Ogata SG2 240 gyuto
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 12:11 am
I’m not as active around here as I used to be, having a one year old and recently getting promoted to executive chef has certainly cut into my forum time, so to begin I would like to say thank you to all the forumites keeping the place an active source of information and knife enthusiasm.
I’ve long been dreaming of a modern stainless oversized workhorse with a profile similar to the old 250 Sab artifex but with height well over 50 mm that wasn’t too flashy. I’ve seen close things come and go, masashi kobo, gihei zdp, 270 sukenari, Kamo R2, and others come to mind where I’ve almost pulled the trigger and lost my chance. Life kept happening and I kept sharpening my work knives until they were shorter and shorter and shorter. Getting the promotion, I knew the time was right for a new full sized chefs knife.
There’s not much written on the Ogata yet, one thing that caught my eye was Mark mentioning Ogata San worked under Kamo as a sharpener, and I knew based off that alone it’s a matter of time before these knives take off as fan favorites. What I received absolutely didn’t disappoint.
The knife feels light for it’s stature; although generously tall and overall quite thin it wears its weight well. In forum terms I feel anorexic middleweight or potentially even laserhorse could be valid descriptive terms. The balance point is forward of a pinch, dutifully putting its weight into its ample flat spot. From the flat spot, the profile sweeps drastically, yet fluidly into a second near flat at the tip reminiscent of my beloved Gihei but a tad more curvaceous. It can rock with an authoritative thud, but this profile seems most suited for chops, pushes, guillotines, and tip chops and draws. The closest comparison I can draw is if the Richmond/kono SLD addict were designed for someone who doesn’t rock much.
Against product, the Ogata shares the same indifference towards whatever product it comes across as the Kamo it learned from. I’ve garnished apples and volumed cabbage, rolled peppers of all sizes and killed a case of cauliflower and it doesn’t care. With a sharp edge and proper technique I’m not sure if this has a particular weakness. It’s non stick properties are somewhere in the good not great realm, garlic and other shorter things can get a little sticky, but things don’t really climb after a certain point once it reaches the high grind of the knife.
Overall, I feel the knife has a “got it where it counts” kinda deal going. The spine and choil might be a bit boxy for those without callouses but they aren’t sharp either, I’ll sandpaper them eventually but they aren’t distracting, just not comfortable yet. The SG2 core takes a fantastic edge, came damn sharp, and remains sharp enough at the end of a prep heavy shift to still bite through serranos and chives late in the night. The kasumi finish is pure business without any unecessary flash and the handle is a simple bichromal octagon that doesn’t scream “look at me”. This tool is intended to be worked, and in doing so I finding more beautiful than it’s Kamoflauged brother.
Thank you, Mark and Sue, for everything you’ve done for me over the years. Your knives have made my job quicker and more efficient, I became passionate about knives before I became passionate about food so thank you for being an integral part of my path all the way from a 14 year old busboy who was promoted to dishwasher that just kept working his way up the ladder.
I’ve long been dreaming of a modern stainless oversized workhorse with a profile similar to the old 250 Sab artifex but with height well over 50 mm that wasn’t too flashy. I’ve seen close things come and go, masashi kobo, gihei zdp, 270 sukenari, Kamo R2, and others come to mind where I’ve almost pulled the trigger and lost my chance. Life kept happening and I kept sharpening my work knives until they were shorter and shorter and shorter. Getting the promotion, I knew the time was right for a new full sized chefs knife.
There’s not much written on the Ogata yet, one thing that caught my eye was Mark mentioning Ogata San worked under Kamo as a sharpener, and I knew based off that alone it’s a matter of time before these knives take off as fan favorites. What I received absolutely didn’t disappoint.
The knife feels light for it’s stature; although generously tall and overall quite thin it wears its weight well. In forum terms I feel anorexic middleweight or potentially even laserhorse could be valid descriptive terms. The balance point is forward of a pinch, dutifully putting its weight into its ample flat spot. From the flat spot, the profile sweeps drastically, yet fluidly into a second near flat at the tip reminiscent of my beloved Gihei but a tad more curvaceous. It can rock with an authoritative thud, but this profile seems most suited for chops, pushes, guillotines, and tip chops and draws. The closest comparison I can draw is if the Richmond/kono SLD addict were designed for someone who doesn’t rock much.
Against product, the Ogata shares the same indifference towards whatever product it comes across as the Kamo it learned from. I’ve garnished apples and volumed cabbage, rolled peppers of all sizes and killed a case of cauliflower and it doesn’t care. With a sharp edge and proper technique I’m not sure if this has a particular weakness. It’s non stick properties are somewhere in the good not great realm, garlic and other shorter things can get a little sticky, but things don’t really climb after a certain point once it reaches the high grind of the knife.
Overall, I feel the knife has a “got it where it counts” kinda deal going. The spine and choil might be a bit boxy for those without callouses but they aren’t sharp either, I’ll sandpaper them eventually but they aren’t distracting, just not comfortable yet. The SG2 core takes a fantastic edge, came damn sharp, and remains sharp enough at the end of a prep heavy shift to still bite through serranos and chives late in the night. The kasumi finish is pure business without any unecessary flash and the handle is a simple bichromal octagon that doesn’t scream “look at me”. This tool is intended to be worked, and in doing so I finding more beautiful than it’s Kamoflauged brother.
Thank you, Mark and Sue, for everything you’ve done for me over the years. Your knives have made my job quicker and more efficient, I became passionate about knives before I became passionate about food so thank you for being an integral part of my path all the way from a 14 year old busboy who was promoted to dishwasher that just kept working his way up the ladder.