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Tamahagane San Series Chef's Knife 27cm ~$79, 24cm ~$120 | EndGrain Chopping Boards $40-$55 +$9.90 Shipping @KitchenwareDirect

410
CGIFT20

The amount of effort that goes into making one of these is extraordinary. Individually hand forged.

3 Ply construction, similar to TOjiro DP.

Also i dont normally encourage the use of wheel sharpeners, but i acknowledge some people cant be bothered buying whetstones, and for $40 for a 3 stage wheel sharpener is a really good price. CAUTION: the third wheel is for single edged knives. DO NOT use this wheel for your normal chefs knives. They are ideal for the single sided sushi knives.

At these prices for the specs, its a STEAL! (yes pun intended)

Original eBay CGIFT20 deal

Tamahagane San 24cm ~$120

Tamahagane San 27cm ~$87 SOLD OUT

Tamahagane San 18cm ~$80 SOLD OUT

Tamahagane 3 Stage Wheel Sharpener ~$40

Specs:
Construction: Blade: VG5 Core, SUS410
Handle: Laminated, silicon injected hardwood
Dimensions: (Check respective Lengths)
Features: Full tang
60:62 HRC
3 steel riveted handle
Gift boxed
Cleaning/care: Hand wash
Colour: Black Pakkawood handle
Origin: Japan
Warranty: Limited lifetime

27cm is an extremely long blade, usually these are more expensive than 21cm blades.

Edit: I have taken out references of "Damascus steel", because it is likely that kitchenware direct got it confused with Tamahagane's other lineup. The description on their website may be inaccurate.

After some research i found the most likely specs below. Thanks to the posted (below) for mentioning based on previous experience.

More info can be found here: http://www.nosawa.jp/housewares/en/lineup/san1.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QNCgI8SLvc

Information about VG5 vs VG10
http://store.sointuusa.com/blog/vg5-steel-vs-vg10-steel/


#End-Grain Chopping boards: Peer Sorensen 48x35cm ~$55, 39x29~$40 +$9.90 Ship @KitchenwareDirect SOLD OUT

The appeal of end grain chopping boards is that they take the cross-sectional horizontal grain of the wood, which means its more forgiving to the edge of your knife.
The choice of wood and grain to use for your knife is just as important as the steel of the knife itself. Harder woods like bamboo will wear out the edge more quickly, softer woods like Japanese Cypress will help the sharpness of the knife edge be retained longer.Original eBay CGIFT20 deal

Peer Sorensen 48x35cm SOLD OUT

Peer Sorensen 39x29 Acacia End Grain SOLD OUT

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closed Comments

  • +1

    Its rare to find a 32 layer damascus japanese steel for this price, RRP is around $329.

    Tamahagane Knife $39.95 Delivered @ Kitchenware Direct

    35 layers Damascus Steel.

    :)

    • cheers!

    • It is impossible to find a 32 layer damascus japanese steel for this price. I bought one you are referring to and it was not damascus

    • +8

      I don't buy less than 150 layered knives, made by a 90 year old Japanese knife master - I'm not some amateur!

    • Okay..feeling a bit stupid but, I thought pattern welded blades were folded. How do you get an odd number? Is it just forged from a pattern welded billet?

      • +2

        Their damascus knives, and their other layered knives are a harder steel at the core, and softer steel layered around it ( resulting in the odd number of layers ).
        This is marketed as making them easier to sharpen. Some knife snobs have said they think it's an inferior technique designed only to save costs, and that the tamahagane knives dull more easily than others. Personally I've not found this to be the case in regards to loosing their edge, however I've not needed to sharpen mine yet, so I can't comment on them being easier to sharpen than full vg10.
        I've got a full vg10 damascus i bought from japan ( random shop brand or something ), a 27cm Tamahagane damascus, and a highcarbon steel santoku ( again random shop brand bought whilst I was in japan.

  • I hate trying to buy knives. I have no idea if they are actually any good or not for the price.

    The J.A. Henckels knives that I bought from target from the following deal have been amazing though. I wish I had bought more www.ozbargain.com.au/node/104264

    • +5

      In my research i have found if you look at these few aspects, you can rest assured a 80-95% chance that you will get some thing good

      Made in Japan = quality
      VG10 or Damascus Steel = hardness
      Hand Forged = quality controlled, and consistency
      Full Tang = balance
      Wood (pakka) handle = antibacterial properties, and feel.

      • +1

        You must have some very big rats if you need Japanese steel.

  • +5

    these knives are not damascus steel, I bought one before and had to return it as it was not damascus. If you check their website you won't find damascus in description (thanks to me) but it looks like the description on ebay is old and misleading

    • Could it be that you were expecting a damascus style pattern? Just because it does not have the pattern does not mean it is not made of damascus steel.

      • damascus = pattern, no pattern not damascus. I was expecting multilayered damascus knife. But you are welcome to prove me wrong. Try to find the damascus word on the original page http://www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au/Tamahagane-San-Series-Ch… and visually compare looks from youtube to pics on ebay.

        • I know that is one definition (because of the pattern), but here on chefdepot they still note that it is a 3-ply "Damascus clad" steel. http://chefdepot.net/tamahagane.htm

          Open to correction, if someone can tell me what exactly this means

          Edit: I Found something. You are right, its not damascus. Kitchenware direct confuse it for their "Kyoto" lineup, which is a damascus style steel. I will change the descriptions.

        • +8

          In reality no steels produced today are true damascus. At best they're pattern-welded steel, the surface etched with acid to bring out the pattern at worst just plain steel with a pattern laser etched into the surface. Note that it is possible to create a multilayered, folded steel envelope blade and polish the surface to the point where the pattern is pretty much invisible.

          True Damascus or wootz steel, on the other hand, was a crucible steel with remarkable (for the time) sharpness and toughness which had swirly patterns of ferrite and cementite visible on the surface. The method of producing true Damascus was lost. One or two researchers have claimed to have reproduced wootz steel, but the claims remain controversial. Interest in this ancient technology is largely academic. Modern steels easily outperform both folded/pattern-welded steels and probably true Damascus.

        • @simulacrum:

          Superman of steel

          Damascus steel is the term used for steel with a distinctive wavy pattern, or grain, in the blade, made by welding many layers of hard and soft steel together. Hounslow-Robinson sources his steel from old sawmills and car yards. The sawmills supply the band saws, made of hard steel, and the car yards the old springs, made of sprung steel. He starts with 10 layers and as he hammers them out, he folds the blade back on itself to make 20layers, then 40 and so on, the number increasing exponentially like making puff pastry, until he ends up with anywhere between 100 and 250 layers in the blade. The soft steel protects the hard steel in the final knife blade.

        • +2

          @simulacrum:

          The method of producing true Damascus was lost.

          Was it lost like Valyrian steel?

        • @tonester: I understand that pattern-welded steel has been cleverly marketed as damascus and it is now common to refer to it as such. I was just providing a bit of historical context for clarity.

          People read about the structural qualities of true Damascus (or wootz) and assume their modern pattern welded knife will have the same characteristics. This isn't accurate, as nobody really knows how to make true damascus, and while modern "damascus" (or patternwelding) has a similar pattern on it, the similarity is entirely cosmetic (I'm sure part of the reason pattern welding made a comeback with european bladesmiths was to try to associate the product with damascus steel).

  • Cleaning/care: Hand wash

    Any which are dishwasher safe?

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/218906 was a bit short for my liking.

    • +5

      If you are looking at these kind of knives, no. Do not dishwash these. Soaping and washing a knife only takes 10 seconds with a sponge. These knives demand respect for the amount of work that goes into them!Dish washing will damage the pakkawood handle. Even if it says dishwasher safe for the shun knives, when youre spending that kind of money on a knife i would treat it with a little extra courtesy.

      • +1

        +1 chemicals damage knives - always hand wash and promptly dry good ones :)

        3 Ways You May Be Ruining Your Knives

        • Thanks for adding that, i forgot also that the heat and chemicals can inadvertently accelerate the oxidation of the steel.

        • @nairdajun: Thanks for the details.
          Now convince my housemates to not put them in the dishwasher. =)
          My question still stands.

        • +1

          @Lukian: Fortunately i do not have a dishwasher in my share house, and i keep the knife to myself (since i bought it).

          But if i move back home, ill have to remind my mum not to put it in the dishwasher.

          There is very little info on kitchenware direct that suggests that you can put it in the dishwasher, and for that reason alone i would suggest not to.

          I have looked at all the "high end" knives and superior steel japanese knives, and they all recommend hand washing.

          even the shun classics will recommend handwashing, as dishwashing wont destroy the knife, but it will accelerate the wear and tear.

          In short, dont dishwash your expensive knives.

        • @nairdajun:

          heat and chemicals can inadvertently accelerate the oxidation of the steel.

          Heat will encourage oxidation, the dishwasher soap shouldn't damage the steel though, that stuff is made to remove oils.. not metal (unless you're using Brasso as your washing detergent..?)

        • @tonester:

          So, based on all the photos and logs, conclusion is very simple, dishwasher does induce rust

          I meant the detergent D:
          I don't have a dishwasher but I clean my knives quickly after use.

          the chemicals and hardness in the water can create pit marks

          So.. are we now suggesting not to wash the knife with water at all? O_o

        • @cwongtech: Temperature of the water does have an effect on the hardness (KH) of the water as well, so in extremely hot temperatures, it can affect the hardness of the water. (source: Aquarium days)

          Depending on what kind of dishwashing detergent/formula you use (e.g. tablet form), may use tiny particles that are abrasive against the steel.

          Now typically when people put things in the dishwasher, they try to pack it full. I might get weird looks if i dedicate a whole section to the knife. Because of the high temperatures and pressure of the water being used and vibrations caused by the dishwasher, there will be abrasion between the knife and other cutlery that happens to be rubbing up against it.

    • no japanese knife is dishwasher safe.

      • Even Wusthof and Mundial recommend hand washing.

  • A bit concerned it's not too suitable for larger hands, being Japanese. Anyone know? The Global chef's knife I bought many years ago definitely doesn't sit well with larger hands.

    • im a short asian with not very big hands, i used to use a Global G2. Is that the one you use?

      Are you using the pincer grip or like tennis racquet grip?

      • Yes, the G2. I'm guessing I'm a pincher as I pinch the blade between thumb and index finger. I occasionally take a sliver off the back of my index finger as it points straight down the blade, clearing the sharp edge by about a cm. I also find the G2 doesn't feel balanced pinching the blade. I suspect the G2 was designed for what would be a tennis racquet grip— here the knife feels balanced plus my index finger is out of harms way as the handle appears to be sculpted for it.

        • +1

          Global make a marketing hiatus about it being balanced, which is balanced if you hold it a certain way. However if you try to do the industry standard finger on the tang heel of the blade, you cant balance it…it will keep sliding off your finger.

          Following your reflections, if you try to use the G2 in a pincer grip you might sometimes find that the width of the blade is too narrow for your index finger to be always safely out of harms way.

    • this shouldnt be a problem in general.
      it all depends on the knife.

    • My friend has larger hands, and struggles a little with the shun knives. These have a slightly longer handle than most shun knives, and he finds it easier to hold.
      mine measures 12.5cm handle length, where you would grip. 13.5 all the way from the end to the blade

  • +1

    Hmm… can't combine shipping for multiple different items?

    • +5

      Maybe it's for seafood? You know, to see food?

  • +1

    Tamahagane refers to a type of metal.
    the tamahagane "brand" knives are pretty low end, for japanese knives. though they're probably still better than any european knife.
    they're made in sakai I believe. the town has a history of quality knives.

    • +1

      As per your reflections, i previously considered Global to be the low end of japanese knives, until i realized how crap the quality of knifes are in the average kitchen. The average person i know is using some cheapo stamped knife from Kmart, a Wiltshire or scanpan knife, with more uncommon ones using Global, Wusthof, and Mundial…

      To those people even this knife is bordering "unnecessary", but in my opinion they would really benefit from having a knife like this.
      They try my Tojiro and are blown away.

      • In your opinion, is this deal better value than the Tojiro?

        Also, is the 3 stage wheel sharpener worth it for someone who is time-poor?

        • +1

          Blunt knives are dangerous to say the least. You're far better having something than nothing.

          Global sell a wheel sharpener like this so I reckon they ain't bad for the time poor. To be fair though a water stone only takes a few minutes (and I'm an amateur that uses an angle guide) once a month so it doesn't really rob me of time.

        • In my opinion the Tojiro i bought previously a few months ago on paper is a better knife than this. However the two sellers arent selling tojiro cutlery, so i have not included it.

          VG10>VG5, but the biggest bargain was probably for the 27cm, which was about how much i paid for the Tojiro 210mm

          If you want the best care for your knife, learn to use a whetstone like previously mentioned. Once you do it a few times, it takes no time at all. A good japanese 1000/3000 grit whetstone should suffice

        • VG10 isn't better than VG5 in context of these knives though, only in theory, in reality they both have strong suits, and hardness comes down to treatment, Tamahagane San is 61 HRC or 59 HRC (there is conflicting info), while Tojiro DP is 60 HRC. Tamahagane claim they used VG5 over VG10 because and I quote "VG5 can be hardened as hard as any of the other V-G steels but has superior edge retention. Using scientific testing equipment (CATRA), Kataoka was able to show that their knives stayed sharper longer than knives made from other VG steels."

    • Better than any European knife?!

      • +1

        Important to note that we are talking about the steel in particular, and maybe the handle material and balance.

        Not factoring in things like "feel" and "comfort" which is highly subjective. We cannot talk about the feel without including personal preference

    • +1

      Tamahagane is definitely better than Euro knives like Wusthof and Victorinox, and better than some lower end Japanese knives such as Global's. Tamahagane's are hardened to 61 HRC compared to Wusthof's and Globals in the 56-58 HRC range. Wusthof and Global use steels X50CrMoV15 and Cromova 18 respectively (both 0.5% Carbon), which is not as good as VG5 used in Tamahagane (1% Carbon). So I'd place Tamahagane as closer to mid range personally, calling them low end is a bit harsh.

  • The 18cm sold out just as I was clicking commit to buy…

  • Bought the last 27cm knife, probably a bit too big for cooking, but better for stopping intruders in a pinch :P

    • I've got a 27cm chef's knife and love it :) It's a Japanese laser so it actually weighs the same as my 8" Wusthof Grand Prix II, which is great because I'm not a big fan of how light the Jap knives weigh!

  • Anyone looking for something a bit better than these
    https://m.facebook.com/Cutboy-169730976515434/

  • Item has ended,sold out?

  • Note that they upped the price on the sharpener yesterday from $40 to $50.

  • Btw guys/gals, if the picture in the listing is the model we will be receiving, then we will be getting the older SAN model, which has black Micarta handle and 61 HRC blade. The newer SAN model uses a brown ply wood handle and 59 HRC blade, so if we are receiving the older SAN model then we have done extremely well for the price, it's even specced better than Tojiro DP in hardness and handle material! (although in reality it will be personal preference that decides the "winner") as both have excellent enough specs for any of us, even the newer SAN model would be just as good in real word use.

  • Received one of these today, it's awesome, same knife as the picture, I'm going ahead and ordering a set now.

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