Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

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Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Stoner »

Hi,

I am planning to get a Takamura Gyuto 180mm SG2 or VG10 (when there is stock) and am undecided to choose which steel. Reason why I am choosing Takamura is that the sharpness, length and price seems to be a good match for my budget.

I have read from users that SG2 seems to be more prone to chipping or having micro chipping.

VG10 seems to take more abuse better.

Not choosing the Chromax as it is a bit shorter blade than I am used to.

The main usage will be for cutting vegetables on a wooden cutting board.

I never had both these steels or Japanese knives.

Thus your kind feedback is much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by taz575 »

I would go for the SG2 over vg10. It will take and hold a better edge than vg10. Vg10 is often gummy feeling to sharpen and is a pain to deburr and will micro chip more than sg2 from the vg10 I have used. Heat treating plays a big role and some vg10 by certain companies is much better than say Shuns vg10.

I have a thinly ground r2 gyuto and its not chippy at all.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Stoner »

Thanks for the advice!

My plan is Takamura 180mm Sg2 for wife usage.

Plan to get one super aogami bunka for myself. I am leaning towards Yu Kurosaki Aogami Super Bunkas. They look very artistic but read comments that they are over priced for the quality. I have to admit the Fujin style is very attractive. Yu Kurosaki was not my first choice, was wanting to get Anryu Bunka, but read he has retired...

Any suggestions for alternative Aogami Super Bunkas by blacksmiths is appreciated.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Jeff B »

Yu Kurosaki knives are very good quality and worth every penny. I have knives from his Kurouchi AS line, Fujin AS and VG10 lines and Hammered R2 line and am very happy with all of them.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by silylanjie »

Takamura Chromax are nice too, I have the Gyuto 210mm and love it.

Checkout the new Takamura Chromax Pakka Santoku 170mm: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tachpasa161.html
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by taz575 »

I have a few Makoto Kurosaki knives and they are amongst my favorites. I have never heard Yu kurosaki's are overpriced? Yu is one of the few makers I would try in VG-10.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Bob Z »

Still looking for a bunka? I would grab this last one:
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kaasbu161.html
Great looking knife and a great cutter also. I liked it so much I bought a nakiri and gyuto from him afterwards.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Jeff B »

Bob Z wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:08 pm Still looking for a bunka? I would grab this last one:
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kaasbu161.html
Great looking knife and a great cutter also. I liked it so much I bought a nakiri and gyuto from him afterwards.
That is made by Yoshimi Kato, it is the same line he used to make under the Masakage Nashiji name. He works very closely with Yu and Makoto Kurosaki in Takefu Village. That knife will be on par with the Kurosaki AS bunka in performance and fit & finish. Yoshimi, Yu and Makoto all apprenticed under Yoshimi's father Hiroshi Kato.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by silylanjie »

I think Yoshimi Kato is the son-in-law of Hiroshi Kato
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Jeff B »

silylanjie wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 2:59 pm I think Yoshimi Kato is the son-in-law of Hiroshi Kato
You are absolutely right, I always forget that little detail! :oops: :D
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by silylanjie »

Jeff B wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 4:12 pm
silylanjie wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 2:59 pm I think Yoshimi Kato is the son-in-law of Hiroshi Kato
You are absolutely right, I always forget that little detail! :oops: :D
Jeff, don't mind me I'm just being nit picky :D
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Stoner »

silylanjie wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 10:09 am Takamura Chromax are nice too, I have the Gyuto 210mm and love it.

Checkout the new Takamura Chromax Pakka Santoku 170mm: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tachpasa161.html
I read that Chromax steel will have Patina over time. It doesnt rust but have Patina on it.

I am very new to Japanese knives, reading as much as I can from the Internet.

Reason for choosing Takamura SG2 180mm is because it is the same length of the current knife that wife is using. It will be something more familiar with same length.

She already "warned" me that she does not want to have knife that rust, she is not into wiping down knives after use. :roll:

I really like the tsuchime finishing on the Chromax but the SG2 line does not have it. She doesn't mind a kasumi finishing.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Stoner »

Jeff B wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:36 am Yu Kurosaki knives are very good quality and worth every penny. I have knives from his Kurouchi AS line, Fujin AS and VG10 lines and Hammered R2 line and am very happy with all of them.
His Kurouchi AS line, the Bunka is it the 165mm or the 170m Fujin?
Any comments on the performance, usage, sharpening, etc is much appreciated.



Wow! Envy that you have a such a cool collection!
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by taz575 »

Chromax is basically A2, which is an air hardening carbon tool steel woth around 5% chromium. It will patina and can rust, especially of left wet. Definitely go with sg2 which is a true stainless.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Stoner »

Bob Z wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:08 pm Still looking for a bunka? I would grab this last one:
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kaasbu161.html
Great looking knife and a great cutter also. I liked it so much I bought a nakiri and gyuto from him afterwards.
Thank you for the suggestion!

Where I am from, most household use knives that are from china, usually around USD2-5. Kitchen knives unless for someone working in a professional high end restaurant kitchen, probably will have better knives.

I love the kurouchi finishing with tsuchime finishing. Thus leaning towards Yu Kurosaki AS Bunka. It somehow looks really good and something very different from what I have at home. Want to have something totally different in terms of looks and shape.

Thanks again for the suggestion! will bookmark for future! :D
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Jeff B »

Stoner wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:32 pm
Jeff B wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:36 am Yu Kurosaki knives are very good quality and worth every penny. I have knives from his Kurouchi AS line, Fujin AS and VG10 lines and Hammered R2 line and am very happy with all of them.
His Kurouchi AS line, the Bunka is it the 165mm or the 170m Fujin?
Any comments on the performance, usage, sharpening, etc is much appreciated.



Wow! Envy that you have a such a cool collection!
Both are excellent performing knives. Can be used as a general purpose everyday knife and sharpen on wet stones like any other knife. No way to tell when they might restock. You can enter your email address on the product pages and you will be notified when they come back instock.

Kurosaki AS Kurouchi 165mm Bunka - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kuaskubu18.html
Kurosaki Fujin AS 170mm Bunka - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kufuasbu16cu.html
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by silylanjie »

Stoner wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:25 pm
silylanjie wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 10:09 am Takamura Chromax are nice too, I have the Gyuto 210mm and love it.

Checkout the new Takamura Chromax Pakka Santoku 170mm: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tachpasa161.html
I read that Chromax steel will have Patina over time. It doesnt rust but have Patina on it.

I am very new to Japanese knives, reading as much as I can from the Internet.

Reason for choosing Takamura SG2 180mm is because it is the same length of the current knife that wife is using. It will be something more familiar with same length.

She already "warned" me that she does not want to have knife that rust, she is not into wiping down knives after use. :roll:

I really like the tsuchime finishing on the Chromax but the SG2 line does not have it. She doesn't mind a kasumi finishing.
I understand, my wife used the Chromax at home alot but she does try her best to wipe dry the knives after uses. So far there no rust issue with the Chromax but only slightly patina. Just stick with the SG2 since it's a stainless and don't need to worry about rust.

I also would recommend Tsunehisa G3 Nashiji Gyuto 180mm, its stainless and it's almost half of the price of the Takamura SG2 (oos).
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tsg3nagy18.html (instock)

They also offer this with a WA handle too.
Last edited by silylanjie on Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Stoner »

Thank you to everyone that contributed to my search for the first pair of Japanese Knives!

I'll go with the Takamura SG2 180mm Gyuto and Kurosaki AS Fujin Bunka.

Many thanks to the gurus here and do keep up helping future newbies like myself.

It makes a lot of difference having some feedback and clarification versus just blindly reading reviews and youtubes!

Will start a new thread on sharpening, have some ideas on whetstones but need some confirmation.

:D :D :D :D
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by FeelTheBurr »

Hi, I have a Takamura R2 and it's a beautiful knife. It is a little on the light side. I waffled about buying a Makoto sg2, or the Takamura r2. In retrospect I wish I had bought a Makoto only because I think it is probably a little more sure footed. Someone here pointed that out to me and he was right, at least in my situation. From my understanding SG2 steel is the same thing as R2, just different manufacturers. You might check there out:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/masatsgy21.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/masasg2wagy2.html
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Re: Takamura Gyuto SG2 vs Takamura Gyuto VG10

Post by Abeng »

Sg2 instead of vg10.more sharper and more edge retention
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