Some of my most quality based items were crafted in Japan

[[DHT]Osiris]

I have those as well. Those are great too. The HD is great sounding. I think I paid like 350 for those in 2005. Only had to replace the pads once. Got the velour and still rocks today.

Is there a good pad replacement that doesn't wear out over time? The pleather? or whatever that was on these fell apart years ago, I've just had foam-on-ears.

 

[Muse]

Avoid knives that call themselves "Japanese chef knife," or say they're made with "Japanese steel." Those are almost always a dead giveaway for a Chinese company trying to pass its goods off as Japanese in origin.

The first one you listed is difficult to find, but I strongly suspect it's Chinese made.
The second one, however, is easy to find as Chinese:

HOSHANHO Trademark of Shenzhen Yanzhen Technology Co., Ltd - Registration Number 6276891 - Serial Number 90058174 :: Justia Trademarks

Dishware; Jugs; Bottle openers, electric and non-electric; Cooking pots; Cutting boards for the kitchen; Hand-operated salt mills; Kitchen utensil crocks; Pressure cookers, non-electric; Tea services in the nature of tableware; Wine glasses

trademarks.justia.com

There are some very good quality Japanese cutlery brands that won't break the bank.
Tojiro
Mac
Shun (classic is the best entry-level stuff)

Ah, thank you. I did a search on Tojiro and came to this (one of several they have there):

Tojiro Classic Gyuto Chef's Knife - 8.25" (210mm) DP VG10

The Tojiro Classic Chef's Knife (formerly DP) is a kitchen essential, designed for slicing, dicing, chopping, mining vegetables and poultry. The Tojiro Classic series features a full-tang and 3-ply clad construction with a core of VG-10 super steel encased by two layers of highly rigid and rust...

cutleryandmore.com

So a thing pops up where I give them my email address and they send me a 15% discount code. I bite, get the code. If I don't use the code I get free shipping because it's over $99. With the code I'm under $99, so I have to pay $13.95 shipping. Whoopie, I net $2 discount. Wacky ass.

This is a 8.25" Tojiro knife for $114.95. They sell an 8" Tojiro for $59.95. I'm clueless what I want here except what I have read in this thread, where no specific knives are linked, IIRC.

 

[BoomerD]

Ah, thank you. I did a search on Tojiro and came to this (one of several they have there):

Tojiro Classic Gyuto Chef's Knife - 8.25" (210mm) DP VG10

The Tojiro Classic Chef's Knife (formerly DP) is a kitchen essential, designed for slicing, dicing, chopping, mining vegetables and poultry. The Tojiro Classic series features a full-tang and 3-ply clad construction with a core of VG-10 super steel encased by two layers of highly rigid and rust...

cutleryandmore.com

So a thing pops up where I give them my email address and they send me a 15% discount code. I bite, get the code. If I don't use the code I get free shipping because it's over $99. With the code I'm under $99, so I have to pay $13.95 shipping. Whoopie, I net $2 discount. Wacky ass.

This is a 8.25" Tojiro knife for $114.95. They sell an 8" Tojiro for $59.95. I'm clueless what I want here except what I have read in this thread, where no specific knives are linked, IIRC.

I bought this set as a Christmas gift for a friend several years ago:

TOJIRO CLASSIC 3pc Set

We're updating our product listings to reflect a recent name change by the manufacturer. Tojiro DP is now called TOJIRO CLASSIC. The knives are the same — only the name is changing. This is our best-selling knife set on the website. The TOJIRO CLASSIC 3-piece set includes the following knives...

www.chefknivestogo.com

He fancies himself as something of a home chef…yet lived with mediocre knives.

He literally cried when he opened it. When we saw him last a couple of years ago, he still takes them out of the supplied box, uses them, washes them, and puts them back in the box. No one…not even his wife is allowed to touch them.

 

[JM Aggie08]

I have a 70-80 y/o fish keychain/bottle opener that was my great-grandfather's from Japan. The paint on it still looks brand new.

 

[Muse]

I bought this set as a Christmas gift for a friend several years ago:

TOJIRO CLASSIC 3pc Set

We're updating our product listings to reflect a recent name change by the manufacturer. Tojiro DP is now called TOJIRO CLASSIC. The knives are the same — only the name is changing. This is our best-selling knife set on the website. The TOJIRO CLASSIC 3-piece set includes the following knives...

www.chefknivestogo.com

He fancies himself as something of a home chef…yet lived with mediocre knives.

He literally cried when he opened it. When we saw him last a couple of years ago, he still takes them out of the supplied box, uses them, washes them, and puts them back in the box. No one…not even his wife is allowed to touch them.

Not sure I want a set of 3, although that might actually be the best/better idea. I think the largest of the set is 210mm gyuto (F-808), and I think it might be this:

Tojiro DP | 8.2" Chef Knife (Gyuto) | F-808

This is Tojiro's flagship model. If you want a quality chef knife that will last you for a long time (as long as you care for it), look no further. The Tojiro DP Gyuto has won numerous awards for good design and functionality. This is a knife for professionals, the difference between this and...

grillmasters.boutique

$85, but wanted to find out what shipping charges are, however, for some reason it says it can't ship to my address. No idea where they are. Paypal doesn't work, I have no Venmo or Shop Pay account. Weird.

Trying to pay with Paypal, got this message:

Your order cannot be shipped to the selected address. Review your address to ensure it's correct and try again, or select a different address.

They appear to be in FL. Can't imagine what the problem is. Still can't buy Japanese steel. Crazy world.

 

[Muse]

I have a 70-80 y/o fish keychain/bottle opener that was my great-grandfather's from Japan. The paint on it still looks brand new.

My dad was into Hakata Dolls. I have one of them, an old guy sitting on a mat, working on sharpening a tool.

 

[Muse]

I bought this set as a Christmas gift for a friend several years ago:

TOJIRO CLASSIC 3pc Set

We're updating our product listings to reflect a recent name change by the manufacturer. Tojiro DP is now called TOJIRO CLASSIC. The knives are the same — only the name is changing. This is our best-selling knife set on the website. The TOJIRO CLASSIC 3-piece set includes the following knives...

www.chefknivestogo.com

He fancies himself as something of a home chef…yet lived with mediocre knives.

He literally cried when he opened it. When we saw him last a couple of years ago, he still takes them out of the supplied box, uses them, washes them, and puts them back in the box. No one…not even his wife is allowed to touch them.

Thanks for the tip.

Well I don't fancy myself a chef, but an estimable housemate (lead guitarist in a local band) called me "the ultimate home economist" and figured I'd open a restaurant one day.

Although I have the house to myself these days space is an issue and a 3 blade set of Japanese steel seems a bit much, but the center piece of that set seems to be the blade to get for a 1st/only Japanese kitchen knife. I believe it's this and I ordered it:

TOJIRO CLASSIC Gyuto 210mm​

TOJIRO CLASSIC Gyuto 210mm

We're updating our product listings to reflect a recent name change by the manufacturer. Tojiro DP is now called TOJIRO CLASSIC. The knives are the same — only the name is changing. For decades, TOJIRO knives have served as a gateway into the world of high-end Japanese cutlery for professional...

www.chefknivestogo.com

 

[Muse]

Thanks for the tip.

Well I don't fancy myself a chef, but an estimable housemate (lead guitarist in a local band) called me "the ultimate home economist" and figured I'd open a restaurant one day.

Although I have the house to myself these days space is an issue and a 3 blade set of Japanese steel seems a bit much, but the center piece of that set seems to be the blade to get for a 1st/only Japanese kitchen knife. I believe it's this and I ordered it:

TOJIRO CLASSIC Gyuto 210mm​

TOJIRO CLASSIC Gyuto 210mm

We're updating our product listings to reflect a recent name change by the manufacturer. Tojiro DP is now called TOJIRO CLASSIC. The knives are the same — only the name is changing. For decades, TOJIRO knives have served as a gateway into the world of high-end Japanese cutlery for professional...

www.chefknivestogo.com

This $58.50 (at Amazon) knife may or may not be identical to the Tojiro Classic (which is said to be the same as the DP, but has a new name):

Amazon.com: Fujitora FU-808 Chef's Knife, 8.3 inches (210 mm), Made in Japan, Cobalt Alloy Steel, Double Edged, Chef's Knife, For Cutting Meat, Cooking Fish and Vegetables, DP Cobalt Alloy Steel Insert, With : Home & Kitchen

Buy Fujitora FU-808 Chef's Knife, 8.3 inches (210 mm), Made in Japan, Cobalt Alloy Steel, Double Edged, Chef's Knife, For Cutting Meat, Cooking Fish and Vegetables, DP Cobalt Alloy Steel Insert, With: Chef's Knives - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[BoomerD]

This $58.50 (at Amazon) knife may or may not be identical to the Tojiro Classic (which is said to be the same as the DP, but has a new name):

Amazon.com: Fujitora FU-808 Chef's Knife, 8.3 inches (210 mm), Made in Japan, Cobalt Alloy Steel, Double Edged, Chef's Knife, For Cutting Meat, Cooking Fish and Vegetables, DP Cobalt Alloy Steel Insert, With : Home & Kitchen

Buy Fujitora FU-808 Chef's Knife, 8.3 inches (210 mm), Made in Japan, Cobalt Alloy Steel, Double Edged, Chef's Knife, For Cutting Meat, Cooking Fish and Vegetables, DP Cobalt Alloy Steel Insert, With: Chef's Knives - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

That might be the Tojiro Basic series…but the numbers are different.

TOJIRO BASIC Gyuto 200mm

TOJIRO's latest knife is designed with the perfect blade thickness for optimal handling and ease of use. This knife brings professional-grade sharpness right into your home, with a timeless design that transcends age. Crafted with premium Japanese knife steel, VG10, this blade delivers...

www.chefknivestogo.com

 

[IronWing]

Fuck! Fucking kitchen knives fucking cut fucking food. They fucking only have to fucking be so fucking good. You can fucking cut fucking food with a fucking can lid! Fuck!



Oh, um, carry on.

 

[Muse]

Fuck! Fucking kitchen knives fucking cut fucking food. They fucking only have to fucking be so fucking good. You can fucking cut fucking food with a fucking can lid! Fuck!



Oh, um, carry on.

Uh, well, I prepared my evening salad tonight with the only Japanese steel I have ever laid hands on, pix up in this thread and below. I did sharpen it FIRST! Did an amazing job. But if I hadn't just sharpened it with 2, 3, 4 and 600 grit diamond dust sharpener and then stropped the fucker a bunch it would not have been so nice.

Now, those Tojiro knives we're talking about come super super sharp and some people say they stay that way with daily use for 6 FUCKIN' MONTHS!

It is necessary to be somewhat careful with them. The steel is so hard that it's relatively brittle and it's possible to damage them (e.g. chips).

My current Japanese steel (which I found in the bushes next to the local flea market I guess around 20 years ago. Did I mention the corpse that was next to it? I don''t think so):