.

Credit card charge goes through. Listing on tkv's site shows up as sold out shortly after.

Meet up with my friends only 10 minutes late.

4 years after foolishly selling my Anryu Blue #2 210mm, I finally got my hands on one of the new Ikeda forged blue #2's.

So excited!!
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by stevem627 »

I’m glad to see you’re getting one after letting go of the older one. Please let us know how it compares to your older 220 as best as you can. I have a B2 Hammered 210 and 240 and would possibly like to add some others from the line.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by joanjet »

stevem627 wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 8:04 am I’m glad to see you’re getting one after letting go of the older one. Please let us know how it compares to your older 220 as best as you can. I have a B2 Hammered 210 and 240 and would possibly like to add some others from the line.
Sorry, I never saw your question about this!

I actually found the performance of the new Ikeda Anryu I got my hands on to be identical to the one I had before. The handle is different (but only the type of wood, shape and size are identical) but the weight, the fit, the finish seems identical, and my old Anryu was purchased 2014ish, so I don't think it was produced by Ikeda all the way back then.
Last edited by joanjet on Fri May 19, 2023 5:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by joanjet »

Also, in case anyone has been looking but hasn't noticed, it seems they got some blue #2 anryu's in stock, including 210mm gyutos.

They are the newest knives that show up in new arrivals at the moment
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by Jeff B »

joanjet wrote: Thu May 18, 2023 9:44 pm
stevem627 wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 8:04 am I’m glad to see you’re getting one after letting go of the older one. Please let us know how it compares to your older 220 as best as you can. I have a B2 Hammered 210 and 240 and would possibly like to add some others from the line.
Sorry, I never saw your question about this!

I actually found the performance of the new Ikeda Anryu I got my hands on to be identical to the one I had before. The handle is different, but the weight, the fit, the finish seems identical, and my old Anryu was purchased 2014ish, so I don't think it was produced by Ikeda all the way back then.
I have read in a few places that Katsushige Anryu has closely supervised Ikeda sans' work through the start of his retirement to the present. Anryu san has stayed involved with the company in many ways and hasn't just disappeared into the sunset. It has been said by many closely involve with Anryu Hamono that Katsushige's and Ikeda's work is nearly identical.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by Robstreperous »

Jeff B wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 7:05 am
joanjet wrote: Thu May 18, 2023 9:44 pm
stevem627 wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 8:04 am I’m glad to see you’re getting one after letting go of the older one. Please let us know how it compares to your older 220 as best as you can. I have a B2 Hammered 210 and 240 and would possibly like to add some others from the line.
Sorry, I never saw your question about this!

I actually found the performance of the new Ikeda Anryu I got my hands on to be identical to the one I had before. The handle is different, but the weight, the fit, the finish seems identical, and my old Anryu was purchased 2014ish, so I don't think it was produced by Ikeda all the way back then.
I have read in a few places that Katsushige Anryu has closely supervised Ikeda sans' work through the start of his retirement to the present. Anryu san has stayed involved with the company in many ways and hasn't just disappeared into the sunset. It has been said by many closely involve with Anryu Hamono that Katsushige's and Ikeda's work is nearly identical.
I've heard this as well. My personal experience is my "new" B2 240 cuts nearly identically to my "old" B2 240.

Thanks for the tip about the B2 210s coming back in stock. I was looking for one and just got my order in.

Absolutely love these knives.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by ChefKnivesToGo »

We got most of the line in yesterday. https://www.chefknivestogo.com/anryuhammered.html

Ikeda’s a master smith in his own right and I can’t see any difference in them.
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by taz575 »

It's nice to see the line is continued on! I know a lot of people love these blades and I am glad he found someone that can make them still!
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Re: Anryu Knives Updates

Post by joanjet »

taz575 wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 8:55 am It's nice to see the line is continued on! I know a lot of people love these blades and I am glad he found someone that can make them still!
Yeah I couldn't agree more. I was so sad when I saw Anryu retired, and so happy when I got my hands on an Ikeda blue #2 out of the blue. I actually haven't seen them restock the blue #2 210mm at takefu's official website since I was lucky enough to get mine last year, so I wasn't expecting Mark to be able to get his hands on some. Don't expect these to last very long, they have been really hard to find since his retirement

I think it's something specific to the size of my hands/arms, but the Anryu blue #2 210mm is still the most comfortable gyuto i've ever held, after trying a few dozen other gyutos at various lengths. I also really like the r2 takamura migaki 210mm and my custom handle masamoto ks 255mm, but to this day the Anryu still takes the cake
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